February 1, 1006

In 1858, which was about 15 years after Sequoyah went to Mexico to talk the Cherokees into returning to the Indian Territory, the Cherokees who had settled in Onega, found it was too attractive to leave. They had dropped their identity as Native Americans and were settling into the area.

It was during this period of time that many of the local residents were helping Rev. Dr. George T. Key and his family establish a Methodist church. Dr. Key and his family had relocated from the Weston community which was just east of where Celina is now located.

Dr. Key and the local families built a log house with a dirt floor which served as a school and a Methodist church. The log house was soon named the Key Settlement school.

A few years later, Rev. Evans became the pastor of the church with the following families: Henry Key, John Key, Joshua Harrison, George Hamilton, Ben and Nannie Moss, Jim Wilcox, Joe Wilcox, Mrs. Heart Squires, Rufus Godwin, Joe Hunt, and Mr. Woods.

During Rev. Evans tenure in the church problems developed from about the time of the Civil War until 1874. The dissension among the church families ended when Rev. Evans left in 1874. The church became unified and built a new building that was a replica of the First Methodist church building in Dallas. Dr. A.C. McDougal was the pastor at this time. He was a kind hearted and soft spoken minister that held the peoples attention. He was very active in the building of the church that was built on land donated by L.N. Edwards and lumber donated by Rev. E.F. Bates. The lumber hauled to Aubrey on wagons from Jefferson, Texas. The wood on the outside of the building was made out of the Cypress trees in East Texas.

Historians have recorded that Rev. A.C. McDougal was a pastor who had compassion for his people and a very eloquent voice. He was gifted in communicating with the local settling Cherokee people. He had a very kind heart for the Native Americans. He had a brother who held an office in the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Jacksboro.

Rev. A.C. McDougal and his wife conducted worship services in the log cabin church and later moved into the newly built building.

When Rev. A.C. McDougal was pastor, he gave my grandmother a Methodist History in three volumes. I still have these books in my possession. Rev. McDougal and his wife autographed the front cover of the History of Methodism. My grandmother, Laura J. Harmon Goin then autographed the volume set over to me.

Rev. McDougal is buried in the Aubrey Wilson Cemetery. He preached his last sermon in the Aubrey church just before he died.

After the church was established in 1874, the following families became members: Alford E. Broyles, Nannie Broyles, Alex Allen, Amui Allen, Robert and Georgia Ezell, Eula Haren, William I. and Nettie Harmon, Rachel Day Harmon, Laura J. Harmon Goin, Georgia B. Harrison, Ella Dyche, Linnie Lybass, Jennie Mays, T.L. Mullins, Grace McMinning, F.V. Piepelman, S.J.R.G. and John and Lillie B. Piepelman, Minnie Romacks, Thomas Lafayette Simpson, Mary J. Tatum, William H., Eliza A., Willie S. and Minnie Tatum, J.C. Sanders and Linnie J. Wilcox.

This past Sunday, Pastor Lyle Benson installed the new officers and leaders of the church for the new year. Pat Harmon Brockett is a descendant of the original group of worshipers in the new building. Pat is currently the pianist at the Methodist Church. The music in our church is simply superb. James Johnson plays his mandolin and guitar in accompaniment with Larry Epperson, the music director. The music is just wonderful.

Several members of the historical family of this church are six generations from the log house with a dirt floor. Descendants of Thomas Lafayette Simpson, the Civil War veteran that produced the druggist for Onega, still send me emails.

Other local residents who are descendants from these families are the Piepelmans, Lybass and Romacks.

Our heritage is still here in this fast growing community.

The current Methodist church provides a place for the local Onega Indians to meet on the second Saturday of each month. Our local Onega Indians are a part of the Cherokee Nation of Texas. This group has 721 members. They are currently organizing and each member is awarded a roll number.

The local tribe is planning future events that may be of interest to the community.

I have a picture of the wood frame church building that replaced the log house, but I am having trouble finding where I have it filed.

The photo I am sharing this month is of the Dyche Cotton Yard. This photo was taken soon after Rev. A. McDougal became the pastor. The downtown area of today is on the right side in the upper right hand corner of this photo.

I had a visit from Jeff Coffey this pat week. He was asking about what I knew about the Coffey Trading Post. Jeff is from a long line of native Onegans. The Coffey family moved into the area a good while before the name was changed to Aubrey.

The Coffey’s were prominent community contributors, and were not with Sequoyah’s group. Homer Coffey’s mother was a Simpson. They came to Aubrey from Arkansas, but it was after the Civil War. I would like for more Coffey family information to share with you.

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