This story is related in the History of the Wiltberger Family written in 1935 by Ellen Sampson Magoun
The story refers to "Uncle Edward's and Aunt Hettie's experiences among the Choctaw indians as missionaries..."
"It was in the early days, 1854, and conditions were far different from today. The Indians themselves were not any too friendly. There were no roads, only trails. The little party consisting of Father and Mother and three children ( William Bedington, Mary Caroline and Annie Powers) left Cincinnati by steamboat down the Ohio River -- not the floating palace of today but a "Back Wheeler" -- but they changed to a second boat on the Mississippi River, disembarking at the southern part of Arkansas, then Indian Territory. They traveled across the state in a Conestoga Wagon. Had to make their home in a shack. Uncle had at first to preach through an interpreter, as he did not know the indian language, They rode to church on horseback. Uncle with a child in front and one behind him; Aunt Hettie also carried a little one with her. She started a school and every Monday took two indian girls home to teach them "Domestic Science". They were strong but not of much use. If they needed a doctor, someone had to stand on the bank of the river and call across to anyone who happened to be near at hand, and they had to get a horse and ride 30 miles to reach a doctor. While living there a fourth child was born, Charles Christian. The children all fell ill with whooping-cough, and the family decided to move over into Texas, to Paris. Uncle preached to the negroes; even when threatened he would be shot if he continued. He did so in spite of the rough fellows who tried to intimidate him. Do not know why the mission was abandoned by the Presbyterians but today the Baptists have a flourishing college and orphanage at Bacon, Oklahoma."
More About David Edward Eells:
Education 1: 1847, Princeton Seminary .
Education 2: Bet. 1843 - 1844, Yale University, BA 1843, MA 1844.
More About David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger:
Marriage: January 4, 1848, Yardsville, PA.
Children of David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger are:
1. +William Bedinger Eells, b. October 23, 1848, Walton, Boone County, KY, d. September 23, 1934, Mt. Gilead, Ohio.
2. +Mary Caroline Eells, b. August 9, 1850, Absecon, NJ, d. January 1, 1934, Washington, DC.
3. +Annie Powers Eells, b. October 23, 1852, Richwood, KY8, d. October 13, 1935, Washington D.C..
4. Charles Christian Eells, b. December 14, 1856, Lamar County, TX, d. date unknown.
5. +Edward Beauregard Eells, b. July 11, 1861, Keachi LA, d. date unknown.
6. +Ester Wiltberger Eells, b. March 28, 1881, d. date unknown.
Created with Family Tree Maker∼The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) March 11, 1897 page 7
DIED.
EELLS. At 12 o’clock a.m. on Thursday, March 11, 1897, Rev. Edward Eells, Sr., in the seventy-ninth year of his age. Funeral from Gurley Memorial Church, Florida avenue, between 6th and 7th streets, Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Interment at Rock Creek cemetery, private.
Contributor: Loretta Castaldi (47472615
The story refers to "Uncle Edward's and Aunt Hettie's experiences among the Choctaw indians as missionaries..."
"It was in the early days, 1854, and conditions were far different from today. The Indians themselves were not any too friendly. There were no roads, only trails. The little party consisting of Father and Mother and three children ( William Bedington, Mary Caroline and Annie Powers) left Cincinnati by steamboat down the Ohio River -- not the floating palace of today but a "Back Wheeler" -- but they changed to a second boat on the Mississippi River, disembarking at the southern part of Arkansas, then Indian Territory. They traveled across the state in a Conestoga Wagon. Had to make their home in a shack. Uncle had at first to preach through an interpreter, as he did not know the indian language, They rode to church on horseback. Uncle with a child in front and one behind him; Aunt Hettie also carried a little one with her. She started a school and every Monday took two indian girls home to teach them "Domestic Science". They were strong but not of much use. If they needed a doctor, someone had to stand on the bank of the river and call across to anyone who happened to be near at hand, and they had to get a horse and ride 30 miles to reach a doctor. While living there a fourth child was born, Charles Christian. The children all fell ill with whooping-cough, and the family decided to move over into Texas, to Paris. Uncle preached to the negroes; even when threatened he would be shot if he continued. He did so in spite of the rough fellows who tried to intimidate him. Do not know why the mission was abandoned by the Presbyterians but today the Baptists have a flourishing college and orphanage at Bacon, Oklahoma."
More About David Edward Eells:
Education 1: 1847, Princeton Seminary .
Education 2: Bet. 1843 - 1844, Yale University, BA 1843, MA 1844.
More About David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger:
Marriage: January 4, 1848, Yardsville, PA.
Children of David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger are:
1. +William Bedinger Eells, b. October 23, 1848, Walton, Boone County, KY, d. September 23, 1934, Mt. Gilead, Ohio.
2. +Mary Caroline Eells, b. August 9, 1850, Absecon, NJ, d. January 1, 1934, Washington, DC.
3. +Annie Powers Eells, b. October 23, 1852, Richwood, KY8, d. October 13, 1935, Washington D.C..
4. Charles Christian Eells, b. December 14, 1856, Lamar County, TX, d. date unknown.
5. +Edward Beauregard Eells, b. July 11, 1861, Keachi LA, d. date unknown.
6. +Ester Wiltberger Eells, b. March 28, 1881, d. date unknown.
Created with Family Tree Maker∼The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) March 11, 1897 page 7
DIED.
EELLS. At 12 o’clock a.m. on Thursday, March 11, 1897, Rev. Edward Eells, Sr., in the seventy-ninth year of his age. Funeral from Gurley Memorial Church, Florida avenue, between 6th and 7th streets, Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Interment at Rock Creek cemetery, private.
