Old Baptist Mission & Cemetery - Westville, Oklahoma

DATE VISITED:  05/01/2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Old Baptist Mission & Cemetery 

LOCATION:  US-59, Westville, Adair Co., Oklahoma

MARKER #:  62-1995

“Baptist Mission. Rev. Jesse Bushyhead settled here in 1839 following the Cherokee removal from the east and held church services at his home until the Baptist Mission was established in 1841 by Rev. Evan Jones. This site was also one of the ration stations known as GA-DU HO-GA-DU or Breadtown by the Cherokee’s following removal. A Cherokee National school was founded near here in 1843 and the mission established a female seminary the same year. The Cherokee Messenger printed here beginning in August 1844, was the first periodical in Oklahoma. The mission station was burned during the Civil War by the Confederates because of the anit-slavery teaching of the missionaries. While the mission was never rebuilt the church has continued to meet. The present church building was built in 1888”

MARKER PLACED BY:  Oklahoma Historical Society

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: 

US-59 divides the Church from its graveyard. Dana and I spent some time on the cemetery side of the street. It wasn’t until I started doing research that I see we should have spent more than a glance on the church side of the street.

This church has served the Cherokee people for more than just their spiritual needs.

The congregation was originally organized in 1817 in Georgia. It was the only church holding Christian services totally in the Cherokee tongue.

The group moved together, with Rev. Jesse Bushyhead, seen at left, leading, as part of the “Trail of Tears” and legend has it they carried with them wood from their Church in Georgia and it was used to build the first church in Oklahoma.

Although we didn’t see it, a longtime resident in the 1970’s said part of the sandstone foundation of that first church was nearby and said she had heard there is a “lost” cemetery between the first and present church although there is no sign of graves.

I’m not so sure about the “lost” cemetery as it is well documented who settled here and where they are all buried.

The church was nicknamed “Breadtown” by the Cherokee because it was a place they would get their rations from the US Government for a time after they arrived.

Rev Bushyhead was well respected among all Cherokees. Twice a year the Church would hold camp meetings. In the summer, the meetings could last two to three weeks and were attended by people from all over the Cherokee Nation.

A school and a female seminary for the Cherokee was built here in 1843.

Rev. Bushyhead led the congregation until his death in 1844.

Rev. Evan Jones kept the mission going until the start of the Civil War.

Rev. Jones’ son joined him upon graduation from college in 1844 and ran a printing press. “The Cherokee Messenger” was printed here…the first periodical in Oklahoma printed in part English and part in Cherokee.

The Jones’ weren’t in favor in the South because of their anti-slavery teachings and had to leave once the Civil War started. They immediately returned once the war was over.

While they were gone, the mission, printing press and several other buildings were destroyed…burned to the ground by the Confederacy.

Rebuilding was a priority and the Church along with a school and a female seminary was built.

Rev. Jones died in 1873 but his mission work was continued by his son until he passed in 1876.

One of the teachers at the Mission school, Bill Hastings, taught from 1884 to 1886 and then 1889 to 1891. He would go on to become the Attorney General and then the National Attorney for the Cherokee Tribe. He served as a representative in the U.S. Congress from 1915 to 1921 when he became the very first incumbent to be defeated by a female candidate.

Jesse Raper. Born Mar 10, 1797. Died Dec 1887 (This headstone didnt seem to have any historical significance, but it did seem to be the person born the earliest)

“In memory of Permelia. Wife of Redbird Sixkiller. Departed this life July 30, 1863. Aged 42 yrs. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Farewell my Mother so dear, may we meet on the peaceful shore”

"Sacred to the memory of Rev. Jesse Bushyhead, born in the old Cherokee Nation in East Tennessee, September, 1804; died in the present Cherokee Nation, July 17, 1844. 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.'" An inscription in Cherokee is at the bottom. On the other side is the inscription:

"Rev. Jesse Bushyhead was a man noble in person and noble in heart. His choice was to be a true and faithful minister of his Lord and Master rather than any high and wordly position. He loved his country and people, serving them from time to time in many important offices and missions. He united with the Baptist Church in his early manhood and died as he had lived, a devoted Christian."