HASTENS, U1KZ XKPEHTIffll #9489

Transcription

1 HASTENS, U1KZ XKPEHTIffll #

2 BIOGRAPHY FORT' """ * ' "IORKS PHGGR2SS AD?'Tri TRATION Jndian-Pioneer Hiatoagr T*ojeq^_ Cor-Oklahoma HA8TOiQ8 f VXXB INTBBtflKW 9480 Field Worker's name Jagpr E> Maad This report made on (date) Daowfaa* 2, NamRUai fiagtlog^ full blood Iyteh 2. Post Office Address Cblokaahii, Oklahor 3. Residence address (or location) 910 K» l th St. 4. DATE 0? ^ItfTK: : 5. Place of birth Statt of IUlnois 6. Name of Fathefster lasting! Place ofr Other.information about fathe i«& ** <&»g Q 7. Name of ; ->tu3jlu10y Ttffin Place of Other information about mothe^ied at th«age of 50 Notes or complete narrative by the field worker dealing with the life and story of the person interviewed. fiefer to Manual for suggested subjects and questions. Continue on blank sheets if necessary and attach firmly to this formv Number of sheets attached

3 127 HASTINGS, MIKE INTERVIEW 9489 Jasper E. Uead, Invest iga tor, December ^2, 1937, An Interview with Mr. Mike Hastings, 910 North 12th St., fchickasha, Okie. My name is Hike Bastings, 1 vos born in the state of Illinois the 4th day of JTuly ; 1858 f long years ago. I am a foil blood Irishman as my parents both came from Ireland* The chip they came across the ocean on was six oontha in making the trip, and lots of people died on the ship, because they did not have sufficient water and food. After my parents got across they finally settled in the state of Illinois and there I was born eighty years ago. After I wea thirty years old, I decided to roam around so I went west and after a short while I found myself in the Indian territory,a roaming cowboy, the first pitco I hit when I caiat to the Indian Territory was near what is now Ghiokasha and I have lived here ever since. Ohio kasha, when I first landed hare, was a very small piece with two or three very small stores, a blacksmith shop and a small wagon yard in the five hundred block of what is now South 3rd Street.

4 128 H/.SPINGS, MIKE INTEOTIEK 9489 There were no railroads in Chickaaha at this tin* but later on the Hock Island Bailroad was built through from Cajj&ffoll, Kansae to Fort Worth, Tsxaa, in,about 1891, and than still later the Priaco flallroad was built through Chicks she, running aaat and west a short while before statehood in """ The main water supply of Chickssha fifty years ago came from one dug well that used to be located between the places where the Chickasha Flour Mill and the Stephens Brown Jkunber Company are now. ^hsre were quite a few Indians located around Chiekasha at that time, but they never did give any trouble and there were lots of them located up around Fort Sill* Several times I have seen «e*erel hundred Indians on horseback looking for horses that they claimed someone had stolen but they always had the. Qovezcment soldiers with them* I have seen Chickasha grow from two or three small houses'to its present size. I have seen the time when a man had to take a boat to cross from one side of the street to the other; I have also 'i seen a man stand on one side of the street and shoot a man

5 129 HASTINGS, MIKE INTERVIEW on the other side. Sometimes the men who had been ehot would lie there for hours before anyone would pick him up. After Chic kasha had grown to a town of six or seven hundred people it mas called a big cow town. More money changed hand* in Chic kasha In those days in one week than there does now in thirty days* Chickasha had two or three big saloons and three big gambling houses and big cattlemen from West Texas and nany other places came here to gamble. I nave looked through the bars at Al Jennings when the law had him looked up In the little wooden jail for the robbing of the Bock I elan* ifeosenger tram at the half mile switch at Pooasset. This little wooden jail used to be where the new courthouse is now. This little wooden jell is now at Sheiuaon Springs park, about three miles southwest of town,kept there as a curiosity, for people to ssa and talk about. This Jail not only held Al Jennings but several other real desperadoes.

6 130 HASTINGS, MIX8 INTERVIEW i«kind of officers we had in those days were States Marshals who were paid by the United ites Government. They were only after men like Jennings* X have lived in Chicks aha an these fifty years and have been a farmer or truck reiser.