Legends and Lore of the Mississippi Golden Gulf Coast by Edmond Boudreaux Jr. Page A

Laura Hinsdale continued to live in Biloxi.
    It is here on the old church grounds that the Ring in the Oak stands to this day. Previously the two main characters in this story were the Biloxi chief’s daughter and a noble Natchez warrior. Today’s legend has a Biloxi chief’s daughter and a Pascagoula chief’s son. So when did we arrive at today’s legend?

    A Pascagoula warrior and Biloxi Indian maiden. Edmond Boudreaux .
    On July 5, 1925, the legend took a different twist. Josephine Wilkes, daughter of Eugene Wilkes and Loretta Voivedich, wrote a letter to the “Aunt Jane” column in the New Orleans Times-Picayune . In Josephine’s letter, she told her version of the Ring in the Oak. “The Indian prince was the son of the tribe of Indians who inhabited Biloxi, while the princess was the daughter of an Indian chief who lived on Deer Island.” While we have no tribes named, the legend remained basically the same.
    Over time, the legend continued to evolve. There is a version that refers to the maiden as “the young fawn” and has the tribe living in wigwams. If we look at history, the wigwam was used mainly on America’s western plains. There is also the version where the “Terrible Thunder God” caused the ring to form, and the scared chief, fearing his wrath, allows the young lovers to marry.
    Then on December 6, 1936, the legend takes its present-day form. The Times-Picayune reported, “Ring in Tree Unites Tribes.” The reporter indicated that she personally loved Indian legends and began to weave the story of hate between the Biloxis and Pascagoulas and the love of the young couple that finally united both tribes. This is the legend we know, a true testimony to the power of love uniting lovers and creating peace between two enemies.
    Mrs. Laura F. Hinsdale died on December 11, 1925, at seventy-seven years of age. Both Laura and Robert Hinsdale are buried in the Biloxi Cemetery. She is considered a Mississippi poet and writer. Her book, Legends and Lyrics of the Gulf Coast , can be found in the Historical Wing of the Biloxi Library. Little did she know that her poem “The Live Oak Ring” would become a legend for all times, passed from generation to generation.
    While the Ring in the Oak is a freak of nature, it has attracted considerable interest from tourists and locals alike. Adding the historic and romantic Indian legend just makes it more appealing to all.

CHAPTER 11
    W EAVING A T ALL T ALE
    We all know of at least one person who can weave a tall tale. Some folks have natural abilities in the art of storytelling, while others have to work hard to pull it off. On September 14, 1903, the Biloxi Herald published an article titled the “Tchoutacabouffa.” The author listed himself as “Filet De Treit Vert.” The French spelling was a little off and should have been Filet de Truite Verte or translated “Filet of Green Trout (Bass).” Though we may never know the identity of the author, his sense of humor and his very tall tale make for an interesting story.
    The tale begins with historical facts about the development of the seafood industry in Biloxi, stating that the advancements have positioned the “seaside resort to that of a growing commercial mart.” The author continued with a description of Biloxi as a peninsula surrounded by water from the Gulf and Back Bay. Yet nearby is the Tchoutacabouffa River, teeming with various species of fish—a virtual fisherman’s paradise.
    Here is where the tall tale begins. The writer says that the river is “closely and dramatically linked with Biloxi in rich past historical association.” During the French Dominion, he states that Governor La Tour (though in actuality, La Tour was never the governor of French Louisiana) had complained of the Spanish danger to Biloxi. La Tour reported that cannons surrounded Biloxi on all sides. Some were up the Tchoutacabouffa