Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: July 22, 1937
Name:
James Baker
Post Office: Daisy, Oklahoma
Date of Birth: 1879
Place of Birth: near Tuskahoma, Oklahoma
Father: John Baker
Place of Birth:
Information on father:
Mother: Kizzie Baker
Place of birth:
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Pete W. Cole
Interview: #6815
Brief sketch of life of James Baker
A full Blood Choctaw Indian, Age 58
I was born near Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, in 1879. I am an Oklahoma native Choctaw and have been living on my own allotment that was deeded to me by the government near Daisy, Oklahoma.
My father was John Baker. He lived near Weathers, Oklahoma, and when he died he was buried at Weathers. My mother was Kizzie Baker. She died near Daisy, in 1894. Out of this family I am the only surviving member.
My mother was buried a cemetery known as Hebrew Burying Ground, a cemetery of one acre set aside by the Government and named after a Baptist Choctaw Indian Church.
This church and the cemetery were named Hebrew Baptist Church and they date back as far as the Civil War but the exact date of the organization is not known. The church was started by such men as Benjamin, John, Logan and Benjamin F. Baker Jr., (son of Benjamin Baker, Senior) and Simon and Dickson FRAZIER. It is known that it was organized in 1879 and that meetings were held regularly here until abandoned in 1898, the members all having either died out or moved away. Only one member, Dickson Frazier, was living when Jimmie DOCTOR, the minister, was pastor, but now both of them have died and the church is no more. There is nothing to show where the old church stood, as sprouts and bushes have grown several feet high and the cemetery is likewise overgrown. There is no fence around the cemetery and the only work that has been done was in 1934 by the F.E.R.A. Relief workers under foreman, Robert Noah.
When I was small I attended school at Spencer Academy, an Indian Government school for the Choctaws in 1894 to 1896. I returned home in 1896 and it was not long afterward that Spencer Academy burned down. It was never rebuilt.
Since I came home, I have stayed practically all of the time at home and have been attending to the farm, raising truck garden, corn and a few cattle, hogs and horses, but have never raised any stock for market. I have sufficient enough on hand for market or to kill for meat for home consumption.
I am living near the foot of the mountain which is near Daisy, and there is an old spot showing where a house once stood and some family lived there. There are two cherry trees which were set out undoubtedly by some one who was the owner of the land in territorial days. It is at least forty-five years to my knowledge since I first noticed these trees, which still stand. There is no other house near this location other than my place on the adjoining land. It is near the foot of the mountain.
I was married to Frances Doctor and to this marriage were born two children who are living with me, though both are grown to maturity.
My first house was built out of lumber, a two-room house which I built myself and later I built a log house near the first one. I owned ordinary household furniture and cooking utensils for average home use. Oft times our meals have been cooked over in an old fireplace. This was when we had no cook stove. In my young days, I did not participate in any games of sport or entertainment as most of the young generation did in those days and I have done little hunting or fishing. I have lived a quiet life and attended to my own affairs on my place.
Hebrew Cemetery
This cemetery has been set aside by the Government when the Choctaws were allotted lands but since the members of the Hebrew Church have either died out or moved away, this is an abandoned place lying out in the woods and there is no road leads out to the place. It can be reached by those only who know the road.
There have been several buried here but there are only three headstones marking graves. They are as follows:
William Frazier
Died July 23, 1897
(Inscription in Choctaw)
Yohmi Kut suet Sa kanchi tok aki ut uma tok mo yu-maka achufa kia ik sa kunio hoah, amba nitak ont isht aiyo-pikma falemichit tenichi la he illuppak o amanukfila hoke. Chan 6-39 (NOTE) The text Chan 6-39 is in Choctaw language. It is found in John 6-39.
John Billy
Born April 24 1875
Died March 8 1894
Age 19 years
Kizzie
Wife of John M. Baker
Born 1854
Died April 4, 1894
These are those in the Hebrew Cemetery that have headstones over the graves.
Submitted to OKGenWeb by
Rusty Lang
<Rusty.Lang@tulsaworld.com>
06-2000.