Morris, Mary Still Interview

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Morris, Mary Still

INTERVIEW # 13776

Name: Mary Still MORRIS

Post office Address: General Delivery, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

DOB: December 22, 1877

Place of Birth: Stilwell, Oklahoma

Name of Father: Little FOGG

Place of birth: North Carolina

Other information about father: Fought in the Civil War

Name of Mother: Jennie WATT

Place of Birth: none given

Other information about mother: Member of the Night Hawks

Mrs. MORRIS was born at Stilwell on December 22, 1877. She lived there until she married George MORRIS. Her husband was a detective for the Cattle Association. Mrs. MORRIS said that she didn't even know this until they had been married about a year. She had noticed at times that he would have considerable amount of money and again he would have his regular wages that he would get for working on a ranch. He was converted and then he gave up his job as a detective and only then did she know of his work. Mrs. MORRIS had a cafe' and hotel that she owned and operated in Stilwell at the time she was married. She had saved six hundred dollars and this was all they had when she married George MORRIS. She mentioned that she charged twenty cents for meals and twenty-five for beds. She rented only to Indians. From Stilwell they moved to Nowata and lived there until they came to Sugar Mound Community. When Mr. MORRIS was converted, his sister-in-law gave him a Cherokee Testament. He could not read or write this language. With the help of his wife he learned to read and write his own language in one week. He later surrendered to preach.

Mrs. MORRIS' grandmother came from North Carolina over the Trail of Tears. She told about some of the things that happened. When the Government soldiers came to move them out of their home they took their team and wagon and that was all that they were allowed to take with them and they were started on their way. Her Grandmother was sick in bed when the time came that they were to be moved. The soldiers carried her out and put her in the bottom of the wagon, they were allowed to take neither clothes nor food, let alone take any of their possessions. They started out for what is now Oklahoma. They had no food for about three days at all. Finally her husband found some wild grapes and this was what they lived on for serveral days.

Civil War

Mrs. MORRIS' father fought in the Northern Army in the Civil War and Mrs. MORRIS remembered having to hide food when the Southern Army would make raids in the north for food or anything that they could find. They would have to hide it under the ground to keep anything to eat at all.

Dye

Walnut hulls were boiled to make a black dye, then the hulls would be strained off and alum would be added to the dye to keep it from fading.

Dawes Commission

In 1899, the Dawes Commission was instructed to measure off the land and allot it to the Indians. The Indians voted to see if they wanted it done in this manner, however, permitted them to go ahead and allot the land.

Medicine

Mrs. MORRIS was, and still is, an Indian Doctor. She had countless numbers of Indian Remedies. Her son, Joe SEQUICHE, is planning on making a book and these were the only ones that I could get from her. She mentioned that she cured an Osage man who had been given up by local doctors at Pawhuska. They said the man would go blind and had no hopes for him. Mrs. MORRIS said that she healed the eyes of that Osage man. Her pay was all of the clothing and blankets she could carry off. Mrs. MORRIS aslo mentioned unless the people had faith in the medicine and the doctor that these remedies would not work.

Chigger Weed

This kind of a weed boiled is used in cases of Phneumonia. Take a cupful of water after having boiled the weed in it and drink. Then cover patient over completely, face if possible, so that al of the body will sweat.

Niggerheads

Take the roots of the weed commonly called niggerhead and boil them. Drink as much of this as you can through the day. The pure juice of the roots cleans your system out. This is a good remedy for venereal diseases. As you pull the roots of this weed you will notice that the tiny roots bleed a liquid almost like blood.

Cherry Bark

Take the bark of a green wild cherry tree and dry in the sun until hardened, then take the bark and pound this into a powder form. Take what is now called a teaspoonful dry, three times a day. This was also used in cases of phneumonia.

NOTE: Mrs. MORRIS couldn't speak the English language. Her son, Joe MORRIS, went along and helped get the information from her that I received. He translated it into English for me and I wrote the necessary material down.

Jarvis W. TYNER, Investigator

Indian-Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma (This comes from Vol. #107, pgs. 134-139)

Submitted by Catherine WIDENER
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