| Born | November 30th, 1814 |
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|---|---|---|
| Birthplace | Surry, NH, USA | |
| Baptized | No Entry | |
| Baptized at... | No Entry | |
| Baptized by... | No Entry | |
| Baptized in... | No Entry | |
| Occupation(s) | Lumber trade | |
| Died | November 21st, 1847, aged about 33 years | |
| Died at... | Sheboyan, Michigan, USA | |
| Cause of Death | Overcome by flames and smoke | |
| Burial Place | No Entry | |
| Disposition | No Entry |
Parents
| Father | [346] | David Blish 6 | |
| Mother | [346_sa] | Mary "Polly" (Whitney) Blish 6 | |
Spouses, Mates & Children
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Wife #1 [622sa] - Adaline Sophia (Irwin) Blish 7 Married by: No Entry Married at: Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA Children by this spouse: |
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Immediate Family Tree
| Gen. 7 | Gen. 6 | Gen. 5 | Gen. 4 | Gen. 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Blish | David Blish | Deacon David Blish | David Blish, (***) | Tristham Blish, (***) |
| Anne (Fuller) Blish | ||||
| Zeruiah (Skinner) Blish | Deacon Nathaniel Skinner | |||
| Mary (Gillett) Skinner | ||||
| Lucy (Wilcox) Blish | Obadiah Wilcox | No Entry | ||
| No Entry | ||||
| Sarah (Talcott) Wilcox | No Entry | |||
| No Entry | ||||
| Mary "Polly" (Whitney) Blish | Samuel Whitney | No Entry | No Entry | |
| No Entry | ||||
| No Entry | No Entry | |||
| No Entry | ||||
| Mary (?) Whitney | No Entry | No Entry | ||
| No Entry | ||||
| No Entry | No Entry | |||
| No Entry |
Personalized History Timeline, 1814 to 1847
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Additional Information
From the 1st Compiler's work, JKB, ca. 1905David Blish was for many years engaged in the lumber trade at Green Bay and Kenosha, Wisconsin. He is described by those who knew him as one of the best of men. Genial, intelligent, and devoted to his family and friends, only words of commendation and praise are spoken of him. His unselfishness and courage are best shown in the tragic manner of his death. On the morning of November 21st, 1847, the propeller "Phoenix" was burned near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was on the steamer and did heroic service in rescuing the helpless. He brought many fainting and unconscious women and children from the hold, which was filled with smoke and flames. He was warned by the Captain not to go down again, as the steamer was fast settling, but he insisted on making one more trip, and descended into the hold. He never returned, and was doubtless overcome by the flames and smoke. The vessel shortly went down and he went with her. Mrs... De Nevue, near Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin, was well acquainted with David Blish and is authority for the forgoing statement. She speaks of him as "one of the best men I ever knew."
From the 3rd Compiler, CBB, ca. 2001I have taken the following quotes from a considerably longer historical account of the Phoenix disaster. You will note details which do not agree exactly with the JKB account, but gives the same sense of heroism; also that at the time, there appear to have been many stories regarding his final acts. It does seem clear that while the precise details may have been lost, David Blish made an immensely strong impression on those who would later tell stories of that fateful evening:"If the most basic of human urges, the dark will to survive at any cost, was seen that night, so was the bright beacon of heroism and selfless giving. A young merchant traveling first class named David Blish of Southport, Wisconsin, now known as Kenosha, had given up his seat in one of the boats so that he might stay aboard the Phoenix and assist the frightened passengers. Mr. Blish was a man of substantial means, an owner of docks and warehouses in the Kenosha, a married man with children, but he chose to stay and throw in his lot with the immigrants that he had come to know so well. It was told how, when the fire started, Mr. Blish organized passengers into bucket brigades, and, then, when the flames were out of control, he helped many over the side onto makeshift rafts. When he could do no more aboard the stricken vessel, he rounded up two lost children and, holding one under each arm, plunged into the icy waters. He did not survive." "Perhaps, one day, a monument will be raised in Sheboygan in the area of the harbor to commemorate the heroism of David Blish and the hundreds of sturdy Dutch immigrants who gambled everything for religious freedom and a new way of life -- and lost -- just five heartbreaking miles short of their goal after a journey of over four thousand miles." "On November 24, 1847, the Schooner Liberty carried word of the disaster to Milwaukee which relayed the terrible news to Chicago who informed the world by telegraph. As the word of the calamity spread, newspapers throughout the county and then the world carried the story. Slowly, stories of the loss of the ship were told by the survivors -- stories of cowardice, heroism, uncontrolled fear, and calmness in the face of certain death. Time and time again, the name of David Blish, the Southport merchant, came up, and he began to loom large as a hero. A newspaper of the day commented that, if one tenth of the stories told about Mr. Blish were true, he would go down as the greatest of heroes. At first, it was hoped that Mr. Blish had survived in a third boat (which later turned out not to exist), but, as the days went by and no other survivors were found, all hope for his safety was given up." Author's Credit: Bill Wangemann, City of Sheboygan Historian, ca. 1995 |