Southside Presbyterian Church is located on the ancestral lands of the Tohono O’odham where we have lived from time immemorial.
Spanish missionaries and other European settlers began occupying Tohono O’odham lands beginning in the 1500s and created farms,
missions, and military forts. Church institutions and colonial powers claimed rights to the land and appropriated it to give or sell it to Europeans.
Spanish missionaries and other European settlers began occupying Tohono O’odham lands beginning in the 1500s and created farms,
missions, and military forts. Church institutions and colonial powers claimed rights to the land and appropriated it to give or sell it to Europeans.
Map: Forest Purnell for the Institute for Infinitely Small Things, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons..
The O’odham had always lived and farmed in the Tucson area. As more Europeans came, the area grew from a military presidio into a small city. Tohono O’odham often migrated to and from their home villages to work in Tucson, with several hundred living in an area south of downtown known as the Papago village or Papagoville.
Jessie Pablo and children. Arizona Historical Society, MS 1038, Scrapbook 2, 1-68.
U.S. authorities and churches used a 15th century Papal decree, the Doctrine of Discovery to justify the appropriation of indigenous lands. This ideology evolved into the notion of a United States “manifest destiny” to conquer Native American lands and people.
In the 1800s the U.S. government collaborated with church organizations to develop Indian boarding schools throughout the United States. This was a deliberate strategy to subjugate indigenous people and extinguish their culture by assimilating them to non-indigenous ways. In 1872 the Board of Indian Commissioners assigned Native American tribes to 12 Protestant and Catholic groups. Presbyterians were assigned nine Indian agencies, including the Akimel O’odham and Tohono O’odham.
Students at Tucson Indian Industrial Training School. Arizona Historical Society, PC 063, #91983.
In the 1800s Presbyterian missionaries started boarding schools for Native Americans to evangelize them to Protestant Christianity,
provide work skill training, and compel them to adopt the language and culture of white settlers. Although Native American families understood the value of this education and job training, they had to endure the prejudices of missionaries and government officials who viewed indigenous people as heathen, ignorant, and uncivilized.
provide work skill training, and compel them to adopt the language and culture of white settlers. Although Native American families understood the value of this education and job training, they had to endure the prejudices of missionaries and government officials who viewed indigenous people as heathen, ignorant, and uncivilized.
Arizona Historical Society, PC 063, #92010
In 1870 Charles Cook came to the Gila River Indian community to teach and evangelize the Akimel O’odham. Rev. Cook later founded the Cook Christian Training School to train Native missionaries. The parents of present-day Southsider Alyce Sadongei met when they attended this school in Phoenix.
U.S. federal Indian policy forced Native American families to send their children to school, often to boarding schools far away from home. When Alyce Sadongei’s grandfather was a small boy, Tohono O’odham runners brought news to the villages that White people were coming to take their chidren. The villages consulted their leaders about what to do and plans were made to hide most of the children and to send only a few. Alyce’s grandfather was chosen to go as the oldest of the children in his family. It was a sad day when he and other village children had to get in the wagon to leave home and so his father gave him aspecial present to help him feel better -- a new hat. He traveled a long way by train to the Santa Fe Indian School. But days later when he arrived at the school, the first thing they did was take away his hat.
The ancestors of several present-day Southsiders attended Native American boarding schools.
Debbie Bergman’s grandfather, Jones Narcho was sent to Kansas to attend the Haskell Indian Industrial Training School
Alyce Sadongei’s maternal grandmother was sent to the Chilocco Indian School in Oklahoma.
Rechanda and Dana Chavez were sent to the Menaul school in Albuquerque and their brother Cameron was sent to the Stewart
Indian School in Nevada.
Sandra Lee was sent to the Ganado Mission on the Navajo Nation for high school and then stayed for post-secondary
nursing education.
Debbie Bergman’s grandfather, Jones Narcho was sent to Kansas to attend the Haskell Indian Industrial Training School
Alyce Sadongei’s maternal grandmother was sent to the Chilocco Indian School in Oklahoma.
Rechanda and Dana Chavez were sent to the Menaul school in Albuquerque and their brother Cameron was sent to the Stewart
Indian School in Nevada.
