Tobias grew up in St. Vincent Newfoundland and learned the fishing trade with his 13 brothers and sisters . When looking at their grandfathers headstone , in St Vincents, some of the siblings noted that the name had 2 m's instead of one , so to carry on the proper family name 5 of the brothers restored the additional M in the last name form Fleming to Flemming. In the mid 1920's Toby came to Nantucket to skipper the "Catherine T” owned by the Flannigans. He then met Mary on Nantucket. Aunt Anna (Tuning then Newport) originally owned 32 Pleasant Street and was instrumental in Mary coming to the states to be a maid. Tobias Flemming married Mary Ellen Christopher in the late 1920's. His bother Charlie came to Nantucket as well. Charles kept the one m in the name as they both felt it would make sence to help diferenciate them, Charles Fleming, an engineer on Nantucket fishing boats, and Tobias Flemming Tobias Flemming was one of several Newfoundlanders who became a captain in the Nantucket fishing fleet.. Fishing out of New Bedford and Nantucket, while he was still in his twenties, he became one of the youngest captains of commercial fishing vessels in the United States. Tobias became a US citizen in Nantucket in 1933 ,and Mary two years later in 1935. Over the years he commanded the Charles Fossey, the Catherine T., and the Anna C. Perry, having the good fortune not to be aboard the Perry on her final, fatal voyage. He both owned and operated the Mary Tapper. The "Mary Tapper" was named after his wife Mary. Because of the higher cost to fish out of Nantucket he moved the boats to New Bedford in 19?? . But when the boats would go out fishing they would stop by Nantucket to pick him up. Despite all the hazards of deep-sea fishing, he retired from a long career as a fisherman and died on land in 1973. The stone marking the Flemming plot in St. Mary’s Cemetery is incised with a fishing boat passing Brant Point Lighthouse outward bound with the text: “Dear Lord be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.” The gravestone of Captain Tobias Flemming proclaims, “Safe harbor at last. They had 8 children (4 boys and 4 girls) they were:
Edmund- After being in the Army, Eddie went to Chicago to work for an insurance company. Moved back to nantucket and started "Nantucket Landscaping"
Francis- Was born on Nantucket and was captain and quarterback of the football team in high school, graduating in 1949. He and his friends started the first Boy Scouts group on the island.An Air Force veteran, he was a boxer while in the service and was mainly stationed in Germany. He was discharged in 1954.After his discharge, he worked as a commercial fisherman on his father's ( Toby) boat and as a milkman on Nantucket. He Met Dorothy Donavan on Nantucket while she was working as a nurse for the summer. They were married in Dedham Ma. (They had 4 children) He got his engineering degree from Wentworth Institute from 1958 to 1960. Dorothy was working for Boston Children hospital at the same time all while caring for a new baby. .The family moved to Ohio, he became a service engineer for an instrument company (Baily Meter Co.) then moved to long Island NY before setteling down in Plainfield NJ. In 1967, he began working for the Engineer Company in South Plainfield, N.J and was co-inventor of the ecologizer, which puts trash into a boiler that then uses the steam to make electricity.. He soon became vice president. Dorothy worked a Muhlenburge hospital then taught at Seton Hall eventualy becoming the head of the New Jersey State nurses association. Frank was a Pop Warner football coach and Scoutmaster. He enjoyed camping, loved to cook, was active in his church and Knights of Columbus, and sang in the choir .
Tobias -He was born in Nantucket, son of the late Tobias Flemming Sr. and Mary E. (Christopher) Flemming, and grew up in Nantucket prior to moving to Westport in the mid 1950's. Married Elizabeth "Liz" Pierce (They had one daughter) A 1952 graduate of Nantucket High School, he served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict where he received the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. He was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Church, Westport. Prior to his retirement he worked as a commercial fisherman on various fishing vessels out of New Bedford and also worked for Westport Lobster Company, Westport Mass. He was a member of the Westport Lions Club and the U.S.S. Iowa Ship Association. He was a past member of the South Eastern Shellfish Association. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.Toby joined the Navy and worked on a deap sea lobster boat out of Newport for a while.He worked on a lobster boat out of New bedford setteling down in Westport Mass.
Patricia - Married Bob Molloy His nickname was "Gunner", He got his nickname when he was in the Navy as a gunners mate.
Stephen- Was in the Air Force and lived for many years in Chicago. He married Carol Hutchinson (They had 1 daughter) "Chicago Steve" Came back to Nantucket and worked with Ed doing landscaping. Loved to play cribbage with Uncle Charlie
Caroline- Worked at Pacific Nationl back for her whole life starting as a teller and eventualy becoming vice president. Married Chesley "Chet" Corkum
Marcella- Married John Cord. (they had 4 children) Worked for the goverment and spent many years overseas
Marie- Married Richard Levesque
Edmund- After being in the Army, Eddie went to Chicago to work for an insurance company. Moved back to nantucket and started "Nantucket Landscaping"
Francis- Was born on Nantucket and was captain and quarterback of the football team in high school, graduating in 1949. He and his friends started the first Boy Scouts group on the island.An Air Force veteran, he was a boxer while in the service and was mainly stationed in Germany. He was discharged in 1954.After his discharge, he worked as a commercial fisherman on his father's ( Toby) boat and as a milkman on Nantucket. He Met Dorothy Donavan on Nantucket while she was working as a nurse for the summer. They were married in Dedham Ma. (They had 4 children) He got his engineering degree from Wentworth Institute from 1958 to 1960. Dorothy was working for Boston Children hospital at the same time all while caring for a new baby. .The family moved to Ohio, he became a service engineer for an instrument company (Baily Meter Co.) then moved to long Island NY before setteling down in Plainfield NJ. In 1967, he began working for the Engineer Company in South Plainfield, N.J and was co-inventor of the ecologizer, which puts trash into a boiler that then uses the steam to make electricity.. He soon became vice president. Dorothy worked a Muhlenburge hospital then taught at Seton Hall eventualy becoming the head of the New Jersey State nurses association. Frank was a Pop Warner football coach and Scoutmaster. He enjoyed camping, loved to cook, was active in his church and Knights of Columbus, and sang in the choir .
Tobias -He was born in Nantucket, son of the late Tobias Flemming Sr. and Mary E. (Christopher) Flemming, and grew up in Nantucket prior to moving to Westport in the mid 1950's. Married Elizabeth "Liz" Pierce (They had one daughter) A 1952 graduate of Nantucket High School, he served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict where he received the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. He was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Church, Westport. Prior to his retirement he worked as a commercial fisherman on various fishing vessels out of New Bedford and also worked for Westport Lobster Company, Westport Mass. He was a member of the Westport Lions Club and the U.S.S. Iowa Ship Association. He was a past member of the South Eastern Shellfish Association. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.Toby joined the Navy and worked on a deap sea lobster boat out of Newport for a while.He worked on a lobster boat out of New bedford setteling down in Westport Mass.
Patricia - Married Bob Molloy His nickname was "Gunner", He got his nickname when he was in the Navy as a gunners mate.
Stephen- Was in the Air Force and lived for many years in Chicago. He married Carol Hutchinson (They had 1 daughter) "Chicago Steve" Came back to Nantucket and worked with Ed doing landscaping. Loved to play cribbage with Uncle Charlie
Caroline- Worked at Pacific Nationl back for her whole life starting as a teller and eventualy becoming vice president. Married Chesley "Chet" Corkum
Marcella- Married John Cord. (they had 4 children) Worked for the goverment and spent many years overseas
Marie- Married Richard Levesque
