In October 1884 Andrew wrote in his diary, “I have had some intimation of a mission in the Indian Territory among the Cheerickee Indians. If I am called I will go with the help of my Father in Heaven.”66 A month later a formal call did come from Church President John Taylor to Andrew and his block-teaching companion, James G. West, to take a mission to the Indian Territory,67 leaving in January. On the day before they left Andrew wrote of Ollie, “She felt very bad in consequence of my going away. . . . I layed my hands upon Ollie and blessed her and asked God to comfort her in my absence. I had a hard time to control my feelings. I dare not give up on Ollie’s account.”68 Andrew, then age twenty-six, was being asked to leave his wife and baby, his work and income as a railroad machinist, and his leadership in local Church and civic organizations.
At that time there were no missionaries in the Indian Territory Mission, which covered only the northeast portion of modern Oklahoma. (See appendix C.) A dozen had been sent there in 1855, but their proselytizing effort had been limited by discouragement, opposition from the Indian agents, and malaria that resulted in three deaths. One of these original missionaries, John A. Richards, married a Cherokee woman and remained in the territory after his mission ended. Although isolated, he continued to serve as a friendly contact for six elders who tried to resume the work between 1877 and 1884. However, after a few months these efforts also ended when one of these six missionaries died and two contracted malaria.
The calling of Andrew and James G. West and their arrival by train in Vinita, Indian Territory, on January 31, 1885, represented a new effort.
When the new missionaries landed in Vinita, they met Brother James Hibbs and his Cherokee wife, who had been baptized by earlier Elders Frank Teasdale and Matthew Dalton. The Hibbses were moving to the Catoosa area to rent from “Uncle” John A. Richards. This was also the elders’ first destination, so they helped Brother Hibbs to move his wife, child, and household goods and loaned him money to reclaim some pawned tools. From Catoosa (now a suburb of Tulsa) a hired wagon took them six miles farther to the home of Uncle John.69
The first night, thirteen people crowded together in the Richards cabin, fourteen feet on a side. The next day the elders slept in a storage building and the Hibbses moved to a second cabin owned by Richards, where they would farm as sharecroppers.70 The Sawyers, another Mormon family, lived just a few miles away.
The missionaries’ ultimate destination was Manard, the home of William H. and Ann Hendricks, where they would establish a base, but the ice-clogged Verdigris River blocked the way,71 so the missionaries stayed with Uncle John a while, teaching and working in the area around Catoosa.72
When the missionaries could finally ford the river, Elder West traveled on horseback and Andrew waded across. The two men made their way partly by train and much of the way on foot to Muskogee through snow, water, and mud.73 Elder West got soaked to the waist as he fell in crossing one stream. The weather proved so bad that they finally could not walk farther, but took a stage from Muskogee to Fort Gibson and then walked eight or ten miles farther to Manard, the home of William H. and Ann Hendricks, a couple whose home would become headquarters for the mission. Ann had joined the Church, but William, although a generous host and staunch friend, had not. The Hendrickses ran a post office and store. They greeted the new elders warmly. After five weeks without contact from home, Andrew received a stack of letters from Ollie. He wept.74
The William H. Hendricks home in Manard, Indian Territory, served as missionary headquarters.
Andrew and Elder West lived in Manard with the Hendrickses and helped with the chores. During one period Andrew set out fruit trees, plowed and planted a garden, cut wood, painted a sign for the store, developed a foot path, shelled corn, took grist to the mill, planted potatoes, gathered wild onions, fixed a clock, milked cows, and dressed harness leather with soap and oil. During another period “at home” he cut hair, picked berries, whittled a churn dasher, repaired wheat cradles, made a potato masher and rolling pin, whittled toy wagons for the children, filed and set two saws, repaired his own shoes, fixed the latch to the gate, fixed a desk, repaired the well-bucket, and helped postmaster Hendricks with his quarterly report to Washington. The list of tasks shows both his energy and his skills.75 And during a third time “at home” Andrew fixed a clothesline, repaired tools, and made a workbench, trestles, well curb, and toolbox. The elders ended up building a little cabin for themselves, to give both them and their hosts more privacy.
When Andrew arrived he was confronted with the near certainty that a young Elder Teasdale, the most recent missionary in the area, had stolen money from the Hendrickses. There was no sign of any nighttime intruder, Teasdale had known where the money had been hidden, he had ample opportunity to take it while Mr. Hendricks slept in an adjacent bedroom, and he had acted very suspiciously. Teasdale also drank some and carried brass knuckles.76 But he denied the theft. Andrew explained the facts and circumstances to the First Presidency in a letter and they, to preserve the good name of the Church, reimbursed the Hendrickses for their loss.
In 1951, Elder Spencer W. Kimball located what he believed to be the 12 × 15 foot cabin built by his father as missionary housing at Manard in 1885.
