Fish Haven History
Information comes from Treasured Tidbits of Time Volume I by Jens Patrick Wilde and is a condensed version
Rush Creek, the original name of Fish Haven Creek found its name changed because of the profuse abundance of fish that gathered at the mouth of its cool fast moving waters. The early traders and trappers marked the area on their maps as Rush Creek, but when Joseph Rich reached the area his crew gathered a wagon load of fish so rapidly as to be miraculous. When they hauled the load back to Paris, Rich reported a real fish haven had been discovered.
Fish Haven dates its beginning to the spring of 1864 when Phineas Cook and Thomas Preston settled in the area. Shortly after the families of Josiah Meservy, Jacob Stahelia nd Charles Keppner came from Franklin area by way of Emigration Canyon. The winter proved to be very severe and most of these first families moved on being replaced by the Stocks, Howells and Shirley families.
Thomas Shirley came from South Africa and became the first blacksmith and his wife Martha the first midwife. Through the years she is credited with delivering 169 babies. The first chapel was constructed in 1868 built of logs and served the community for nearly 20 years. A frame church house was built in 1885. Phineas Cook is credited with plowing the first field in Fish Haven and also of constructing the first irrigation ditch. John Stock became the first postmaster in 1873 even though he had been using his home as a mail distribution point as early as 1867.
Stock's home became the tithing settlement house and also the first freight center and he had a small store. Joseph W Moore was established as the first presiding elder and the ward was organized in 1877 with Robert Pope as the Bishop. Early in its history the nearby lake was recognized as a potential recreational area. Joseph Nelson established the Fish Haven Resort and later sold it to the Stock brothers.
Joseph Messervy became the first school teacher beginning in 1867. It is believe that the first log school was used between 1880 and 1929 until a brick building was built.