Sandra Lee was sent to the Ganado Mission on the Navajo Nation for high school and then stayed for post-secondary
nursing education.
Presbyterians in Tucson wanted to expand the work of Rev. Cook and in 1886 founded the Tucson Indian Industrial Training School. From 1888 – 1908 it was located near N. 1st Ave and E. 3rd street just west of what is now the University of Arizona main gate.
In 2016 the Presbyterian Church USA issued a public apology “for the pain and suffering that our church’s involvement in the Indian boarding school system has caused.”
In 2021 Deb Haaland, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, took office as the first Native American Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Under her leadership, the Department published Volume I of an investigation into Indian boarding schools.
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon photo
collection, # 91964
In 1893 Frazier Herndon arrived in Tucson to serve on the teaching faculty of the Tucson Indian Training School. Elsie Prugh was hired a few years later to be a matron for girls. Both Frazier and Elsie had been trained as educators and missionaries at Park College, a Presbyterian-affiliated college in Missouri. In 1897 Frazier was appointed superintendent of the school. He and Elsie later married and continued with teaching and administration of the school.
As a result of missionary outreach and boarding schools, a number of Tohono O’odham adopted the Presbyterian faith. In 1902 Tucson’s first Presbyterian church was re-established as Trinity Presbyterian Church. Seven Tohono O’odham were charter members of this church, along with Frazier Herndon.
As a result of missionary outreach and boarding schools, a number of Tohono O’odham adopted the Presbyterian faith. In 1902 Tucson’s first Presbyterian church was re-established as Trinity Presbyterian Church. Seven Tohono O’odham were charter members of this church, along with Frazier Herndon.
For more information, see “A History of the Presbyterian Work Among the Pima and Papago Indians of Arizona,” a 1948 Master’s thesis by John Hamilton.
As Mr. and Mrs. Herndon continued to get to know Tohono O’odham students, they felt a call to work in full time ministry. In 1903 Mr. and Mrs. Herndon resigned from the training school and Mr. Herndon was appointed as a full-time missionary, along with a paid Tohono O’odham translator and assistant, Jose Xavier Pablo.
Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, #94-7383
Jose Xavier Pablo was the first Tohono O’odham to graduate from the Tucson Indian School. Later, he was the first Tohono O’odham to be ordained as a Presbyterian missionary. He was frequently asked to interpret for researchers and U.S. officials.
At first Frazier and Elsie Herndon and their two boys lived in a tent along with Jose Xavier Pablo near the Papago village. They held worship services outdoors or in the tent.
Arizona Historical Society, PC063, #91962
Rev. Herndon and Jose Xavier Pablo worked together to build an adobe home for the Herndons.
Jose Xavier Pablo also helped the Herndons get to know their Tohono O’odham neighbors in the Papago Village. They visited families, held social gatherings, offered worship services, and learned about more about daily life in the village.
By 1904 a group of Tohono O’odham and Frazier Herndon began to discuss forming a church for Tohono O’odham.
On May 18, 1906 thirty founding members met and agreed to form the Papago Presbyterian Church. Sixteen of these transferred their membership from Trinity, and 14 newly joined by profession of faith. All were Tohono O’odham except for Elsie Herndon and her two sons.
Received by membership transfer |
Received by profession of faith
Loloras Blaine Julia Garcia Lepolla Jose Rose Blaine Josephina Hendricks Leila W. Juan Carmen Chafter Prugh Herndon Jose Lewis Juana Flores Ralph Herndon Jessie Pedro Maria Flores Sally Joaquin |
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon papers, Scrapbook 2, 2-25.
Two days later at a meeting of the new congregation, three O’odham members were chosen for leadership positions. Jose Xavier Pablo and Richard Hendricks were elected as elders and Joshua Ramon Cachora was chosen as Clerk. All three had attended the Tucson Indian Training school.
