A History of the People Called MOWA

By Jabe Fincher, Jr

This is an illustrated history of the indigenous people of the north Mobile county and south Washington county--The Alabama band of Choctaw Indians. This band has faced persecution, prejudice, and prosecution merely because they are Choctaw Native Americans. This book examines the history of these dedicated and proud people whose ancestors were here longer than many other people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jabe Fincher, Jr
• Release date: Jun 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463014288

Jabe Fincher, Jr

I retired from the United Methodist Church after 28 years as a minister. I have numerous skill sets such as church administration, community assistance, develop and deliver public speeches, training, and counseling. I graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2014 with a Masters of Divinity degree, and I graduated from Newburgh Theological Seminary in 2015 with a Ph.D. in Christian Counseling. In 2019 I earned the designation of Certified Crisis Chaplain from the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. At present i am serving as a Hospice Chaplain in Enterprise, Alabama.I am an avid angler and have been fishing for over 50 years. I have fished in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.

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A History of the People Called MOWA

By Jabe J. Fincher, Jr.

Copyright 2019

Jabe Fincher, Jr.

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A History of the People Called MOWA

By Jabe Fincher, Jr.

The MOWA are a band of Native Americans associated with the Choctaw Indians. They are a remnant of those who either eluded the Indian removal of the 1830s, or they emigrated west and then returned here to their home. Some simply and quietly remained where they had lived for decades, hunting, fishing, and gardening in settlements in the swamps and pine forests north of Mobile, Alabama.

I served the MOWA community as the pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Aldersgate UMC is the largest Native American church in the Alabama-West Florida conference. It is located off Patillo Rd. I served there for two years (2017-2019). Ministry could be done but it was unusual and at times difficult. Aldersgate UMC has a membership roll of 197, and an average attendance of 67 at the time of this writing.

Generally, most Native Americans practiced an oral tradition. They did not record their actions or histories on paper but passed the information verbally down from one generation to the next. It is because of this generational and cultural lack of organization that many of the ancient ways of the Choctaw are no longer available to us.

ORIGINS

Theoretically, the early ancestors of the Choctaw emigrated from the west many, many years ago. The general theory is that the ancestors of today’s Native Americans likely traveled