HUSHES, ID4 MS. INTERVIEW _ #18*84

Transcription

1 HUSHES, ID4 MS. INTERVIEW _ #18*84

2 - 8 - ", Form A-(S-14 V J) BIOGRAPHY FORM Indian-Pioneer History Project for klahsma Field Worker*c name ftnhart L. Thomas This report made on (date) November Namo Id 2. root Office Address vnavngrft. Oklahoma 3, Residence address (or location) eio :,,'eat 4. DATE OF BIRTH: ' Month March / Day 14 Year Place of birth.ahiftouah. Oklahoma 6. Name of Father jn^p T^niftr Place of birjth 1858 Other information about father Born in Cherokee Nation near Stil-well* 7. Name of Mother Tifl^na Foster Place^of birth Cherokee Nation Other information about mothers^p. was the niece of Dave Kuskrat, ft Chief and a prominent church worker in the Baptist Church. Notes or complete narrative by the fietfcd worker dealing with the life and story of the person interviewed. Rofcr to Manual for suggested subjecirs and quest ions* Continue on blank sheets if necessary and attach firmly to this form. Number of sheets attached -

3 KUGHE3, IDA KAE INTERVIEW " I was born at xahlequah, Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation, March 14, I em three-fourths Cherokee. I was educated in the country schools east of Siiiwell, Oklahoma I grew up in Cherokee Nation and married Lee Hughes, a one-eighth Cherokee. He died in 1919 with the influenza. I have five children; Henry L. Hughes, Vey Smith, 3eima Picket and Clarence JJ. -lughes. I have seven grandchildren. \.Tien I was a girl I attended Elm Kill Baptist Church with my mother, who was a full blood Cherokee. She was educated and was a leader in the baptist Missionary work for thirty years. She did the interpreting for the ministers who were sent there from the east. They had the Lible in Cherokee language and would read a verse then pass it down the line and every person would read. I was very small cut it impressed me very much. I am still trying to follow.out the teachings of-my mother and the uible. i enjoyed going to Church and most all my people are Baptist. The old Church was called the ^lm Mill ^hurch and it is about nine miles east of Six-lwell, in Adair County. The building has betn torn down but the old family graveyard is atill in my memory and it has grown to be a large graveyard. It jtoas started by our family in 1845.

4 HUGHS IDA MAE. INTERVIEW ,. My grandfather's name was Alford Miller. He was born in. Georgia in 1812 and came to Oklahoma with the Gherokees over the Trail of leers. 1 have neerd him talk of his journey Here. He said they walked part of the way, came on steamboat part of the way and had to suffer great hardships. They wers driven like slaves by the Piasters of the expedition. The weather was cold and the Cherokees suffered, pmany of them died on the way. Ivly grandfather settled at a coinmunity called &lm Hill neighborhood, about nine miles east of Stilwell, in Adair County. He joined the Confederate Army and fought under General Stan ivatie. He was in several battles but never wounded. He came home after the ar and went to work to build up his home. He died in 1907 at the age of ninety-five years. He is buried at the family cemetery at Elm Grove. ^ L5y husband. Lee xiughes, was one-eighth Cherokee. He was "born in Georgia in 1848; left there when he was fourteen years of age. He died in 1911 at the age of sixty-three. \'e lived on farm and in 1875 we traded at a trading post just across the State Lia,e called Evensville, Arkansas, just a few stores, post office, and black/smith shop.

5 i, IDA MAE. INTE&VIi/tf We killed turkeys, deer, hunted opossums, coons, skunks, mink and bear and took the hides to ilvanavllle and traded them for groceries. "Tnyrn'O'tner, Levina Foster, was born in the Cherokee Nation. She was a niece of Dave Musfccat, a Cherokee Chief. 3he was prominent in the councils of the Cherokee Nation. Her uncle, Dave l&iskrat, thought a great deal of her and took her on trips with him when she was a girl and educated her. She loved Uncle Dave. Ke is buried in the family graveyard at iilc Kill, started by my ancestors. Mother would go to his grave and weep over it and tell me how good he was. V>hen 1 was a girl I attended the dances at the old stomp ground between Lines and ^.unch, in what 4s now Adair County, Oklahoma. It was called old Leaver Stomp,Ground, ihe Indians would meet every year and sont-/times three times a year, but mostly in August when corn was ripe. They had a Green Corn Dance, 3i7omp Danee, S^ick Dances and several other kinds. They an woultf stay sometimes ten days or more; it was/r* annual picnic or outing for all the tribes and all Cherokees attended. My ftiint,cindy F.oss^ was a leader in these dances. 3he was related to the late Chief KOSS.

6 HUGHES, IDA MAY. IM'LRVI^w I was not a good d&ncer and did not take mugh part, I was more interested in church work. However, I diu dance some but I cannot describe the dances very well, '..e had ell kinds of stick throwing games, wrestling matches, horse races and a general good time.,<e ate picnic dinners and visited our relations and far off neighbors, ana every Cherokee looked forward to the annual Stomp Dance. I enjoyed them very nuch. < My ancestors started a cemetery on our farm in the ^lm Grove neighborhood, in It is about nine miles east of 3tilwell, in i\ e j^lm Grove neighborhood. All jay people are buried there and it is used now by all Cherokees and whites. It is kept up in fair shape,and has about two hundred or more graves and perhaps ninety.monuments. The Cherokee ohief, Dave Luskrf.t, was buried there. This cemetery contains about forty acres. Cindy Loss, my.aunt, is buried there, also Lulberry Kumanstrike. John'i.-orris, a prominent political figure of tils day, is buried in this cemetery. / ' / This cemetery is kept up now ty tht relatives erf our family and a few relatives of others who are buried there

7 * 222 EDTGEE3, IDA MAY. INTERVIEW help some. "-e try to keep it in guod condition because the Liller and Foster families reverence the dead..e are proud of our Cherokee ancestry and try* to keep the feraily tradition upto a high standard.