John Bourbonnais Interview
Date3/24/2004
MediumSony [me]DVM60
Dimensions1:02:37
ClassificationsArchive
Credit LineCitizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center
Object number032404-1
DescriptionJohn's office, Wichita, KSCollections
Finding AidTimeCode Shot
0.00.00.00 ancestors, Antoine, Indian princess, wedding dress on display in Shawnee - check museum
0.02.15.00 mix of French, Irish, Indian
0.02.35.00 father was Jesse James Bourbonais, Uncle Lloyd, Uncle Ben, Uncle Gabe
0.03.00.00 Uncles & father killed in violent deaths
0.03.20.00 father was a drunk, killed in court room - first telling of this story - see later in tape
0.05.15.00 starts from the beginning, born in Shawnee, parents bootlegged whiskey
0.06.00.00 slept on cot
0.06.10.00 drunks would come to house & fight
0.06.30.00 swore I'd never drink and be like dad
0.06.55.00 5 or 6 years old, Dad came home from prison, momma's boy
0.07.35.00 fight in the night, Uncle Lloyd accused of affair, .45 held on mother
0.08.30.00 John stood between his mother and dad pleeding for mom's life
0.09.18.00 lying in bed hearing dad hit mother, angry, wanting revenge
0.10.00.00 stuffing anger, moved to 7th Street
0.10.40.00 dad's drinking had progressed
0.10.55.00 Aunt Ollie B. Smith - on Potawatomi business committee, taking stricknine, warning about it
0.12.15.00 premeditated murder, steal medicine
0.13.10.00 dad came home from fight, mom fixed supper and coffee, John poisoned coffee
0.14.00.00 didn't kill him, capable of murder as result of acoholism and stuffed anger
0.14.45.00 quit school at 15 to take care of mom
0.14.55.00 working for JJ McArthur, encouraged John to leave home
0.15.42.00 tried to join Army at 16
0.16.50.00 went back on 17th birthday, joined Army
0.17.15.00 on rifle range, Sgt. Told him of dad's death, discharged, remained in reserve
0.18.55.00 went to Ft. Sill
0.19.00.00 atheletic, boxing, trying to please dad, never came to events
0.20.10.00 peer pressure in Army - started drinking, had been loner, became life of party
0.21.18.00 stabbed, shot, wrecked car, etc.
0.21.50.00 veteran of WWII & Korea, didn't see combat, trained men
0.22.30.00 numerous MOS's, champion boxer
0.23.25.30 drinking progressed, hit a Lt. and loss stripes
0.24.05.00 got married, divorced
0.24.30.00 running drunk, one skidrow to the next, always in trouble
0.25.00.00 "Wichita, KS, met nice lady - music teacher, ""what is an octave?"""
0.26.30.00 she had 7 kids, both liked to drink, couldn't get married - she's Catholic, lived together
0.27.40.00 got married, straightened out with the church
0.28.10.00 swore I'd never hit a woman, alcohol does funny things, marriage problems
0.29.20.00 got sober, bought Carpet House, active in AA program
0.29.50.00 business took more and more of time, started drinking again
0.31.18.00 built business to $100,000 line of credit
0.31.40.00 became unhappy, materialistic, bought Thunderbird, more cars, airplane
0.32.20.00 started to drink it all up
0.32.50.00 locked up, taking Valiums, slept in store
0.34.25.00 came home, she didn't say a word, started to feel bad
0.35.00.00 had heart attack, died 4 times in one day
0.35.35.00 couldn't quit drinking, end stage of alcoholism, body rot
0.36.30.00 I gotta quit this
0.37.00.00 July 3, 1975 - last drunk, had left wife, July 7 - woke up and wasn't sick
0.38.00.00 Ordered beer and couldn't drink it, confused, $130,000 in debt, hadn't paid taxes, afraid to go to penatentury
0.39.14.00 stayed with Uncle Bill, saw light - whole room was illuminated, life flashed before him
0.40.50.00 called wife, drove to AA group, sober ever since, divine intervention, nothing else worked
0.41.39.00 went to work for competitor for 29 years, taxes unpaid
0.42.40.00 problem with anger, working with man named Jim, hated dad
0.43.40.00 Marriage Encounter with wife
0.44.20.00 writing, started to cry, dad came and spoke to him, anger left, goes back to his grave
0.45.15.00 better relationship with dad today than any other time
0.45.26.00 retired, working at Charter Hospital as counselor
0.45.55.00 retired at 70, couldn't quit working
0.46.45.00 program director now, don't have bills and tax problems anymore
0.47.10.00 live on interest now, here to help people
0.47.45.00 committed to work till 75, sober, sane, happy today
0.48.10.00 become active in tribe because of cousin James Smith
0.48.35.00 Jim had problems as a kid, got straightened up, feel drawn to the tribe, active at festivals, etc.
0.49.20.00 want to help people of tribe
0.50.16.00 """Are you sure my mic is on? I woudn't want to go through this again."""
0.50.53.00 many stories out there just like this one
0.51.50.00 one of the reasons I wanted to do this interview
0.52.00.00 grandfather donated cemetary to Tecumseh
0.52.30.00 hidden room inside old cabin, Jesse James used to hide there
0.53.35.00 have my permission to renovate the cabin
0.54.20.00 Uncle Gabe was shot during poker game, Jesse James came to cabin
0.55.10.00 grandfather or great grandfather owned all the land from river to Tecumseh
0.55.50.00 taught hand to hand combat in Army, clerk typist, straightened up after marriage
0.56.30.00 bigger then than now
0.57.07.00 mother remarried, claimed she hated her husband, but really didn't
0.57.45.00 she was relieved after he died, mornings after being beaten
0.58.40.00 uncle left after being accused of affair - they were brothers
0.59.20.00 no problems growing up as an Indian, most people around Shawnee were part Indian
032404-1
1.00.10.00 Aunt Ollie only tribal official
1.00.37.00 ten children - beautiful relationship, 26 grandchildren
1.01.33.00 (talking to camera - to grandchildren) - warning about alcoholism - tape runs out, but lots of good stuff here