Goodspeed's 1888 History of Lawrence County;
Reprint Lawrence County Section of Goodspeed's Newton, Lawrence, Barry And McDonald Counties History;
published by the Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888;

Peter Fishburn, born January 9, 1783 in Frederick County, Maryland to John and Susanna (Kitterman) Fishburn, was the first child born in a family of nine. His siblings were; John Jacob born March 25, 1785 married Ann Wagner; Frederick born November 19, 1786 married Nancy Boheler; Anna Maria born June 7, 1788 married David Bowman Ritter, Maria Christina born February 22, 1790; Christopher born February 12, 1792 married Mary Bandy; Elizabeth born January 19, 1794 married Nathan Simmons; Barbara born December 19, 1795 married Joel Cliburn. All children were born in Frederick County, Maryland. The grandparents of our subject were; Philipp Peter and Barbara Fishburn and Christopher and Christina Kitterman. Philipp was born in Worrstadt, Germany and came with his parents on the ship Phoenix arriving in America October 20, 1744. Christopher was born in Germany and came to America with two brothers and a sister on the ship Patience, arriving August 11, 1750. When Peter Fishburn was about eleven years old, his parents moved to Franklin County, Virginia. On May 1, 1805 he married Celia Hagar and this union brought nine children all born in Franklin County, Virginia. They are; Susanna born July 4, 1806 and died October 1821 in Allen County, Ky.; John born December 19, 1807 married Faitha Roark, John died in Jasper County, Mo.; Mary Ann born October 11, 1809 married David Roark; Jacob born November 5, 1810 married Elizabeth King; George Hagar born September 5, 1812, married Hester King; Nancy Hail born April 14, 1813 married Joseph Crow; Elizabeth born July 1, 1816 married John King; Frances Harrison born March 1, 1818 married James C. Mayhew; Henry Kitterman born February 18, 1820 and died March 6, 1820 By 1820, Peter decided to move to Allen County, Ky. where his parents John and Susanna Fishburn had relocated in 1816, having purchased 62 1/2 acres on Long Creek. Peter bought 90 acres on the Big Barren River also in Allen County. He continued to buy property adding to his farm until 1832 he owned 605 acres of good rich farm land. Apparently Peter had heard about the Homestead lands being offered in Missouri as he started selling off his property and in the 1836, 1837 and 1838 tax list he is listed as a voter but owned no property. Celia died May 16, 1837 and is buried in the Old Gibs Family Cemetery. On February 9, 1838 Peter married Elizabeth Strait and they moved to Mo. where Peter homesteaded 151 acres in Lawrence County. He and his new wife had four children; Celia married Samuel Walker; Sarah C. married Miles Cline; Paulina Jane and Martha Ellen. Peter died in 1844 in Lawrence County, Mo. that part of the county became Barry County, Mo. in 1845, thus records are found in both counties regarding this family. No final resting place has been found for Peter and Elizabeth (Strait) Fishburn.