Interview # 2149
Field Worker: Wm T. Holland
Date: March 16, 1937
Name: Lucinda Fleetwood Affidavit
Residence:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Father:
Mother:
This is an affidavit of Lucinda Fleetwood, Grandmother of LaFayette Teel
(79) of 1113 W. 1st Street, Tulsa. Teel's mother, Minerva Fleetwood was the oldest
child of Lucinda Fleetwood.
They boarded the flatboats at or near Chattanooga, Tennessee on the
Tennessee River. The Waterloo mentioned in the affidavit is a town in Alabama.
This affidavit covers, among other things, the transfer of the Cherokees from the
eastern states to the Indian Territory and occurred in 1834. "Took water: means
boarded a boat or traveled by water. This Calhoon mentioned is or was near where
Chattanooga now stands. These people, grandchildren of Lucinda Fleetwood were
allotted land in the Cherokee Nation.
Affidavit
Office of District Judge, Del. Dist. C.N, June 20, 1887
Personally comes before me, J.S. Ward, Judge of the Dist. and Nation
aforesaid, at my office on day and date above written, Lucinda Fleetwood, of lawful age,
who after being duly sworn deposes and saith:
"We lived betwixt Valley and river and little Heiwassa River in
Tocall Dist. and went to school at Jones Mission. We enrolled under Major B.F.
Curry, of the U.S. enrolling office and he delivered us to Lt. Harris at Calhoon, where we
took water in 1834 in flat bottom boats and came to Waterloo where we took steamboats and
came 40 miles above Little Rock at a place called Burnt Caddons. From there we
traveled to Fort Gibson in government wagons. My father died at Burnt Caddons and
John Miller took charge of the family and brought us on and attended to the drawing of
rations and supplies as furnished by the government for the use of the family.
I have lived in the Cherokee Nation ever since, with the exception of six
years, when I was first married. I married a soldier of Fort Gibson and went to
Leavenworth until my husband served out two terms of six years and then I came right back
again to the Cherokee Nation. From this marriage resulted the following children:
Minerva, born November 10, 1835
Lorenzo, born May 1, 1837
Charles, born February 13, 1839
William, born October 27, 1840
Miles, born August 13, 1842
Pruna, born August 24, 1844
Edmond, born March 6, 1846
Hewston, born May 31, 1848
Delphenny, born April 22, 1850
Sarah, born April 22, 1850
Aquella, born June 26, 1852
Eljerry, born April 30, 1854
Martha, born May 11, 1856
Lucinda, born April 11, 1861
Of the above names, children, Minera, Lorenzo, William, Charles, Aquella,
Delphenny and Lucinda are dead.
To my daughter, Minerva, were born, Lafayette Teel, Steve Edwards and Lucy
Tincup. To my son Aquella, four children were born. Their names are Johnnie,
Higona, Roxie and Minerva Fleetwood. To my daughter, Pruna, were born Joe Cox and
Eddie Johnson. This is as far as I know my grandchildren.
I have always been recognized as a Cherokee ever since I can recollect
until within the last few years. I went to school where no one was allowed to go to
school but Cherokees, have exercised all privilege granted the Cherokee until recently.
I bought and sold improvements on the public domain and the purchase and sale was
always considered valid. My sons voted at elections without a challenge, in fact, I
have never known any other place as home and I have never recognized any other such place
as such and have always believed myself a Cherokee Indian and never knew a doubt existed
until this matter got up. And further the deponent saith not.
Lucinda Fleetwood (seal)
Sworn to before me on this the 20th day of June A.D., 1887.
J.L. Ward, Judge, Del. Dist. C.N.
P.S. This certifies that I have known the witness for years and never knew
or heard anything against her character.
J.L. Ward, Judge, Del. Dist. C.N.
Attest this 28th day of July 1888.
P.D. Walker, Deputy Clerk, Del. Dist. C.N.
