This is the story of the Fisler family, residents of Gloucester County beginning in the 1750s. The father and mother of this illustrious family were Jacob Fisler born in Germany and Sophia Klein born in Switzerland. Felix, Leonard, and Jacob Fisler were sons of Jacob and Sophia who served in the Gloucester County Militia during the Revolutionary War.
The Fisler family was notable for military service and for their contribution to the spiritual life of communities in Gloucester and Cumberland Counties.
Jacob Fisler (1720-1803) and Sophia Fisler (1727-1809) left to their descendants a family bible, full of vital records about their children: Felix Fisler, Mary Fisler Guy, Hannah Fisler Collin, Sophia Fisler, Jacob Fisler, Leonard Fisler, Elizabeth Fisler Dickson, Rachel Fisler Sparks, Samuel Fisler, Joseph Fisler, and Benjamin Fisler.
Felix Fisler (1745-1816) was married before the war in 1772 to Ruth Lock. They lived on a farm in Woolwich Township between Swedesboro and Repaupo, near Hendrickson’s Mill. Felix joined the Gloucester County militia and was elected as captain of his company in July 1777. At that time, British ships were moving toward Delaware Bay to invade Philadelphia.
In 1777, several militia companies mobilized to cover the Woodbury area from an attack on Fort Mercer at Red Bank. Prior to the Battle of Red Bank on October 22, 1777, the Gloucester County militia was directed to guard the possible routes to Fort Mercer.
Felix Fisler’s company was assigned to harass the Hessian soldiers on their route from Haddonfield to the fort. One of the tasks was to remove the decking from the bridge across Big Timber Creek at Westville.
Another task was to slow down the advancing column of Hessian soldiers with sniper fire. The company commanded by Felix Fisler did not fight inside the fort on the day of the battle.
After the battle, Fisler’s company was ordered to assist in the construction of an artillery battery at the mouth of Great Mantua Creek. This battery was able to engage some of the British ships in the Delaware River on November 15, 1777, including the HMS Somerset and the HMS Isis. The shore battery of the colonials was badly outnumbered by heavier cannons of the British fleet, but they exchanged a lively fire.
A squad of British soldiers supported by some Loyalist soldiers made an attack on April 4, 1778 at Swedesboro and burned the school where some British sympathizers were held prisoner. Fisler’s company was present and took part in the Swedesboro skirmish. Felix remained on duty with the Gloucester County militia until the middle of 1778.
Jacob Fisler (1754-1841) and Leonard Fisler (1756-1846) also served in the Gloucester County militia. They enlisted and served together in the same companies.
Jacob and Leonard Fisler were garrisoned in Woodbury at the time of the Battle at Red Bank. Their pension records indicate they were not involved in combat that day.
Their company was also present in Swedesboro in April 1778 and took part in the skirmish there. They reported a detail that a militia man named James Maloy was killed during the fighting.
In September 1778, a British raiding party from New York City attacked vessels owned by American privateers at Little Egg Harbor River. These ships had preyed upon British naval ships during the Revolutionary War.
The raiding party burned many privateer ships and private homes there. Some residents were rounded up and massacred by the British.
Leonard and Jacob Fisler and Gloucester County militia companies were called out to drive off the attackers. However, by the time they marched from Woodbury to the Jersey shore, the raiders were gone.
After 1778, the British troops had moved from New Jersey. Men serving in the Gloucester County militia were discharged. Militia service for Leonard and Jacob Fisler ended in the year 1778.
After the Revolutionary War, Felix Fisler lived the rest of his life near Swedesboro, in Woolwich Township. Felix Fisler manufactured bricks used for masonry work on the new church at Swedesboro in 1784, now known as Trinity Episcopal Church. The pastor at the time was the Rev. Nicholas Collin. In 1786 Rev. Collin was married to Hannah Fisler, younger sister of Felix.
Jacob Fisler Sr. lived in Greenwich Township by 1773. Leonard and Jacob Fisler bought separate interests in the Still Run Mill in Greenwich Township in 1797. They were joined by brothers Samuel and Joseph, and lived in a village first called Fislertown, now called Clayton.
Joseph Fisler and Leonard Fisler were trustees at the Union (Aura) Methodist Church when it was built in 1806. Jacob Fisler and Benjamin Fisler (1769-1854) served as pastors in the Methodist Church, Jacob at Union (Aura) and Benjamin at Maurice River Township.
The Fislers lived long lives, lived well in their chosen professions and prospered. The Fisler name is carried on by their proud descendants in South Jersey. We owe much appreciation for the patriotism of the Fisler family ancestors, and for their contributions to their community.
