Prof. Pepper's Travelin' Medicine Show

My great uncle was James Obed Baker, DDS. He had been a Ag teacher for 15 years, while working his way through West Texas State Teacher's College (now WTAM). He loved to hunt and fish all his life. He lived a very exciting, from pranks with his brothers on the farm to meeting Al Capone. He liked to share the stories of his life with us, going to and from the farm he grew up on in Central Texas.  During these trips, Uncle Obed got to where he would repeat his stories near the end of his 97 years on this Earth. But, he always told at least one story that he had never told before. That includes the following story, on his last outing with us. A week later, he was was hospitalized for the first time in his life. Two weeks after that, he was dead. All of my life, I wondered why Uncle Obed’s nose looked the way it was. It was formed normal, but seemed to be mostly scar tissue.  My dad and I were in the pickup with him, on our way to the farm to fix some fence. Uncle Obed related the...

  One of the greatest early Texans was John Coffee Hays.  He was born outside of Nashville, TN into the Donelson family, founders of that great city.  His father Harmon and Uncle Robert rode with Gen. John Coffee during the War of 1812.  Hays' uncle was their ultimate commander, Gen. Andrew Jackson.  Hays was born a year after their return from the war, and was named in honor of their commander.  Uncle Robert dubbed him "Jack", the proper noun by which he would be known to friends, family, and compadres in arms throughout his life. After a stint at the Davidson Academy, Jack Hays learned of the Texas War for Independence from Mexico.  This struggle was being led by Gen. Sam Houston, who was meant to be Jackson's political  protégé.  [Personal problems took Houston off that path, but Houston was back on track in Texas.  A perfect story for another time!]  Anyway, Andrew Jackson provided young Jack Hays with letters of introduction an...