Family Stories from the Trail of Tears (taken from the Indian-Pioneer
History Collection, Grant Foreman, editor) | ||
19. Jones, Joanna nee McGhee
July 15, 1937
Interview with Mrs. Joanna Jones nee McGhee
128 K, N. E.
Mrs. Thos. Walker
Miami, Oklahoma
Mannie Lee Burns, Interviewer
Indian-Pioneer History S-149
Grant Foreman, Director
My mother was Susie Beck, a Cherokee and the daughter of Charlotte Downing and Ellis Beck and she was born in Georgia. My father was Albert McGhee. I do not remember the dates of their births.
My mother was about twelve years old when they were forced to leave Georgia and I have heard her say that before they left their homes there that the white people would come into their houses and look things over and when they found something that they liked, they would say, "This is mine, I am going to have it", etc. When they were gathering their things to start they were driven from their homes and collected together like so many cattle. Some would try to take along something which they loved, but were forced to leave it, if it was of any size. The trip was made in covered wagons and this made many of the women sick, but they were forced along just the same. When they reached streams and rivers, they did not want to cross and they were dragged on the boats.
Grandmother always remembered it and I have often heard her say, "Some day you will be taxed out of your homes here just as we were."
Family Stories from the Trail of Tears (taken from the Indian-Pioneer
History Collection, Grant Foreman, editor) | ||