Fisher County comes into focus through its settlement history: from being named after Samuel Rhoads Fisher to the development of Roby and Hitson and cemeteries that commemorate former residents and communities. These places tell different parts of the county’s story. Specific driving directions are provided for two of the cemeteries; check road conditions and access before setting out.
From the County’s Founding to the Development of Roby
Fisher County was named after Samuel Rhoads Fisher (1794–1839). He signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and was Secretary of the Navy of the Republic of Texas in 1836. The timeline of the county’s founding is clear: Fisher County was established in 1876, settled beginning in 1877, and organized in 1886.
Roby was first laid out in 1885. In April 1886, a vote designated the town as the county seat. As Roby developed, land was donated for churches, schools, a park, and a cemetery. Together, these dates offer insight into the town’s beginnings and its role as the county seat, without conflating the distinct steps into a single founding story.
Historic Routes and the Development of Rotan
The Old Indian Trail ran through Fisher County and was used by various Indigenous groups to travel between the Plains region and Central Texas. In spring 1847, Robert B. Marcy traveled along this historic route through the county toward El Paso; he camped for two days near the present-day site of Rotan. This journey is part of the trail’s history and does not refer to a hiking trail today.
The railroad brought a later change to the region: the first train reached Rotan in October 1906. Rotan developed into a trade center for the northern and western parts of Fisher County and the southern parts of Kent and Stonewall counties. Those interested in how towns developed can distinguish between the different periods: early travel through the area, the growth of settlements, and finally Rotan’s connection to the railroad.
Hitson Community: Agriculture and Community Life
The history of the Hitson Community goes back to ranchers John and William Hittson, who settled in the area around 1870. The area around their homes became known as Hittson or Hitson. As settlement increased after Fisher County was established, a post office opened there in 1885, and a school began operating in 1888. Numerous large farming families cleared fertile land and grew crops. The landscape also helps explain the area’s former cattle industry: abundant grasslands and available water attracted early cattle ranchers.
Cemeteries as Places of Remembrance
The oldest gravestone at Roby Cemetery bears the name Mable W. Deming and the year 1884. The cemetery is also the resting place of Fisher County pioneers, Civil War veterans, and a formerly enslaved person known as “Aunt” Abbie Alborn. Their different life stories make the cemetery a place where the county’s history can be viewed from multiple perspectives.
Woods Chapel Cemetery was in use by 1884 at the latest. A small frame building that served as both a school and a church stood near the cemetery site. An annual San Jacinto Day remembrance event is held there on April 21; check current event details before visiting. Palava Cemetery, in turn, is now the only physical reminder of a once-thriving town and serves as a memorial to the area’s pioneers.
Directions to Woods Chapel and Palava
To reach Woods Chapel Cemetery, head south from US 180 on FM 1812, west on CR 156, and then turn right onto a dirt road. To reach Palava Cemetery, drive 13 miles south from Roby on SH 70 and then head east on FM 2744. The distance given refers to this stretch of road; no driving time is specified. Check road conditions and access before setting out on either route.
Discover more destinations: Rotan, Hamilton County, Montgomery, Parmer County, Reeves County, Smith, Jackson County, Kimble County.
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