Established by Rev. Thomas H. Stanley, a Friends Society Missionary from Philadelphia who was determined to establish a religious Mission to educate the Indian children.  The old river ford crossing that was used long before a bridge was constructed over the North Canadian River was known as “Sweeney’s Crossing”, and so named after the Sweeney Family.  In 1873, Lewis C. Tyner, a half Cherokee opened his Trading Post north of the Mission.  Thomas Wildcat Alford’s father, Gay-n-waw, helped haul the lumber in his wagon from the Sac & Fox Indian Agency to build that first combination residence and schoolhouse.  At the opening of the Mission, John White was the Chief of the Absentee Shawnees, and when he died, John Sparney, was then Chief.  Thomas Wildcat Alford’s mother, “Way-lah-ske-se”, was the granddaughter of the great Shawnee War Chief “Tecumseh”.  Dr. Charles W. Kirk and his wife Rachel were early directors of the Mission.  Miss Elizabeth Test was a teacher in 1885.