Shortly after the Civil War,
a small community was formed west of the Bogue Chitto River. Around
1868, Joshway Fisher donated a piece of his land to build a church.
That original building was located several hundred yards back and east
of the present church. A freshwater spring nearby offered up water
that was used by many a passing traveler. The first pastor was Rev.
Needham Alford.
Sometime before 1880, S. P.
"Pink" Richardson donated 4 acres of land to Fisher Church. He also
built a general store, a cotton gin, and a grist mill. The area became
known as Richardson, though some still called it Fisher. Mr. Pink
organized the first Sunday school and served as superintendent. In
those days, Sunday school was for children only and was only conducted
on summer afternoons.
In the 1880's, timber was donated
to build a new church. Ira Hux also built pews out of the donated
material. This "little brown church in the vale" was in use until
June 1948. In those days, revivals with "dinner on the grounds" were
common. During evening services, bats would fly into the open windows
and sometimes came close to knocking over the lamps at the pulpit.
In June 1948, the "little brown church in the vale" was replaced by the
present brick church under the leadership of Rev. J. W. Boyd.
In those early years, Fisher
shared a minister with Angie, Varnado, Sunny Hill, and Mt. Herman.
The Sunny Hill congregation, organized in 1920, shut its doors in 1964
due to low attendance.
A parsonage was built at Fisher
in 1942 and was used until 1968. At that time, Fisher was supplied
a pastor from Centenary Methodist Church. A steeple was added to
the church in the mid 1970's under the leadership of Rev. Beverly Bond. |
|
