NELLIE JOHNSON               OK/#053                                        035
         I DON'T KNOW HOW OLD I IS, BUT I IS A GREAT BIG HALF pROwN GjL fHnN3cHE
 TIME OF THE WAR COME, AND I CAN REMEMBER HOW EVERYTHING LOOK AT THAT TIME, ADN
WHAT ALL THE PEOPLE DO, TOO.
         I'M PRETTY NIGH TO BLIND RIGHT NOW, AND ALL I CAN DO IS SET6 N , SLT
TLE OLD FRONT PORCH AND MAYBE TRY TO KEEP THE THINGS PICKED UP BEHIND MY GRANDCH
ILD AND HIS WIFE, BECAUSE SHE HAS TO WORK AND HE IS OUT SELLING WOOD MOST OF THE
TIME.
         BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TO LIVE IN ANY SUCH A HOUSE DuRrNG THE TrME I6f S8 OU
NG LIKE THEY IS, BECAUSE I BELONGED TO OLD CHIEF ROLLEY MCINTOSH, AND MY PAPPY A
ND MAMMY HAVE A BIG, NICE, CLEAN LOG HOUSE TO LIVE IN, AND EVERY THING ROUND IT
LOOK BETTER THAN MOST RENTERS GOT THESE DAYS.
         WE NEVER DID CALL OLD MASTER ANYTHING BUT THE CHIEF OR THE GnNnRjL oOR
THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY CALLED HIM IN THEM DAYS, AND HE NEVER DID ACT TOWARDS US L
IKE WE WAS SLAVES, MUCH ANYWAYS. HE WAS THE MIKKO OF THE KAWITA TOWN LONG BEFORE
THE WAR AND LONG BEFORE I WAS BORNED, AND HE WAS THE CHIEF OF THE LOWER CREEKS E
VEN BEFORE HE GOT TO BE THE CHIEF OF ALL THE CREEKS.
         BUT JUST AT THE TIME OF THE WAR THE LOWER CREEKS STAYED WITH HIM jND cH
E UPPER CREEKS, AT LEAST THEM THAT LIVED ALONG TO THE SOUTH OF WHERE WE LIVE, AL
L GO OFF AFTER THAT OLD MAN GOUGE, AND HE TAKE MOST OF THE SEMINOLE TOO. I HEAR
OLD TUSKENUGGE, THE BIG MAN WITH THE SEMINOLES, BUT I NEVER DID SEE HIM, NOR MIG
GHTY FEW OF THE SEMINOLES.
         MY MAMMY TELLS ME OLD GENERAL AIN'T BEEN LIVING IN THAT KAWITA TOWN VER
Y MANY YEARS WHEN I WAS BORNED. HE COME UP THERE FROM DOWN IN THE FORK OF THE RI
VER WHERE THE ARKANSAS AND THE VERDIGRIS RUN TOGETHER A LITTLE WHILE AFTER ALL T
HE LAST OF THE CREEKS COME OUT TO THE TERRITORY. HIS BROTHER OLD CHILI MCINTOSH,
 LIVE DOWN IN THAT FORKS OF THE RIVERS TOO, BUT I DON'T THINK HE EVER MOVE UP IN
TO THAT KAWITA TOWN . IT WAS IN THE NARROW STRETCH WHERE THE VERDIGRIS COME CLOS
E TO THE ARKANSAS. THEY GOT A PRETTY GOOD SIZED WHITE FOLSK TOWN THERE NOW THEY
CALL COWETA, BUT THE OLD CREEK TOWN WAS DIFFERENT FROM THAT. THE FOLKS LIVED ALL
 AROUND IN THAT STRETCH BETWEEN THE RIVERS, AND MY OLD MASTER WAS THE BOSS OF AL
L OF THEM.
         FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THE CIVIL WAR THEY HAD A COURT AT THE NEW tOwN CA
LLED COWETA COURT, AND A SCHOOL HOUSE TOO, BUT BEFORE I WAS BORN THEY HAD A MISS
ION SCHOOL DOWN THE KAWITA CREEK FROM WHERE THE TOWN NOW IS.
         EARLIEST I CAN REMEMBER ABOUT MY MASTER WAS WHEN HE lOME tO THE sLAeE2S
ETTLEMENT WHERE WE LIVE AND GET OUT OF THE BUGGY AND SHOW A PREACHER ALL AROUND
THE PLACE. THAT PREACHER NAMED MISTER LOUGHRIDGE, AND HE WAS THE MAN HAD THE MIS
SION DOWN ON KAWITA CREEK BEFORE I WAS BORN, BUT AT THAT TIME HE HAD A SCHOOL OF
F AT SOME OTHER PLACE. HE GIT DOWN OUT THE BUGGY AND TALK TO ALL US CHILDREN, AN
D ASK US HOW WE GETTING ALONG.