At the Tucson Indian Training school Joshua Ramon Cachora had been selected at age 21 to attend college at the Hampton Institute in Virginia. He was a top student there from 1899-1902. The Hampton Institute was founded in 1865 to provide teacher education to formerly enslaved Africans and other racial minorities and was one of the few U.S. colleges that would accept Native Americans. In later years Joshua Ramon Cachora and Jose Xavier Pablo both served in other Tohono O’odham leadership positions.
At the Tucson Indian Training school Joshua Ramon Cachora had been selected at age 21 to attend college at the Hampton Institute in Virginia. He was a top student there from 1899-1902. The Hampton Institute was founded in 1865 to provide teacher education to formerly enslaved Africans and other racial minorities and was one of the few U.S. colleges that would accept Native Americans. In later years Joshua Ramon Cachora and Jose Xavier Pablo both served in other Tohono O’odham leadership positions.
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon Manuscript Collection, Scrapbook 2, 2-112
Jose Xavier Pablo married Si Lepolla Garcia, another of the founding members of the church.
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon photo collection, #92031
Si Lepolla Garcia’s sister, Mariana Garcia, was a teenager when the Papago church was formed in 1906. Later, she was sent to the Tucson Indian Training school at a new location on Ajo, where it was known as La Escuela.
Susie Blaine was sent to the Tucson Indian school as a child and was one of the charter members of Trinity Presbyterian Church. In 1906 She transferred her membership to the new Papago Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School and played the organ at services.
Susie Blaine was sent to the Tucson Indian school as a child and was one of the charter members of Trinity Presbyterian Church. In 1906 She transferred her membership to the new Papago Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School and played the organ at services.
Debra Bergman, private collection
In 1914 Mariana Garcia married Jones Jesus Narcho in a wedding conducted by Frazier Herndon. Jones Narcho grew up in San Miguel and was sent to Kansas to attend the Haskell Indian Industrial Training School. He came home after devastating news that his parents and brothers had died in an influenza epidemic. Jones worked in Tucson, and also helped Frazier Herndon on missionary trips to Tohono O’odham villages.
Jones and Mariana Narcho started a family in Mariana’s home in the Garcia Strip west of Tucson. They were the parents of the late Alice Narcho Paul and grandparents of present-day Southsider Debbie Bergman and her siblings and cousins.
Jones and Mariana Narcho started a family in Mariana’s home in the Garcia Strip west of Tucson. They were the parents of the late Alice Narcho Paul and grandparents of present-day Southsider Debbie Bergman and her siblings and cousins.
When Alyce Sadongei’s mother Margaret Bucillio Sadongei was going to be married, the wedding was at the Papago Presbyterian church and she was going to walk to the church as she always did. But Alice Narcho told her, “You can’t walk to your own wedding in your wedding dress!” Alice made Margaret get into Alice’s father’s cattle truck, and he drove her around the block to her wedding.
In 1922 Jones and Mariana Narcho moved to Tucson when their oldest child approached school age because they did not want their children to be taken away to go to boarding schools. They bought a plot of land on 22nd street, just a block from the Papago Church, and from there the children could attend neighborhood schools. Alice Narcho Paul grew up at this address, and it was easy for her and her siblings to run over to the church for Sunday services and youth activities. When Alyce Sadongei’s mother Margaret was a child, she lived two doors away and was friends with Alice Narcho.
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon photo collection, #91961
In 1906, after the founding meeting of the new Papago Presbyterian Church, funds were raised and work began to build a chapel for the new church. The Herndon home and the chapel were built on site out of adobe bricks by Frazier Herndon, Jose Xavier Pablo, and other O’odham church members.
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon photo collection, #92169.
The chapel was completed and formally dedicated on November 11, 1906.
Arizona Historical Society, Elsie Herndon photo collection, #91982.
In 1937 a fire destroyed the original chapel. A new church was built and dedicated in 1947. At that time the church’s name was changed to Southside Presbyterian Church. A fellowship hall was added in 1963.
Harriet Toro, Private Collection
By the early 1950s the Southside Presbyterian congregation remained predominantly Tohono O’odham and was responding to a changing barrio by expanding to a multi-cultural membership.
The membership grew further in the 1980s, forcing a need for a larger worship center. The Kiva was completed and dedicated in 1993.