University of Virginia Library

7. Davis, Susanna Adair

March 18, 1937

Wm. T. Holland, Field Worker

Interview with Mrs. Susanna Adair Davis

106 s. Quannah; Tulsa, Oklahoma

My first husband was William Penn Adair, known as a full-blood Cherokee Indian. He was born in the Indian Territory, Cherokee Nation, in Flint Dist. near Stilwell, Oklahoma on November 13, 1857.

His father was Red Squirrel Adair and his mother was Sallie Sunday Adair. They were born in the "old" country, Georgia, and came west before general transfer of the Indians. I have heard them tell of their journey. Red Squirrel Adair met his future wife, and also a full blood, on this trip. They were allowed to bring their herds so Grandpa Red Squirrel walked the entire distance and drove his father's sheep. That was about 1810 and he was 16 years of age at that time. They would camp together and in this way Red Squirrel and Sallie Sunday met. They had similar jobs. Sallie however, got to ride a pony but her job was to drive the sheep and cattle. At night time her herds would often get mixed and this, of course, resulted in confusion and arguments, many of these between Red Squirrel Adair, 16 years of age and Sallie Sunday, 11 years of age. However, this did not keep them from being friends. Their families settled in the Cherokee Nation, Red Squirrel's near Stilwell, Oklahoma, and the Sunday's further north and east of them.