         I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW AT THAT TIME THAT OLD CHIEF WAS-MY-MASTnR, uNTrL-MY
PAPPY TELL ME AFTER HE WAS GONE. I THINK ALL THE TIME HE WAS ANOTHER PREACHER.
         MY PAPPY'S NAME WAS JACKSON MCINTOSH, jND-MY-MjMMY-NjME f S&H Gj .I TH
INK OLD CHIEF BRING THEM OUT TO THE TERRITORY WHEN HE COME OUT WITH HSI BROTHER
CHILI AND THE REST OF THE CREEK PEOPLE MY PAPPY TELL ME THAT OLD MASTER'S PAPPY
WAS KILLED BY THE CREEKS BECAUSE HE SIGNED UP A TREATY TO BRING HIS FOLKS OUT HE
RE, AND OLD MASTER ALWAYS HATED THAT BUNCH OF CREEKS THAT DONE THAT.
         I THINK OLD MAN GOUGE WAS ONE OF THE BIG MEN IN THAT BUNCH, AND HE FIT
IN THE WAR ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, AFTER HE DONE HOLLER AND GO ON SO ABOUT THE G
OVERNMENT MAKING HIM COME OUT HERE.
         OLD MASTER HAVE LOTS OF LAND TOOK UP ALL AROUND THAT KAWITA PLACE, AND
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, BUT A LOT MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE. HE HAVE IT ALL FENCED I
N WITH GOOD RAIL FENCE, AND ALL THE NEGROES HAVE ALL THE HORSES AND MULES AND TO
OKS THEY NEED TO WORK IT WITH. THEY ALL LIVE IN GOOD LOG HOUSES THEY BUILT THEMS
ELVES, AND EVERYTHING THEY NEED.
         OLD MASTER'S LAND WASN'T ALL IN ONE BIG FIELD, BUT A LOT OF LITtLE FInL
DS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PLACE. HE JUST TAKE UP LAND WHAT ALREADY WAS A KIND OF
 PRAIRIE, AND THE NIGGERS DON'T HAVE TO CLEAR UP MUCH WOODS.
         WE ALL LIVE AROUND ON THEM LITTLE FARMS, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE UNDER
 ANY OVERSEER LIKE THE CHEROKEE NEGROES HAD LOTS-OF TrMES. WE DImN'T HAVE tO wOR
K IF THEY WASN'T NO WORK TO DO THAT DAY.
         EVERYBODY COULD HAVE A LITTLE PATCH OF HIS OWN, TOO, jND wOK ITBBE fEE
N TIMES, ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS IF HE WANTED TO. WHAT HE MADE ON THAT PATCH BE
LONG TO HIM, AND THE OLD CHIEF NEVER BOTHERED THE SLAVES ABOUT ANYTHING.
         EVERY SLAVE CAN FIX UP HIS OWN CABIN ANY WAY HE WANT TO, AND PICK OUT A
 GOOD PLACE WITH A SPRING IF HE CAN FIND ONE. MOSTLY THE SLAVE HOUSES HAD JUST O
NE BIG ROOM WITH A STICK-AND-MUD CHIMNEY, JUST LIKE THE POOR PEOPLE AMONG THE CR
EEKS HAD. THEN THEY HAD A BRUSH SHELTER BUILT OUT OF FOUR POLES WITH A ROOF MADE
OUT OF BRUSH, SET OUT TO ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE THEY DO THE COOKING AND EAT
ING, AND SOMETIMES THE SLEEPING TOO. THEY SET THERE WHEN THEY IS DONE WORKING, A
ND LAY AROUND ON CORN SHUCK BEDS, BECAUSE THEY NEVER DID USE THE LOG HOUSE MUCH
ONLY IN COLD AND RAINY WEATHER.
         OLD CHIEF JUST TREAT ALL THE NEGROES LIKE THEY WAS JUST HIRED HANDS, AN
D I WAS A BIG GIRL BEFORE I KNOWED VERY MUCH ABOUT BELONGING TO HIM.
         I WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN IN MY FAMILY; ONLY SAMMY AND MILLIE
WAS YOUNGER THAN I WAS. MY BIG BROTHERS WAS ADAM, AUGUST AND NERO, AND MY BIG SI
STERS WAS FLORA, NANCY AND RHODA. WE COULD WORK A MIGHT BIG PATCH FOR OUR OWN SE
LVES WHEN WE WAS ALL AT HOME TOGETHER AND PUT IN ALL THE WORK WE HAD TO FOR THE
OLD MASTER TOO, BUT AFTER THE WAR THE BIG CHILDREN ALL GET MARRIED OFF AND TOOK
UP LAND OF THEY OWN.
