The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-16
KANSAS news.
MaSOns Lay the Corner Stone of
Edifice at White Church
Near the Site of the Delaware
Mission Destroyed by Cyclone.
MEMORIAL TO INDIANS
Descendants of the Red Men
We're Present at Ceremony.
Church Before ThisWas Erected
of Walnut Logs in 1929.

Kansas City, Kan, May 16.-The cor
ner stone of a new church which is to
memOrialize the first mission estab-
hshed among the Delaware Indians in
Kansas, in 1929. when they occupied
the territory now known as Wyandotte
county, and also to mark the resting
place of the Indians who worked as
missionaries among their own people
in educating and outstanding them,
was laid Saturday afternoon at White
Church, Kan, with Masonic ceremon-
les. The ceremonies were attended by
Masons and old settlers of the county
The ceremonies We're conducted by
Joseph Stotler, worshipful master of
Delaware lodge No. 46, at White
Church, and w. W. Rose, H. E. Dean
A. Q. Cook and c. E. Kline of Wyan-
dotte lodge No. 3 of Kansas City kan
The new church will be of the old
English style of architecture and is to
be built entirely of stone. The plans
were prepared by w. W. Rose Besides
several old coins which were placed
under the cornerstone, copies of sew
eral OF the weekly papers published In
Wyandotte county the roll of mem
bersnip of the church, list of Sunday
school classes and photographs of G..
U. S. Hovey and wife, Ella J. Hovey,
and many cards were placed there.
The ceremonies were attended by
and Wyandottes, and among these was
Mrs. Anna Marshall Grinter, a mem
Der of the Delaware tribe, more than
80 years old, who was accompanied by
five generations of children. G. U. S.
Hovey, who has lived at White Church
as its only merchant for more than
thirty years, was also present.
The church viii stand near the loca-
ton of the old white church destroyed
by the cyclone which swept away so
mr. in
vicinity on May IL, 1886. It was the
original white church" erected by
the Rev. Thomas Johnson, a. mission
airy among the Delaware Indians in
1892. 1t was the first frame church
building or church building of any kind
ever erected on Kansas soil. About
1929 the Delaware Indians carried to
that settlement sawmill of the old
type From the black walnut trees
which then abounded in that county
the Indians and early settlers man
aged to saw enough lumber to build
this church, which was 40 feet wide
and go feet long. 1t was covered with
pine shingles, hand shaver, which were
brought from St Louis by steamboat.
In 1886. when the building was destroy
ed, those shingles were still sound, al
though they had weathered the storms
for ffty-four years.
The new place of worship is to be
known as the White Church NJ. E.
church (SoEa ~, the same as the old
one. It stands just asst of the old Del
aware Indian cemetery, and on one Of
the most historic places in Kansas.
There many of the noted Delaware In
dian chiefs and leaders, as well as
many of the early white settlers, are
buried. Regime Wi1coxon, who acted
as interpreter for the first white mis-
sionaries. is also buried there.
When the Delaware Indians from the
Indian Territory make visits to Wyan-
dotte county it is always around
White Church they linger for days at
a time and pay respect to their dead
leaders buried there
1t is one of the most picturesque val