George Fisher Đorđe Šagić | |
|---|---|
 George Fisher, ca. 1843 | |
| Native name | Ђорђе Шагић |
| Birth name | Đorđe Šagić |
| Nickname | Đorđe Ribar |
| Born | (1795-03-30)30 March 1795 |
| Died | 11 June 1873(1873-06-11) (aged 78) San Francisco,California, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  Revolutionary Serbia(1813) Mexico(1829–1835) Republic of Texas(1836–1846) United States of America(1846–1873) |
| Branch | Serbian Army,Mexican Army,Texan Army |
| Years of service | 1813, 1823–1846 |
| Rank | Major (Texan Army) |
| Battles / wars | First Serbian Uprising Texas Revolution |
Đorđe Šagić (Serbian:Ђорђе Шагић; April 30, 1795 – June 11, 1873), also known asGeorge (Jorge) Fisher, was a customs officer and early leader of theTexas Revolution.
Fisher was originally named Đorđe Šagić,[1] and also known as Đorđe Ribar (Serbian:Ђорђе Рибар), which translated intoEnglish asGeorge Fisher.[2] He was born toSerbian parents inSzékesfehérvár,Hungary in April 1795.[2] Following his father's death Đorđe was sent to theSerbian Orthodox Churchseminary in Sremski Karlovci, to train as a priest.[2] He left in 1813 to join the Serbian revolutionary forces during theFirst Serbian Uprising. After the failed revolution, he emigrated toPhiladelphia in theUnited States in 1814 before heading toMexico.[3] In 1825, Fisher helped found the firstYork RiteMasonic Lodge in Mexico.[4] He became a naturalized Mexican citizen in 1829 and contracted to settle five hundred families on lands inTexas formerly held byHaden Edwards.[5]
Fisher later was in charge of a customs house at the far north end ofGalveston Bay. Fisher demanded that all ships landing at the mouth of theBrazos River pay their customs duties to him atAnahuac.[6] This was a great hardship to area boat captains due to the great distances between that port and other Texas seaports. Fisher was forced to resign his post in early 1832 after a military confrontation withTexian settlers.[7]
Later that year, Fisher began publishing the liberal newspaperMercurio del Puerto de Matamoros inMatamoros.[2] On October 13, 1835, Fisher andJosé Antonio Mexía organized a movement inNew Orleans to attackTampico and instigate a revolt among the eastern states of Mexico.
In 1837, he became a commission agent inHouston, in theRepublic of Texas, and served asjustice of the peace in 1839.[2] Fisher was admitted to the bar in 1840 and was elected to the Houstoncity council. In 1843 he became amajor in the Texasmilitia.[2]
He traveled toPanama in 1850 and on toCalifornia in 1851. In 1853 while he was still Secretary for theCalifornia Land Commission, he may have gone to Washington. For there was printed in two and later three volumes "Portraits and Memoirs of Eminent Americans", in which a biographical sketch of Fisher appears as the sole entry from the state of California. It was written by the editor John Livingston, a New York lawyer.
Fisher's story aroused interest also in Europe as evidenced by many articles published in several European countries. The well-known Munich magazine of the epochDas Ausland, of July, 1843, using material out ofJohn Lloyd Stephens book which had appeared in London at the beginning of 1843 published several articles in sequence on this "adventurous Serb."
Fisher continued to serve in various civic and administrative posts inSan Francisco from 1860 to 1870 until retirement. Soon after retiring, he was appointed by theKing of Greece asConsul for that nation.[8]
Fisher was married four times. He died inSan Francisco on June 11, 1873.[2]
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