HOME SURNAME LIST NAME INDEX SOURCES GEDCOM FILE EMAIL US | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() February 1, 1978, Hello Choctaw, Page 15 Chahta Pashofa Dance By Sidney J. White of Tuskahoma Pashofa is a dish prepared by the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes by boiling hominy corn (tafau l a) with cured meat; for instance, the shoulder and ham bones. Pashofa was always prepare d a t the dance which was held as a sacred ritual ceremony in recognition and respect of th e sick . The sick person, man or woman, was confined in a cabin several steps from the seething pot s a nd dance ground. A limit line was drawn on the ground a few steps from the cabin where gu ard s were placed to keep out intruders, or those persons not authorized to enter the cabin w her e the sick and ailing person lay. In case the sick person was a man, only a man attendant, whom we will call (hatak alikchi) m a n doctor would be the only person allowed to enter the cabin of the sick. The man doctor kn e w all the medicinal plants. He knew for what use all the grasses, herbs and the different p ar ts of trees that could be used for food and medicines. He knew how to cook, boil and prepa re e them in their natural state if necessary for the diseases and ailments prevalent in hi s loc ality. The sole attendant took whatever he prescribed to the sick and whatever the pati ent de sired, if such as he wanted was available and not injurious to him. If the ailing one was a woman, then her attendant was a woman, but the medication administer e d to her had to be prepared and directed by the (hatak alakchi) medicine man. The guards were strong men, so your father told me, and if any man crossed the line with t h e intentions of entering the cabin or sick room, he was man-handled and forced to drink a b it ter concoction prepared by the medicine man. The concoction, so I've been told, caused pur gin g and vomiting. If such be the case we would judge that very few if anyone would dare t o ente r the prohibited area. I understand that the Creek and Seminole Indians drink the bitter concoction before going in t o an Indian ball game. It cleans out their system and they do not become sick at the stoma c h while under such physical strain during the game. I never saw the Choctaws use the bitte r c oncoction but I do know that they refused food at lunch time when they were ready to part icip ate in a game which was to start at about 1:00 p.m. In times past, tuberculosis (T.B.) was a menace and prevailing disease among the Choctaw peo p le, and I am of the opinion that when a Pashofa dance was held that the patient was very lo w . And it was held in hopes, of course, that the patient would recover. But I should believ e , from what I have heard about a Pashofa dance, that the patient didn't live too long afte r t he dance. But, nevertheless, a Pashofa dance was given in respect, honor and benefit of t he s ick. A great multitude often attended a Pashofa dance, and like the Indian ball games, a n occ asional fight took place among the men and not too often someone might be wounded by gu nsho t or maybe killed outright. To the best of my knowledge, Pashofa dances were discontinue d sho rtly after the turn of the century. The last match game, one county against another, of Indian ball to which I was a witness, w a s between the opposing teams of Jacks Fork and Tobucksi (Coal) Counties. The game was playe d , or attempted to be played, near Blanco, Oklahoma in the month of August 15, 1911. They le f t for home, the 16 games unfinished. All the games played in the Choctaw Nation since tha t ti me have been exhibition games played at picnics and county fairs. In such games I have t ake n a part myself. The information in respect to the Pashofa dance was related to me by Lyman Pusley and I wro t e the above for his son, Smallwood Pusley. The above is the exact copy of the original. Parents: Edmund PUSLEY and Susan MURPHY. Children were: John PUSLEY, Osborne PUSLEY. Children were: Willie PUSLEY. Children were: Ida PUSLEY, Eveelina PUSLEY, Bertha PUSLEY, Frank PUSLEY, Minnie PUSLEY, Smallwood PUSLEY. