In reference to the Nov. 19 “Past Tense, 75 years ago—1933.”

First, I want to thank you and The Post-Searchlight for your weekly articles representing past happenings in and around Decatur County.

Now, with a short update from that kid from 1933 mentioned in your reflection. On that Saturday morning in 1933 as a 14-year-old with my 410-gauge shotgun in hand, I went out into our woods near, what is now called the Antioch Church Road, to go squirrel hunting.

Having no luck and returning home, I happened along side a large stump hole, and there lay what I thought was a large rattlesnake. Seeing our neighbor—Elijah Williams—across the road at his home, I called to him and he came running with his garden hoe. Mr. Williams reached out with his hoe and touched that snake, which then immediately coiled and prepared to strike. With no luck squirrel hunting, I had my one shot that day to put an end to that old snake. I remember, just as reported in the paper, that snake had 10 rattlers.

The story did not quite end there. Arriving home, there on the front porch sitting with my Daddy was a stranger. As I came up on their conversation with my excitement, I discovered that stranger was from the newspaper in Bainbridge and my memory was that he was either attempting to have my Daddy subscribe to the newspaper or possibly renew the family’s subscription. Upon hearing my story, the gentleman from Bainbridge said, “I’m going to the office and have your story published.”

Now, 75 years later at the age of 89 and living in a log cabin a few hundred feet from the spot where I made an exciting shot in 1933, I discover my name in The Post-Searchlight once again!

The road has changed, yet the woods still look much the same. I’m the fourth generation in our Johnson family to have lived on this special south Georgia ground since 1855. We still subscribe to The Post-Searchlight and our family is still lucky to call Decatur County as our home.

Many thanks,

E. Edwin Johnson