The Choctaw Freedmen Part 50

"There's a church in the valley by the wildwood No lovelier spot in the dale; No place is so dear to my childhood, As the little brown church in the vale."

BEAVER DAM CHURCH

The early history of the Beaver Dam Presbyterian church at Grant carries us back to the year 1873, when Wiley Homer, one of the enterprising young men of the community, built an arbor in the timber, and held the first religious meetings among the colored people of that neighborhood.

Parson C. W. Stewart, of Doaksville, the next year held occasional services in the arbor, and in 1875 secured the erection of the first house of worship. It was built of saplings, and at the place previously occupied by the arbor. Wiley Homer continued to serve as leader of the regular Sabbath meetings, when the parson was not present.

In 1881 the church was organized with the following persons as original members:

Wiley Homer, Laney Homer, his wife, Louisa Roebuck, Martha Folsom, Amy Walton, Adaline Shoals, Rhoda Larkins.--7.

Wiley Homer was the only elder ordained at that time. A year or two later, Richard Roebuck, and in 1888 Richard D. Colbert and Wellington Bolden (died 1892) were ordained. Wiley Homer and Richard D. Colbert continued to serve as elders until they were ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry in 1895 and 1903, respectively.

The elders in 1913 are as follows:

William Goff, ordained 1892 Aaron Green, ordained 1894 Wiley Brown, ordained 1912 Walter McCulloch, ordained 1912 Others that served as elders were: Nick Colbert, 1891 to 1894 Peter Nolan 1893 to 1896 Moses Folsom 1904 till death, 1912

The succession of pastors has been as follows:

Parson C. W. Stewart, Doaksville 1874 to 1890, 16 years Thomas C. Ogburn, Goodland 1890 to 1892 2 years Wiley Homer, Grant 1892 to 1912 20 years Samuel J. Onque, Grant 1912 to date 1914

The comfortable and s.p.a.cious chapel, now occupied by the congregation, was built in 1904 during the pastorate of Wiley Homer, the G.o.d-fearing cowboy, who 30 years before had built the arbor in the timber.

NEW HOPE CHURCH AT FROGVILLE

The New Hope Presbyterian church at Frogville, Choctaw county, was organized about 1872 by Parson Charles W. Stewart, who had conducted occasional services in this neighborhood for some time previous.

The first elders were Elias Radford, who died in 1908 after 36 years of faithful service, and James Pratt, who, after 40 years of faithful official service, is still living (1914) in his own cozy cottage home near the church. In the interest of the church, which is located in the Oak forest, along Red river southeast of Hugo, and still fifteen miles from railway, he has from the first been the princ.i.p.al host, to receive and entertain the Frogville circuit-riders, as in the days of Stewart and Homer; and provided rooms in his own home for the resident ministers as in the days of Sleeper, Harry and Starks. When the Presbytery meets at Frogville, he generously plans to entertain about one half the people that are present from a distance. The good he has already accomplished, by his faithful, life-long service in the church and Sunday school, make him worthy to be long and gratefully remembered, as one of the n.o.blest and most generous benefactors in the community in which he lives.

Others that have been ordained and are still serving as ruling elders in this church are Willis Buffington, ordained Sept. 7, 1902; and Garfield Pratt, son of James, April 9, 1911.

The succession of pastors of the New Hope church has been as follows:

Charles W. Stewart, Doaksville 1872--1889.

Thomas C. Ogburn, Goodland 1889--1891.

Wiley Homer, Grant 1891--1892.

Samuel Gladman, Atoka 1897--1899.

Richard D. Colbert, Grant 1899--1900.

John H. Sleeper, Frogville 1900--1904.

Hugh L. Harry, Frogville 1904--1905.

William J. Starks, Frogville 1905--1912.

Julius W. Mallard, Frogville since Jan. 4, 1913.

Wiley Homer, an elder and catechist in the Beaver Dam church at Grant, as an aid to Parson Stewart conducted most of the services during his last two years, 1887 to 1889.

