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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 .