IVY, J. W. INTERVIEW

Transcription

1 IVY, J. W. INTERVIEW

2 J. W, INTERVIEW - a Form iu{s~140) BIOGRAPHY FORM '3DRK5 PROGRESS Indian-Pi«Tifter History Par*Jact for Oklahoma 1P7«ft Field Worker's name Grace Kelley This report made on (date) January Name 8. Post Office Address Henryetta Route 2 3. Residence address (or location).gr>»th of thw Hunrvetta Lakf * 1873 or 4. DATE OF BIRTHi Month Day Year Place of birth a 6. Name of Father Jim C. Ivy Place cf birth Alabama 7. Name «f Mother Gillie Patterson Place of birth Tennea»e» Other information about mother T Notes or complete narrative by the field worker dealing with the life and story of tho person interviewed. Refer to Manual f«r suggested subjects and questions. Continue on blank sheets if nftcebsary and attach fjrmly'to this form* Number of sheets attached 6 sheets

3 IVY, J. I, INTERVIEW Grace Kelley, Investigator, January 17, Interview with J. W. Ivy, Henryetta, Oklahoma. I came to the Indian Territory from Arkansas in the Fall of I crossed the line seven miles south of Fort Smith and crossed the Poteau River at the Aynesworth Ferry east of Braden. I came with Delmar Harris and went to work for Dick Munn as a farm laborer close to^peneau. Peneau was on the river bottoms an<5 was mostly farming country. The farms were usually small -the largest ones being from fifty to seventy acres. A white man would take a lease on what land he could clear up and cultivate, and another would take a lease right beside it. Only the best land was cultivated as there was plenty of it without fooling with the poor land. There were no stock ranches in the botto/ns but they were close to Spiro which was on the prairie. ^ GOVERNMENT TRAIL. The railroads had taken the business of the Stage routes when I came there but I was told and knew the Government route it was used for taking soldiera to and from the forts and taking the Western Indians their payrolls and supplies.

4 IVY, J. W. INTERVIEW. -» The trail came from Fort Smith to the Drake Stand then to the Childers' Stand which was three miles northwest of McKey toward Dwight Mission. It forked and one road went north toward Stilwell, and the other went west. It crossed - the river at Webbers Falls or Fort Gibson, then it went on west. PROMINENT INDIANS I KNEW. Dave Bush was" a United States Officer before Statehood, when the Indian courts were about to be abolished. John Little John was a white man who had married a Cherokee woman. The whites were net supposed to hold office but he was made Judge and was called Slick John by-everyone in that part of the country. His name was John Little J«hn - of course you never knew if a man used the name in the Indian Territory that he was born with. Looy and Mack Walking Stick were well thought of by everyone. Of Charley Fry was a smart man and a good interpreter. Mitch Ellis was another interpreter and I don't know whether he was smart or not- you can judge for yourself. He stayed around town until some Indian came into town who couldn't talk English. He would tell Ellis where he wanted

5 IVY, J. W. INTERVIEW to trad and what they wanted to buy* There were about twelve stores in Sallisaw and Ellis acted as a clerk in any of then* The stores paid him for his services and the Indian paid him too* TELEPHONE SERVICE IN 1900 I put up the first pole in 1900 for the first telephone in Sallisaw, I did the work but did not finance any of it* The Taylor 'Drug store had the only telephone in town for quite a while* Later a half dozen residents had phones put in b:ut I left Sallisaw before any more were put in* THREE DAY PICNIC OF CHEROKEES - In the year of 1900 a three day picnic was held east of Sallisaw by the Cherokee Indians* It was an Indian affair but there were a few white people who went to it but did hot take part in the contests* \ There we& a lemonade stand and a candy stand^also a bootlegger who had whiskey to sell but he difiavt have a stand* A cow and hog were barbecued every day and there was plenty to «at* ' Paytime contests: They had a rick of cornstalks three or four feet high, a foot thick and four feet long for a

6 487 JVY, J. W. INTERVIEW target during the bow and arrow contest. I t was called "cornstalk shooting" They were light and the arrows'would stick into them without breaking. The Indian stood a hundred yards from these cornstalks while he was shooting* They also kad wrestling matches and foot races Stomp dances were held at night and the Creeks had a feather and ribbon dance J did&^t fcnow what year the feather and ribbon dances started but the Gherokees didn't have them in After I left the -Cherokee country I came to the Creek country and they were haying these two pretty dances* The women fasten ribbons of every color to the tops of their heads like streamers and dance around the fire singing or saying a sort of chant* No men talcs part in this dance* Only the men take part in the feather dance. They are decorated with feathers of every kind but the ones with the most colors and the largest ones are wanted most* There is a band of feathers on the head and some stuck on the shoulders and in the belt but the most are on the head. HOW ONE INDIAN DECIDED TO GO HUNTING A Cherokee lived on Greasy Creek two miles east of Bunch,

7 IVY, J. W. ** INTERVIEW who was a very good hunter. He owned a few cattle but not enough to be called a rancher. He hunted squirrels with a bow and arrow and when he wanted to go hunting would come out in the yard, shoot an arrow up in the air and turn his head a different directinn until it had time to fall. he would go and look for the arrow and if he couldn't Then r» it he didn»?t go hunting. FISHING WITH A SPEAR One time I was running a skiff and Dave Barks was stand- \ ing up in it spearing the fish. We were on a slough of the Big Sallisaw and the water was three or four feet deep and so clear that you could see anywhere in the water. We didn't use any poison in the water but were out for a good time* Dare was a good spear fisherman and used a spear with a point on i t but not a, gig. We called the fish trout but.the same fish are now called bass* ANOTHER THRILLINGWAY TO FISH This was also in the clear waters and no poison was used* Sereral Indians went fishing together and I was along. They made special arrows out of piece* of cane with a piac«of tim wrapped around the end for a point* Their regular arrows would

8 IVY, J. W. INTERVIEW go right through a fish and stick in the bottom of the creek. The cane arrows would float to the top of the water with the fish after it had quit fighting. The Indian would shoot all his arrows and then go looking for them as they came totiie top. They had lots of fun fishing in this manner. DEVIL'S -SHOESTRING FISHING The Devil's Shoestring was used when a large crowd gathered like at a picnic*, The men gathered the roots and pounded the Juice out of them and poured it into the water. Some of them had sacks fastened on hoops like a minnow seine for one person to use. When the fish came to the top for air they were dipped out in this net. Others lifted the fish out some with their hands after they had hit them with a pole and/lifted them out with a hayfork. The largest fish were from two to four pounds but th,e most of them were small.