The Fisher family led by Agustus ‘Gus‘ Fisher, a former slave in Arkansas, is one of the earliest and most noted African-American Families in the county.
The majority of Anglo settlers moving to Texas came from Southern states and many brought their slaves. Texas considered slavery vital to its economic and future hrowth. Early settlers believed that an area so land-rcih and labor-poor could only be settled and brought into large-scale production quickly with slave labor. By 1855, Williamson County had 757 slaves and at the break of the Civil War, over 1,000 slaves lived here. August ‘Gus’ Fisher, a former slave, came with his owner from Arkansas. The Fisher family settled in the Andice/Florence area.
~ Williamson County By Lisa E. Worley, Chris Dyer
Gus is buried in Florence Cemetery next to his wife, Celia ‘Sealy’ Haynes. (findagrave.com)
Gus Fisher and Old Blue Gus and Sealy’s children posing in front of George Fisher’s home in the early 1930s. Standing from left to right are Sam Fisher (1876-1956), Sally Fisher Arnold (1877-1970), George Fisher (1879-1949), Robert “Doll” Fisher (1882-1947), Mary Fisher William (1884-1974), Jozie Fisher (1886-1956), Elzie FIsher (1894-1974) and A.B. Fisher (1898-1980s).
