Life History

Other facts

Notes

• "Henry Asewaynah Fisher is the son of Rudolph Fisher (Fischer) and a Comanche woman. This Rudolph Fisher was captured by the Comanches at about age 10 or 12 near Fredericksburg TX; his family were German. Rudolph Fisher was given the name 'Grey Blanket' by the Comanches."
  --  Bee Gossett, Email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 14 December 2009
  
  ---------------------
  Re: Rudolph Fischer, Indian captive
  szesch (View posts)
  Posted: 24 Jul 2011 7:46AM
  Classification: Query
  
  Cathie, two of Rudolph Fischer's daughters by Kahchacha (Bertie and Helen) married two of Quanah Parker's sons (Len and Thomas). Everything that I was able to learn about Fischer I incorporated into my book "The Captured."
  
  Scott Zesch
  --  Ancestry Discussion Boards, "Rudolph Fischer, Indian Captive," http://boards.ancestrylibrary.com/surnames.fischer/717.2.1.1.2/mb.ashx
  ---------------------
  
  1900 Federal Census, Oklahoma Territory, 7 June, Kiowa, Comanche & Apache Reservation, District 252, page cut off in scan, Hse #261, Fam #270
  Fisher, Rudolph Head Indian Male June 1864 45 Married 21 years Tex Germany Germany Farm & Stock Rents
  Fisher, Tis set sie (Tisseychauer?) Wife Indian Female Mar 1862 38 Married 21 years 8 children/4 living TX TX TX Ration Indian
  Fisher, Alla Cha Vita (Ancestry says Awanata, Maybe Ka cha cha as in the genealogies?) Wife Ind F Oct 1874 25 Married 17 years 6 children/5 living TX TX TX Ration Indian
  Myers, Lena Dau Ind F Nov 1879 20 25 Married 4 years 1 child/1 living Okla Territory Tex Tex Ration Indian
  Fisher, Medicine (?) [Matches Bertie in  other censuses] Dau Ind F April 1895 5 Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian
  ** Fisher, Buster [Henry Asewaynah] Head Ind M Oct 1896 3 Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian **
  Fisher, Kitsey [Mary Asewaynah] Dau W F Oct 1896 3 Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian
  Fisher, Poe kaey (matches Lottie or Margaret in genealogies,  b 1893, but age is 3 yrs later than age in genealogies) Ind F Nov 1896 3 Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian
  Fisher, Nis (age matches Helen) Dau Ind F June 1898 1 Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian
  Fisher, Maree Ind F Feb 1900 3mos Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian
  Myers, Smoagan (?) Dau [Granddaughter] Ind F Aug 1896 3 Okla Ter Tex Tex Ration Indian
  Myers, James Son-in-law White M Oct 1855 44 Married Tex Tex Tex Ration Indian (? He's not an Indian)
  
  Henry Asewaynah Willie Fisher
  Birth 17 Nov 1896 in Oklahoma
  Death 17 Nov 1982 in Hospital, Region Metropolitana, Chile
  Spouse Agnes E Sturm
  Birth Aug 1894
  Death 5 Sep 1956 in Caddo, Caddo, Oklahoma
  Daughter Bernice Rosella Fisher 1919 - 1997
  --  Jenkins Tree, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/12937486/person/99666373
  
  1905 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency, Page ?
  Roll #1122 Rudolph Fisher A-se-way-nah M Husb age 55 [b abt 1850]
  Roll #1123 Tissy-Chau-er F Wife age 51 [b 1854]
  Roll #1124 Bertie Fisher  F Dau age 11 [b 1894]
  Roll #1125 Willie Fisher  M Son age 8 [b 1897]
  Roll #1126 Kit sey Fisher F Dau age 8 [b 1997]
  Roll #1127 Lottie Fisher  FDau age 4 [b 1901]
  Roll #1128 Rudolph Fisher M Son age 6mos [b 1905]
  
