IORRKST R, flichard MILLS* INTERVIIW,712834

Transcription

1 IORRKST R, flichard MILLS* INTERVIIW,712834

2 r B - i *. Form A-(S-149) BIOGRAPHY FORM - WORKS FR0GRE3S ADMINISTRATION Indian-Pioneer- History Project for Oklahoma FORRETSR, RICHARD MILLKR. INTKRVIBW. #1S Field Work'-rH name This ropcrt made on (date)' Hortnbw Richard MJllT Torrtetsr. '2, PoFt 0 T^ ifo Addruss Duxmt (wfalt#) 3, Residence address [< c location) North 4th 4, DiffE OF BIRTH: 'Month Jamary V '} 5, Place of birth 8. Yoai? Name of Father fto»«it«r Place of birth Other information about father 7, Name of Mother Jani.Place of birth Other information about'mother Notes or cor.pl.to narrative by the field, worker dealing with the life and story of the person interviewed, Rofcr to Manual for suggested subjects and questions. Continue on blank sheet? if necessary and attach firmly to this form. Number of sheets attached FlTt

3 JH. 197 FOBRESTER, RIOHARD MILLSR.. IRTSRVI1W, # Lula Attstl* f Xavestigator, Wovambs* 17, 17 Interview with Richard Miller Forrester, North 4th, Dorant, Oklahoma* X worked for the M«K«& T«Railroad when it was -i. being built through the Territory; I helped to build the wooden switches, also helped to lay the ties down and spike then; the ties on Hie last few miles Into Dallas were put down just anyway as the' tins to fill the contract was about up and they were trying to rep oh Delias at tte specified time* X rode on the first trsin - * * which carried five or six oars and the last few miles wers so rough that the train rooked like a cradle* After X finished work with the railroad I went to Dug JTohnston's hone near Saet and asked tor work* Mr, Johnston employed me to nake a crop for him and I put In eight acres of oora* X used a double shovel totossk the lsmdv Dug did not like to work aid begged at to reaftla with hi* and said If X would stay he would fenoe all the twelve miles of prairie and put It in cultivation

4 198 I0RRBST2R, RICHARD MILLER. INTERVIEW, #12234* and hold it until Doocxtday for us* He said, n we want men like you In the Territory that will works Dug llred in a one room log house with a shad which he used for a kit oh en. mother-in-law lifted there* He and his wife and X slept in the kitchen bat It wat so hot that I mored my bed into the yard* j Dug said, "You must not sleep oat here^it is dangerasp I told him that I was not afraid hat he brought a Winchester and a six-shooter and hung them on my bed* Mr* Bill Harkine lived near Dog* X would swap work, working awhile for Dag and then for Mr, Harkins so the law would not get me as X had no permit* lfr«harkins had a blade smith shop and I shod, all his horses for him* One day Dug asked as to go for a ride with him* ^ I thought he seemed anxious as if he was up to some* thing. We rode about two olios and a half from the house and he began to oirol around a. little clump of trees, X followed still wondering what he was up to

5 199 F0RR5STER, RICHARD MILLKR. IOTffiVIEW, ' # and suddenly,, he stopped under a tree to which a dead Indian was hanging from a limb. He thought I woulcl be afraid but I only said, "Looks like Indian been dead long time? On the ground under the Indian was a Jug of whiskey and some loose change on the ground* Dug said the Indian had been hanging there three months and no one had raored the whiskey or money. The Indian was a bootlegger who stole a borse in Denison and was caught and hmngseu Dug*s motfaer-in-law did the milking; she milked ten or twelve oows* I said to her one day, "Grandma, I wish I knew how to oiik so I could help yous She j tried to teaoh me but I nerer made much of a milker. Grandma was rery fond of me. If I did not get in for the noon seal and there was something extra she always saved ay share until I came* We had a very bad hail.storm while I lived with Dug; hickory saplings were twisted off and the st&g*

6 200 FORRSSTER, RICHARD MILLER, INTERVIEW* #12234, coaoh driver was killed at Tiahomingo* Dug was, scared almost to death; he and bis wife jumped In bed and covered up; The next day Dug said, "Mill, can you dig a storm cellar* X said, "Sure? In a day and a half I had finished the cellar* Qmm was plentiful* I used to chase turkeys with my dog and catoh them* I felt proud one day when I «hot a turkey two hundred and eighty-three steps from me with a *44 Winchester* While working in the corn field one day a man on «horse shot at me and the bullet passed very close to my head, rode away* I looked up and tiien I did ho hurriedly I always believed it was somcote after Dug instead of me. The Indians liked xas; they would bring me fish and gams* $h«y were good at killing fish with bows and arrows*, -

7 301 FORRESTER, RICHARD MILLER,. IHTSWEGW* #12234* 5 Dog and I always wore our guns whon we went to Tifehomingo* Officers did most of tha bootlegging; they would slip whiskey into the wagons of the Indlanc while, they were trading in Deniaon and than would come across the river and wait for them. If the Indians paid off ; the offioers would let them go* I have seen men hollow out the axles on their wagons and fill them with whiskey* Dug and I used to have lots of fun pitohing horseshoes together* I only remained there three months with him, then went to Texas coming back about thirty years ago* I called at Dug*s house to water my team* When I told him who I was he cam to greet BIB and showed me around his place, had my team watered and treated me like a long lost brother*