By JACK M. WILLIS
Journal Correspondent

There's a large sign up on the back slope of Louisiana Highway 6, between Natchitoches and Many, that reads NO HOPE RANCH - SCRUB COWS AND BITTERWEEDS, and this unusual souvenir has been featured in the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate and Progressive Farmer Magazine.

When asked how he arrived at such a title the owner laughed and said, "We were going on vacation up north one summer when my daughters were small, and when we got out of Louisiana and into Texas and Oklahoma every little ol' spread of over ten acres had a sign proclaiming it as a ranch. So, one of my daughters decided we ought to have a sign too. When we got home there was a feller over Powhatan way that had a big fine ranch named I Hope Ranch - Registered Herefords and Coastal Bermuda. I just kinda copied it, but went in the opposite direction."

The sign has been replaced three times dating back over 50 years. It's been used as a landmark for traveling salesmen, and State Troopers have even used its location to pinpoint an accident on one occasion. The originator of this attention-arresting proclamation is Mr. Younger Stewart, some 85 years young.

Younger Stewart was born on May 2nd, 1917 near the Mt. Carmel community, located between the hamlets of Florien and Peason, Louisiana. The U.S. Defense Department's Peason Ridge bombing range derives its name from this little village.\par }{\plain Younger started school in 1924 and attended one year near where he was born, and the family moved to a farm in the Friendship community. He quit school after the eighth grade to work on the farm. About 1930 his father leased 80 acres across Hwy. 6 from where he now resides. The gentleman they were leasing from had the misfortune of his house catching on fire and the landlord's house burned while Younger's father was gone. He had ridden a mule into Many to conduct some business. A huge sycamore tree in the front yard bears scars from that fire to this day. Sparks from the house fire sailed across the highway and caught their rent house on fire, and it burned to the ground. Younger got a chance later on in life to acquire both places plus some additional acreage which now totals 256 acres. His west property line doubles as a portion of the Natchitoches - Sabine Parish line also.

Younger Stewart's family has always been deeply religious, and devout church goers. His father never owned a motor vehicle. They went to church in a mule drawn wagon. Army maneuvers in World War II put a stop to their church going as the wagon was considered a traffic hazard to the U.S. Army.

Both Mr. Stewart's sons-in-law are ministers and each pastors churches. He lost his only son when he was only 18 and a full-time farming partner. But Younger Stewart does not grieve nor is he bitter. His sweet wife has endured four major surgeries, and walks with the aid of a walker, and he is not in the best of health. They celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary on May 24th, and he said, "Life goes on, and I've been so blessed."

Younger Stewart got married in 1931 and rented a place for 19 years before making his first land acquisition. Younger farmed with a mule and never could cultivate more than seven or eight acres and do it justice, and he never could raise over three bales of cotton on the acreage.

He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 and was stationed at Woodworth, La. until they asked for volunteers to go to California. He caught a troop train and while he was at Fresno, California he applied for, and received his first Social Security card dated 3-14-38, which he carries in his billfold until this day. As a result of registering in California, the S.S. checks he receives today are issued from Fresno, California.

Younger Stewart went into military service in 1943, but between the CCC's and the military, he farmed and drove a school bus hauling black children to Many to school. He had bought a new three-quarter ton Chevrolet pickup in 1941 for $810 and drove it until he went into service. A service station owner sold the truck for him for $1100 dollars, even though he had driven the truck for two years and it had 34,000 miles on it. That made no difference-the war was on and times were hard, transportation-wise.

Upon induction, they shipped Stewart to Miami, Florida where he was quartered in a beachfront hotel, and underwent basic training on a golf course. Then he was shipped to Detroit, Michigan, where he was attached to the Air Transport Command, a branch of the U.S. Army Air Corps. Because he had previous truck driving experience they put him to driving an 18-wheeler, hauling and refueling airplanes for three and one-half years. In early 1945 he was shipped out for a tour of duty in India where he refueled C-47's, B-24's and B-25's flying the "hump."

Upon discharge from the armed services, and with money in the bank he and his wife saved before being sent overseas, Younger Stewart went back home, bought the place where he lives now, where their first landlord had lived. He bought a tractor, and where he was raising three or four bales of cotton a year, he went to 25 bales per year. In the 60's natural gas was discovered about two miles north and oil companies started leasing up everything around him. He made enough off of his leases to pay for the 256 acres he now owns.

He and his son were partners in raising cattle and at the time of his death in 1972, they had over 100 head of stocker cows. Afterwards, he built a hay barn to accommodate his hay, and bought a one-man self-loading hay trailer that would hold 70 square bales, and the barn at full capacity held 5500 bales.

Younger also raised and sold spotted horses. The most he got for his colts was $1200 to $1500. He said, "The mark of a good `using' horse is that he never forgets anything. You show him how to perform a discipline one time, and he can do it next time when you tell him."

Younger Stewart has been called upon to serve his community and parish in several different capacities. He was appointed to the Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors in 1966. He'll soon attend his final meeting; he's retiring. He served as a Police Juror for 22 years where he drove a truck and operated a motor grader when necessary. He's served continuously on the Robeline-Marthaville water system board since its inception. Former Natchitoches Mayor Joe Sampite gave him the keys to the city in 1979.

Younger Stewart has more or less retired because he says he just doesn't have the energy he once had, and thinks being 85 might have something to do with it. But he said, "I'm not older, I'm Younger", with a chuckle. He's divided his land up now between his children and planted over 70 acres in loblolly pines. He said, "I'm just going to sit on my front porch and look across the road, just beyond my ranch sign and watch 'em grow."