Throughout time, there are good days and bad days. A terrible day remembered by the Loftin's is the famous timber mill riot in 1912 at Galloway Lumber Company, known as the "Grabow Riot." This riot was the defining event in the attempt to organize locals and unionize sawmill workers in the State of Louisiana. The Brotherhood effectively was destroyed by the spring of 1914. After the riot, Rilla Loftin Grantham's husband Willis was cut down from a tree by a bad hombre, called "Leather Britches" and saved from being hanged by the Union Workers. Willis Grantham had not been involved in the riot but was the bookkeeper for the Galloway Lumber Company in the Grabow community southwest of DeRidder.

For relief from the hot drudgery of working in the fields, Saturday night dances were held - No Drinking or Cussing allowed. Frank, husband of Gussie Loftin Townsley, could belt out some toe tapping - clapping - lively fiddle tunes. Then in recent times, a great loss to Gussie's son Rex Townsley was his father's fiddle, a prized possession that burned during a fire that destroyed his home and all of his belongings.

Events in 1941 - The construction of Camp Polk, DeRidder Army Air Base and the big Louisiana Maneuvers, bring 500,000 men to this rural area. - All changed life in our civilian communities.

Towns are overwhelmed with hoards of soldiers. Soldiers from the North hated drill sergeants from the South. Soldiers from the South hated the cold weather in the North. Bathrooms and refrigerators are shared when local civilians open their homes to military families. Albert and Lois Loftin who lived on Royal Street, shared their home with military families as did many other locals.

The President of the U.S. recognizes that an acute shortage of GI recreational facilities existed. This led to the opening of the DeRidder USO. The USO was the first of 3000 service centers to be built that gave the GI's a respite from military life. It was a place to relax, find food and refreshments, and best of all, pretty dancing partners: Eloise and Willie Mae, daughters of Nathan Loftin.

The USO continued to be used throughout the Korean Conflict when dancing partners were: Anna and Mary, daughters of Orville and Cecile Loftin Snapp; Pat and Velmer, daughters of Alvin and Beatrice Bertschy and Addie Mae, daughter of Charlie and Zillie Loftin Grantham.

Open to any enlisted man in "good standing" the USO allowed no drinking or fighting. It was considered to be a place to have good clean fun. An interesting note - After meeting at the USO, many marriages were "Made in Heaven". The USO was the place where girls met or danced with their Soul Mate: Addie Grantham and Bill Sweikert, Anna Snapp and Darvin Rothering and Mary Snapp and W.D. Earles.

During the military mission of the DeRidder Army Airport and Gunnery Range, 1942 - 1945, Cecile Loftin Snapp's husband Orville worked at the air base as did Nathan Loftin's daughters, Eloise and Willie Mae.

Now, for all who believe in the inheritance of family genes, "intelligent" genes are attributed to Lester Loftin. He entered school at the age of 5 and after half of a school term was promoted to the second grade. At age 15 he had graduated from school and was ready for college. He was not drafted for World War II, as were his brothers Albert and Pershing. Instead, he was sent by the Government to Washington D.C. to take care of Agriculture. After all, our nation had to eat during the war. Lester, a very limber and agile man was known for walking on his hands and performing at family reunions.