J. J. (MRS.) BlTJSBYIEtf -#6258', - ".-. I * '235

Transcription

1 J. J. (MRS.) BlTJSBYIEtf -#6258', - ".-. I * '235

2 23G, MKS. J-.J. " UTLRVI1M James H. Fleming, Interviewer, June 15, 1937, Old Oklahoma and Kickapoo Openings, by Mrs. J. J. Fleming. I am now sixty-four years of age. l.y address is.\.l.d. 1, Skiatook. rthen I was a young,-irl my father,,. il. rlohimer v ^moved our family from Kansas to the Indian Territory,.e lived at Bird Creek Falls, one mile ef.st of -..hat-is now Sperry. Ky father was intent ou ifiking the Run. for land in old Oklahora in *. *" ** He left all of us ut Bird Creek Falls and set out for Old Oklahoma in a wa^on. He was a great hunter t.nd ; fisherman and he usually had on hi.nd the richt equipment for..such an.expedition. He had a' Cbi.vas to throw over he \ wagon for shelter, nis grub box contained mcatly tilings to cok with; lard, salt, flour, meal etc. lie killed plenty of wili. garr.e for food, mostly squirrels and turkeys. lie would hobble his horses and put a bell on oi.e of them ana let them eat at night. Father had a hollow turkey bone with which he would imitate a turkey cell. Soraetimes a turkey would, answer and

3 ali.g, KHS. J, J. ' * IATJSRVISW. " '6252. would cone closer and finally ^et withfn shooting distance. He owned tn old three barrelled run, just like an ordinary ten gftu^e 3hotgun but this one had a forty-four culibre rifle.barrel underneath the t..o shotgun barrels, 'iliis rifle he used for deer or ltrr;e game. Tri.vel with the te'.ei end vagon was very slov/ ts there were fe.. roads '. nd sometimes not even a trail. The trip to Ola Gkl ho::. took about four days. Father crosseo -cue -n.rka: ; sas Hiver on a ferry nef.r Red Fork. The ferry was close to fihere the i/est Tulsa bridge is n., lie aear v/het are now the- to\ms o: Kgiiyvllle, '«live, Druiuright, and crossed the Cii.jarrpa'ifaver live niles southwest of the present to the 6pem tj Father started in the "run 1 ' from the eastern side and staked i. claim six miles southeast of otillwater. There was alec another nian on the* same claim; both camded "chere and both went to Guthrie to file on this clfcim.. ^ ' f '" The,dispute over this claim vvasn't sealed irm-ediately, so rather returned ':o Bird Creek Falls to ^et his family,

4 . 238 IlsG, MRS, J. J. IliTERvTJj;, ' - 3 -,. stock.and his belongii-gs thinking if he wes moved onto the place it would strengthen his case. This time we all traversed about the saine route previously "taken by Father. I*iy brother and a En went on horseback and helped take a few head oi' stock r.nd this made the traveling somewhat slower* About as soon as we-jot to the camp on' ^he clain^the coiite/t ;.as decided in favor of the other man who had coxitested.bather's claini. -Ve moved temp6rarily onto <> place near the old Clayton ^et tlemer.t^, four miles from Lehan. In the Sec and Fox opening in 1891, Father again got^ into ihe "Run* 1, -his time he was unfortunate enouch to settle on Indian laud oue mile south f *hat*is now the tov.n of Ripley» v he had Dy this time about given up hopes ar.d as :;as his usual habit he ;.ent hunting. «.t a spot' one mile seot and two miles sou^h of 'v;hat is new the town of Yale.he found where someone about r rlcnth T;reviqusly, at the openiw,-, had driven stakes COT SZL.king/claim and seeing no si^ns of habitation.he went to Guthrie and found' this claim rad not bee., filed on. In order to file

5 239 FLEMING, JRS. J. J. I^TEKVILV/. on r or to keep a claim^cert-a-i-n 1 requirements were, necessary. These requirements had not been complied with on this claim which Father found near the present site of Yt-le^ 30 he filed on it;;we moved onto it and later the man.. who had originally driven'the stakes came btck and found us on it. I doii't remember why ue abandoned it but Father gt-ve him ten dollars to relinquish his claim. This man's n&me was Eleak. When the Ki'ckapoo Country was opened in 1895 I was old enough to try for a claim. «e went south to the boundary the day before t>nd cauped. I made the' "Run" wit. a pony and a two wheeled cart, I staked four miles south of Chandler "out there were others on the same place and I was unsuccessful in trying to file on it.