Paxton Williams stopped to visit a couple of weeks ago. He had performed earlier at the Carver Monument as part of their storytelling day. That day he had given a talk on Paul Laurence Dunbar, the great poet and novelist who died in 1906 at age 34.
We got a good report of how the performance went, and got caught up on Paxton's life in general. After he left his position at the Carver Monument, he went to law school and is now living in Des Moines, Iowa, working for the state's attorney general.
As we talked, we got on the subject of all the interesting things and people who have been associated with Neosho or Newton County. There is first of all, George Washington Carver who Paxton impersonates in a one-man show. In fact, next year will be the 20th anniversary of Paxton doing his Carver reenactments. I don't recall the exact number of performance he has put on, but I am thinking it is 400. He hasportrayed Carver in several states and in England.
To commemorate the 20th year, Paxton is writing a book which will include the many interesting things and people he has come across while doing his show.
Additionally, we talked about other things or people that have a local connection.
Paxton was most interested in Hugh Robinson, the early aviator, and Herman Jaeger, the wine maker. He is also a fan of Aunt Mariah Watkins. Other subjects that we talked about were James Scott, Thomas Hart Benton, Rocketdyne, Camp Crowder, and Newtonia in the Civil War.
It was great having Paxton here but our visits are never long enough. He loves coming back to Southwest Missouri and tries to keep up with old friends and co-workers. Paxton gets around all over the map with his artistic endeavors, which is a big relief from his pressure-pack daily life as a lawyer,
His current schedule includes a trip to Tuskegee, Alabama, for the premiere of a new documentary on George Washington Carver. Paxton was the associate director of this film and will speak at the premiere.
He is also performing at a Carver Dinner at Kansas State University later on this year and is getting a speaking opportunity in Dayton, Ohio, the birthplace of Dunbar, the poet he portrayed at the Carver Monument. Thank goodness, he can use his vacation one day at a time, then take a Friday or Monday off to do a show or engagement on the weekend.
With his legal career, his love for acting and being involved with all the arts, Paxton is living the good life. And he is living well.
How fortunate we are to have Paxton in our lives and in the life of Southwest Missouri. He is a real treasure.
Just between you and me, I expect to see Paxton become a big star one day either in law or politics or in some field of the arts or entertainment. I just hope he doesn't forget to come see us when he reaches stardom,
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