This Week in Texas Methodist History  October 13

Sterling Fisher Steps Down As West Texas Conference Secretary, October 19, 1937

The West Texas Conference of the MECS met at Travis Park Methodist Church in San Antonio on October 19, 1937.  The Secretary, Sterling Fisher, called the roll.  The conference then elected his nephew, J. Fisher Simpson, Secretary and named Sterling Fisher Secretary Emeritus for life.   Fisher had been Conference Secretary for 47 years and a preacher for 55 years.  The three assistant secretaries included Olin Nail, Charles T. Hardt, and O. C. Crow. 

Sterling Fisher  (1864-1943) was the son of Orceneth Asbury Fisher (1831-1884) and the grandson of Orceneth Fisher ((1803-1880).  It is difficult to find a family that has served Texas Methodism over a longer time span.

Sterling Fisher was born in Texana in Jackson County, which was an early stronghold of Methodism.  A group of Alabamians had come to the region during the Mexican period of Texas history.  They brought their Methodist affiliation with them.  

Fisher  received his education at Coronal Institute in San Marcos and later returned to be president of that school.   He was a General Conference delegate in 1898, 1902, 1906, 1922, and the special session of 1924.  In 1898 he also attended the Ecumenical Conference at Toronto. In 1920 Southwestern University presented him with an honorary doctorate. 

During his 47 years as Secretary of the West Texas Conference, he served with 20 different presiding bishops and signed hundreds of ordination certificates.  He died on Easter Sunday, 1943. 

 In doing research for this blog I looked at his death certificate.  It was signed by his attending physician, Dr. Pat Ireland Nixon---a name well known in both Texas Methodist history and Texas medical history circles. Nixon also is also part of my extended genealogy.  He had a brother and sister who married a brother and sister of my great grandfather.