Interviewed Jun 22, 1937
Rentiesville, Oklahoma
I (Sally Nash) was born February 19, 1871
near where the town of Rentiesville now stands. My father was June
Love, Chickasaw freedman. His mother was Dorcas (Robertson) Love,
Creek freedman. The Creek Nation had no public schools in this
district during my school age, therefore, the only schooling I received
was in a subscription school established by William F. McIntosh with a
tuition fee of $1.00 per month. Many months my parents didn't have
the dollar, consequently, those months I missed school.
When allotments were made to the Indians
and Freedmen, I drew m allotment near Council Hill. Through
misfortune, I lost my allotment several years ago.
In 1904 I was married to Joe Hash,
colored, of Texas. No children were born to us.
For several years, William McIntosh and
his brother, John McIntosh were the only preachers in this part of the
Creek Nation. They both preached at the old Honey Springs
church which was a log structure that stood near the Honey Springs
burial ground. The little log church rotted down and passed out of
existence many years ago.
In the early days when the old Texas
trail was the only north and south trail through the Indian Territory,
Honey Springs was a noted camping ground and watering place for
the travelers passing over the old trail. The trail crossed Spring
Creek at the spring.
I saw the little town of Rentiesville
come into existence and grow into a thriving little town. It was
established by William Rentie, a Creek freedman, who at that time, was
quite wealthy, a good citizen and was always ready to help anyone that
was in need and worthy of assistance.
In the beginning there were several good
families that settled and built homes in the little town of Rentiesville,
people who were a credit to the community, but the tough element that
congregated in the place made life so unpleasant that the better class
soon moved away.
In 1908 William Rentie, being a county
officer an the only officer of the law in the town, was compelled to
arrest a man by the name of Garfield Walker, a Negro, for drunkenness
and disorderly conduct. Later, for revenge, an uncle of Garfield
Walker called William Rentie from his home one evening after dark, and
Garfield, hiding in the darkness, shot and killed William Rentie. Walker
was arrested and placed in jail at Eufaula where he was later stabbed
and killed by another prisoner while in jail.
William Rentie was a good man and his
death was mourned by all good people. His death was the result of lust
for revenge by a ruthless killer, like many other similar crimes that
were committed in the Indian Territory in the early days.
It seemed as though his death spelled the
doom of Rentiesville, for since he was dilled Rentiesville has been
going down, and today is nothing more than a ghost town.
Source:
http://www.african-nativeamerican.com/sally_nash.htm
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updated
11 May 2008
