Elder Interview-Marjorie Stevens
Name/Title
Elder Interview-Marjorie StevensEntry/Object ID
A.2008.001.451Tags
Needs Accession Sheet, Needs Location, Needs PhotoDescription
Stevens, Marjorie Ellen (Powless) Born 06/09/1939 Parents: Mark Noble and Margaret (Stevens) Powless Maternal grandparents: Edward and Hanna (Webster) Stevens Paternal grandparents: John D. and Eva (Baird) Powless Her parents were born in Oneida. Her dad died when she was 9 years old. She could remember when she was 5 years old her and her dad were walking down Washington St. in Green Bay, she was hang on to her dads hand and she stepped off the curb and a car was going around the corner she got scared and wet her pant. Her dad was involved in Tribal Politics; he went to New York for land claims meeting. They lived in a 3 room home in Oneida on U and J Riverdale rd. They didn’t have running water or electricity. She can remember Christmas when her dad bumps into the Christmas tree and knocking it over. Her grandma Stevens died fairly young in her 50s. She didn’t know her grandma too much. Her grandpa lived way out on Overland rd. He uses too bring oranges and peanuts for the kids. Her dad died in a farming accident. Her mother would take the kids to Sturgeon Bay to pick cherries they uses to stay at a camp up there after they got done picking cherries they went swimming. Her mother had 3 brothers. Her grandpa went to Haskell Boarding School. Her parents spoke the Oneida Language. She got married to Ernest “Ernie” Sr. Stevens; they have 5 children, 20 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. After her dad died her mother went to work in Green Bay cleaning homes and she worked at Northland Hotel. They owed their home but they had to pay taxes on their land. She went to Seymour high school for a couple of years. Then she quit school and went to Milwaukee by her brother Percy. He sent her to school at Lincoln High School in Milwaukee. She didn’t like that school. In the summer of 1955she got sent to a resort in Eagle River for 2 weeks then she came back to Milwaukee and her sister Dorothy was there from California. She went back to California with her sister she was 16 years old when she went there. When she turned 17 she got lonesome for Oneida. So she came back to for New Year Eve. She stayed all winter and spring. She met Ernie he just got out of the marine. She went back to California and Ernie hitch hiked there. When she turned 18 years old they got married. After awhile he started to drink a lot. She couldn’t take it any more so she went and got a divorce from him. She stayed in California for 15 years and she started to go to U.C.L.A. for Secretarial School. She started to drinking and partying with the younger Indian students a lot. Then she decided it was time to go back to the Oneida Reservation. But when she got to Milwaukee, she stayed there and started drinking. She quit drinking and she didn’t have a drink for 29 years. In1973 she had another daughter. Her brother Herb started a drug and alcohol program in Milwaukee. All of her brothers were Iron Workers. She took a trip to New York to see who the Oneida were and to fine out about the Oneidas. Then she and a couple of her friends started the Indian Community School in Milwaukee in early 70s. One of her great grand parents was a French Canadian they got married to one of her ancestors. She using a home remedy called #6 she was getting arthritis in her hand she what to fine out what home remedy to use. Her advice to the youth is to learn about who they are and to stay in school and get a good education.Recording Type
Audio/VisualCollection
Elder InterviewsCataloged By
Gerzetich, Courtney (Cottrell)Category
Digital Media