Indian Pioneer Papers - Index

Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: July 24, 1937
Name: Patsy Spring
Post Office: Hugo, Oklahoma
Date of Birth: May, 1937
Place of Birth: Hugo, Oklahoma
Father: William Spring
Place of Birth:
Information on father:
Mother: Jane LeFlore
Place of birth:
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Hazel B. Greene
Interview #6875
 
Interview with Patsy Spring

Patsy Spring, daughter of William (Uncle Billy) and Jane LEFLORE Spring, was born seventy-five years ago last May, 1937, in the old log house right at what is now the Spring Family Cemetery about three blocks south of the south end of South Eighth Street, Hugo, Oklahoma. It was the usual double log house of that day, two front rooms, separated by a hall and two side rooms. When the first child died it was buried in the corner of the yard.

Said Patsy, "When I was about sixteen, Papa built the new frame house that has the rock wall in front of it, despite stories to the effect that it is seventy-five years old. I am only seventy-five.

Just before I was seventeen, I married Dr. W. D. KENDRICK, who practiced medicine and had a drug store at Goodland for years, as long as Goodland was a town, after he came here from Alabama, in about 1877. He had been here a year or two, and he was twenty-five years old when we married. We built a little two room house and improved a place right close to Salt Springs on Salt Creek, east and about four miles north of Hugo. A year or so later we built a big frame house about one hundred and fifty yards away on the old Doaksville road, and rented the little one out. Then a few years later we tore that one down and moved it to Goodland where we lived for years. We established a ranch in the forks of Frazier Creek, five miles north of Spencerville and we lived up there and made one crop in 1903, but moved back to Goodland in August.

Then the Doctor and I were divorced. He married Anna Crute CAMPBELL, an Indian girl. I married a preacher name Lige WATSON. He died, and by that time Doctor had had about three strokes of paralysis and he and Anna separated, so I remarried William D. Kendrick in November and took care of him until he died a few moths later. Then I married A. J. WRIGHT, another preacher, and lived with him until he died, thirteen years. He was eighty-two years old when he died, five years ago. Doctor Kendrick was sixty-two years old when he died about nineteen years ago. All of my husbands were white. Doctor claimed some Cherokee Indian blood.

Grandfather Spring's name was Christopher Spring. He was German and Irish. His wife was a BOHANNON and very little Indian (Choctaw). I don't know how much. My mother was Jane LeFlore, daughter of Isaac LeFlore. He was half Choctaw Indian. Her mother was white. Consequently, I don't know what degree of Indian Blood I am. Doctor Kendrick and I had nine children, five of whom are living. I am the only one of my mother's fourteen left living.

[Submitter's comments: I typed this interview exactly like the original to the best of my knowledge.]

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Lynda Bell Canezaro <LBCane@aol.com> 02-2000.