Nuyaka Creek Indian Mission was built on prairie land. Nuyaka has roots that go way back to 1790 when President George Washington invited a delegation of 26 Creek Indians to visit his capitol – New York. The Creeks were so impressed with the magnificence of the white man’s town that they decided to rename a Creek settlement after it. Since the Muscogee language did not have an “R” in it, they softened and beautified the words ‘New York’ to ‘Nuyaka’. The original Nuyaka is in the state of Georgia. (This came from the Okmulgee County History book, available at the Okmulgee library and Creek Council House.)
Bill and Oakla Spears wrote the majority of the history of Nuyaka found on this page and the other pages. I don't know how long ago these were written, but would say early to mid 80's. These documents plus others are available at the Creek Council House in Okmulgee, OK. More information can also be obtained from the Oklahoma Historical Society. Their phone number is 405-522-5230. Anything noted with an asterick (*) is written by myself. Either I obtained the information from literature, friends or acquaintances or knew it from living here all my life.
The Town of Nuyaka and its Past
To learn about the early history of the town of Nuyaka you must prepare yourselves for a long, long journey back in to time, back to around 1800, back to the days of our first President. For, as soon as the War for Independence had been won, a tumultuous wave of land seeking began. Unfortunately, scouts, traveling southward into what became Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, found, to their amazement, rich, cultivated acres, permanent homes, slaves working in the fields, children attending mission schools, and citizens ruling themselves according to the democratic system.
All this beautiful country was in the possession of Indians, tribes of Cherokees, Choctaw, and Seminoles as well as the nation of the Creeks and their dependent neighboring tribes. The word “unfortunately” was used, because immediately the white pioneering farmers determined to have these acres for themselves. President Washington, finding himself involved in this problem, wished to know more about these Indians and wanted to discuss the situation with them. So, he invited their officials to meet with him in his Capitol of New York City. The leaders came, were treated with so much respect and dignity that it was decided to provide a memorial to the “White Chief” by naming the next Creek town to be founded the same name as that of the “White Chief’s” capital. And so it happened that on the bank of a lovely little stream there soon was established a Creek town called Newyorker Town.
When the sad and frightening time came when these Indians were forced westward, on to lands chosen for them by the white men, they went, but they kept deep within their memories the names of their beloved Creek towns. Later, as Opothle Yahola, leader of the full-blood upper Creeks, led his people southward from Tulsey Town, already settle by the lower Creeks, many of thon were half-Creek and half-Scotch, they came upon a tributary of the North Canadian River called Deep Fork. Here, the weary Creeks decided to stop and establish a little village, and when it came time to name it, the name given to what was probably the last village established in Georgia came to mid, and they named it Newyorker Town. The other Creeks continued their wandering, establishing villages here and there between Newyorker Town and the Canadian Rivers near the Creek town call Eufaula. This Creek history took place around the 1830’s and 40’s.
Many years later, around 1882-1884, the Presbyterians of New York State, influenced by Alice Robertson, founded a boarding school or mission about a quarter of a mile from Deep Fork River and perhaps two miles from Newyorker Town. When the four original buildings were completed and a name needed, it was finally decided to call it after its nearest Creek town, so it became known as Newyorker Mission, or, as it softened and changed with time, its name became Nuyaka Mission.
The Creek farmers and the white settlers made their living chiefly by raising cotton. But, Scattered here and there were large ranches owned by such men as Tom Durant, Crossland, J.C. Smith and this son Hugh, Uncle Joe Pitchford, and Park Wheeler.
George Beidleman, later a lawyer in Okmulgee, tells of traveling from Tulsa to Okmulgee, how he had to cross the Arkansas River on a ferry and then, with team and buggy, follow the faint, crooked trails around fields and through ranches, neither with any fencing. If he passed near Nuyaka Mission or near the little Creek settlement of Newyorker Town, he may have thought of how Newyorker Town had been the headquarters of Isparecher and his followers in The Green Peach War, and also been reminded that the retarded young Creek man, Tom Chickasaw, whose home was at Newyorker Town, was the last person to be executed under Creek law. If Mr. Beidleman had passed close enough to Deep Fork River, he might have heard the sounds of the sawmill which A.E. Evans from Nevada, Missouri, had put up in 1904.
Like most communities of this period, 1915-1920, this area also had its bank robbers and horse thieves. Nuyaka’s “bad men” were the Poe Gang, made up of Oscar Poe, Harry Hart, and Willie Hart. Their hiding places were in Deep Fork River bottoms, but they did not have one advantage. Oscar Poe’s uncle, Pone Poe, lived just out of the bottoms and just across the fence from Nuyaka Mission’s pastureland. Perhaps Pone Poe got tired of their sneaking into his home and alerted the police, or maybe someone saw them and told. Anyway, one morning the officers lay in hiding – Chief Marshall Simmons and Deputy Sheriff Tucker of Beggs and Sheriff Claude Roach and Chief of Police Mel Bowman of Okmulgee. When the gang appeared, a gunfight erupted and when it was over, all three bandits were dead and Mel Bowman was slightly wounded. Even today, former pupils of Nuyaka Mission love to tell how they left the school playground, ran through the pasture, and then saw the three “bad men” lying there, all “laid out” and “stone dead”!
