By J. M. Hall

© Karolyn Kay Garland 1997

Page # 22

Presbyterian Mission School Teachers

I have been asked what became of the school teachers that taught in the Mission school. I have decided to write a little story concerning the first six teachers.

 Mrs. S. J. Stonecipher (86 years old when photo was taken)

 Mrs. S. J. Stonecipher was the first Mission school superintendent of the Presbyterian Mission school in Tulsa, in 1884. She came from Oswego, Kansas. She taught the second school term in Oswego, Kansas, in 1868. Her brother, Bob Elliott taught the first term. After teaching for several years she married Dr. Stonecipher. Later years the doctor died and left her two young daughters, Pearl and Myrtle. She returned to her mother's home in Oswego, Kansas, and began teaching again.

Reverend Haworth, Presbyterian missionary at Vinita, recommended her to the Presbyterian Home Mission Board in New York for the appointment as superintendent for the school at Tulsa. Mrs. Stonecipher came to Tulsa in the fall of 1884 and took charge as superintendent of Tulsa's first school, In the spring of 1887, on account of sickness and death of her mother in Oswego, she had to resign. At the time Mrs. Stonecipher took charge of the school children had no social organization. With the help of her assistant they organized school societies and gave school entertainments. The children became interested in the church and Sunday school. In this way the foundation for morality and good citizenship was laid. We could refer to many who are living in Tulsa today who could trace their good citizenship back to the Mission school.

After going back to Oswego she entered into the church work. Always an officer in the Missionary society. Teaching in the Sunday school many, many years. President of the W.C.T.U. for a long time. She also looked after her household duties. After her two daughters, Pearl and Myrtle, were through school they married later on. Pearl died a few years ago and left two daughters. They are active in the large Presbyterian church at Springfield, Mo. Training children in the way they should go. When they are older they will not depart from it. Mrs. Stonecipher lived to see her daughters and grand-daughters take a great interest in the church and Sunday school.

When her daughters married her home was broken up about 30 years ago. She went to make her home with her daughter Myrtle and her husband, Mr. Edmundson, in Fredonia, Kansas. Soon after arriving in Fredonia she again took up her work in the church. Seeing what great work a Missionary society could do she called the women of the church together and they organized one. For a number of years she was always ready to lead a prayer meeting. Mrs. Elliott Stonecipher died in Fredonia, Kansas, in May 1931, at her daughter's home. Her body was brought back to Oswego, Kansas, to her old home and friends who knew her in her girlhood days. She was buried in the cemetery where many of her loved ones had been buried many years ago.

The author of this story remembers, that in 1870, when a young fellow, he visited in Mrs. Elliott's home where he met Bill, Bob, Jeff, Sam, Charley and the girls, Jane Bessie and Frankie. I was always very happy to visit in the Elliott home. Then in 1884 my friendship for Mrs. Elliott Stonecipher was renewed when she came to Tulsa to take charge of our Mission school.

Mrs. Stonecipher has gone to her heavenly home but she has left in the life of every one who knew her christian influences that will never die and will continue to live in the lives of others.