Caldwell County MO Archives History .....LIFE IN INDIAN RESERVATION 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 3, 2008, 6:45 pm

LIFE IN INDIAN RESERVATION
	Mrs. Ellen (Johnson) Primm, 65, New York Township

     Mrs. Ellen Primm daughter of William and Susan (McKean) Johnson was born 
in Williamsburg Kentucky.  She attended the schools in the Cumberland 
Mountains.  Most of her teachers were men as the big boys went to school until 
twenty or twenty two years old and were rather difficult, at times, to 
manage.  There were no High School close so the eighth grade was as far as 
they went in their education.
     At the age of fifteen Mrs. Primm (the baby of the family) ran away from 
home and married Henry Floyd a neighbor boy.  They lived in Kentucky three 
years and then moved to Dunbar Oklahoma then an Indian Reservation.  Mr. Floyd 
bought and sold stock while Mrs. Floyd "run" a store and the Post Office.  
Mrs. Floyd says the Indians would travel twenty to thirty wagons at a time 
going by there to Texas and would stop at her store for provisions.  She could 
not understand them so they would go to the shelves and get what they wanted 
but always paid her.  She was frightened at first but soon become accustomed 
to their habits.
     The Floyds lived there for about seven years then one day decided to 
leave.  They started out with their babies (three) in a covered wagon and 
traveled twenty eight days.
     They finally settled in Cherokee Nation another Reservation.  The 
Comanche, a full blooded tribe lived across the river from this tribe.  Mrs. 
Floyd recalls one day seeing an Old Indian Squaw from this tribe come to the 
Floyd's spring and dipping up a pan of water to wash her hand, she washed and 
washed then finally turned up the pan and drank it.  These Indians were dirty 
and "way behind times."  Henry butchered and sold meat to them as they had no 
idea of how to butcher a beef.  She says the little papooses would come to the 
butchering block and grab entrails and eat them right down.
     The Floyds had folks living in Caldwell County so decided to come to 
Missouri.  They settled in New York township and farmed until Henry died 
1905.  Mrs. Floyd married Ceph Primm 1913.  The Floyds had eight children 
living around near by, but have scattered since.  Mr. Primm died 1934 and is 
buried in the old Cox Graveyard.
     Mrs. Primm is a little, stooped woman which she says is caused from hard 
work and so many trials and tribulations.
     Interviewed  August 1934.


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