Union Mission Cemetery

While out looking for cemeteries some friends and I came across a sign on the highway that said "Cemetery". It wasn't on our list of the ones we had planned to visit but we are not the type to pass one up that so gladly volunteers. I am so glad we visited this one.

Union Mission, the first mission in Oklahoma, was organized and established in 1820 among the Osage by the United Foreign Missionary Society (Presbyterian Dutch Reformed). The first school in Oklahoma was opened in 1821 at Union Mission (about 5 miles northeast of Maizie in Wagoner County), with four French-Osage children as the first pupils. (Credits)

This is an overview of the main burial ground.

Union Mission

(1820 - 1835)

Was placed on the

National Registry of

Historic Places

Sept 10, 1971 by the United

States Department of

the Interior.

Union Mission Chapter

National Society

Daughters of the

American Revolution

Union Mission was established in 1820 by the

United Foreign Missionary Society as a

mission to the Osage. It was in existence only 15

years but occupies a unique position in

Oklahoma history. It was the pioneer

institution in bringing Christianity and aspects

of western civilization such as education to

Oklahoma. Here was the site of the first

church, the first school, and the first protestant

wedding. The Union Mission Chapter

National Society Daughters of the American

Revolution feels a pride and obligation to

commemorate the brave spirits who labored

here.

November 7, 1992

Persons listed in the "Union Mission Journal"

as having died at this site between 1822 - 1825

and according to tradition who are buried

in Union Mission Cemetery, baby of Abraham

and Phoebe Beach Redfield - February 8, 1822,

Osage woman - October 17, 1822, Osage infant

October 19, 1822, Infant child of Mr and Mrs.

Fuller - March 9 , 1823, Robert Bake - August 20, 1823,

Charlotte Vaille, Child September 6, 1824,

Jane Redfield, Child - September 9, 1824,

Epaphras Chapman, First Missionary to the Osage -

January 17, 1825.

Inside this structure is the following.

The side panel reads:

Erected

by

Northeastern

Teachers College

1932

This is the top portion.

In

Memory of

Rev. Epaphras Chapman

who died Jan 1825

Aged 32

First Missionary to the

Osages.

Stay amoung the heathers, the Lord reigneth.

I found the following in excerpt in "The Christian spectator, Volume 7".

You can read more about Rev. Chapman and the Mission at the following links.

"Chronicles of Oklahoma Volume 10, No. 4 December, 1932"

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture

American missionary register, Volume 6 By United Foreign Missionary Society
The Missionary herald, Volume 17 by American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions

"We honor their

memory, we call

their names, they

live again."

Choutea Family Graves

Originally located southwest of

cemetery. Desecrated by

vandals, markers discarded

by farmers late 1900. Rescued

and moved for permanent

memorialization Dec 2001.

Dedicated Apr 4, 2002. Joint

project of: Jean Pierre Choteau

descendants, Union Mission

Chapter Daughters of the

American Revolution, Alphs

Co. Thunderbird Younth

Academy and Oklahoma

Historical Society.

Contributors

Calvin Coverdell, Bert &

Arlene Nelson, Bill Kemp,

Rainbow Concrete Co and

Witt Monument Co.

Minerva

Wife of

JA Cheawteaw

Born April 14, 1825

Died

Feb 1, 1856

Musadora

Daughter of

James & Minerva

Chouteau

was born

??? 20, 1819

died

??????

Note: Minerva Rogers  married James Augustus Chouteau, son of Auguste Chorteau and Rosalie Lambert. 

James and Henry Chouteau were names listed on the Osage Treaty  of June 2, 1825.

The following were all field stone markers with name plaques placed in front of them.

Charlotte Osage 1823 - 1824 Adopted orphan of George Requa

Osage Infant Died 1822

Osage Woman Died 1822

Moses Osage 1823 - 1824 Baby of Rev. Chapman

Rev William B. Montgomery 1800 - 1834

Harriett Wooley Montgomery Died 1834

Note: Rev. Montgomery died of either fever or cholera. Harriet, his third wife, died Aug. 27, 1834 at Union Mission also of fever.

Sarah Requa Died 1825 Wife of George Requa

Requa Baby 1825 - 1825 Baby of Sarah and George Requa

Requa Baby 1833 - 1833 Child of Susan and William Requa

Susan Comstock Requa Died 1833

Note: Sarah Clapp was George Requa first wife.

Note: Susan was the first wife of Rev. William Comb Requa. 

Redfield Child 1827 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield

Redfield Child 1831 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield

Redfield Child 1829 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield

Redfield Child 1833 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield

Redfield Child 1822 - 1822 Child of Phoebe and; Abraham Redfield

Redfield Baby 1825 - 1826 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield

Jane Redfield 1823 - 1824 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield

Robert Bake Died 1823

Richard Howard Died 1826 Hired Laborer

Unknown

Fuller Baby 1823 - 1823 Child of Mr. and Mrs. Fuller

Freed Infant Slave

Charles McCoy 1829 - 1831 Child of Isaac McCoy

Vaill Child 2 1/2 years old

Charlotte Vaill 1823 - 1824

Across the road from this Union Mission Cemetery stands this marker.

On these Premises...

Union Mission

The first mission in Oklahoma

was founded in 1820

by Rev Eraphras Chapman

The First Press

was established and the fist

book printed in 1835

by

Rev. Samuel Austin Worcester

Erected by

Oklahoma Library Association 1935

More information on Rev. Samuel Worcester can be found at the following links.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
The life and Labors of Rev. Samuel Worcester, D. D.: former pastor ..., Volume 1
Creating Cherokee Print: Samuel Austin Worcester’s Impact on the Syllabary
Find A Grave