From the Decker town hall turn east and head down the old country road that is still gravel. Traveling about 1/4 mile one crosses a litle branch that gets over the road when the rainy season dwells for a day or two. Immediately after crossing this little creek on the north side of the road is a big hole that used to hold a tree. The giant white oak was once mighty and alive and had a large limb hanging over the road. This particular tree was somewhat famous in these neck of the woods. It had once served the purpose of being used to hang a man accused of stealing a horse about 100 years ago. I remember the tree as a child but that's been a long time ago-it's now gone while I'm still here for a spell. Just a little farther down the road was the homeplace of the Ring family. Willie, the oldest was a dentist, followed by Karl, a chiropractor and inventer, then George, a school teacher. All these boys were absolutely brilliant. Karl had invented the "no oder toliet stool, the hydrocycle and numerous other gadgets that just didn't catch on. Willie and George lived with their mother until she died and then later they died. Brother and I would walk home from the school bus past their house. In the springtime Willie would be settin in a chair by their overflowing water well, with a .32 cal. Iver Johnson 5 shot revolver in his hand. He would be shootin walnuts off a tree in their yard. He was a crack shot! He'd always invite us into his yard to "set and talk a spell" as he'd say. He would show us how he could hit with the gun---telling us that was what he'd do if he ever caught anybody in his watermelon patch. Of course, he was bluffin, he KNEW who was getting into that patch!!!! We only took what we could eat and wasted nothing. That was a game between us---he'd plant'm for us and we'd try and steal'm without him a catchin us. Some neighborhood boys once got into the "patch" and destroyed the entire crop of melons that year. He wasn't too happy and neither were we. After we had a talk with'm they never did it again. An Indian family consisting of Dad, mom and one boy lived just behind the Ring house on Ring property, alongside Sugar Creek. Nobody bothered them and they bothered no body either. One day Mrs Ring was cookin lye soap out in the yard in an iron kettle of about 50 gallons. The indian man ran past the kettle, swiping a finger into the scalding lye soap and took a taste. He thought it was maple syrup cookin down. The only thing he could say was "Whoop Sug, Whoop Sug! I never knew the indians they were long dead when I arrived. They were buried on the creek bank of Sugar Creek right next to their camp. All the Ring boys are dead, the old house is gone, the indian graves have been destroyed by a gov't sponsored land reclaimation deal with bulldozers etc. About another 100 yard down the road east is the Decker Cemetary. In it is buried my Daddy's Dad and Mom. One other man of somewhat notority was killed in a gunfight in Leadville, Ks. In June of 91 a fierce tornado came through this area and destroyed most of the trees in the cemetary and blew over a lot of stones. I remember helping dig a grave for an old friend in 1960. Back then it was neighbors helping neighbors and no outside contractors were ever used to dig graves. My, how times have changed--and not usually for the better either. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@otbnet.com), June 24, 2000

Answers

I had a "senior moment" while writing the above. I failed to mention the "Ring road" was formerly a trail for the old Maysville to Mt. Carmel Stage lines. A brick yard was across the trail from the Ring house, a grist mill next to the Ring house. Down the road past the Decker Cemetary was an old church. Long since gone and I don't ever remember it. Pap showed me where it was and sometime this summer I'll mosey over there with my metal detector and have a look see. Oh yes, as nearly as I can tell the indian family died of the "fever" in the early 1900's. My great grandpa was 1/2 indian but don't know if he was from the same tribe--Cherokee.

-- hoot gibson (hoot@otbnet.com), June 24, 2000.

Hoot: I can almost picture that Indian tasting the soap...My, how times have changed, and not for the better, either. Life was sure simpler then. Hope you are getting all these things down on paper for posterity! Post some more when you have time! Thanks! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), June 25, 2000.

Thanks, Hoot. Your reminisces make my day.

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), June 30, 2000.