James Fisher Sr. was a Quaker, born December 13, 1714 at Kennett, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, a son of Thomas Fisher and Elizabeth Huntley. James Sr. married Alice Standfield, born 1713, of Kennett monthly meeting, Pennsylvania, on Valentine’s day in 1736. Alice was the daughter of Samuel Standfield and Jane Andrews, who were Quakers belonging to the Lurgan Monthly Meeting in Lisburn County, Antrim, Ireland.

Samuel Standfield, a Quaker born about 1690, was a possible son of John Stansfield, born about 1665, of Shore, West Yorkshire. Samuel was in Ireland by 1711, where he married Jane Andrew near Lurgan, County Armagh, at the southern end of Lake Neagh near Belfast. Jane was probably a daughter of William Andrew Sr. of Lurgan. Samuel, Jane, and the Andrew family were members of the Lurgan Friends Monthly Meeting. On “3 Mo. 7 1729,” Samuel and Jane requested a certificate to remove to Pennsylvania and were received at Nottingham, Chester County, early in 1730. They were accompanied by Jane’s brother William Jr. Jane Andrew was probably the daughter of William Andrew Sr. of Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland. William Andrew Jr., of Lurgan, may have emigrated with Samuel and Jane. When John, son of Samuel and Jane, married Hannah Dixon at Kennett in 1742, William Andrews was one of the family in attendance. William Andrew Jr. had married Miriam Bullock of Lurgan meeting at Lurgan, County Armagh in 1717. George, son of William and Miriam, was born 1719 at Lurgan. In New Jersey, possible relatives are Samuel and Peter Andrews of Burlington monthly meeting.

Upon arrival in Pennsylvania, Samuel and Jane Standfield seem to have settled first in East Nottingham, Chester County. Samuel and Jane moved closer in on the Pike, to Kennett, about 30 miles from Philadelphia, in the spring of 1731. They seem to have been at East Nottingham only a short time, since their names are not mentioned in the Nottingham meeting records prior to their request to relocate. The following entries concerning their “certificate of removal” from Nottingham have been preserved.

“At Our Meeting of E. Nottingham held the 20th of ye 1st Mo 1730, Samll Stanfield hath requested of this meeting a certificate on behalf of himself & his wife to ye mo’ly meeting of Kennett. Arthur Barret & John Churchman are therefore appointed to make Enquiry in to his conversation & Prepare a Certificate accordingly & bring to ye next Mo’ly meeting. At our mtg of E. Nottingham held ye 17th of ye 2nd mo 1731, The Friends appointed to make Enquirey into ye Conversation & Circumstances of Samll Stanfield have given this meeting an acct yt they find nothing to obstruct him of having a Certificate & have Brought one wch was read, approved & signed at our mtg of E. Nottingham.”

Samuel and Jane Standfield had six children, Alice, John, Jane, William, Samuel and Mary. The three oldest children (Alice, John, and Jane) were probably born in the north of Ireland before the immigration. Samuel and Jane were both at the marriage of daughter Alice to James Fisher on Valentine’s Day in 1736. The birth of their youngest child Mary was recorded in 1738. Jane was at the wedding of son John at Kennett in 1742. Samuel Sr. had apparently died by that time.

James and Alice Fisher moved from Kennett to East Caln, Chester County, in 1741. In 1762 they moved to Newberry Township, York County, where they were members of Warrington Meeting . James and Alice had seven children; Samuel (m. Sarah Wills, 1777), Jane (m. George Philips III of Bucks County, 1762), James (b. 18 Jul 1744 at East Caln, Chester Co. Pa., m. Jane Atkinson 15 Feb 1775 at Monaghan, York Co. Pa.; d. 30 Aug 1828, Highland County, Ohio), Isaac, Amos, Merriam (m. John McAdams), and Elizabeth (m. William Randel).

In 1768, James Sr. conveyed to his oldest son, Samuel, his tract of 200 acres in Newberry Township, for use of Samuel and in trust for the other heirs of James. James died in Monahan Township, York County, in 1771. He left two plantations in Newberry Township, of 200 acres each. Alice died at Monahan in 1788 or after. The will, which was dated June 7, 1788, was not examined. For some reason it may not have been probated until May 2, 1800.