Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Notice of Copyright
Published and unpublished materials may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Any copies of published and unpublished materials provided by the Western History Collections are for research, scholarship, and study purposes only.
Use of certain published materials and manuscripts is restricted by law, by reason of their origin, or by donor agreement. For the protection of its holdings, the Western History Collections also reserves the right to restrict the use of unprocessed materials, or books and documents of exceptional value and fragility. Use of any material is subject to the approval of the Curator.
Citing Resources from the Western History Collections
For citations in published or unpublished papers, this repository should be listed as the Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
An example of a proper citation:
Oklahoma Federation of Labor Collection, M452, Box 5, Folder 2. Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
u*ow> UK. ixtxxnwK wooe 407
~ 8 -Font, A-(S-140)
BIOGRAPHY YC'M 4UOWC!<K5 EdOGrtESo ADMINISTRATION
Indian-Pioneer History P ro j . c t for Oklahoma
xswrenw. ixsoos.
Field Worker'n nanx Oimo« K t l l t y ,
This report made on (elite) Ftfrnuqry 15, 195 8
1. Name Mfcttad L— (OUthaii J><k) A l d r i d ^ ,
2. Post orr ict ; Adarusc H » n r y t f t Oklaiioaa,
3 . kesidence address: (or location) SUt» Strtet, Qlll lm Addition.
4. DATE OF 3IKTH: Mo-th 8#ptfbiy Bay Year Ifl71»
5. Place of b i r t h t t * M »
6. Name of Father Prlfii* Aldrldgt Place of b i r t h On
Other infennat Ion at out f at; her/ T taa—— - f»m» Trail In
7. Name of Mother MlM Moor* _ » _ Place of birthMlMl—ippl
Other inforiTiation at ou t mothc-r Ch«Wk»«
Kptes or complt:ta na r r a t i ve by the f ie ld worker dea l ing with tho l i f e andstory of the ,er^-on interviewed. Rof . r to Manual f o r su^/estod. sub jec t sand ques t i ons . Continue on blank shor + r* if necessary and a t t a ch firmly tot h i s form. Number of GncoU- a t tached fifteen .
409
BENCH) U S . 1HTKH11KW. #13000*
Q*aoe Kelley, Inreatifator.February 10, lfQd*
Interv iew with SdUMad Le*(0klahOKa Jack) A ldr idge ,S t r e e t , Hearyet ta , Oklahoma,
What Happened t o the Jim Family .( I h l s i s known only t o the Chiekaaaw Ind ian* . )
This story has nerer been told to a white person bat
not beoaase tbe Indians had committed a orime* 111 these
bad deeda were done by whites*
fhfln I was serenteen I worked for the widow Kuteh,
a fu l l blood Ohleicasaw ran oner > who was well-to-do* I
mas eonaidered a Cherokee Indian although I hare white
bleed, teo . Oniy Indians worked on her ranch, the rest
of them were Chlokasawa but I knew their language.
A man mored in and took a lease below S i l l Hole,
We knew him aa "Jim". He earns from Teaam and brought „
his pretty wife, a Kg red headed man and two pretty
ohildrea, a boy and a g i r l . I was breaking horses for
so anoh a head so was wf own boss, the eowboys and I
used to ride in.that neighborhood for pastias* J l* had
a well and we very seldom get a drink out ef a well but
had te drink frem the creeks or rivers, we liked te
410
ALDRIDQt, XJMCsTD LUL D1TKRTISV. #19005*
get a drink out of h i s w i l l even I f h i t place was right
against the r i v e r , H« and I got to be good friends and
the children loved tarn. I hardly error saw h i s wife bat
I thought she mis the most beautiful person that I had
ever seen* Whenever the children saw me coming they
would run and get ae the dipper so I oould have a good
drink* When I vent to town I never forgot to get some
oandy for them*
One day I went there and the children oaae out as
usual and I ask** them where their father was. I t had
been a week or aore at nee they had seen him. When I
went To the baok door and asked Mrs* Jin where he was
she said that he had gone to Texas and -ehe didn't know
where he was« the red headed fel low was In the yard
sad i t aeeswd t o me that he looked gu i l ty of murder. I
got on my horse and rode awayt sorrowing for I f e l t
certain that something t err ib le had oooorred.
