That would suggest that the church was originally located at Ft. Washakie, or at least on the Wind River Reservation, and moved to this location. That might be correct, although I have no information on that.
The part that would be incorrect would be that Sacagawea was baptized there. That would tie into the myth that she returned to Wyoming in advanced old age after having left Charbonneau and after having first married into the Comanche Tribe (and the Comanche's are a very closely related people to the Shoshone). That claim was advanced in a book by UW professor Hebard in the early 20th Century, but the evidence for it is think to the breaking point. Rather, the better evidence is that she died in 1812 at Fort Manuel, South Dakota. Indeed, the evidence for that is sufficiently strong that it might as well be regarded as uncontroverted.
What I don't know is if she ever converted to Christianity and I've found nothing on that one way or another. Given her location and associations, and the very early date, if she was ever Baptized it would have been much more likely that she was Baptized as a Catholic rather than in the Episcopal faith. The Episcopal faith had a strong early presence on the Wind River Reservation, however and one of the early administrators of the Reservation was a backer of the Wyoming claim. The woman about whom those claims were made did live to advance old age and very well may have been Baptized in the Episcopal Church, but she almost certainly wasn't Sacagawea.
I was married in St Andrews church, in 1983. I was told this church was moved from it's original spot and that Sagajawea was baptized in it.
ReplyDeleteThat would suggest that the church was originally located at Ft. Washakie, or at least on the Wind River Reservation, and moved to this location. That might be correct, although I have no information on that.
ReplyDeleteThe part that would be incorrect would be that Sacagawea was baptized there. That would tie into the myth that she returned to Wyoming in advanced old age after having left Charbonneau and after having first married into the Comanche Tribe (and the Comanche's are a very closely related people to the Shoshone). That claim was advanced in a book by UW professor Hebard in the early 20th Century, but the evidence for it is think to the breaking point. Rather, the better evidence is that she died in 1812 at Fort Manuel, South Dakota. Indeed, the evidence for that is sufficiently strong that it might as well be regarded as uncontroverted.
What I don't know is if she ever converted to Christianity and I've found nothing on that one way or another. Given her location and associations, and the very early date, if she was ever Baptized it would have been much more likely that she was Baptized as a Catholic rather than in the Episcopal faith. The Episcopal faith had a strong early presence on the Wind River Reservation, however and one of the early administrators of the Reservation was a backer of the Wyoming claim. The woman about whom those claims were made did live to advance old age and very well may have been Baptized in the Episcopal Church, but she almost certainly wasn't Sacagawea.
Neat old church, and neat location for a wedding.