This church in 1913 reports 26 members and 59 in the Sunday school. In all probability it was the second church organized by Parson Stewart.

ST. PAUL CHURCH, EAGLETOWN

In 1877, Parson Charles W. Stewart of Doaksville began to hold occasional religious services in the colored settlement at Eagletown, and Saint Paul Presbyterian church was organized in 1878.

Rev. Charles Copling, a missionary to the Choctaws also conducted an occasional service among the colored people, during the year preceding the organization of the church.

The elders ordained at the time of organization were Elijah Butler, Primas Richards and Solomon Pitchlyn. In 1885 William Butler was ordained to supply the vacancy, occasioned by the removal of Elijah Butler, and Primas Richards to Lukfata, where they became that year two of the first elders of the Mount Gilead church. William Butler continued to serve as an elder until 1897, when, as a licentiate of the Presbytery, he became the stated supply of St. Paul and Forest Presbyterian churches. Shepherd Riley served a number of years as an elder of this church. Those serving as elders in 1913 are Calvin Burris, Monroe Lewis, George Burris and Adam Lewis.

The ministers serving Saint Paul have been:

Parson Charles W. Stewart 1877 to 1889.

William G. Ogburn 1890 to 1891.

John H. Sleeper 1894 to 1897.

William Butler 1897 to date, 1914.

William Butler, a favorite son and elder of this church, continuing to serve it acceptably in the pastorate ever since he was made a licentiate in connection with Forest has made a very n.o.ble record. He is a pastor who has acquired the art of emphasizing in a very pleasant way the word "come."

"Oh, come to the church in the wildwood, To the trees where the wild flowers bloom; Where the parting hymn will be chanted, We will weep by the side of the tomb.

"From the church in the valley by the wildwood, When day fades away into night; I would fain from this spot of my childhood, Wing my way to the mansions of light.

"Come to the church in the wildwood, Oh, come to the church in the vale, No spot is so dear to my childhood As the little brown church in the vale."

MOUNT GILEAD CHURCH, LUKFATA

The Mount Gilead church at Lukfata was organized July 26, 1885, by a committee of the Presbytery of Choctaw, consisting of Rev. John Edwards, superintendent of Wheelock Academy, and Elder Charley Morris, a Choctaw.

The members enrolled on this date were:

Elijah Butler and Amanda Butler, his wife; Elisha Butler and Vina Butler, his wife; Easter Butler, Francis Butler, Jane Butler, Francis Burris, Daniel Burris, Kate Burris, Primas Richards, Rhoda Butler, Nelson Butler and Adaline Butler.--14.

Elijah Butler and Elisha Butler, his son, and Primas Richards were elected and ordained as the first elders. On Jan. 29, 1896, Matthew Richards was ordained an elder.

This church was called "Mount Gilead," the home of the prophet Elijah, in honor of Elijah Butler, one of the first elders, who, having served a few years as one of the first elders of Saint Paul church, conducted the first religious meetings among the colored people, that led to the organization of this Presbyterian church at Lukfata.

Parson Charles W. Stewart held occasional services in the neighborhood of Lukfata, two or three years before the church was organized in 1885, and then continued to be its monthly supply during the next five years.

In 1890 it was grouped with St. Paul church at Eagletown and supplied by Rev. William G. Ogburn from that place. From 1895 to 1899 it was supplied by Rev. John H. Sleeper, who then moved to Frogville. From 1901 to 1903 it was served by Rev. Samuel Gladman, who then took charge of Bethany near Wheelock.

Rev. Thompson K. Bridges, after serving and organizing Ebenezer church at Lehigh the previous year, located at Lukfata in the fall of 1903, and has been the local teacher and regular supply of the church, since that date, a period of eleven years.

XLIII

PARSON CHARLES W. STEWART

DOAKSVILLE, 1823-1896.