Last week, we left Steve back in Taiwan (seems he liked it there) with President Nixon still in office. Steve relates that Taiwan was dismissed from the United Nations, with China replacing them. (I must admit that though I was in college and taking Political Science courses, I do not remember all the ins-and-outs of the political scenes across the world. Commerce, Texas, was enough to occupy my few non-collegiate thoughts most of the time!)
He also relates that getting to know the Taiwanese culture and some of the people caused him to be very unhappy with this turn of events. What he had seen of their “peaceful” country and the people’s desire for peace and “to be left alone” had made him have good thoughts about the people and the area.
After returning to “the States,” his experiences and observations of events led him to “become more politically active and to get involved with a new and very conservative and very anti-Communist political party, known as the American Party! We fielded/supported several candidates at that time, including one for Texas Governor.”
“Those we supported were not successful, but I felt then and still do that we must participate to protect our freedoms and ways of life. Through some of the people I met at American Party activities and also from information I heard on conservative ‘talk radio’ in Dallas in the mid-1970s, I became very interested in the U. S. income tax system and its constitutionality and attended regular meetings with hundreds of like-minded and concerned Americans—and we studied tax laws as well as our Constitution. I considered these people some of the most patriotic I have ever met.”
“Eventually, some of my activities and some interactions with IRS agents led to my being indicted on what I considered an ill-defined charge of ‘failure to supply information to the IRS.’ In the late 1970s I went to trial in the Federal District Court in Dallas, which led to some very unique experiences.”
“Judge Sarah Hughes (who swore in Lyndon Johnson as President after the assassination of President Kennedy) chose to ‘try’ me. After the trial and my conviction, where I ‘did’ my own summation to the jury, I also addressed the Judge at my sentencing about my beliefs and stance as a Christian. She said that she did not care what my beliefs were and that I was going to obey her decisions and sentencing. What she probably did not realize was that I was going to ‘rely’ upon God no matter what! She sentenced me to three months in Federal Prison.”
“I then reported to the prison at Seagoville, Texas, where another opportunity for different experiences and meeting new people developed! One person in particular, who stood out, was Mr. Underwood of the ‘restaurant chain,’ who was there at the same time. Also, my situation was only a ‘misdemeanor’ charge, so I was not left later with any forfeiture of rights.”
MOVING ON: “I met and married my wife, Vicki, and we have a grown son and daughter and ten GRANDCHILDREN. We live on what was a part of the farm of my Grandparents, Sol and Lou Eudy, at the ‘spillway end’ of the Lake Ray Hubbard dam. My wife, Vicki, is related to the ‘late’ teacher/coach/ superintendent, Johnnie Henderson, and was introduced to me by my cousin, Darlene Eudy Montgomery, while we were attending 1st Baptist Church in Forney.”
“Our CHILDREN, Amanda and Adam, attended Forney Schools after we moved here and did so until my wife and I started ‘homeschooling’ them during their middle school years.”
“During these past years, we have both ‘lost’ our parents but have continued to ‘move on.’ Vicki became very active in Republican Party elections activities, ran unsuccessfully for political office, worked for the County Clerk’s Office, and was an Administrative Assistant for several County Commissioners over the years before her retirement. Because of her (our) associations with Kaufman County involvements, we have had numerous opportunities to meet so many interesting people and to experience unique and memorable events.”
The OLD CAR HOBBY & great memories—“We have had ‘old trucks’ used in small ‘parts’ in the Walker, Texas Ranger television shows, and a few years before that, our 1933 Ford Sedan was used in some scenes of a movie about racing, called Wheels of Fire. Also, some of our old (vintage) vehicles have been used in photo shoots for ‘personal glamour shots’ by various photographers and also used in local parades for County Clerk, Laura Hughes.”
“Also through the ‘old car hobby’ and various travels, I have met some of the people well-known in the ‘streetrodding circles,’ such as the ‘late’ Gary Meadows, one of the founders of the ‘Good Guys’ car show organization—and Pete Eastwood, the ‘late’ Bill Burnham, and others.”
“Through the ‘home school’ families here in Forney, we became friends with the Curtis Tippit family and his ‘late’ Mother, Marie Tippit, widow of slain Dallas Policeman, J. D. Tippit, killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. And, we also knew the ‘late’ Jim Lovell, who was standing by Oswald, when he was shot by Jack Ruby.
Since moving to Forney, our family has had some of the very best neighbors and friends that could be found anywhere!”
Conclusion: “Very recently, while driving on Highway 80 in Forney, I lost consciousness and ‘crashed’ at 70 miles per hour, destroying my pick-up truck but surviving with relatively minor injuries. All-in-all, as I look back, I have had experiences that, while unex pected and unique for the most part, are no more or less important than those of anyone else but have made life an interesting ‘journey.’ With all my mistakes and blunders, could I have been and done better? Probably, but I am thankful to the Lord that I have survived and thrived and am here today!”
*Note—Steve Davis has made donations of written historical materials and also of actual items during the past year or two. We greatly appreciate his help with keeping Forney Histor y alive.*
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