  1910 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma, 24 May, Chandler Township, District 40, page 2B, Hse/Fam #17
  Fisher, Rudolph Head M W 57 Marriage 2 Married 30 yrs TX Germany Germany Farmer [b abt 1853]  English mother tongue
  Fisher, Dussit-si-wee Wife F Ind 45 Marriage 1 Married 30 yrs 9 children/4 living Comanche/OK Comanche/Mexico Comanche/OK 1/2 blood[b abt 1865] Comanche mother tongue
  Fisher, Birdie Dau F Ind 16 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/TX Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue
  Fisher, Margaret Dau F Ind 14 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/TX Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue
  Fisher, Mary Dau F Ind 13 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/TX Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue
  ** Fisher, Henry Son M Ind 13 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/TX Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue **
  Fisher, Helen Dau F Ind 12 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/TX Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue
  Fisher, Lottie Dau F Ind 8 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/TX Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue
  Fisher, Mamie Adopt Dau F Ind 5 Single Comanche/OK Comanche/OK Comanche/OK 1/2 blood English mother tongue
  
  In the 1910 census, Rudolph was enumerated in the household of his wife Tissy Chau er with the same set of children.
  
  1910 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency, No page #
  Roll #1135 Ase way nah (Rudolph Fisher) Head age 59 [b abt 1851] M
  #1136 Tissy Chau er Wife age 55 [b 1855] F
  #1137 Bertie Ase way nah Fisher Dau age 15 [b 1995] F
  #1138 Henry Ase way nah (Willie Fisher) Son age 12 [b 1898] M
  #1139 Mary Ase way nah (Kitsey Fisher) Dau age 12 [b 1898] F
  #1140 Lottie Fisher Dau age 8 [b 1902] F
  #1141 Mamie Fisher Fos Dau age 4 [b 1906] F
  
  1912 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency, No page #
  #1148 Ase way nah (Rudolph Fisher) Head age 62 [b abt 1850] M
  #1149 Tissy Chau er Wife age 58 [b 1854] F
  #1150 Henry Ase way nah (Willie Fisher) Son age 16 [b 1896] M
  #1151 Mary Ase way nah (Kit sey) Dau age 16 [b 1896] F
  #1152 Lottie Fisher Dau age 12 [b 1900] F
  #1153 Mamie Fisher F. Dau age 7 [b 1905] F
  
  1913 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency, page 50
  Current #1144 Last #1141 Asewaynah (Rudolph Fisher) Husb age 63 [b abt 1850] M
  #1145 #1142 Tissy Chau er Wife age 59 [b 1854] F
  #1146 #1143 Henry Ase way nah (Willie Fisher) Son age 17 [b 1896] M
  #1147 #1144 Mary Ase way nah (Kit sy) Dau age 17 b 1896 F
  #1148 #1145 Lottie Fisher Dau age 13 [b 1900] F
  #1149 #1146 Mamie Fisher Fos Dau age 8 [b 1905] F
  
  In 1914, Henry has moved out next door.  He is enumerated as a separate household, but there is no wife, just him.  He is now listed between Rudolph and Bertie's household.
  
  1914 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Comanche and Apache Reservation, Kiowa Agency, Page 44
  Previous #1141 Current #1165 Asewaynah (Rudolph Fisher) Hse #529 Head b abt 1850 M
  #1142 #1166 Tissy chau er Wife b 1854 F
  #1144 #1167 Mary Ase way nah (Kit sy) Dau b 1896 F
  #1145 #1168 Lottie Fisher Dau b 1901 F
  #1146 #1169 Mamie Fisher [Fos] Dau b 1905 F
  
  1914 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Comanche and Apache Reservation, Kiowa Agency, Page 44
  #1143 #1170 Henry Ase way nah (Willie Fisher) Son Hse #529.25 b 1896 M
  
  1914 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Comanche and Apache Reservation, Kiowa Agency, Page 45
  #1147 #1171 Bertie Ase way nah  Hse #529.5 Head b 1892 M
  #1148 #1172 Joe Wer ya vah b 1912
  
  In 1917, the Fisher family list has grown with the addition of Len Ne hi o Parker, one of Quanah Parker's sons, who has married Bertie A se way nah Fisher.  In these censuses Henry's wife does not appear, probably because she is Caddo, not Comanche.  The 1930 census reports Agnes' father was a Caddo, and her mother of Mixed Blood.  However, in the Comanche census of 1930, she is reported as Wichita.  So perhaps her mother was Mixed Blood Wichita.  I dio not have Agnes' parents information.
  
