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Book
Review
Traces
Of
Silver
Message
Tree Staff
Many
of you that read THE MESSAGE TREE, have e-mailed us
requesting information regarding where you might
find interesting material specific to the central
Ozarks, especially the legend of the Lost Yoachum
Silver Mine and Silver Dollar and other folk lore
relative to Eastern Stone and Western Taney
Counties. In our February issue, we brought to you
reprints of selected articles that Jim Barrett has
written during the last several years for the Stone
County Gazette and with this issue we would like to
share with you a review of a book that although it
has been out in print for some time, many of you
might not be familiar with it.
Traces
Of Silver by Artie Ayres is one book that
we feel that many of you, especially those of you
with roots in Stone County, will thoroughly enjoy.
Today there are numerous books that have been
published, books that tell the story of the Central
Ozarks, some written by newcomers, folks that have
retired or relocated to the region, and other
volumes have been wrote by natives, people that
have "lived" the story of the hills all their
lives. Mr. Ayres is one of those native sons that
remembers the history of the mountains from first
hand experience.
Published
in 1982 Traces Of Silver, tells the
story of the Reed Springs, Branson West, and Table
Rock area of Eastern Stone County. Numerous photos
and illustrations supplement Mr. Ayres' account of
the life and times of settlers and their
descendants, in that region, based on his research
and first hand knowledge.
Mr.
Ayres, tells the story of the Yoachums and the
legendary lost mine that according to local lore
still contains a hoard of silver, the same silver
that the Yoachums used to mint their trade dollars.
He tells of how his father came to the region,
married Fern Goodall, then spent the rest of his
life searching for the elusive treasure. And at the
end of the book he relates his own efforts in
locating the cave that is said to contain the vein
of silver that so far has been lost to
antiquity.
But
the story of the Silver Mine is not the only
subject of this book, as Mr. Ayres includes
chapters that provides vignettes into life in the
region over the last two centuries, from the first
settlers, to the days just before the coming of
Table Rock Lake and that lifestyle enjoyed by those
who lived on the banks of the White River, a
lifestyle now only a memory buried beneath the
waters of that same lake.
Those
of you that remember the author's Mother, Fern
(Goodall) Ayres, who was a long time educator in
the region, will certainly enjoy the chapter
entitled "Pioneer School Teachers." I know that
many of you that are active on the MOSTONE
genealogy lists have mentioned that you studied in
a one room school house, or after the time of
school consolidation, you had Mrs. Ayres as a
teacher. Or perhaps your parents have mentioned
this lady as being their favorite teacher, in any
case, you will find this chapter both informative
and entertaining.
Various
chapters in the book such as, Yocum Pond, (the)
First Doctor in Reed Spring, Tie Hackers, Growin
"Maters" (tomatos were an important cash crop in
the area and was also known as Red Gold), The
Wilderness Road "Hangin" Tree, The Mail Delivery,
as well as the other chapters, are far from dry
boring history, but rather stories told as only a
native Ozarker can tell a story, with introspection
and humor. In conclusion, TRACES OF SILVER, in our
opinion, is a good, fun read. A book that should be
a part of every collection of Ozarks history, folk
lore, and legend.
Traces Of Silver, 147 pages, 5
½ by 8 ½ soft cover. For sale by the
author, $8.95 post paid. Send check or money order
to Mr. Artie Ayres, P.O. Box 2057, Branson West,
Missouri 65737.
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Stone
Creek Crossing
