this is a post a friend of mine posted over on pp. Mike is a good guy and if he says his friend is a good guy, i'm sure he is. this is his post.
Fellow Knappers
I just received a phone call from the Game Warden in the next county. He told me that a good friend of mine lost his house to a fire. My friends name is Herman Simpson. He is a Lauderdale County Sheriff Deputy in Ripley Tn. and a very good fellow. Herman is alot older than me and something of a mentor. He taught me to tie fishing jigs and make pens and bowls duck calls etc. He is a slow talking country fellow thats generous and patient. I first met him in 2004 while working a crash in his county. I pulled up to the scene and this round bellied , slow talking deputy helped me with traffic as we worked the scene. I liked him from the start. I came to find out later that he loved hunting for arrowheads too. Since then we 've been pretty good buddies. He is always giving me fruit jams, blackberries, figs, peaches, wood for pens, fishing jigs, etc. He sends my wife fresh cut roses from his rose garden when they are blooming. He's made me shadow boxes for arrowheads, benches to sit on while I knap. His wife has even made dresses for my little girl. When Herman isn't fighting crime he is usually in his shop making something. Herman and his wife Jackie aren't rich folks. But they are definately good folks.
I called Herman right after I heard the bad news, he was in good spirits. He has insurance and the home will be replaced. He says he had extra clothes in the shop and his guns survived the fire. He mostly lost the contents of the living room kitchen and dining room. I asked him what he needed and he said Jackie and him were okay. He said his arrowhead collection was lost. It was very close to the source of the fire. He said he found one arrowhead that made it through the fire. Herman had a great collection of points. He had alot of archaic points and woodland points. He even had a few quads and 1 cumberland. I guess he had maybe 300 to 400 points mounted in two old gun cases he retrofitted into a display case.
I had made him a dozen or so points that he framed in a separate shadow box. They were lost too. He said to me " Im sure going to miss my Arguello Points". I told him those points of mine wern't worth anything. He said " they were priceless to him". So I want to help him get his collection back. I think he would appreciate that more than any money or anything else.
If anyone here on the board would like to donate a modern point or even an authentic point, I know he will appreciate it. Even a beginner point will be appreciated. Herman had all grades of points in his collection. He liked them all. Im not sure how to coordinate this but I will try and figure something out. Im going by his place in the morning and going to take some pictures and find out where he is staying . Tomorow I am also going to try and call all the knappers I know that dont use the internet and try and hit them all up for a point for Herman.. I would like yalls help too. So if you got some buddies that knap and dont come to this site please hit them up for me too.
Let me know if you can help. I will get some details about where to send the points. If he is going to be checking his mail at his home I will get his address posted.. Thanks guys.
Michael Arguello
Tennessee Highway Patrol's Finest Flintknapper ( mostly cause Im the only one doing it ...)
aka MexiMike
731-445-1419
ps I dont visit alot of the knapping sites but I know some of you guys do. Please feel free to copy and paste this to any other sites if you like.
here is his adress, please siign all modern points.
Herman Simpson
1871 Concord Rd.
Gates Tn. 38037