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() She was married to Captain George PUSLEY about 1835. Children were: Calvin PUSLEY, Nicholas PUSLEY, Phoebe PUSLEY, Narras PUSLEY, William PUSLEY, Edmund PUSLEY. ![]() ![]() She was married to Columbus COMPELEBE in Oct 1901. Children were: Fred James COMPELEBE, Nancy Pusley COMPELEBE, Martha COMPELEBE, Hughes COMPELEBE, Thad COMPELEBE. ![]() Walker Trahern Blackburn Waddell Boggy Depot Nails Crossing Fishers Stand and Colberts Ferry Parents: Captain George PUSLEY and Mrs. PUSLEY. Children were: Rhoda PUSLEY, Lillie PUSLEY. ![]() Children were: Ellen PUSLEY, Nancy PUSLEY, Sallie PUSLEY. ![]() ![]() Children were: Malinda PULCHER, Albert PULCHER, Emeline PULCHER, Elizabeth PULCHER, John PULCHER. ![]() ![]() ![]() Sallie and Columbus never married but had children Sallie was killed in North Town over a disputer over some chickens Parents: Nicholas PUSLEY and Elsie . Children were: Nellie COMPELEBE, Edward COMPELEBE, Bettie COMPELEBE, Benny COMPELEBE, Chris COMPELEBE, Judy COMPELEBE. ![]() She was married to Chief & Captian Thomas LEFLORE about 1814 in Choctaw Indian Terr., Mississippi. Children were: Nicey LEFLORE, Millie (Mary) LEFLORE, Forbis LEFLORE, Wallace LEFLORE, Israel LEFLORE, Sarah LEFLORE, Susan LEFLORE, Henritta (Hannah)(Harriet) LEFLORE , Micheal LEFLORE, Mary LEFLORE , Clarissa "Laris" LEFLORE, Louisa LEFLORE, Levicy LEFLORE, Lovie LEFLORE. ![]() Silas Pusley was granted the privilege of erecting a bridge and establishing Gaines Creek ne ar his home approved 10-22-1859, Silas Pusley was the son of Calvin Pusley who before the wa r lived in the vicinity of what was afterwards called Mountain Station on the Fort Smith Bogg y Depot Road. Parents: Calvin PUSLEY and Nancy MORRIS. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Children were: William Wiley PUSLEY , Susan Elizabeth PUSLEY, Rebecca PUSLEY, Edward P PUSLEY. ![]() ![]() ![]() World War 1 Veteran Parents: John PUSLEY and Savanna. He was married in Oklahoma. Children were: Joann PUSLEY, Bernice PUSLEY, Laurence Nayler PUSLEY, John Clinton PUSLEY, Lahoma Joyce PUSLEY. ![]() Children were: Collins PUSLEY, William E PUSLEY. He was married to Laura Lelan HENDRIX in Jul 1901. Children were: Julian PUSLEY, Vivian E PUSLEY , Marjorie E PUSLEY. ![]() ![]() She was married to Louis GIRARD about 1714. Children were: Jean GIRARD . ![]() She was married to Nelson BRICE about 1870 in , , TX. Children were: Thomas BRICE, James BRICE, William BRICE, Pherba BRICE, Lena BRICE, George BRICE. ![]()
![]() 1860 Census Walker Co. TX pg 36-37 dwelling 221 family 216 Roll 285. Listed as Stepson. Parents: Peter RAGSDALE and Phereba Jane NOEL (NOLAN). ![]() ![]() Page 247 Dwelling 21 Family 21. 1850 Census Bienville Par., LA He was married to Phereba Jane NOEL (NOLAN) about 1842 in , , Miss.. Children were: Amanda A. RAGSDALE, F. RAGSDALE, Sarah H. RAGSDALE, Luella Love RAGSDALE, John E. RAGSDALE. ![]() ![]() He was married to Florence HARRIS on 3 Dec 1876. ![]() Children were: Mary Ann RAYDON. ![]() ![]() Children were: Juanita PUSLEY, Ingress PUSLEY, Claudia PUSLEY, Maudie PUSLEY. ![]() He was married to Mary Rebecca Caldwell HARRIS in Oct 1908. ![]() ![]() ![]() He was married to Nellie Ruth JUSTIS on 12 Feb 1951 in Llano, Llano, Tx. |