Oneida Baptist Institute was founded by James Anderson Burns with the intent of bringing an end to the culture of feuds and violence in Clay County, Kentucky. Burns aimed "to teach the children of the hostile clans to love each other and not fight," believing that a combination of education and Christian love would cause their feuds to "stop automatically."
James Anderson Burns established Oneida Baptist Institute with the goal of resolving the culture of feuds and violence in Clay County, Kentucky. He believed that by educating children from warring families, he could instill a sense of love and peace, leading to an end to the conflict.