Contributor: Loretta Castaldi (47472615
This story is related in the History of the Wiltberger Family written in 1935 by Ellen Sampson Magoun
The story refers to "Uncle Edward's and Aunt Hettie's experiences among the Choctaw indians as missionaries..."
"It was in the early days, 1854, and conditions were far different from today. The Indians themselves were not any too friendly. There were no roads, only trails. The little party consisting of Father and Mother and three children ( William Bedington, Mary Caroline and Annie Powers) left Cincinnati by steamboat down the Ohio River -- not the floating palace of today but a "Back Wheeler" -- but they changed to a second boat on the Mississippi River, disembarking at the southern part of Arkansas, then Indian Territory. They traveled across the state in a Conestoga Wagon. Had to make their home in a shack. Uncle had at first to preach through an interpreter, as he did not know the indian language, They rode to church on horseback. Uncle with a child in front and one behind him; Aunt Hettie also carried a little one with her. She started a school and every Monday took two indian girls home to teach them "Domestic Science". They were strong but not of much use. If they needed a doctor, someone had to stand on the bank of the river and call across to anyone who happened to be near at hand, and they had to get a horse and ride 30 miles to reach a doctor. While living there a fourth child was born, Charles Christian. The children all fell ill with whooping-cough, and the family decided to move over into Texas, to Paris. Uncle preached to the negroes; even when threatened he would be shot if he continued. He did so in spite of the rough fellows who tried to intimidate him. Do not know why the mission was abandoned by the Presbyterians but today the Baptists have a flourishing college and orphanage at Bacon, Oklahoma."
More About David Edward Eells:
Education 1: 1847, Princeton Seminary .
Education 2: Bet. 1843 - 1844, Yale University, BA 1843, MA 1844.
More About David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger:
Marriage: January 4, 1848, Yardsville, PA.
Children of David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger are:
1. +William Bedinger Eells, b. October 23, 1848, Walton, Boone County, KY, d. September 23, 1934, Mt. Gilead, Ohio.
2. +Mary Caroline Eells, b. August 9, 1850, Absecon, NJ, d. January 1, 1934, Washington, DC.
3. +Annie Powers Eells, b. October 23, 1852, Richwood, KY8, d. October 13, 1935, Washington D.C..
4. Charles Christian Eells, b. December 14, 1856, Lamar County, TX, d. date unknown.
5. +Edward Beauregard Eells, b. July 11, 1861, Keachi LA, d. date unknown.
6. +Ester Wiltberger Eells, b. March 28, 1881, d. date unknown.
Created with Family Tree Maker∼The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) March 11, 1897 page 7
DIED.
EELLS. At 12 o’clock a.m. on Thursday, March 11, 1897, Rev. Edward Eells, Sr., in the seventy-ninth year of his age. Funeral from Gurley Memorial Church, Florida avenue, between 6th and 7th streets, Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Interment at Rock Creek cemetery, private.
Contributor: Loretta Castaldi (47472615
The story refers to "Uncle Edward's and Aunt Hettie's experiences among the Choctaw indians as missionaries..."
"It was in the early days, 1854, and conditions were far different from today. The Indians themselves were not any too friendly. There were no roads, only trails. The little party consisting of Father and Mother and three children ( William Bedington, Mary Caroline and Annie Powers) left Cincinnati by steamboat down the Ohio River -- not the floating palace of today but a "Back Wheeler" -- but they changed to a second boat on the Mississippi River, disembarking at the southern part of Arkansas, then Indian Territory. They traveled across the state in a Conestoga Wagon. Had to make their home in a shack. Uncle had at first to preach through an interpreter, as he did not know the indian language, They rode to church on horseback. Uncle with a child in front and one behind him; Aunt Hettie also carried a little one with her. She started a school and every Monday took two indian girls home to teach them "Domestic Science". They were strong but not of much use. If they needed a doctor, someone had to stand on the bank of the river and call across to anyone who happened to be near at hand, and they had to get a horse and ride 30 miles to reach a doctor. While living there a fourth child was born, Charles Christian. The children all fell ill with whooping-cough, and the family decided to move over into Texas, to Paris. Uncle preached to the negroes; even when threatened he would be shot if he continued. He did so in spite of the rough fellows who tried to intimidate him. Do not know why the mission was abandoned by the Presbyterians but today the Baptists have a flourishing college and orphanage at Bacon, Oklahoma."
More About David Edward Eells:
Education 1: 1847, Princeton Seminary .
Education 2: Bet. 1843 - 1844, Yale University, BA 1843, MA 1844.
More About David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger:
Marriage: January 4, 1848, Yardsville, PA.
Children of David Edward Eells and Ester Ann Wiltberger are:
1. +William Bedinger Eells, b. October 23, 1848, Walton, Boone County, KY, d. September 23, 1934, Mt. Gilead, Ohio.
2. +Mary Caroline Eells, b. August 9, 1850, Absecon, NJ, d. January 1, 1934, Washington, DC.
3. +Annie Powers Eells, b. October 23, 1852, Richwood, KY8, d. October 13, 1935, Washington D.C..
4. Charles Christian Eells, b. December 14, 1856, Lamar County, TX, d. date unknown.
5. +Edward Beauregard Eells, b. July 11, 1861, Keachi LA, d. date unknown.
6. +Ester Wiltberger Eells, b. March 28, 1881, d. date unknown.
Created with Family Tree Maker∼The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) March 11, 1897 page 7
DIED.
EELLS. At 12 o’clock a.m. on Thursday, March 11, 1897, Rev. Edward Eells, Sr., in the seventy-ninth year of his age. Funeral from Gurley Memorial Church, Florida avenue, between 6th and 7th streets, Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Interment at Rock Creek cemetery, private.
Contributor: Loretta Castaldi (47472615
Inscription
Rev. Edward Eells
Died Mar. 11, 1897
In his 79th Year
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