According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th edition, Gambling is:
1. To play games of chance for money or some other stake
2. To take a risk in order to gain some advantage.

I recently came across a newspaper article relating a story from the 1860s about a Union County man reminiscing about almost getting “churched” for gambling! A Mr. Brock owned a store at Hogskin or Blackfox and people were there on a Saturday morning with Mr. Brock organizing a “beef shoot.”

As all little boys would want to do, a little boy in the community was at the store and wanted to participate. It was known in the community that he had developed the skills of a good marksman. He was asked to purchase a chance to shoot, but he told them he had no money. A Mr. Cook, who just happened to be the “Squire” of the District was also in attendance to support the event, but he didn’t feel he was a very good shot. So, he made a deal with the little boy that he (Mr. Cook) would buy the opportunity to shoot but let the little boy shoot for him. If the little boy won, they would half the prize. It so happened that the little boy did win, and his prize was a hind quarter of beef.

Word soon got around the community about the “beef shoot,” and it became a matter to be taken up by the church. The little boy, a Christian, was to come before the church to repent or be turned out of the church. On that occasion there was quite a trial by the members of the church. They made their case and decided the little boy was guilty of the sin of gambling and recommended turning him out of the church. They did, however, give the little boy the opportunity to defend himself. They asked if he was sorry; and, of course, he told the truth–that he didn’t know he’d done wrong, that he was proud of his ability to shoot and that the family was enjoying the wonderful “ham” of beef. Why, no, he wasn’t sorry. After all, he had shot for Mr. Cook–and wasn’t he the Squire of the District?

Case dismissed.!

Note: After the boy grew up he operated a flour and corn mill in the area and told the story to Claude Capps who, as a ten year old, had taken some corn to the mill to be ground. Claude Capps made a doctor and later returned to medical school and made an opthamologist and an author. The picture included here is of Doctor Capps books.