1860
Formed from Red River Presbytery by Texas Synod.

1890
Name changed to Choctaw Presbytery.

It will be remembered that three of the ministers constituting this Presbytery were native Indians--Dixon Frazier, a Chickasaw, and George and Israel Folsom, Choctaws, they were half-brothers, had different mothers. The mother of Israel was the first fruits of missionary labor by our people among the Choctaw Indians, and which occurred under the preaching of the Rev. Samuel King, one of the founders of our Church.

In the life and labors of the Rev. Robert Donnell, by Rev. David Lowry, Mr. Lowry gives is the following interesting narrative: "Mr. King was the first man that ever preached the gospel to the Choctaw Indians. Under his first sermon, the mother of the Rev. Israel Folsom professed religion, who was the first Indian woman of her Nation that ever wore the dress of the white woman." He adds: "I have heard with much interest Mr. King describe the meeting. He preached through an interpreter; and when Mrs. Folsom began to rejoice his interpreter, an irreligious man, became so affected that he could not speak; and, to use Mr. King's own words, 'There,' said he, 'I stood without a tongue.'"

It does not seem that he organized a church there, or even ever returned to preach to them again; but that the Presbyterian Church received the fruits of his labors. This is taken to be so, from the fact that the first knowledge we have of Israel Folsom as a Christian man, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. But before his connection with the church, there is a circumstance of some interest in his history. As he grew up to manhood, having received a good English education, his mind became inclined to infidelity. I have not learned what work it was that first turned his attention in that direction, but he was so fascinated with the system, that he procured quite a number of books of different authors, and read them with much satisfaction, until he thought himself sufficiently posted to attack the Bible single handed. Accordingly, he commenced reading the scriptures to search for errors, inconsistencies, etc. And after sometime spent therein, instead of convicting the scriptures of falsehood, he began to see that his favorite authors of infidel works were the guilty parties, and that the scriptures were true, and consequently the word of God. When once convinced on the subject, like an honest man, renounced infidelity and embraced Christianity, and now he showed his faith by his works. He collected all his infidel books, saying, these books shall never do any more harm in the world. So saying, he threw them all in the fire. There was one very pretty, handsomely bound book, his wife pleaded with him to spare it, and pulled it out of the fire; but he took it, saying it should share the fate of its brothers, and cast it in with the rest.

R. S. Bell.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, September 26, 1878, page 5]

In our last communication we left Israel Folsom burning his books. After this he attached himself to the Presbyterian Church, where he remained until he united with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which occurred on this wise. He visited brother Provine, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, in Fannin county, Texas, where he found the Confession of Faith of our Church. "Oh!" said he, "I have found the Church of my mother; the one in which she was converted." He at once wanted brother Provine to take him into the Church, but he declined receiving him at that time; but gave him an appointment to preach at his church in the Choctaw Nation, when he would receive him and any others that might wish to join. This satisfied him, and on returning home he published the appointment, telling his people that he was going to join the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, at the same time telling them the difference between the two Churches. That the Cumberland Presbyterians discard the doctrine of fatality, which they understood to be taught in the Westminster Confession of Faith. Many of them said, "If you join that Church we will join too. We will go with you."

The result was, that when brother Provine filled his appointment, and received brother and sister Folsom into the Church, there were some ten or twelve others of the same Church to which they had belonged, who united with them, among whom were the following persons: Jeremiah Folsom, brother to Israel, and Solomon Archibald, both elders in the old Church; also Mary Folsom, wife of the said Jeremiah. She and the wife of Israel were sisters.

Thus there were three ruling elders received in the new congregation, namely, Israel Folsom, Jeremiah Folsom, and Solomon Archibald, who were all regularly reinstated as ruling elders in the new congregation; so the organization was complete.

This transaction occurred on the 19the day of July, A.D., 1848, at the old Hu-shuk-wa church, in Blue county, in the Choctaw Nation. This was the commencement of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the Indian Territory. It retained the old name of Hu-shuk-wa and continues to occupy the same place for worship, for the old organization was quite broken up, nearly all of its members having joined the new one. It was taken under the fostering care of Red River Presbytery of Texas Synod, as well as all congregations subsequently organized in the Nation, until the organization of this Presbytery.

At what time Israel Folsom became a candidate for the ministry, or was ordained as a minister, I am not informed. That was done in Red River Presbytery in Texas, from which it is not convenient for me to get the information. But when Bethel Presbytery was organized in 1860, he had evidently been a minister several years, for he then stood at the head of the ministry of his own Church, and continued to retain that standing while he lived.