From this hub at Manard, Andrew and Elder West made forays into the often-wild countryside for some days at a time and then returned. The missionaries generally found hospitality, although occasionally they had to pay for shelter and a few times they even slept outdoors. On November 27, 1886, Thanksgiving Day, “in the evening we called at 4 different places and got refused three times before we got a place to stay.” Whites among the Cherokees were either married to Cherokees or were renting land from them. As the elders made repeated visits to areas, they often established friendships with people who had made them welcome for overnight visits when they came again. Helping with chores or farmwork provided opportunities to talk about the gospel message and make friends. Other ministers felt themselves above such work.
Andrew’s journal of his and his companion’s first venture gives the flavor of their methods and experience:
[March 4, 1885] we started off to visit some people a short distance from Mr. Hendricks. we called at 3 houses. the men was not at home so we did not stop. we stayed all night at Mr. Jack Walkers. they entertained us very kindly. I took care of the baby some. they thought I was quite a nurse. we had a nice bed and retired early.
[March 5] After breakfast assisted Mr. Walker around his stable yard. we soon parted with them with good feelings and an invitation to call again. we next called upon Mr. West, a big but good natured fellow some Indian as well as Mr. Walker. after dinner we assisted in making a fence to keep chickens out of the garden. we preached the Gospel at the same time and around the fireplace we talked in quite a length. they had us sing and pray they lighted us to a good bed we retired early.
[March 6] we parted with Mr. West and family and soon came to the creek on our way to Mr. Potters. we walked up the stream for a long way to find a foot log to get across. we however got across and soon arrived at Mr. Potters. was kindly received. we had a room with a stranger. Mrs. Potters had a sick girl been sick for six mts. it was heart rendering to hear her cry. we had a talk on the principles of the Gospel. we had a good bed and retired early.
[March 7] We talked some with the people and expressed our thanks and parted with them. we next called on Mrs. Hicks. we had dinner with her. she invited us to call again. after a pleasant talk we went up to Mr. Hendricks. I got a letter from my wife. had pleasant evening.
They had been gone three nights and been well received at many places they called. They had been able to preach some and made friends.
One day a wagon they were riding in snagged on a vine in the woods and jerked, throwing Andrew to the ground. Because the team stopped immediately Andrew, though hurt, was not run over. The next day as he dismounted, his horse spooked and ran. Andrew’s foot broke free from the stirrup, saving him from being dragged.77 It was April Fool’s Day and he noted in his journal, “Devil fooled.”
Not all forays went so well. A few weeks later they traveled northwest:
[June 26, 1885] We started from Wm. Hendricks [at] Manard at 6:30. it was aful warm walking. a heavy rain storm came upon us and made it very bad walking. we arrived at Dr. Hills, Tahlequah, at 12 o.c. we were warmed through. I was all chafed and gaulded. the hot sun made my head ache pretty bad. we met a gentleman from near Parany [Panama?] City Mr. Samar[?]. we gave him a large number of pamphlets to take back with him as he desired them very much. he being a leading man may do conciderable good.
[June 27, 1885] We started from Dr. Hills, Tahlequah, at 7:30 a.m. it being aful warm we almost melted. we came to the Illinois river and was ferried across in safety. it is a beautiful river about 100 yards wide and clear and runs fast. we then journied on to the Barron Fork, a stream about 50 yds and clear and beautiful. we missed the right road and walked out of our way some. warm. got to the stream. we walked down it until we found a low place then we waided. took of our pants and rolled up our garments and in we went. it was very swift and the gravel hard on our feet. after we got across and dressed we had prayers and did not go far until we found the road and soon we arrived at Mr. Sheltons our friend who we had aimed to go and see as he had opened his house for a meeting on the morrow and published it among his neighbors.
[June 28, 1885, Sunday] After a hard nights rest scratching from the affects of Chigers Ticks & fleas we had a good breakfast, and about 8:30 we went down to the creek and had a bath. when we got back to the house some people already had come. Mr. Shelton was fixing up seats on the porch for the meeting. the folks continued to come until 11 o.c. then we had an audience of about 60, and a respectable one to. some white people and the rest were mixed. Bro. West was kept awake all night scratching and rubbing from the affects of Chiegers etc. so I lead out in the meeting after singing, prayer by Bro West and singing again. I lead out with the first principles and spoke ½ hr. I was blessed with the Spirit of God and spoke to good advantage. Bro. West then spoke ½ hr continued where I left off. after meeting several stayed and spent the afternoon. I continued talking to little groups, and explained to the best of my ability the principles of the Gospel and told them all I could about the people of Utah. we made some new friends who asked us to call upon them. some of the people seemed verry much interested. we retired early.
Public meetings sometimes proved controversial. Those held in private homes and in schoolhouses or churches usually raised no problems, but when friends tried to procure the courthouse for a meeting in Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, the effort failed amid a public uproar.78 Attendance at meetings might involve only a handful of listeners, but on a few occasions eighty or more gathered. When they could not meet with members on Sunday, the missionaries might retire to the woods and partake of the sacrament. One time they used water and an apple, for want of bread.
