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Featured Article: "Hart, Lawrence Homer (1933-2022)" (Read full article) Lawrence Hart, ca. 1995. Photo: Mennonite Library and Archives (North Newton, Kansas) Lawrence Homer Hart, He’amavehonesvestse (Sky Chief), Cheyenne peace chief and Mennonite pastor, was born at home on the banks of Quartermaster Creek north of Hammon, Oklahoma to Jennie Howling Water and Homer Hart on February 24, 1933, delivered by his grandmother Corn Stalk—Anna Reynolds (1875-1975)—the local Cheyenne matriarch and midwife. His grandfather John Peak Heart (later, John P. Hart, 1871-1958) was a Cheyenne Sundance Priest, Native American Church leader and Cheyenne Chief. Lawrence Hart married Betty Bartel, daughter of Bernhard J. Bartel and Elma (Funk) Bartel, on 4 October 1957. He died 6 March 2022 in Clinton, Oklahoma. Raised by his grandparents who spoke only Cheyenne, Lawrence did not learn English until he began public school. Lawrence attended Hammon High School (graduated 1952) and Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas for two years before he left Bethel to realize his dream of flying jet fighter planes in the Navy. First Lieutenant Hart was the first American Indian to become a U.S. military jet pilot and instructor. Before Lawrence’s grandfather John Peak Heart died, he selected Lawrence to take his place as a Cheyenne Chief. Lawrence gave up his military career, returned to Bethel College to finish his history degree (1961), and went to Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana (1961-63). He took the vow a peace chief takes to become a peace maker and often cited the influence of his Bethel College friend Larry Kaufman who had often spoken to Lawrence about his pacifism; later, Kaufman drowned while in voluntary service in the Congo. Lawrence vowed that if he should lose his life, it would be as Larry had done, working for the cause of peace. He became one of four principal peace chiefs for the Cheyenne tribe. Lawrence went on to serve his people in the Cheyenne tribe and the General Conference Mennonite Church as an ordained minister for the rest of his life. He practiced conflict resolution and merged his roles of peace chief and Mennonite minister to practice restorative justice from his post as pastor for the Koinonia Mennonite Church, Clinton, Oklahoma along with his wife Betty (Bartel) from 1963-2021. He used methods from both Cheyenne justice traditions and Anabaptist peacemaking, interpreting Jesus as a tribal person as he studied Scriptures from a Cheyenne point of view. He was also influenced by the lives of his parents, Homer and Jennie Hart, who served as lay pastors and translators for forty years, 1918-1958 at Hammon Mennonite Church. Lawrence and Betty had three children: Connie Hart Yellowman, Nathan Hart, and Chris Hart Wolfe.

Our Mission The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online provides reliable, freely-available English-language information on Anabaptist-related congregations, denominations, conferences, institutions and significant individuals, as well as historical and theological topics. Secular subject articles from an Anabaptist perspective and full-text source documents are also included. US $ Cdn $ Donations If you would like to make a donation to help sustain GAMEO in its mission to provide reliable information about the whole spectrum of Anabaptists we'd be glad for your help! Clicking on one of the images to the right will take you to the Mennonite World Conference donation page for credit cards in either U.S. or Canadian currency. Go to the bottom of the page to donate to "Other" and fill in "GAMEO" as the project to be supported. The volunteers who help GAMEO continue to exist thank you for your support! Corrections and Suggestions If you have specific corrections to articles or suggestions that should be added to the encyclopedia send them to the GAMEO's email address at admin@gameo.org. As a volunteer organization we are unable to respond to questions on Mennonite history or genealogical questions of any kind. For questions of that type, please contact a local genealogical society, or check with a Mennonite historical library or archives. About Us To learn more about GAMEO, click the link. See at YouTube video about GAMEO produced by Mennonite World Conference at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDfwQecdM70. Other Mennonite Encyclopedias GAMEO works together with the editors of other Mennonite encyclopedias to make their content available in the English language. These encyclopedias include: Lexikon der Mennoniten in Paraguay Mennonitisches Lexikon (MennLex) Mennonite Historical Agencies As a volunteer organization, we are unable to respond to questions on Mennonite history or genealogical questions of any kind. For questions of that type, please contact a local genealogical society, or check with a Mennonite historical library or archives. For a list of Mennonite historical society or archives near you, please consult the Directory of North American Mennonite Historical Agencies. Like us on Facebook

GAMEO falls under the umbrella of the Mennonite World Conference Faith and Life Commission. Members of the Management Board include: Mennonite Historical Society of Canada, Mennonite Church USA Archives, Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission, Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite World Conference, Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism, and the D. F. Plett Historical Research Foundation.