The Sidney herald., 1962-04-11
Lucy Fisher
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tON OED rhOM FAOE Il
about six months earlier. Her
father and uncles, the Armstrong
brothers, had established the
Pot Hook Ranch in the Hard
scrabble community, and for 20
years she lived the usual life of
a ranch girl in this area. She still
recalls how they rode horseback
and wan their horses across the
Missouri river or crossed on the
ice n winter, to reach ranches or
towns for the communities So
cial or business activities.
After her marriage to Bailey
Fisher, they lived in the Charlie
Creek Community in northern
Richland County for more than
40 years. Doctors and nurses were
scarce in the area, and often she
served as nurse or midwife, for
the coming of the new citizens.
She has no count of how many
babies she delivered or cared for.
Her own family numbered Is
youngsters, IL of whom are still
living. Seldom were there less
than II at the long table, for in
addition 10 her own family, she
boarded the teacher for their rural
school, and always there were
one or two relatives, friends, or
''grub-line riders" who in the
tradition of the early west, were
always welcome.
AS the country settled, times
and activities changed, and she
turned her attention TO activities
of the community, and of her own
family.
She became a Justice of the
Peace for her area, and served as
the only legal resource in the area,
often performing marriages, and
n~otarizing papers. She still retains
her commission as a Justice of the
Peace, and also serves as Police
Court Judge here in Sidney. She
has no idea how many marriages
she has performed, but it is not
unusual for her to officiate at the
wedding of a young couple, whose
parents and grandparents, she has
also married, and they come both
from North Dakota and Montana.
She became active in politics,
and has served as Precinct Com
mitteewoman. She now makes a
special project of contracting ell
derby and Shut-in voters, who are
unable to go 10 the polls. She
sees that they are supplied with
absent voter ballots, and then
follows UP TO see that the ballots
are notarized - at no charge,
and delivered TO the polling places.
Mrs. Fisher is intensely inter
ested in the history and back
ground of this area, which she
rightly believes is rich in its heri-
tage of the cattle ranchng and
demonstrating days. She helped 30
organize the Pioneers of the
West" in this area, and never
misses an "Old Settlers" gather
ing. She drew on her own ex-
perience to write a scene for Sid
neylS Golden Jubilee Pageant last
year, and produced an authentic
country school Gene. For several
years she has been active in con-
tacting early day settlers, per-
suading them TO turn over or lend
articles of pioneer interest, pic
lures and papers. These she has
placed in a special Old Timers
Booth at the Richland County
Fair, and worked there thru-out
the Fair, caring for exhibits and
getting them back TO their owners.
One of her most cherished pro-
jects is promoting a museum for
this area, where all of the articles
dealing with the history of the
area car be preserved and dis
played. So far, the effort to Sc
cure a building, has been ulsuc-
ceSsful, but when the city OF
county supplies housing, a con-
siderable collection of articles will
be ready to START off the museum.
Mrs. Fishers wide acquaintance
in more remote areas of Richlsnd
County, makes her invaluable in
covering those districts for vari-
Gus drives, and frequently she
takes over the planning of the
coverage of rural areas, writing
dozens of letters to recruit them
for canvaSSing. The following is
a list of organizations that she
has served in one capacity or an
other: American Legion Auxiliary,
V. f. w. Auxiliary, Women of the
Moose, Sidney Woman's Club,
Homemaker's Club, Hospital Lin
en- Guild, Pioneers of the West,
The Royal Neighbors of America,
and she has been a member cd
fhn Ordnr nf tho LNnrAnr- C4nr e.