Zoraya, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Zoraya, pronounced “Zoray”, is a community
in western Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
, west of Miller, Oklahoma
.
A United States Post Office opened at Zoraya, Indian Territory on April 22, 1905 and closed on October 31, 1919.
Zoraya’s post office
was established by J.A. Kirksey, a white school teacher. He was succeeded as postmaster
by only two others: Culberson J. Hudson, a Choctaw Indian minister, and rancher Benjamin W. Shearon, who managed Warren’s Store, the general store
at Miller serving the Impson Valley, as the area was then known.
Originally a Choctaw Indian settlement, Zoraya was host to Pleasant Cove Cumberland Presbyterian Church
, which had a Choctaw congregation. At Zoraya’s height approximately 19 families lived there, and their members are buried in the former church yard. The families lived along a lane
, with houses lining either side. By the late 1930s the church was inactive but the settlement was still inhabited. By the 1950s the settlement was mostly empty. At this writing Zoraya is no longer a settlement, and no remains of its former habitations exists.
Zoraya, at the foot of Long Mountain, was considered a good place to live because of the excellent hunting
nearby, plus its proximity to three well-watered local streams which offered excellent fishing: Little Davenport Creek, Pine Creek and Ten Mile Creek. Blue Hole, a deep and never-dry pool of water on Little Davenport Creek, is located nearby and furnished an excellent source of water. It is 100 feet (30.5 m) long by 20 feet (6.1 m) wide and its water is a deep blue, giving the pool its name.
During the days of the Indian Territory
the United States Government set aside 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) of land for use by the church and a community school, which taught both white and Choctaw students. Accounts also suggest the Government recruited and furnished the teachers and their salaries.
In approximately 1900 Pleasant Cove merged with another Cumberland Presbyterian Church congregation about eight miles (13 km) away, at Yellow Spring, or “Kulli Lakna” in the Choctaw language
. The new congregation was based at Pleasant Cove, and reenergized and enlarged the church.
According to historical accounts Pleasant Cove, or Zoraya, was an important regional political center in the Choctaw Nation
. Political party conventions were held here, as were political campaigning. It also served as an Impson Valley polling station for the Choctaw Nation. During territorial days Zoraya was located in Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation.
More information on Zoraya may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society
.
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
in western Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
-Administrative History:* Ca. 1000-1500: Caddoan Mississippian civilization at Spiro Mounds* 1492-1718: Spain* 1718-1763: France* 1763-1800: Spain* 1800-1803: France* 1803–present: United States...
, west of Miller, Oklahoma
Miller, Oklahoma
Miller is a community in southwestern Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, 10 miles northwest of Antlers, Oklahoma and a short distance west of Moyers, Oklahoma....
.
A United States Post Office opened at Zoraya, Indian Territory on April 22, 1905 and closed on October 31, 1919.
Zoraya’s post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established by J.A. Kirksey, a white school teacher. He was succeeded as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
by only two others: Culberson J. Hudson, a Choctaw Indian minister, and rancher Benjamin W. Shearon, who managed Warren’s Store, the general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
at Miller serving the Impson Valley, as the area was then known.
Originally a Choctaw Indian settlement, Zoraya was host to Pleasant Cove Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Christian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. In 2007, it had an active membership of less than 50,000 and about 800 congregations, the majority of which are concentrated in the United States...
, which had a Choctaw congregation. At Zoraya’s height approximately 19 families lived there, and their members are buried in the former church yard. The families lived along a lane
Lane
A lane is a part of the roadway within a road marked out for use by a single line of vehicles in such a way as to control and guide drivers for the purpose of reducing traffic conflicts. Most public roads have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each direction, separated by Lane markings...
, with houses lining either side. By the late 1930s the church was inactive but the settlement was still inhabited. By the 1950s the settlement was mostly empty. At this writing Zoraya is no longer a settlement, and no remains of its former habitations exists.
Zoraya, at the foot of Long Mountain, was considered a good place to live because of the excellent hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
nearby, plus its proximity to three well-watered local streams which offered excellent fishing: Little Davenport Creek, Pine Creek and Ten Mile Creek. Blue Hole, a deep and never-dry pool of water on Little Davenport Creek, is located nearby and furnished an excellent source of water. It is 100 feet (30.5 m) long by 20 feet (6.1 m) wide and its water is a deep blue, giving the pool its name.
During the days of the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
the United States Government set aside 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) of land for use by the church and a community school, which taught both white and Choctaw students. Accounts also suggest the Government recruited and furnished the teachers and their salaries.
In approximately 1900 Pleasant Cove merged with another Cumberland Presbyterian Church congregation about eight miles (13 km) away, at Yellow Spring, or “Kulli Lakna” in the Choctaw language
Choctaw language
The Choctaw language, traditionally spoken by the Native American Choctaw people of the southeastern United States, is a member of the Muskogean family...
. The new congregation was based at Pleasant Cove, and reenergized and enlarged the church.
According to historical accounts Pleasant Cove, or Zoraya, was an important regional political center in the Choctaw Nation
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland comprising twelve tribal districts. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments...
. Political party conventions were held here, as were political campaigning. It also served as an Impson Valley polling station for the Choctaw Nation. During territorial days Zoraya was located in Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation.
More information on Zoraya may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society
Pushmataha County Historical Society
The Pushmataha County Historical Society is a historical society devoted to collecting and preserving the history of Pushmataha County, Oklahoma...
.