  ------------------
  1917 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency
  #1184 A se way nah (Rudolph Fisher) Head b abt 1850 M Fam #529
  #1185 Tissy chau er Wife b 1854 F
  #1186 Lottie Fisher Dau b 1901 F
  #1187 Mamie Fisher Dau b 1905 F
  
  #1188 Mary A se way nah Head b 1896 F #529 1/8
  #1189 Augusta Bosin, Jr  Son [sic] b 1915 F
  #1190 Caroline Bosin, Jr  Dau b 1917 F
  
  #1186 Henry Ase way nah (Willie Fisher) Head b 1896 M #529.25
  
  #1192 Ne hi o (Len Parker) Head b 1890 M #529.5
  #1193 Bertie A se way nah Wife b 1892 F
  #1194 Vera Parker Dau b 1915 F
  #1195 Iona Parker Dau b 1915 F
  ------------------
  
  1920 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma, 19 January, Chandler Township, District 113, parker RR Section, page 4B, Hse #76, Fam #77
  Fisher, Henry C Head Owns M In 23 OK TX OK Farmer
  Fisher, Agnes E Wife F In 23 OK OK OK
  Fisher, Anita B Dau F In 2yrs5mos OK OK OK
  Fisher, Bernice Dau F In 2mos TX OK OK OK
  
  In the 1920 Comanche rolls, Henry's wife Agnes is not listed with Henry and the children.  This is probably because she is a Wichita.  Henry is listed under his Comanche name, Asewaynah, from his father's name given by the Comanches, meaning Gray Blanket.  But his daughters are reported under the English name from Henry's father, Fisher, originally the German Fischer.  Later children were listed under the Comanche surname.  In the US Federal censuses, the English name is always used.
  
  1920 Indian Census Rolls, Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, No page #
  #1201 Henry Asewaynah (Willie Fisher) Head b 1896 M Fam # 529 1/2 blood
  #1202 Verbera [mistranscription: Verbena] Fisher Dau  b 1917 F
  #1203 Bernice Fisher Dau b 1919 F
  
  1930 Indian Census Rolls, Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 1 April, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, No page #
  #287 Asewaynah (Fisher), Henry  M age 34 Comanche 1/4 Married Head
  #288 Sturm, Agnes F 36 Wichita 1/4 Married Wife
  #289 Fisher, Verbena F age 13 Comanche Single Dau
  #290 Fisher, Bernice F 11 Comanche 1/4 Single Dau
  #291 Asewaynah, Geneice F 1925 5 Comanche  1/4 Dau Single
  
  There was a great discrepancy about who should be listed and who was listed in the various Indian tribal rolls.  A good summary of factors in provided by the University of Indiana on this topic.  Following is an excerpt on some notable people who were included or excluded in the Comanche rolls.
  
  --------------------
  The Comanche Census Lists
  
  The earliest extant name-based Comanche censuses are from July 1876, recording the Penateka local bands of Tosawa and Asehabit, residents of the Wichita Reservation north of the Washita River at modern Anadarko.The lists are by head of extended family under the two chiefs, and show a total of 166 people in twenty-four families.
  
  The earliest extant name-based list for the rest of the Comanches is from 1879. It is ordered by the heads of nuclear households. ...
  
  It listed 1,427 people under 602 heads of families under 41 "chiefs". But although the Kiowa and Wichita Agencies were consolidated in 1879, it did not include the Penatekas at the Wichita Agency. They were not included in the Comanche totals until 1885. There are similar lists for 1880, 1881, and 1883.
  
  The earliest name by name is list from 1885, but it is problematic. There are only some 912 names are on it, and several whole bands were excluded. There are more comprehensive name-by-name censuses for 1889, 1892, and 1895--the last year the censuses were listed by "bands" under "chiefs" -- and annually for the years thereafter through 1939. After 1929, the lists are alphabetical by the surname of the head of the family, although spouses continued to be listed with their own surname.
  
