Elder Interview-Mae Baxter
Name/Title
Elder Interview-Mae BaxterEntry/Object ID
A.2008.001.016Tags
Needs Accession Sheet, Needs Location, Needs PhotoDescription
Baxter, Mae Louise (Christjohn) Born 5/11/1925 Mother: Lucy (Hill) Christjohn Father: Paul Moses Christjohn We lived in Oneida, and then we moved to Tigerton, Wis. I’m from a family of 10. My father got a job at the Tigerton Mill. I was the next to the youngest. I was a baby when we moved up north. Thinking back when I was young a lot of people didn’t have cars. My mother didn’t work just at home. She lived to be 103 years old. We didn’t have running water or electricity. We had to get water out in the back and no bathroom. I remember that old kitchen stove, my mother cooked on. They got a gas stove for my mother, but she didn’t like it, because she thought it made the food taste like gas. My mother wouldn’t part with that old stove. My mother died on 7/1/89, and my father died in 1945 or 1946, he was old then. My mother went to a Catholic School in Oneida. And my father went to the same school, and also Carlisle Indian School. I only remember my grandma Christjohn. Her name is? (Denny) Christjohn and I don’t remember my grandma hill at all. I don’t remember any of my grandpas. I think my grandpa Christjohn died before I was born. When we use to live here in Oneida, I remember the house where Amos lives now. We didn’t have a car or horses. So we’d have to walk to see the Metoxen’s in Bowler. We’d walk to school too. I had to work around the house. I remember having nice Christmas all the time and going to a Christmas pay at school Christmas might in a horse and wagon. We all got a present and a bag of candy. We had a Christmas tree never had lights, no electricity. We made their own decorations and we would make big doughnuts for Ho-yon. I don’t remember any of the stories my grandpa told us. I like to go to dances. I only remember one of the band member, his last name was Doxtator. I remember going to wakes and they would last for 3 days and 3 night. The Oneida singer’s sang all night. I never learn the Oneida language but I learned the Winnebago language. I moved to Milwaukee when I was about 17 or 18. I got a job at A.C. Spark Plug Co. My mother got sick, so I moved back home to help out. I also lived in Green Bay for a while I was a cook at St. Joseph Academy. Then I moved back to Winnebago and worked at a Head Start Program for awhile, then moved to health program. My mom and dad spoke Oneida language, but I didn’t speak the language. I got real good grade in school. My mom made Easter baskets’ and I sold them for .10 cents a piece at a store in DePere. Today; prices for a Easter Basket’s runs about $12.00 or more. If anyone got sick we would send for Jake Smith. He was somewhat like a Doctor. We didn’t have any money for Doctor Hill or Hitter. Jake Smith took us cherry picking in Sturgeon Bay in a big truck. My advice to the youth is to stay in school and get a good education.Recording Type
Audio/VisualCollection
Elder InterviewsCataloged By
Gerzetich, Courtney (Cottrell)Category
Digital Media