Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
1978.117.001 |
Collection |
Oral History |
Narrator's Name |
Gilmore, Enlo "Leon" |
Object Name |
Recording |
Date |
01/04/1978 |
Digital Link |
Click here to listen to recording. |
Scope & Content |
Recording of an oral history interview featuring Enlo "Leon" Gilmore (1924-1995) conducted by Annabelle Monet of the Tulsa County Historical Society on January 4, 1978. The audio track is 01:01:05 in length. Gilmore, longtime Tulsa business owner and Cherokee citizen, tells about his life and the cultural history of his tribe. Gilmore is an owner of Gilmore Enterprises, which he claims is the oldest business in Tulsa, formed in 1871 as a blacksmith shop. Growing up outside of Verdigris, OK, he learned German from Mennonite communities, which allowed him to be a translator in World War II and a guard at the Nuremberg Trials. Gilmore shares a lot about Cherokee religion, descent, language, and holidays. He goes into great detail about the Native American church he attends and the various symbolism associated with it. 00:01 Family history, Cherokee allotments, grandparents moved from Cherokee Nation to Muscogee Creek Nation near present-day Tulsa to open a blacksmith shop 11:35 Life story, military service, learned German while growing up in Verdigris amongst Mennonites 18:00 Gilmore family business, Gilmore Enterprises, is the oldest business in Tulsa, colonies of Cherokee Indians in Mexico, and families relation to John Ross and Sequoyah 30:47 Cherokee religion, troubles with translating Cherokee into English, matrilineal descent, and different clans of Cherokees 38:05 Native American Church near Bruner Station, various symbolism used including peyote, bird, sage, and eating flesh 51:00 discussion of western medicine vs. Native American traditional medicine, Cherokee holidays, hereditary chiefs versus elected chiefs, Perryman families, and Black heritage |
Search Terms |
allotment & allotments Berryhill, OK Cherokee Indians Cherokee language Cherokee Nation chiefs Creek Indians Creek Nation Gilmore Enterprises Mennonites military service Native American Christian Church Native Americans Nuremberg Trials Quapaw Nation Red Fork, Creek Nation Verdigris, OK veterans World War II |
People |
Gilmore, Enlo "Leon" McIntosh, Waldo Emerson "Dode" Perryman, Legus Chouteau Ross, John |