Heyyyy, howdeeee! (to quote a friend of mine!) Welllllp... We are still running auditions for the Bald Knobber Re-enactment (the play we've written entitled "The League: Taney County Justice"), and would you believe there is a dearth of men in their 30s and 40s who want to come play with us? Ingrid and I haven't yet resorted to yanking men off the street and asking them if they can act, but the corner of Hwys 65 and 76 has stop lights that sometimes take forever to change and we think we might be successful if we hang out down there. I even went out to the electric co-operative, where my dad works, and actively recruited some of the linemen. With my daddy's permission, I might add. I got there a little before the guys--most of whom I grew up selling Girl Scout cookies and whatever else they made us do from school, to--clocked out...some of those very same fellas I've known all my life hid from me, and when I was standing outside as the figurative whistle blew, they took off running for their trucks, telling me hello and a couple of them lied and said they were scared of horses. (I know better). Gee, you'd think any man would jump at the chance to ride horses, shoot guns, and hang people. <BG> However, as you know, I'm a persistent squeaky wheel, and am not above batting eyelashes and acting hopelessly helpless to get what I need. Greg has even been calling upon about everyone he knows--and it's quite an extensive list--trying to get men to come be in the play. I think he's afraid he's going to end up with about 3 roles in the play, and he wants to watch it instead of be in it. The re-enactment will take place 19 May at Shadow Rock Park; it is one of the activities of Law Day 2001: Outlaw Roundup, which is a benefit to raise funds to restore the old Taney County Jail, home of the White River Valley Historical Society. There are over 40 speaking roles, and we need about 20 extra men who can yell, as well. That sed... I am looking for family stories about the Bald Knobbers to have in the exhibits at the Jail. Now that I think on it, I'm not interested in just the BK, but anyone who is descended from victims of crimes committed in the 18 & 1900s, or the descendants of the so-called "criminals" themselves. (I say so-called, because some of the family feuds, e.g. the Bilyeu-Meadows shootout in 1898, have some reason on both sides to be right and wrong.) The BK themselves are still a touchy subject in Taney County, with folks on both sides even these days. I am in the process of getting some exhibits done for "Roundup", and a good example of this would be... 1) A father who was shot and/or otherwise victimized by a bushwhacker during or shortly after the Civil War. 2) My grandmother recorded a song about the Fleagle Gang some years ago. It was a ballad written after Jake Fleagle was shot by law officers at the Branson Railroad Depot in 1931. Jake and one of his brothers had lived out south of Hollister, near Ridgedale, for quite a while under pseudonyms; law officers set a trap and when he showed up, he was killed. We are going to have the song playing near the exhibit. 3) Bonnie and Clyde ran through southern MO, kidnapping a young boy in Stone County and making him show them the way out of the backcountry area, into AR. The boy was released unharmed, I believe in Carroll Co. 4) There is no documented evidence that Jesse James actually lived in the White River Valley, under his real name or not, but there are stories of him riding through and taking meals and spending the night with various families. Again, I don't know if it was really him, for the things attributed to him would have taken him 3 or 4 lifetimes to actually do. 5) William Quantrill was not from the White River Valley, and apparently was never really near it. There is some evidence that he was in the Lawrence-Dade-Vernon County areas of MO at various times; there is also some evidence that many of his followers moved into the White River Valley after his death. If you would really make my job easier, I would love to hear your stories. If you don't want your name used as a source, that's fine (just tell me--I keep secrets). If you are searching for more information on someone in your ancestry or a family friend, it would be neat if someone reads your story at Outlaw Roundup, and contacted me (then I'd contact you), saying, "I knew about this!" or something similar. If you don't particularly want to remain anonymous, post 'em to the lists, and let others read them. MAKE SURE you holler "Hey, Vonda" in the process, else I might not realize I'm supposed to be catching a certain story or something for Roundup (I'm a little obtuse at times...) Otherwise, e me privately with your info, and I'll keep your name out of it! BTW, Don Houk--Georgine has called me thrice wondering if you are still around! <BG> Vonda ListMom for MOTaney and MO-AR-WRV http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~moarwrv/ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gregvonda/