Indian Pioneer Papers - Index
Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: Not given
Name: John Dowdy (Negro)
Post Office: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Residence address:
Date of Birth: October 1, 1856
Place of Birth: Richmond, Virginia
Father:
Information on Father:
Mother:
Information on Mother:
Field Worker: Harry M. Dreyer
Vol. 26 Microfiche 6016891 #207
Dowdy and his family lived on the same plantation for good many years.
Latter they were scattered, being sold to different plantation owners. When
he was a small boy, his mother was tied to a tree by the son of his master
and severely beaten with a heavy strap for no reason. They were not
permitted to learn to read or to write. If owners learned that any of the
darkies tried to write, upon many occasions they would have index fingers
cut off, in order that they could not write or communicate with relatives or
friends. Negroes were sold for prices ranging from $2.00 to several
thousands per head. Master had a daughter from own (sic) slave. She was
very beautiful to Negroes and became a great Baptist Evangelist. She waited
tables in the colored quarters and was sold because Master's wife wished to
get rid of her. The buyer of best looking Negro woman, paid $3,500 for this
Negro evangelist and stated at the time she was purchased that she was now
free.
Dowdy when nine years old, had to keep the flies off of
[the] son of his Master
when he came back from the Civil War wounded and because he (Dowdy) dropped
to sleep as [a] boy would, the Master's son reached out from his bed, knocked
him down and sicked the dog on him to bite him. Son died a few days later
of his wound and the darkies followed him to his grave. Dowdy came to
Oklahoma City by train by the way of St. Louis and Kansas City in 1891, and
lived with other Negroes here in the City. He could not give much
information on his days around Oklahoma City because of his memory at this
age seems to fail him. But his memory was clear about early days in the
South. He said that there is a burial ground of Indians near Choctaw, but
did not know exact location.