  Even as listings of individuals, there are pitfalls in using the lists. First, there is the simple problem of misnumbering; the handwritten 1895 list has a total of 1507, a figure also used in the "Recapitulation" at the end. But the list omitted the numbers 1330-1339, so the total is really 1497.
  
  Then there is the problem of exactly who is counted. From 1879, a number of non-Comanches were listed. These range from various other Indians, both captives and spouses, to non-Indian captives who remained with the Comanches after capture: Asewaynah was the Texas-German Rudolph Fisher; Waysee, the "oldest Comanche" when he died, was also non-Indian, although his origin is unknown. After the so-called Jerome Allotment Agreement of 1892, a number of other non-Comanches were listed. Some were captives who came back in hopes of getting an allotment; Herman Lehman got on the rolls in 1904, but Bianca Babb was rejected. There were "squaw men," non-Indians who had married Comanches; George Chandler was married to a non-Comanche captive woman. There were hangers-on such as the old interpreter Horace P Jones, and Quanah Parker's handyman, David Grantham.
  
  Finally, there is the question of fraud. It is sometimes claimed that people placed dogs in cradleboards to get extra rations or allotments (Jackson 1979:112). While this cannot be ruled out, comparison of the original allotment lists, both the allotment list and the original allotment maps with census lists from both before and after allotment, shows near 100 percent alignment over the next decades: there were no allotments attributed to otherwise unknown individuals. While there are cases of new-borns being listed as "no name" on censuses, in most cases they can be linked to later-named children.
  --  http://php.indiana.edu/~tkavanag/comtext.htm
  --------------------
  
  1930 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma, 10 April, Chandler Township, District 5, page 5A, Hse/Fam #82
  Fisher, Henry Head Owns M In 34 Married at age 18 OK Mixed Blood Comanche Farmer, Indian Home
  Fisher, Agnes Wife F In 37 Married at age -- OK Mixed Blood Caddo
  - page 5B -
  Fisher, Verbena Dau F In 11 OK  Mixed Blood  Comanche
  Fisher, Bernice Son M In 10 OK  Mixed Blood  Comanche
  Fisher, Jeanie Dau M In 5 OK  Mixed Blood  Comanche
  Ketch, George Boarder M In 45 OK  Mixed Blood  Comanche Farmer
  
  The 1937 census adds a year for birth.
  
  1937 Indian Census Rolls, Kiowa Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 1 January, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, Page 22
  #284 Asewaynah (Fisher), Henry  M Born 1894 age 40 Comanche 1/2 Married Head Last census #271
  #285 Fisher, Verbena F b 1917 age 19 Comanche Single Dau  #272
  #286 Fisher, Bernice F b 1919 18 Comanche 1/2 Single Dau  #273
  #287 Asewaynah, Geneice F b 1925 12 Comanche  1/2 Dau Single #274
  #288 Asewaynah, Henry Rudolph M 1930 67 Comanche 1/2 Son Single #275
  #289 Fisher, Johnnie Allison M 1933 3 Comanche 1/2 Son #276
  
  In 1937 Henry is reported as married but his wife is not listed on this census, which would normally indicate she was not an Indian.  But in 1930 she was included, reported as a Wichita.
  
  The 1930 census reports all children 1/4 blood, the same as both parents, even though one parent is Comanche and one is Wichita.  The percentage of Comanche (or any Native?) blood has changed, 1/4 in 1930 and 1/2 in 1937.  Note that Henry is reported as 1/2 Indian, matching the family history report that his father was a German captured as a child by the Comanches.  But then all his children are also reported as 1/2.  If his wife was Comanche, they would be 3/4.  The match works in 1930 if by "degree of blood," they mean 1/4 of any Native Nation.
  
  If his wife was white, they would be 1/4.  But if his wife was half white and half Comanche, then the children could be 1/2 Comanche.  But, then, if she was half Comanche, she should also be listed here.  Agnes was listed in the 1930 census, why not here?  But we saw above that the 1930 census reports that Agnes Sturm was a Wichita Indian.  But she is repoted as 1/4 blood.
  
