LAWRENCE HART
Lawrence Hart was born into Cheyenne Chief Red Moon’s Band on the
banks of Quartermaster Creek near
Hammon, Oklahoma.
His grandfather, Peace Chief John Peak Hart had chosen this land
for his family in 1892. Lawrence is a great-grandson of
Washita Battle survivor, Afraid of Beavers.
His parents are Homer Hart, a lay pastor of the
Hammon
Mennonite
Church, and Jennie Howling Water.
Following his graduation from Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, he did graduate studies at the Associated
Mennonite Biblical School in Elkhart, Indiana before returning to western
Oklahoma
to pastor the Koinonia Mennonite Church
at Clinton
for forty years.
His family has a long tradition of service to the Cheyenne Tribe,
helping to build a bridge of understanding between the Indians and the
whites. When his
grandfather, Chief John Hart, retired as Peace Chief of the
Cheyennes, he nominated his grandson, Lawrence,
to replace him in service.
At that time Lawrence was a flight instructor for the US
Navy, having been the first full blood Native American to become a
commissioned military jet pilot.
Lawrence resigned his commission to become
Peace Chief, feeling that he needed to give up his warrior ways if he
were to be a Peace Chief.
Today, Lawrence directs the Cheyenne
Cultural
Center
at Clinton.
He has served as delegate to several conferences, boards and
committees and has been bestowed with numerous awards.
He has traveled widely as a speaker and advisor, having testified
before Congress concerning his tribe’s harsh treatment by Custer’s
Seventh Cavalry at the so-called Battle
of the Washita.
While serving his tribe, church and country, he has done much to
preserve the culture of the Indian while preparing him to greet the
modern world..
Lawrence and his wife, Betty, have three children
and four grandchildren.