R. S. Bell.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, October 10, 1878, page 5]

Ministerial Directory of 1869
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
I. Folson, Armstrong Academy, Choctaw Nation
George Folsom, Armstrong Academy, C. Nation
Sylvester Durant, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Solomon Elam, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
R. S. Bell, Stated Clerk, Burney Academy, C.N.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1869, pages 77-78]

Ministerial Directory of 1870
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
R. S. Bell, Stated Clerk, Sherman, Texas
George Folsom, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Sylvester Durant, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Solomon Elam, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Dixon Durant, Armstrong Academy, Choctaw Nation
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1870, pages 72-73]

Ministerial Directory of 1871
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
R. S. Bell, Stated Clerk, Sherman, Texas
George Fulsom, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Sylvester Durant, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Solomon Elam, Ataka, C.N.
Licentiate:
Dixon Durant, Carriage Point, C.N.
Candidates:
Jesse Ban, Ataka, C. N.
Thomas Byington, Carriage Point, C.N.
Davis Frazier, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Harris Franklin, Boggy Depot, C.N.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1871, pages 73-74]

Ministerial Directory of 1872
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
Bell, R. S., Sherman, Texas, Stated Clerk
Byington, Thomas, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Durant, Sylvester, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Durant, Dixon, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
Fulsom, George, Armstrong Academy, C.N.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1872, pages 119-121]

Statistical Abstract of Reports From Presbyteries for the Year Ending April 15, 1872
Bethel Presbytery
Ministers: 6
Licentiates: 2
Candidates: 3
Congregations: 17
Total in Communication: 546
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1872, page 116]

Ministerial Directory of 1873
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
Bell, R. S., Little Mineral Texas, S. C.
Byington, Thomas H., Boggy Depot, C.N.
Durant, Sylvester, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Durant, Dixon D., Boggy Depot, C.N.
Folsom, George, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Franklin, Harris, Atoka, C.N.
Frazer, Davis, Atoka, C.N.
Licentiates:
Bolong, James, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Folsom, Ebenezer, Atoka, C.N.
Wilson, John, Atoka, C.N.
Candidates:
Bon, Jesse, Atoka, C.N.
Charleston, Martin, Boggy Depot, C.N.
Folsom, Joe, Atoka, C.N.
Hall, William, Atoka, C.N.
Washington, Ben, Boggy Depot, C.N.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1873, pages 96-105]

Statistical Abstract of Reports From Presbyteries for the Year Ending April 30, 1873
Bethel Presbytery
Ministers: 7
Licentiates: 3
Candidates: 6
Congregations: 19
Total in Communication: 397
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1973, page 93]

Ministerial Directory of 1874
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
Bell, R. S., Little Mineral, Texas, S.C.
Byington, T. H., Lufahtah, C.N.
Durant, D. D., Caddo Station, C.N.
Durant, Sylvester, Bennington, C.N.
George Folsom, Bennington, C.N.
Franklin, Harris, Atoka, C.N.
Frazier, Davis, Atoka, C.N.
Licentiates:
Borland, James, Bennington, C.N.
Brown, J. J., Lukfahtah, C.N.
Charleston, Martin, Atoka, C.N.
Folsom, Ebenezer, Atoka, C.N.
Washington, Ben, Bennington, C.N.
Candidates:
Barr, Jesse, Atoka, C.N.
Cale, Mike, Bennington, C.N.
Hall, William, Atoka, C.N.
Hudson, James, Atoka, C.N.
Parker, Cornelius, Springtown, C.N.
Solomon, Tishamingo, C.N.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1874, pages 95-105]

Statistical-1874
Bethel Presbytery
Ministers: 7
Licentiates: 5
Candidates: 6
Congregations: 19
Total in Communication: 403
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1874, page 92]

Ministerial Directory of 1875
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
Ministers:
Bell, R. S., Stated Clerk, Little Mineral, Texas
Byington, T. H., Lukfahtah, C.N.
Durant, D. D., Caddo Station, C.N.
Durant, S., Bennington, C.N.
Folsom, George, Bennington, C.N.
Frazier, Davis, Atoka, C.N.
Franklin, Harris, Atoka, C.N.
Licentiates:
Boland, James, Bennington, C.N.
Brown, J. J., Lukfahtah, C.N.
Charleston, M., Atoka, C.N.
Durant, A. R., Wheelock, C.N.
Folsom, Ebenezer, Atoka, C.N.
Hudson, James, Atoka, C.N.
Parker, Cornelius, Lukfahtah, C.N.
Washington, Bejn., Bennington, C.N.
Candidates:
Ban, Jesse, Atoka, C.N.
Cole, Mike, Bennington, C.N.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1875, page 75]

Ministerial Directory of 1876
Bethel Presbytery
Synod of Texas
Ministers:
Bell, Robert S., Stated Clerk, Denison, Tex.
Byington, T. H, Lukfahtah, I.T.
Charleston, Martin, Atoka, I.T.
Durant, D. D., Blue, P. O., I.T.
Durant, Sylvester, Bennington, I.T.
Folsom, George, Bennington, I.T.
Franklin, Harris, Atoka, I.T.
Hudson, James, Atoka, I.T.
Parker, Cornelius, Lukfahtah, I.T.
Robinson, Calvin, Caddo Station, I.T.
Licentiates:
Brown, J. J., Lukfahtah, I.T.
Ban, Jesse, Atoka, I.T.
Durant, A. K, Wheelock, I.T.
Washington, Ben., Bennington, I.T.
Candidates:
Cole, Mike, Bennington, I.T.
Frazer, Jonas, Caddo Station, I.T.
James, Milton, Atoka, I.T.
TekBambi, Solomon, Wheelock, I.T.
Wilson, Jonas, Bennington, I.T.
Waken, Jonathan, Atoka, I.T.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1876, page 85]