Rosemary Durham

Native American and British culture blended in the US

August 26, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] What was the life of the Indian and the Brits on first contact? Are you familiar with the story about the Princes of Serendip? It is the source of our word serendipity. While chasing another story, I came across two wills and a…

Early surveyors needed a place where they could worship

August 19, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] On what peninsula was the first church in Creek Nation? Anytime we are talking about the first, we are about to time travel. Travel in 1834 was pretty much the same as the first British colonists in 1600s. Technology changed little. The Spanish…

How did the churches in the south develop as they did?

August 12, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Where did the first churches in the south develop? Let us time travel back to the period between 1720 and 1920. You are living in the area around Virginia or further out. Suppose you are an eleven-year-old youngster and hear your parents talking…

How is it possible to lose a person’s history and heritage?

August 5, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] How can we lose a person? When looking through historical records, we occasionally come to the end of the line for a person. They seem to magically appear from nowhere, with no parentage or family lineage. What happened deep in the bowels of…

A search for your great grandparents can be revealing

July 29, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Who were your great grandparents? You do not know? A few weeks ago, the Pastor discussed heritage and cultures who venerate and respect elders and past generations. Our contemporary, new technology society discards heritage and tradition as quickly as the two-year old, out-of-date…

Cephas Washburn was similar to Epaphras Chapman

July 22, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Who was Cephas Washburn? Had you ever heard of him before a sign at Dwight Mission? Yet, like Epaphras Chapman to Union Mission, he blazed the trail for schooling to the Old Settlers Cherokee. Let’s back up to the American Board of Commissioners…

Where is the Dwight Mission?

July 15, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Hey, it is a good time for a day trip. We turned onto US 64 highway. The road is within spitting distance of the Arkansas River at the Tulsa-Wagoner County line. How about a road trip down river? Unlike the Mississippi River, no…

What do these men have in common?

July 8, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] What did Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Sequoyah have in common? Actually, quite a bit. We see people as they seem when they are older and accomplished, but we miss the problems they had to overcome. Benjamin Franklin was one of 17 children….

Did Thomas Jefferson really take scissors to the Bible?

July 1, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Did Thomas Jefferson really take scissors to the Bible? Jefferson was a strong advocate of Native American education. Jefferson’s programs to the southeast Nations, were to the people called ‘the Five Civilized Tribes,’ a generation later. Recall in a recent article, Jefferson supported…

The old Baptist Mission was also known as ‘Breadtown’

June 24, 2021 Dr. Marcus O. Durham Rosemary Durham

[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.] Daytrip. Which direction are we going? If we have spent more than a week without a daytrip, one of us will ask the question. We seldom have a destination, but pick a direction and go. Our goal is to learn Oklahoma and its…