I rode as though I was leaving but went around a.
big briar thicket about two hundred yards away, d i s -
somted and started down the washlta Rlvar next to the
Sk. ? • .4
411
#13005,
out tfrffl#
I HDj?t«d t© gat bahlRd th« h m»« with-
i t 00 titot'I eoaid mtfltb tb9K* I
about j i p iwui *.$•'» they around t«l,,\. am
.k of
to
.#$t#|3i£. !• ftei«
clotbw wore puiloi cff in a hurry and. I svat out to I t .
body «ie In i t ; b*'b&& hi* h#cd cut off and his
w«r« mt off at th« )ra««s. Ho K«O ti«d io the aaclc
* rock m», t l *1 to It but It w»« sot heary a i«u|^ te .
hold hi« down though I gam* i t am* oa lar^« «« th«y cwld
find tte thit U a ' t a rody country. I iiraw back to the
bank »1 tb th» *fto»r oad pulled hi* ap yut of th«
told Mil about *hat had happanwl and ls» wmt b«ok wi th
f # ^urt^d Ilia on th-a WaahH'ts Ut^o« tmoic M<~**> nf
JFoot<
«t* X call«d f& Mrs*, Jim a&d aek«4 i f Tim.
ho«« 3r»t:# flw if«d' ti»afi®d f«aioir 9®aie l a the floor
» gas In hla 'head., I told Mm 9X1 I -\rast«d wns- \%
y atqry*
I Want back to where D»er foot was oonceolad and
told Kim to imtch th« &<*is«; X tola *ai» that I wus
to th» raaefa fox; t«9 »oie of Vhe Iftdiftiia, Hbeu iie
I t was dork and the family had mado thalr fft»t-
« *• four followed th«i to old BoftOT Jepot «nd g$t
other Indiew to- go wltb u«. Saw thsr* war* uevwn
' In our group. £» follc^fixj them 'all night due anst fro*
ft»5gy toward wttere strtngtowi Is now &itd the Kiainichi
At daybreak; •« Ben •om* saoke ri»ln« «t the
4:10
foot -Q£ A ,\HX1 .&*«£ tine *t&«i8ichi
fco "MPA, Jiis"- final *vHf*d*T wh*a t;'h«y g
J X i ^ t ^ i i * ^ tsiV fe;CtTB>fe
bo<ii»# of tibia cfeild$«n ttT® is- -saoks ^uet
.nni* Vats; *8 goi baek- there Qmf foot
de»r
looklag f «r
• Jtn'ta P«l*» ft*»» f <"p tari«?*. f«'
ing t f i t t th« eaivrt g|T» fi#? h*t r t f i t ful pualshiwiHt Iwt
to t«ki \h$ 9«ldeno« QIO£^, Whan I took my ooot»
%i go: iiiio tbft vat«r -I *&tj>£<wS s? 'P® into oa® e^ thwai
not 4;no«la« that ahe **z vatahln% am* 3h« wo»nvi DCHIR5 in
lay «l|% D^r Foot ho l lar^ , "Look out, Ja« l" I r&ok«<l
Mrs. Jl« had «y gun In h«r h«ni» Sho »hot h«r crw bratnj Tut.
foaJMi tb& '('dikilAj^n^ -;'Q<!tf?.ti anl. «LX art f'Jtris^ -is
a t e s t feata e, C9tt#iw.a«d tape$ ff $t\ «
a pflsoB* ^#lo*-";?t®% pla-j w dft i^# $ft]p&4t& Si^ai?^ It--
tibat
eould M.H a
that 'j»an*t go dangexcMe. 1!hi« aan, T saa»t reoiomber
r a i l * for aii I ad i en. Svtiry GTOQI ng 11 t t l e VJnggi«
and l i t t i n Joe would goj^nd m»«t him on ih« t r a i l . One
eranlQH I t was la te wnen he oo«« «p t.he r lror; an I ad lea
alo«» I D a hack ga*e him a rida howa. Tha chiJdi-an siiae«d
, nmom vnu xmmfzm*
to tfci« rgxieik for
3«r«o Indian eowboye and I iwmt to thdlr aid. Untill
at
« l to htlp thl* »ocr oothox, rt «acl« a man of BH-U
«• root i« iha oobin ta i uidu't dli-our.t. I as
%L« »other * l c h «&y tti« children had, p u . She
out and gr«bb«J tut by *y b»ot and bagged m to find
h»r children. That thp«w h«r under «y horw that
4.15
h«r to tura M looe* «i*d get batk fo? py h«r«« vaa
