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A B C D E F G H I J K L M Mc N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: June 22, 1937
Name: Mr. Benny Kent
Post Office: Red Rock, Oklahoma 
Residence Address: 7 miles Northeast of Red Rock 
Date of Birth: 1885
Place of Birth: Oklahoma
Father: 
Place of Birth: 
Information on father: 
Mother: 
Place of birth: 
Information on mother: 
Field Worker: Lenna M. Rushing

I was born on the reservation near Fallis. There were a great number of Indians in those days, many more than there are today. The Sac and Foxes and the Creeks were two of the tribes next to ours, the Iowas, but I do not remember the other neighboring tribes.

I can remember when the first white men came to the territory. They were called the Sooners, and they caused much trouble. The Indians resented them, and the United States Army had to run them out several times. 

It was not long, however, until the whites did enter Oklahoma to stay. The Indians were given allotments of land, and the rest of their reservations were turned over to whites. The Iowas were allotted land around Perkins, Coyle, Stillwater, and Ripley. They received their allotments through the Sac and Fox Agency near Stroud.

We had no worries in those days. Everything was plentiful, and all we had to do in order to obtain food was to go out and shoot anyone of a wide variety of wild game.

When the Opening came white people poured into the country and drove the wild game on further west. We did not know what the white people were like, and distrusted them. We saw our peace disturbed and our Indian ways destroyed. It is understandable why we hated the opening, and also the whites who brought it about. This feeling has changed, though. We still wish for our old ways, but we know they are gone forever, so we make the best of the situation.

We have never had an agency of our own, and at first our tribe was given jurisdiction in the Sac and Fox Agency. 

I am full blood Iowa Indian. 

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Melanie Kent  smelly4@yahoo.com  February 2005.