Early Homes of Nuyaka
Many new businesses had developed in Nuyaka, the Oklahoma Southwestern Railway had entered the town, a much needed bridge and trestle had been erected across Deep Fork River on the west, and much better roads had been developed in the east. But for all these achievements to be of any value, there had to be people, new people to and make profitable all this betterment. So houses were built by the dozens, most of them of a very temporary nature, but a few that were so well built by people who wanted to make Nuyaka their permanent homes, that a few are still standing, mementoes of those exciting ten years, from 1920 to 1930, in Nuyaka’s history.
The first dwelling and associated buildings erected in the Nuyaka neighborhood was, of course, the Nuyaka Mission. Lumber, glass, nails, and finishing materials all had to be brought from St. Louis on flat boats floated on the Mississippi River until it and the Arkansas River met. Then, loaded barges or flat boats carried the material along the Arkansas until Tulsey Town was reached. Here, all the material was loaded until the Mission site was reached.
This first bringing in of materials took place in 1882 and with it four large, two-storied buildings were erected. Then, in 1913, the procedure was repeated, so that during the Tom Slick period, four more large buildings were added to the campus. Now, a hundred years later, two buildings still stand and have become a National Historic Site.
Probably the next house built, as the permanent home was the large two-story house built on the Park Wheeler Ranch. When William Parkinson Wheeler bought the 640 acres for his ranch, there were two log cabins already built just behind where he had chosen to build his ranch home. So, when Park began building in 1913, he and his wife moved into the log cabin. Before the house was completed, four children had been born in one of the log cabins. Two of the children died, but Ruth and Wilma Wheeler lived to brag that they had been born in a log cabin. This ranch house was remarkably well built for a house of its day, with hard wood floors, all woodwork of oak and about ten full, large rooms above a three-room basement. The Park Wheeler house still stands.
In 1920, Orvil Wilson moved to this area and bought land, which would be two or three miles from the proposed town of Nuyaka. On this acreage he built a frame house for his family, which lived in it until 1923. At this time, Mr. Wilson bought the Simpson Lumber Yard, moving in a frame house for the home. However, the original frame house built by Orvil Wilson a few miles northwest of Nuyaka has never been unoccupied an is now the home of Mr. And Mrs. Pate Stanley.
In 1932, a few miles east of the town of Nuyaka, a brick home in a Spanish style was designed and built by the Hugh Henry Family. This family consisted of Hugh (Bunk) Henry, his wife Vera and two daughters, Ramona and Pat. Also, in the care of the family was Hugh Henry’s uncle, Jim Henry, who lived with them until his death. This house also still stands, looking about the same as when it was first built. It is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Bounds.
These four houses, built so long ago are reminders of the fact that while many things which appeared during Tom Slick’s period of influence were very temporary and have been gone for many years there were a few results that were lovely and long lasting.
Nuyaka, today, 1983, is no longer a town, but it has changed to a great extent. Cotton growing in a field is never seen today, but cattle grazing in pastures are very common. Timber cutting has disappeared and its place has been taken by the growing and cultivating of pecans, which in this area, is a very profitable business. The area is dotted with comfortable, modern brick homes, the equal of many town homes. Most of these homes have been built by people who live in the rural area but work in Okmulgee or Tulsa. In spite of Tom Slick’s famous “nose for oil” a large oil field never was found around Nuyaka, but small producing wells are still being drilled here and there in 1983. So, thank you Tom Slick, for pushing us into another way of life.
Nuyaka’s Best Neighbor
Almost every community will have an individual who. Down through the years, will come to be thought of by folks as “the best neighbor”. Now, some of them may not bring that thought to the surface of their consciousness at fort because we tend to some to the point where we take for granted things that have been going on for some time.
But if you ask them what persons have been the most generous in giving of their time and thought and work in making the community a better place to live; who has been most ready to help in case of storm damage or sickness; who has been to the most grass fires and then, afterwards, has given the most time and ingenuity to keeping the fire fighting equipment in working order; who has worked on the old school buses to hem going, patched the most piped in the school kitchen, and repaired the most school desk. Then, this will happen.
Names will be mentioned – this one has taken care of this little project; and that one will help if he has time. But, inevitably, one name will always sift to the top. But, be careful what you do or say because sometimes he can be a bit crotchety; don’t rub him the wrong way and don’t make trouble for him because if you do, you may find yourself surrounded by his friends, and he has more friends than anyone hereabouts. Who is this? His name is Glen Cypert.
He is Nuyaka’s most public-spirited citizen and everyone’s best neighbor.
Also known as 'Nuyaka Mission' and formerly known as 'Hance'. Site of Nuyaka Mission, established 1882 by Alice Robertson. Post office name changed to Nuyaka 1912 to 1954 (discontinued). Name is a Creek corruption for "New Yorker Town", a Creek town in Alabama. (obtained from http://www.rootsweb.com/~okokmulg/towns.html)
To view a map of where Nuyaka is located > http://www.newatlas.com/images/okpg20.pdf