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Presbytery of Southern Kansas Sunflowers

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The First 100 years of The United Presbyterian Church in Kansas 

   
(Extracted from: "The First 100 Years of The UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in Kansas", a 21 page booklet located in the First Presbyterian Church's Historical Library, Wichita, Kansas).
  

"Our First One Hundred Years"
  
(Prepared by George W. Nelson, Chairman of the Centennial Observance Committee of the Synod of Kansas, with the assistance of the members of the Committee and many other persons.) 
  

INDIAN MISSIONS
  
  Aside from Juan de Padilla, a Franciscan Friar who accompanied Coronado to Kansas in 1541 and who was killed by the Quivera (Pawnee) Indians whom he had supposedly converted to Christ, the first Christian missionary of any denomination to come to what was later to become the State of Kansas, was the Rev. Benton Pixley, a Presbyterian sent out in 1824 by the United Foreign Missionary Society of New York, New York. The year 1824 saw the first wagon train make the long trek from Westport Landing on the Missouri River where Kansas City is now situated to Santa Fe in what was then Mexico. The United Foreign Missionary Society was supported by the Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed and Associate Reformed churches. … 

  Among the missionaries sent by the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the Wea and Piankeshaw Mission were a Mr. and Mrs. Aurey Ballard in 1835. They had no more than arrived until they withdrew to the vicinity of the Missouri River at a place known as "Ioway Point," in what is now Doniphan County, to work among the Ioway, Sac and Fox tribes.
To this mission there came in 1837 Rev. and Mrs. Samuel M. Irvin. With their coming, the real story of Presbyterianism in Kansas begins. But before ending the account of Indian missions in Kansas, it is worthy of note that while the Presbyterians were first, they were not the only church to send missionaries to the Indians, nor are the ones mentioned the only early-day Presbyterian Indian missions. …

  When the first white settlers began to arrive in the early 1850s, nine missions of various denominations had established churches, schools and dwellings within what is now Kansas, but almost a score of others had come and gone. Between 1840 and 1860, altogether about thirty missions were established by the different churches.
   

SYNOD OF KANSAS
  
  At its Spring Meeting of 1864, the Presbytery of Highland, in session at Burlingame, took the following action:
"Whereas our Presbytery extends over the entire state of Kansas and part Nebraska, and consists of fifteen members and twenty-one churches, and whereas the Synod of Upper Missouri has not met for two years and the is no prospect that it can soon meet, whereas resolved that we respectfully request your venerable body to make us the following division:

"1. To commence at the Missouri River where the south line of Atchison County strikes said river and runs west to the western boundary of the state, that part north of said line to retain the name, papers and organization of Highland Presbytery and to meet on its own adjournment.

"2. To commence on the aforesaid line running west to the northwest corner of Jefferson County, thence south to the southwest corner of Franklin County, thence east to the eastern boundary of the state-to be called the Presbytery of Leavenworth.

"3. The remaining part of our territory to be called the Presbytery of Topeka. 

"That these three Presbyteries be erected into a Synod to be called the Synod of Kansas to hold its first meeting in Lawrence on the first Wednesday in October."

  In accordance with the request of the Presbytery of Highland, the Synod of Kansas was duly authorized by the General Assembly meeting that year at Atlantic City, New Jersey. As a consequence, on October 5, 1864, at Lawrence, representatives of the three presbyteries, Highland, Leavenworth, and Topeka, met and elected the Rev. George Reaser of Leavenworth as the first Moderator and the Rev. William Bishop of Salina as the first Stated Clerk. The Rev. Guy Hickman of Highland, the oldest minister present, preached the sermon. Eight ministers and three elders were in attendance.
  In 1867, the Presbytery of Neosho was created out of the Presbytery of Topeka. In 1870, the union occurred between the Old School and the New School branches of the church. This added many New School churches to the Synod of Kansas which had been Old School. At this union, the Presbytery of Leavenworth was merged with the Presbytery of Topeka and the Presbyteries of Emporia, Colorado and Santa Fe were created. In 1873, the Presbytery of Austin was established and in 1876 the Presbytery of Solomon. In 1877, the Presbytery of Lamed was formed; in 1881, the Presbytery of Osborne; in 1883, the Presbytery of Indian Territory; and in 1908, the Presbytery of Wichita. In 1926, the Presbytery of Emporia was divided between Wichita and Topeka presbyteries. In 1951, the Presbytery of Highland was divided, part of it and part of Topeka Presbytery were added to the Presbytery of Solomon. The remainder of Topeka and Highland presbyteries was merged into Topeka-Highland Presbytery. In 1959, the name of Lamed Presbytery was changed to Sterling Presbytery, and on January 1, 1962, Sterling and Osborne presbyteries were merged into the Presbytery of The High Plains. …

  The Minutes of the United Presbyterian General Assembly for 1947 contain notice of the request of the Synod of Kansas for permission to change the official designation from the Synod of Kansas to "The Synod of the Plains." General Assembly gave its approval and the name was duly changed. 
   

Checked for accuracy on Jul 4, 2001