         OLD CHIEF LIVED IN A BIG LOG HOUSE MADE DOUBLE WITH A HjLL rN2BE WEn),
AND A LOT OF WHITE FOLKS WAS ALWAYS COMING THERE TO SEE HIM ABOUT SOMETHING. HE
WAS GONE OFF SOMEWHERE A LOT OF THE TIME, TOO, AND HE JUST TRUSTED THE NEGROES T
O LOOK AFTER HIS FARMS AND STUFF. WE WOULD JUST GO ON OUT IN THE FIELDS AND WORK
 THE CROPS JUST LIKE THEY WAS OUR OWN, AND HE NEVER COME AROUND EXCEPTING WHEN W
E HAD HARVEST TIME, OR TL TELL US WHAT HE WANTED PLANTED.
         SOMETIMES HE WOULD SEND A NEGRO TO TELL US TO GATHnR uP sOME CHIlKn SO
R TURKEYS OR SHOATS HE WANTED TO SELL OFF, AND SOMETIMES HE WOULD SEND AFTER LOA
DS OF CORN AND WHEAT TO SELL. I HEARD MY PAPPY SAY OLD CHIEF AND MISTER CHILI MC
INTOSH WAS THE FIRST ONES TO HAVE ANY WHEAT IN THE TERRITORY, BUT I DON'T KNOW A
BOUT THAT.
         ALONG DURING THE WAR THE NEGRO MEN GOT PRET,Y LA Y AND \H FtL S\,2B TM
Y PAPPY AND MY BIG BROTHERS JUST GO RIGHT ON AND WORK LIKE THEY ALWAYS DID. MY P
APPY ALWAYS SAID WE BETTER OFF TO STAY ON THE PLACE AND WORK GOOD AND BEHAVE OUR

SELVES BECAUSE OLD MASTER TAKE CARE OF US THAT WAY. BUT ON LOTS OF OTHER PLACES
THE MEN SLIPPED OFF.
         I NEVER DID SEE MANY SOLDIERS DURING THE WAR, AND THERE WASN'T ANY FIGH
TING CLOSE TO WHERE WE LIVE. IT WAS KIDN OF DOWN IN THE BOTTOMS, NOT FAR FROM TH
E VERDIGRIS AND THAT GAR CREEK, AND THE SOLDIERS WOULD HAVE BAD CROSSINGS IF THE
Y COME BY OUR PLACE.
         WE DID SEE SOME WHACKERS RIDING AROUND SOMETIMES, IN LITTLE BUNCHES OF
ABOUT A DOZEN, BUT THEY NEVER DID BOTHER US AND NEVER DID STOP. SOME OF THE NEGR
O GIRLS THAT I KNOWED OF MIXED UP WITH THE POOR CREEKS AND SEMINOLES AND SOME GO
T MARRIED TO THEM AFTER THE WAR, BUT NONE OF MY FAMILY EVER DID MIX UP WITH THEM
 THAT I KNOWS OF.
         ALONG TOWARDS THE LAST OF THE WAR I NEVER DID SEE OLD CHIEF COME AROUND
 ANY MORE, AND SOMEBODY SAY HE WENT DOWN INTO TEXAS. HE NEVER DID  OME BACK ,HAT
 I KNOWS OF, AND I THINK HE DIED DOWN THERE.
         ONE DAY MY PAPPY COME HOME AND TELL US ALL THAT THE CREEK DONE SIGN UP
TO QUIT THE WAR, AND THAT OLD MASTER SEND WORD THAT WE ALL FREE NOW AND CAN TAKE
UP SOME LAND FOR OUR OWN SELVES OR JUST STAY WHERE WE IS IF WE WANT TO. PAPPY ST
AYED ON THAT PLACE WHERE HE WAS AT UNTIL HE DIED.
         I GOT TO BE A BIG GIRL AND WENT DOWN TO WORK FOR A CREEK FAMI$Y C OSE T
O WHERE THEY GOT THAT CHECOTAH TOWN NOW. AT THAT TIEM TI WAS JUST ALL A SCATTERE
D SETTLEMENT OF CREEKS AND THEY CALL IT EUFAULA TOWN. AFTER WHILE I MARRY A MAN
NAME JOE JOHNSON, AT A LITTLE SETTLEMENT THEY CALL RENTESVILLE. HE HAVE HIS FREE
DMEN'S ALLOTMENT CLOSE TO THAT PLACE, BUT MINE IS UP ON THE VERDIGRIS, AND WE MO
VE UP THERE TO LIVE.
         WE JUST HAD ONE CHILD, NAMED LOUISA, AND SHE MARRIED TOM ARMSTRONG. ,HE
Y HAD THREE-FOUR CHILDREN, BUT ONE WAS NAMED TON, AND IT IS HIM I LIVE WITH NOW.
 MY HUSBAND'S BEEN DEAD A LONG, LONG TIME NOW.
   X   XXX
STP