The Four Sacketts

Left to right: Emmitt Sackett, Elmo Sackett, Logan Sackett, and Elwood Sackett. This photograph was taken in Durango, Colorado after the first successful Sackett Gerbil Drive.

Rare Early Photograph of Logan Sackett

Logan's Story

Elwood, Elmo and Emmitt had covered every place the Elliot's had ever hid out but hadn't found a trace of little brother Logan. It had been nye on a week since that last glimpse of Logan headin up the Clinch mountain trail. The boys were purt near tuckered out and were wonderin if they'd ever see Logan again. They had built a small fire up against a flat rock which provided a bit of warm air drifting toward the boys and slowing the chill of the building darkness. Wern't much grub but the squirl that Elwood had shot that afternoon was roastn on the fire and would taste mighty good. It was stone cold still and the boy's thought they heard something, a sound, in the quiet chilly air. There was no mistake, it was the Sackett signal whistle. Elmo, the better whistler, returned the signal. The boys took cover and waited in the stillness. The leaves rustled with an approaching animal. Sure nuff in rode Logan on his familiar horse. The boys were shore happy to be together again. Logan said Jeb Elliot got the drop on him when he crossed Sackett Creek and took him over to Needmore to the old Yandell cabin. Last night while Jeb was guarding him Logan got loose and whacked Jeb in the head with a rifle butt. He took old Jeb down to the Needmore store and tied him to the hitchin post. He said he hid till mornin and watched everybody laughin at Jeb. Logan said Jeb was fightin mad. Then Logan headed to where he figured the boys would be and now things are back to even in Sackett Valley.

The Elliot's Kidnap Logan

The soft haze of a wood fire drifted like a lazy cloud over Sackett Valley on this cold winter mornin. The Sackett boys were all back in the valley for a long overdue visit with the family. The boys sure enjoyed the wild game and trimmins they had at Pa Sacketts shack on Christmas day. Somethin about gettin together at Christmas made the hard times seem a little easier. The only problem was that the no good Elliot boys had come back to the valley to visit their ner-do-well bunch over on the other side of Sackett Creek. A few days after Christmas Logan wanted to take a ride to see Sadie Lou Jackson over near where the trail starts up the south side of Clinch mountain. The boys told him that the trail he was takin came near where the Elliots were hangin out. Logan had a fast horse and said he'd be OK. When two days past an Logan didn't make it back the boys started to worry a bit. About the time they were gettin ready to set out lookin for Logan they spotted the dust from a running horse commin up the trail. They thought it was Logan but they soon realized it was Murl Ryan. The news wasn't good, Murl told the boys that he had seen three Elliot boys riddin up the Clinch moumtain trail with Logan tied up on his horse being led by Jeb Elliot. Well, that's it for the Christmas rest, Emmitt, Elmo and Elwood loaded up their rifles and headed for Clinch mountain. Them Elliots have stirred up a hornets nest that won't stop till Logan is back and the Elliot boys get their due.

Sacketts Ride

Left to right: Logan, Elmo, Emmitt, and Elwood Sackett.

Trouble at the Cabin

Logan lay flat on his belly and peered down at Elmo's cabin. There was no sign of life, no sign that anybody had even been there for weeks. Logan carefully scanned the yard, the chicken coop, the outhouse that Elmo had bought from a catalog and was so proud of...nothing to indicate any humans had been around. But something nagged at Logan; he couldn't quite place it but something in the picture that lay before him wasn't quite right. Logan looked until his eyes hurt, but couldn't figure out what was causing that feeling. Slowly, he crept out of the brush and began to crawl down the slope to get nearer to the cabin. He managed to disturb a rabbit that was hidden in the brush; the rabbit scampered out toward the cabin but then made a sweeping turn and headed back up the slope. That's strange, Logan thought. A scared rabbit out to be running downhill, not up. That only added to Logan's feelings of concern. Maybe that rabbit know's something I don't, Logan thought to himself.

As Logan neared the house, he realized he was losing his cover and would be putting himself in danger by continuing to crawl. Might as well stand up, he thought. He was in the process of gathering himself up when he suddenly fell down a flat as he could and stayed motionless. That's what it is, he thought. Elmo's water bucket was on a wooden ledge by the front door. The gourd dipper handle was visible, sticking up from the bucket. Logan knew his brother Elmo would never have left that gourd in the bucket. It always hung on a nail by the door. Somebody had been there; maybe was still there and maybe had a bead on him right now, and he was helpless to do anything about it. Logan wished he was invisible like he had bragged to his brothers. Just then, Logan heard the faint sound of voices. Two people were coming up the road to the cabin. They would pass within a few feet of Logan. Logan knew he had about 10 seconds to figure out what to do.

Elmo's Mashed Finger

Seems that Elmo and Elwood went down to Dave Carpenters blacksmith shop last Saturday to get Dave to fix the rusty wheel on the old brown wagon. Elwood was tryin to help when he swung the heavy hammer down on the rusty ole wheel and slapdab hit Elmo's thumb square as if he'd been aiming. What followed was not pretty to see. Elmo cut loose so bad Sofie next door called Glenn Abbott to come and see what happened. Glenn was the only law around and he asked Elmo what happened. He also said Sofie was upset about the words that was yelled. Elmo looked at Glenn and said. Well Glenn I got my finger smashed and I looked up at Elwood and said, " really Elwood you must be more careful".