C. T. Suddeth

THE REAL DESOTO?

August 23, 2019 by ctsuddeth

Desoto’s army landed in the southeastern USA in 1541. Some people believe he went north first, passing through Kentucky and crossing the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana in search of the Pacific Ocean. His scouts journeyed to Lake Michigan but realized it was not the Pacific (Lake Michigan is not saltwater, so it is not ocean). Desoto then veered west. He killed and fought for gold, too. He found neither ocean nor gold, but he did find his own death.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Desoto | Leave a Comment »

WHEN YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A GUNSLINGER WHO MAKES FUN OF YOU?

August 22, 2019 by ctsuddeth

Everyone. Big Nose Kate was the common-law wife of Doc Holliday. Mária Izabella Magdolna Horony was born in Hungary in 1849 and died in Arizona in 1940, age of 90, 53 years after Doc died. She later married a couple times but had no children that I am aware of.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged gunfighter | Leave a Comment »

WHY I BECAME A BAD BOY

August 21, 2019 by ctsuddeth

According to Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday was the best gunfighter in the west. (they were best friends) John Henry “Doc” Holliday—born August 14, 1851 in Georgia, died November 8, 1887 in Colorado. He was a dentist, gambler, and gunfighter. While no man could take him on, bacteria could. He died of TB.

As a boy, Doc Holliday was my hero, the man I wanted to be. I blame it all on him.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Doc Holliday, gunfighter | Leave a Comment »

Why I write about horses

August 20, 2019 by ctsuddeth

This photo (rescued by my sister Angela Gruenwald) is me at age 8. I thought I was Doc Holiday, legendary gunfighter. I still like horses and cowboys and adventure. Nowadays I just write about it. I sneak horses into most of my books, though Doc Holiday has not made an appearance in my books. Okay, I admit it–I still think I’m Doc Holiday.

Happy trails to you.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cowboys, horses | Leave a Comment »

THE GRANDDADDY OF PIRATE STRONGHOLDS

August 18, 2019 by ctsuddeth

Cave-In-Rock was THE base for Ohio River pirates from 1790 to the 1870s. River pirates included Samuel Mason and the Harpe Brothers. It is on the Ohio River just west of Shawneetown, Illinois. Isaiah Potts operated the Potts Inn to waylay those foolish enough to travel by land.

Nowadays the cave is part of Cave-In-Rock State Park. The sleepy village of Cave-In-Rock grew up around Potts Inn (there is now a Potters Church). Several movies featured Cave-In-Rock.

My grandfather, Orval Pait, was from Shawneetown. For a few years his father, Alonzo Pait, lived in the village of Cave-In-Rock, no word of whether he was a pirate (just kidding, Alonzo was an itinerant minister).