This is the eighth installment in a series of posts delving into the rich historical and literary background of my novel, “Nuff Sed: A Novel of Desert Steve.”
In this chapter, titled “If He Tells the Truth He Would Starve” we journey back to 1907 and 1908, which takes place in the town of Coffeyville, Kansas. The chapter reveals the birth of Steve and Lydia’s first child, Thurman, and Steve’s subsequent encounters with church leaders, culminating in a significant confrontation.
Historicity and Fiction
The doctor who delivers Thurman is fictional, but the birthdate is historical (September 19, 1907). We also get some foreshadows into Steve’s view of society, culture, and his increasing difficulty being a pastor of a church in a small town.
The scene where Steve greets his parishioners as they leave church after service is fictional, of course, but some of the frustration Steve experiences are historical. The reference to the upcoming baseball World Series with the Tigers and the Cubs is historical.
Bishop Shaun is fictional, but the structure of the church, the authority of the bishops, is historically accurate. The problems that the bishop sees in Steve’s work are historical, as is Steve’s response to being reprimanded.
Desert Steve’s Quotes
The title of this chapter is derived from Desert Steve’s small booklet titled Philosophy and Sayings of Desert Steve. This particular quote originates from a section titled “Steve’s Dictionary,” where an entry for “Preacher” is found. The complete definition reads,
PREACHER—if he tells the truth would starve if he wasn’t shot.
Obviously, this old writing of Steve’s displays his frustration with having been a preacher.
Other Historical Events
- On October 12, 1907, the Chicago Cubs clinched their first World Series Championship with a 4-0-1 series victory against the Detroit Tigers, defeating them 2-0 at Bennett Park.
- Steve’s sister, Rose Adele Ragsdale, marries Roy William Knox in Coffeyville on October 29, 1907.
- The Panic of 1907 was triggered by a run on banks following a run on the Knickerbocker trust company on October 22.
- On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma officially became the 46th state of the United States.
Continued Journey
The next chapter, titled “California, Twixt the River and the Sea (1908),” explores Steve’s decision to move the family to the Palo Verde Valley in East Southern California to grow cotton.
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Desert. Sun. Sand. No roads or human settlements within fifty miles in any direction. The perfect place to found a town?
That’s what Steve Ragsdale believed. So he and his wife bundled up their four kids in their 1915 Ford Model T, bought a local prospector’s shack and well, and built a fuel station (50-gallon drum), a repair garage, and café. He advertised “Free food on days the sun doesn’t shine” and “No drunks, no dogs—we prefer dogs.” He was the owner, sheriff, rockhound, author, naturalist, desert guide, and Santa Claus at Christmas.
He became one of the local “desert rats” and earned the moniker “Desert Steve.” Along the way, he became part of history: the Colorado Aqueduct, the construction of the first State and National highways, the invention of prepaid healthcare, General Patton and World War II, the largest iron mine in the United States, flying saucer sightings, murder, and much more.
Based on a true story, this is the tale of a quirky, clever, and bold man who pursued a dream, wrote bad poetry, and found ways to survive when many would have perished or packed it in.
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