wild, I Ju§t kn«w «Le wuld get either badly hurt or
kil led, Ifjr horee %nx**& his heed back sad looked at
h«r but aerej- offer*i *o nioTe. I caught th* Id
then thnt we .had * ikskv* rnd Protsotor. I «nld, "A«
oaTe «• there %* a O«d I '11 do ny u*»oet for thle poor
•olfeerf I turned to the Indlaa*, I say Incianc
••re ful l bloods while I wa» only p«rt, **nd
re
'•-A,
to. sdparatB -xtd firm itee.® tffjuts ••:&'••& r.Wi '^i t i /-
Oft® -f<,laf. :x©:*. ,ki' 'S^lj^ ' . : ^ # S i # vie U\iAw :J
Ubottt
oni o'ja a»- Q|>«E -flat or ^o i loa Q,t 'a dry
X j-js-a^tei l i t t l e " Haggl* sad t ied .H«r «e « ^®sc-
J l t t l © Jo**- TS»-«3f 'frtre "bQtli as wild, as
Ha iraa d o « the w«*Jtb^d ajod I $m&*$ off » l i t t l e bluff
l a fyoat of bim <5»d <?.ao-^t Mm. fls©a I *&cjk hiat bawk t o
wh-«r# I had l e f t &«r a.wl wy h-offm-. fh«
a.bout tKe». was a ^<slt th,«i bad 'atloag:^
%htM. %'d t.k© St-O e'e a»d ttt«y- icra,£d|i«d, a? fa-.<j# t e
I h-eld .#o« Ma4 j?ttt :h»f .ic. li»# ;s^4dj,», tiwa filM
In to i3l» lMiAdil« »i||^^« tu»* a nd .gull«d her up vtftto Rjy l « f t
l«g» t i "ms a ha.r-d Job to t
m*. I ^,0* ray
417
no answer so t© Btayta»d ift tb# direction of liasae
was. about twenty-four mile« ajffty* Afte>r
f if't -tntle.s t
caf «t^fif «t.IW Mt&gQ t
eaawi aft«t ifte s«oca^ shot of tha t t r i a l * D<wr Joot
•« -;&« ssd I £»*» >tl* l i t t l e Jd* ftufi I k*|.pt l i t t l a
, J t was much eaeis-r to bold on» or tiioia th^o the
rtd«a .*hat lay frlaad- «*e th-ar« to .S#Xp jae i f X
him. When WQ dellT«r»d th« chlldrwa hfww G<2d
•or to#«rt* For olgbt days and nights th<?y had to
&# fe#pt IK ft room for th«y w©r« wild but that? cniodB
finally oaa^ ba.dc to them*
Boundup f i ^ ,
fhia pas In tho nbaxokmi and Cx««k Batlons* Thr««
or four outf i ts would b# oaraped close tog9th«r. W« would
hirr# 4«b«t«« far recT««tion» I gu««« you would cal l i t
outdoor rftor^m'frlott, w« oould bar© b—n heard for s i lee
but there was no on*» to hetr
418
I©
Xfce* Will. Rogers*
t i l l l.og®ra «fi,s E ar-swi an h i s faVh#$*e r#n<& and
if©
would %xj to ^©t fin sty aid© wb*-A we ~«e-f©- debating tet I
«oulA rathex have 'his an thf- .op^ostn^ tears far' fta was
no *Iity* H® saad© you uae- n&l the bsala foa hud *ii«m
you irettfc aj^alaa* hta , I met him I.a Tul.«» *fe*H5 be « s to
Mtlctt a fcig «pa«(di th'© juirfc 4ay and m talfc©4 aboat
old dnyo. Wh»n iw mtnt to Chey«nn«, *7CF5lo«, to
rod»o» I would jM«i Mis ther« sad 1 would go froa o u
p«3rt of th« eountry as H brc»ne bu«t«w sad Will would go :
from mother aa m «xp«rt ropar.
If »a covild find e l i t t l e log ohurch w« attaadod tht
aarrio««. If one c»r tha boya aid anythiae; wrong ba was
punishad whoa Ha c»at back to oaa|>» Wa had s tr ict rulaa
or lawa and «Taryona toa* what thsy wain« No outaidera
had t« mica one of our outfit bohay© for i f ha waa uuruly
AUWIDGK, B)MOKD
11
IJQ aajag.. or, chttxcb we tsolc oliarg* of MJH our»elv«ii#
to %%e KJZ&XTA* A aatt «Ma-t
adt f*y any "thing f o s w« « c ^ | hta fictendia and he ka#w i t *
««.;..f#T9 s t r i c t and. he. know 'thai.,.
