Thomas Fish "was the most prominent of early Clark County Arkansas men" according to Josiah H. Shinn in "Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas". He indicates the Fish family "entered Clark in 1818 or 1819."
Thomas Fish lived in the Missouri township of Clark, now Pike county, Arkansas. His residence was near the Antoine bridge connecting the public road across Antoine bayou. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace by Governor James Miller of Arkansas Territory in 1820. Early township elections were held at his house. He was a member of the General Assembly of the Arkansas Territorial Legislature when he died February 4, 1823.
Thomas Fish and Emily Hemphill were married in Clark county, Arkansas on July 4, 1820 at Blakeley town, now Arkadelphia. Emily Hemphill was the daughter of John Hemphill and Nancy Lawson. She was born in Georgia about 1799 and came to Arkansas in 1811.

From "Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas," confirmation of marriage date for Thomas Fish and Emily Hemphill at page 76. Digitized at Ancestry.com at this link: http://search.ancestry.com/browse/bookview.aspx?dbid=25616&iid=dvm_LocHist010467-00039-0&rc=457,3577,765,3642&pid=75&ssrc=&fn=&ln=hemphill&st=g

• Married: 4 Jul 1820 in Blakleytown, now Arkadelphia, Clark Co., AR