Thursday, February 7, 2013

Coot Buckels Celebrates His Birthday

From the John Holly Williams Collection -- LLF Library
"Blowing Out the Candles, Undated. Coot Buckels leans over to blow out the candles. A young boy and girl stand on each side." -- Library caption.
This is another one of those fun photos from the library collection about which I wish knew more.  First, there's the man's name -- Coot Buckels brings to mind a sidekick to a 1950s cowboy movie star.  Even the cake draws the imagination further in that direction with the likeness of a horse.

While it's hard to make out, my best guess is the candles signify his 90th birthday, given his cane and the concern that the woman seems to have in steadying his balance over the cake. If my guess is correct, then this photo is likely from the fall of 1973.  
A quick Google search of his nickname revealed a genealogy site that shows his given name to be Charles Houston Buckels, born on Halloween 1883. He married Catherine Luvenia (Katie) Calcote. 
If the information on the web is accurate, they had at least two daughters, Ethel Buckels Lee, 1903-1979, and Vincie Viola Buckels Norton, who was born Feb. 28, 1907, in Franklin County and died October 4, 1993, in Brookhaven.  

A search of FindaGrave reveals that after this photo was taken, Coot lived another 10 years, dying just shy of his 101st birthday on Aug. 7, 1984.   
I would love to know more about this man with the memorable name.  As always, if anyone out there can tell us more, please pipe up here or on my Facebook page.

1 comment:

  1. Just stumbled upon your blog. Coot Buckles lived in Lucien, and was the nearest thing to a veterinarian for the Lucien, Independence, Shucktown, and McCall Creek area. I can remember him coming to our old barn to treat the milk cow and/or the two old horses we had in the late 50's/early 60's.

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