Milking a Half Buffal© 0on.
fh«y neTor bought «ann«d B i l k nfo-an. I wa» vopidLiSg; oa
* ranoiti.. I l i k M oow'g a l l k ana w>* f l l U f l g to milk a
tc» hftT« i t . S o w of thU «^th«f boy» would r l d « out ,
^ a cow t h a t had a largo tidddft and birtng h«r l a f o r
to mi lk ,
'CHs«: t l « # V^y & r w # f i KQ Q,W. s'dw i n t:h«t WUB .y i t t
buffa lo* She had a huaip on her b«ck «nA an oddiir l l lr«
a »aah tub* f o had b u i l t a b ig brnah fene« to rmt th«
mlt i i i * She jiai^^r *ftat l i fe* H « M 'iMrtMag.^ -I ^
a l l « b of a b l a c k j « A $*$?*. f h « i I had g o t t « i abgat roux
> < ;s,
¥•'"
18
.: -^il^iFf-l^f J^
•ack, th«a toro«d h«r out on th« r«ng«, w«
©•If p«na»d up io the cow would aot go too far
\ <•.. Sk« cot to that I could rid* up to h»r in th»
;iaia - »i^,. *s«i# -|tet^il',d^ *Hd &h* vmbM $&&;
bad a#rer b*«n a*aa to her
tfee only r»«con« I know for heat i t t t i a g B«
I h»T» ••en do«t
«lood
hor»e« nuulag.
until It I lk. ' •
but would b» a o i h l ^ but th . dirt fr«b wild -
,- -
la taad aad
whlt«.
ti»«> whit* «pot* on
Uk« J;ii»dT«Ja of bat I t woald b«
thro«t« cf th«stffl
a d
18
'. 1 a«*«*r §m% b%% t fiiw |«ff«X« «nd th,#y w»re right
«a *h« Iln« of tk« Tex*a Patthandl* and th« Indian Terrl
tory* Vf tho««bt that «aa a l t th» Indian T«rrl tory«
oa the jjrai:fl« ea-rl^ In tft
.:*|i«t*# fe^ to 1to«ji5 for. .*© 'wou_ld .6©a * 'bi;g. city
ahaad of ua. fa oould hare rid dan fowrer a net nater hara
It* X'fi thought sonotiaaa that wan a shadow fsoa
tmt oilier folk omil i t «
Blind
was a blind ritar that ran troa Rad Rlrar into
tha Tan-itory. fa couldn't «a« whara i t ma bot I t would
oara throws*: *ivn ua to wa w«ra rary pertioular aad MYar
la a rua but rod* alo-ly through thara. Tha fiah *&•
atraaat had xad ay a a.
'. . " .-••tlMKt' WMl'fhare. tha cowboj* •uff^rsd. OHSP tjlbiSf^ "
•••Ida•• band but would Juat oraok. "Dor «p«r» woulda1t
up* fa uaad to hara a tlaa'»hi ah '"'
rada
mobady ICMVB « m « u h« hae ba«A a e«wboy.
i." •>;•-•*'•
422
ALDRIDOI, EJDMOND LKS, IHTtKVIW. #13005.
14
Salt Lake In Northwest Corner of Stete.
In the northwest corner of the state there was a
la»ce. You could see i t for miles and wh«n yoi were far
array from It , It looked lUc*- water. than you would g»t
there i t was solid sa l t . Co men would go and get i t to
3alt their eattle in the early days.
Choctaw NationIndians and Spaniards,
»Vhen the Gorernment was having the Indian Terri-
tory surreyed the surreyor* in the Ohoctaw Nation found
a walnut peg; some Indian had driren a tomahawk into a
-tr«« then driven this wedge-shaped peg into that hole
that was made by the tomahawk. It was found on wild
Cat Hollow.
Rich people from Chicago and New York came in to
see what i t amounted to. The?/ hired Deer Foot who was
a 64out and trailer to sen i f he could do anything. They
also brought engineers in bui ih«»y would hare sar«d money
to hare stayed away.
I would see D*er Foot and ask him i f he WAS MI ting
good, sleeping good and making aonsy while he was staying
ALDRIDGS, 15DM0HD LSE. INTKRVW. #13005.
15
with the r i c h men. He would say, "Yes". Then oi>e time
he to ld me he would show me something a f t e r these people
had l e f t .
He did and I followed e t r a i l and got seventeen
secfcs of pegs tha t led to a cave on . ' l id Oat Creek i!her»
the Indians used to stay l o t s .