This picture of the Harry Fisher family was taken in 1946.
Front row: Sylvia, Harry, Barbara, Doris
Back row: Howard, Harry Jr.
Harry was raised by his grandparents in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, USA. His grandparents were Win Hand and Catherine Bradley. His mother, Ann Jane Hand was born in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada. The Hand family emigrated from Gorteen, Castlecomer, County Kilkenny, Ireland to York (Toronto), Canada in 1826. In 1829 William Hand moved to Mulmur Township, Ontario, Canada because he had a land grant of 200 acres. The original Hand family farm is now the village of Stanton in Dufferin County, Ontario. Win Hand moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in October 1878.
The earliest record of Harry is the 1900 Federal U.S. census for Chippewa County, Michigan. Harry is listed as Harry Hand and living with his grandparents, Win and Catherine Hand. It is a mystery as to why Harry would use his mother's maiden name of Hand. Harry's mother was married to Andrew Reynolds of Ottawa, Canada at the time of Harry's birth. Harry told me that his natural father's surname was Alexander.
In the 1910 U.S. Federal census for Chippewa County, Michigan, Harry is listed as Harry Fisher. Harry told me that of his mother's 7 husbands Mr. Fisher was the only one that was nice to him and therefore he used that name.
On 21 August 1921, Harry Fisher married Sylvia Hoyt. They were married in Battle Creek, Michigan and moved to Detroit, Michigan. They had two children, Harry Jr and Howard. The above picture was taken during their honeymoon in Niagara Falls.
Thomas Hand, brother of Win Hand, from an article in the Shelburne Free Press ( Ontario) dated 26 May 1892.