The elders went to visit an investigator named Marton (or Morton or Martin?), who had asked for baptism. The day after the baptism they administered to the man’s wife, who had been sick for a month and bedfast for the last week. The day after the blessing she was up cooking supper for her guests. The second day after she received the blessing they baptized her, too.79
In the summer Andrew and Elder West suffered greatly from insects—mosquitoes, chiggers, ticks, and fleas. The others were a nuisance, but the mosquitoes dangerous. By August 1 of their first summer both men had malaria, with its daily sequence of hard chills, raging fever, profuse sweating, serious headache, nausea, and fatigue. After a few hours each day the worst symptoms subsided and the men could do some work around the home or farm, but they felt miserable for weeks. Ollie, learning of Andrew’s illness, “was terribly excited . . . and very much worried.” She sent him a dollar with which to buy medicine.80
Elder West, an older man, felt he needed to go home, and on August 31 (after seven months) he received a letter of release and train fare home from Church President John Taylor. The First Presidency gave Andrew the option of being released, but he replied, “I have the priesthood with me. I will get well and prefer to stay.” They granted his request. He advised them,
I think two pair of Elders could work to good advantage, for it takes new Elders about five months to get accustomed to these ungraded roads, unbridged streams, the Indian-trail, the food and ways of the people, so if I can keep humble, and do right, my experience and becoming somewhat acclimated will be of great value to the mission, for my companion and I can go right ahead without those mentioned hindrances. I feel satisfied we can do some good at least.
By this time Andrew had largely recovered, but he was still physically weak. On September 28, he took his first bath in two months. He had feared that while he was still suffering malarial chills the cold water of a stream would shock his system. He suffered occasional recurrence of the debilitating symptoms over many months.
He resumed some missionary efforts, particularly by engaging in gospel conversations with people he met. Usually they had some curiosity about this stranger hiking in Indian Territory dressed in a Prince Albert coat.
Andrew took to using Uncle John Richards as a companion after Elder West left. In their first such venture away from the Hendrickses’81 the missionaries spent a week traveling by wagon south to the Briartown area to visit the Maberys, an isolated member couple. When Andrew and Elder Richards got there, they found that Brother Mabery lay seriously ill in a relative’s house. They had hoped to stay with the Maberys, but disapproving relatives snubbed them. However, when Andrew offered to take a turn sitting up part of the night with Brother Mabery, the relatives readily agreed, and Andrew slept on the floor beside the sick man’s bed.82 Brother Richards proved an important resource, having friends in the area. Andrew wrote in his journal, “[With approval of the First Presidency] I rebaptized [in the Verdigris River] and reordained Bro. Richards.”83 President John Taylor also sent a letter of appointment as a missionary for John A. Richards, dated February 10, 1886.84
With the return home of Elder West, the First Presidency had undertaken to replace him with a Shoshone named Warner. But when they learned that this man was of dubious reputation, the First Presidency revoked Warner’s call.85
In sum, Andrew faced several challenging problems while proselytizing among the Cherokee. First, it was awkward to explain what had happened with respect to Warner and Teasdale, whose stories were widely known.86 Some people asked how such men could be divinely appointed. Second, people also noted the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre. Third, he and the missionaries lacked the ability to deal with Native Americans in their own language and found that the generally hospitable Indians had little interest in any white man’s religion. Finally, the prevalence of malaria and its debilitating effects also impinged significantly on missionary work.
70. Brother Hibbs turned out to be “stubborn and mean.” He shamefully whipped his three-year-old daughter (Andrew Kimball, Journal, May 25, 1885, and December 29, 1885), and took corn from John Richards at gunpoint after a disagreement about how it was to be shared (December 29, 1885).
71. Andrew Kimball, Journal, February 3 and 6, 1884.
72. While living with Uncle John they learned his story. After the other 1855 missionaries were gone he stayed on with his part-Cherokee wife, a well-to-do widow who owned a plantation and sixteen slaves. She joined the Church. When the last of the first group of missionaries left in 1860, Elder Richards and his wife tried to keep the Church members together. By the outbreak of the Civil War there were perhaps one hundred twenty members in several small branches of the Church, about half in the Cherokee Nation and half in the Creek Nation. Uncle John’s wife died, as did their one son. Elder Richards married a second Native American woman, but her story is unknown. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1862 the members scattered. The territory served as battleground of many brutal skirmishes. About a quarter of the population died. The Indians of the territory divided about equally between North and South. When the federal army destroyed Uncle John’s plantation, he went from wealth to poverty overnight and enlisted in the Confederate army as a scout. After the war, with his wife gone and the slaves freed, he lived near Catoosa with the people who rented his property. When missionaries returned to the territory in 1877, they resumed contact with him and received his generous help. They later fixed up a shed as separate sleeping quarters in which the elders could stay when they visited him. Andrew Kimball, Journal, May 15, 1885.
83. John Taylor to Andrew Kimball, June 24, 1885, Church History Library; Andrew Kimball, Journal, October 20, 1885.
84. Elder Richards was released in 1887 and died in 1889.
85. John Taylor and George Q. Cannon to Andrew Kimball, October 16, 1885, Church History Library (inquiries about Warner have confirmed suspicions).
86. Andrew Kimball, Journal, March 2, 1885, Church History Library (“splendid letter” received by Hendrickses from Warner gave impression Warner was “LDS in very deed”).