  Analyzing the two 1930 records, we see Agnes is reported as a Wichita, and her mother as Mixed Blood and her fther as Caddo.  The 1/4 then would mean her mother was half white and half Wichita, her father fullblood Caddo.  Thus Agnes is half Caddo and 1/2 Wichita.  The census appears to be reporting percentage of Indian blood, but Agnes, who is 3/4 (1/4 Wichita and !/2 Caddo) is reported as 1/4 blood.  In some censuses, the percentage of WHITE blood was reported, so maybe the enumerator got confused.
  
  In the 1940 census, the enumerator wrote Verbena's name as Berbena.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma, 10 April, District 8-54, Page 4A, Hse #59, Owns
  Fisher, Henry A Head F In 44 Married Grade 7 b Oklahoma same county in 1935 Farmer
  Fisher, Agnes E Wife F In 43 Married Grade 8 b Oklahoma same county in 1935
  Fisher, Berbena A Dau F In 22 Grade H4 b Oklahoma same county in 1935
  Fisher, Genece A Dau F In 15 Grade 7 b Oklahoma same county in 1935
  Fisher, Henry R Son M In 9 Single Grade 2 b Oklahoma same county in 1935
  Fisher, John E Son M In 7 Single Grade 0 b Oklahoma same county in 1935
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current
  Henry Fisher
  Born 15 Nov 1896
  Died Nov 1982
  Last Benefit & Residence Anadarko, Caddo, Oklahoma 73005
  SSN 444-26-8701 issued Oklahoma (Before 1951)
  
  Gravestone of Henry Asewaynah Willie Fisher and Agnes E Fisher, Ft Cobb Cemetery, Washita County, Oklahoma
  Fisher, Henry A
  17 Nov 1896
  17 Nov 1982
  Agnes E
  Aug 1894
  Sept 5, 1956
  
  Henry A Fisher
  Birth Nov 17, 1896
  Death Nov 17, 1982
  Burial Fort Cobb Cemetery, Fort Cobb, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  Created by Nancy Charlton Apr 10, 2011
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #68163709, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68163709

Sources

• 1. 1910 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Kiowa Agency, No page #
• 2. 1930 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma
  • 10 April, Chandler Township, District 5, page 5A, Hse/Fam #82
• 3. 1912 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Kiowa Agency, No page #
• 4. 1914 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Comanche and Apache Reservation, Kiowa Agency, Page 44
• 5. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 6. 1920 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma
  • 19 January, Chandler Township, District 113, parker RR Section, page 4B, Hse #76, Fam #77
• 7. 1913 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Page 50
• 8. 1930 Indian Census Rolls
  • Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 1 April, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, No Page #
• 9. 1905 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Kiowa Agency, Page ?
• 10. Ancestry Trees
• 11. 1900 Federal Census, Oklahoma Territory
  • 7 June, Apache, Kiowa & Comanche Reservation, District 252, page cut off in scan, Hse #261, Fam #270
• 12. 1920 Indian Census Rolls
  • Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 30 June, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, No Page #
• 13. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 14. Gravestone of Henry Asewaynah Willie Fisher and Agnes E Fisher, Ft Cobb Cemetery, Washita County, Oklahoma
• 15. 1910 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma
  • 24 May, Chandler Township, District 40, page 2B, Hse/Fam #17
• 16. 1937 Indian Census Rolls
  • Kiowa Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 1 January, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, District 45-19, Page 22
• 17. 1940 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  • 10 April, District 8-54, Page 4A, Hse #59, Owns
• 18. Bee Gossett, Email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 14 December 2009
• 19. 1917 Indian Census Rolls, Comanche Tribe, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Kiowa Agency
• 20. 1930 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma
  • 10 April, Chandler Township, District 5, page 5B, Hse/Fam #82
• 21. 1937 Indian Census Rolls
  • Kiowa Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma, 1 January, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, Page 22
• 22. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• 23. 1940 Federal Census, Los Angeles County, California
  • 11 April, Whittier City, Enumeration District 19-818, Page 4B, 177 North Brighton St, Hse #120, rents $25
• 24. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2