Cyrus Byington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cyrus Byington
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Rev. Cyrus Byington
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| Born | March 11, 1793 |
| Died | December 31, 1868 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Minister, linguist |
| Employer | American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions |
| Spouse(s) | Sophia Byington (nee Nye) |
| Children | 3 |
Cyrus Byington (born March 11, 1793 – died December 31, 1868) was an American Christian missionary. He started working with the Choctaw people in Mississippi in 1821. Even though he trained to be a lawyer, he chose to become a minister instead. He joined a group called the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
During this time, Cyrus Byington learned the Choctaw language. At that point, the language had no written form. He began to create a way to write it down. Later, the U.S. government moved Native Americans from their homes in the Southeast to Indian Territory (which is now Oklahoma). In 1835, Byington and his family moved with the Choctaw people. They started a mission near Eagletown.
Cyrus Byington worked hard to create a dictionary and other tools for the Choctaw language. His goal was to translate Christian prayers, songs, and parts of the Bible. His work is still seen as one of the most complete dictionaries for a Native American language. He spent almost 50 years helping to make Choctaw a written language.
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Cyrus Byington's Family Life
Cyrus Byington met Sophia Nye in October 1827. She came from a wealthy family in Marietta, Ohio. Just a week after they met, he asked her to marry him. She didn't say yes right away. Cyrus then left for a preaching trip. While they were apart, he wrote her many letters. He asked her again to marry him and join him in Mississippi. He was serving the Choctaw people there. His letters must have worked! The couple got married in December 1827. They began their life together soon after.
Life at Eagletown was tough for the Byington family. Cyrus and Sophia often got very sick. In 1839, Cyrus's sister joined the mission. Sadly, she died from illness a few weeks later. Their older son passed away in 1840 when he was eleven. Their younger son died in 1846 at just two and a half years old.
Cyrus Byington's Work and Challenges
Cyrus Byington spent most of his adult life at Eagletown. Like many missionaries, he faced a difficult situation. His church leaders were strongly against slavery. However, many Choctaw families owned slaves. This caused problems, especially in the 1850s.
The groups that funded the missions, like the ABCFM, wanted missionaries to speak out against slavery. But the Choctaw Nation government said they would remove anyone who did. When the missionaries decided to stay, their funding was cut off. Byington said this felt "like death." Despite this, he bravely stayed at his mission.
In 1852, he published his "Choctaw Definer." This book listed English words and their Choctaw meanings. His larger grammar book and dictionary were printed after he died. He continued his regular missionary duties and helped with medical care. Byington planned to keep working at the mission after the Civil War ended. However, he became very ill. People at the mission worried he might die.
His only surviving son, Cyrus N., took him by carriage to Little Rock. This was about 200 miles (320 km) away. From there, he could travel by steamboat to stay with his married daughter. During the trip, he caught smallpox. He had to be quarantined for a month after reaching Ohio. His wife, Sophia, stayed at the Eagleton mission. She waited for a new missionary to arrive. She finally joined Cyrus in the spring of 1867.
Later Life and Lasting Impact
Even while very sick, Byington finished translating the first five books of the Bible into Choctaw. He personally took them to the printer in New York City. He returned to Ohio in the spring of 1868. He then started working on the seventh edition of his Choctaw Grammar. He was still working on it when he died on December 31, 1868.
His grammar book was not published until 1871. But handwritten copies were made for other missionaries to use. Cyrus Byington's dedication helped preserve and share the Choctaw language.
Understanding the Choctaw Language
The Choctaw language belongs to the Muskogean family. Many people knew this language, including U.S. President Andrew Jackson. The Choctaw language is very similar to Chickasaw. Some language experts even think they are two forms of the same language.
Here is an example of Choctaw text and its English translation:
| Chata Anumpa: Hattak yuka keyu hokυtto yakohmit itibachυfat hieli kυt, nan isht imaiυlhpiesa atokmυt itilawashke; yohmi ha hattak nana hohkia, keyukmυt kanohmi hohkia okla moma nana isht aim aiυlhpiesa, micha isht aimaiυlhtoba he aima ka kanohmi bano hosh isht ik imaiυlhpieso kashke. Amba moma kυt nana isht imachukma chi ho tuksυli hokmakashke. |
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English Language: That all free men, when they form a special compact, are equal in rights, and that no man or set of men are entitled to exclusive, separate public emolument or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services. |
How Choctaw Was Written
The written Choctaw language uses letters from the Roman alphabet, like English. It was created in the early 1800s as part of a program to help Native Americans adapt. Byington's alphabet and a version changed by John R. Swanton are shown below.
Byington's Original Alphabet
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Byington and Swanton's Alphabet
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See also
In Spanish: Cyrus Byington para niños
