Valentine Fisher

1837 – March 30 – Born on this date in the Province of Hanua or Hansia in Germany (his tombstone has the birth year as 1833).

1857 – July 7 – Immigrated to the US through the port of Baltimore. The immigration papers listed him as a farmer.

1863 – Approximate year he moved to Nashville according to his death certificate.

1870 – US Census records him living in Davidson County with a family from Prussia. Their occupation is listed as gardener and beekeeper. Fisher is listed as a carpenter. He is also living next door to another Prussian gardener. However, the 1870 Nashville City Directory lists him working at the Horticultural Gardens.

1874 – Possibly when Valentine started working at Belmont. The previous gardener, Leon Geny, left in the fall of this year.

1880 – US Census lists him as 42 years old, living at Belmont and one of the gardeners.

1886 – July – Valentine likely has left Belmont because he left with a group for a trip to San Francisco.

1887 – August 18 - He became a US citizen [Naturalization Records 1803-1906 Davidson County, pp 6 & 36]

1900 – The US Census listed him as living at a Hotel in Nashville and retired. On November 7th, Valentine died in Nashville at the Commerce Hotel, 330 Cedar Street and was buried at Mt. Olivet with services by the Aurora Lodge of I.O.O. He had nieces and nephews living in Baltimore and Germany.