She leaves a legacy that far outweighs the outlaw

The late Yvonne Vestal had a long affection for Bloomburg, its history and stories.

This is especially the story that has kept Bloomburg famous. This is Cullen Baker and the fair named after him.

Yvonne, a teacher and journalist, identified the era she wrote a book in. That meant all the more she wouldn’t be able to escape his reputation.

The Cullen Baker Fair is named for an unsavory character, however, it is the county’s largest - it attracts thousands each year, and adds to a mystery - is this fellow being honored or not?

Vestal takes a historian’s perspective.

“I don’t approve of what he did or how he handled things. But he was approved by some, for a time,” Vestal said in an interview. “He was a product of his time, 1835-1869. No one understands it all. Do we even need to have a fair with the name Cullen Bak- er? Call it the Bloomburg Country Fair? It wouldn’t be as popular.”

The overall story of Cullen Baker is that he was something of a legend. He aided some but was a desperado to others and feared by many. One of Vestal’s quotes is as follows, “My mother told me that when she was little and Baker and his men would come riding up, she would gather all the kids and take them inside, out of the yard.”

Said another, “My father told me so many stories about Uncle Cullen. He always thought Uncle Cullen was right.”

A third person quoted says this. “My daddy and uncle used to sit by the fire at night and tell us Cullen Baker stories. I was so scared, I’d go to bed and pull the cover up over my head,” Vestal’s history covers this area, during and just after the Civil War. It’s a tough time, a troubled era of history, both Southern and American.

“I learned a lot in the research on this book,” Vestal said. “There was not much history about his time when I published in 1978. Sometimes I wonder why people find this book interesting and Bloomburg interesting, too. I live here, and it’s just another place for me. To me, Baker was someone who went wrong in a difficult time and had to be dealt with.”

Baker was killed by a small group of neighbors in Cass County. His body, according to one historian, was dragged through the streets of Bloomburg on its way to the authorities in Shreveport, Louisiana. There had been a reward offer. He’s buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Jefferson.

As for her book, Yvonne said she’d sold it through the year’s most often as a fund raiser. Sometimes for as little as $5, maybe for $20. Finally, she had one box full left at $10.

“I’ve tried to get out of it… (writing about Baker),” Vestal said. “Honestly, I have. Do I want to go to my rest known only for having written this? No, but I think I’m stuck.”

Ed’s Note: Yvonne Nichols Vestal died July 14 at her home in Bloomburg after having recently promoted and publicized the Cullen Baker Fair. Vestal was an admired community leader.