pastor, Nov. 14-16,
1896, seven months after the death of Parson Stewart, who had organized
and developed all these churches. The meeting was opened with a sermon
by Rev. Edward G. Haymaker, superintendent of Oak Hill Academy, Clear
Creek; and he was chosen to serve as the first stated clerk. The first
annual report, April 1, 1897, showed an enrollment of 5 ministers, 11
churches and 292 communicant members. The name of the Choctaw church at
Wheelock, Garvin, P. O. was included in this report, and Richard D.
Colbert was enrolled as a licentiate and appointed stated supply of New
Hope and Sandy Branch churches.

The name given this new Presbytery, which was the name of a county and
county seat town in Alabama, was not entirely satisfactory to those, who
were included in it; and in making their first report to synod in the
fall of 1897, they requested the name be changed to Mountain Fork, the
name of a branch of Little river, that flows from the east end of
Kiamichi mountain. While this matter was under discussion at synod the
name of the principal river flowing through the bounds of the
Presbytery, "Kiamichi," (Ki a mish ee) signifying "Where you going," was
suggested by Rev. Wiley Homer; and it was approved both by the Synod
and Presbytery.

The roll of the Presbytery, at the time of its first report in the
spring of 1897, included two Choctaw churches, namely, Oak Grove at
Grant, and Wheelock, having 5 and 70 members respectively. During this
year Oak Grove was disbanded and dropped; and Wheelock, becoming vacant,
was transferred to the Presbytery of Choctaw; Rev. Evan B. Evans, its
last pastor, having gone to Mulhall, in the Presbytery of Oklahoma.
Bethany, a colored church previously reported as having 9 members was
also dropped. These changes reduced the Presbytery to one consisting
entirely of colored churches and of colored ministers, with the single
exception of Rev. E. G. Haymaker, superintendent of Oak Hill Academy,
who was engaged in the educational work among them.

The annual report for 1898, the first one under the new name, "Kiamichi"
that included only colored churches, shows that the Presbytery then
consisted of 4 ministers, E. G. Haymaker, Wiley Homer, John H. Sleeper
and Samuel Gladman; 2 licentiates, William Butler and R. D. Colbert; and
8 churches, Oak Hill, 40; Mount Gilead, 25; Saint Paul, 14; Beaver Dam,
34; Hebron, 13; New Hope, 25; Sandy Branch, 16; and Forest, 20; having
187 members and 248