Tannery Pond Center hosts: Backward Glances by Tom “Buckshot” Butler presented by his family
Sunday, September 22 | 2-6 PM
Book Signing 2-3 PM & 5-6 PM
Music Adirondack Mountain Bluegrass Band 3-5 PM
Title: Backward Glances
Sub-title: “Mostly True, but Slightly Embellished Stories of an Adirondacker”
Author: Tom “Buckshot” Butler
Introduction: The enclosed stories were published in the North Creek News Enterprise between the years 1991-2008 (with a few hiatuses in between), and are meant to give you laughs, a bit of sadness, and perhaps some cause for reminiscing and reliving the joys of youth. The facts are in; thereby, I disavow any stretching of the truth. Many thanks to former editors who tried to keep me in some semblance of order: Dick and Larry Sawyer, George Gardner, Sue Goodspeed, Katy O’Dell, and her husband Tom Henecker.
Tom “Buckshot” Butler
Tom was born at home in North Creek, NY on July 18, 1936 to Harold and Mary Butler. He attended Johnsburg Central School, graduating in 1954. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy from 1954-1958 as a signalman. After returning from the Navy, Tom attended Paul Smith’s College from 1958-1959 as a Liberal Arts major. Tom married Linda Cornwall on October 20, 1962. He has three daughters, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, with one more on the way.
Over the years, Tom had many jobs. He was a heavy equipment operator, Prudential Insurance salesman, real estate salesman, Boy Scout executive (Mohican Council), Niagara Mohawk laborer/janitor, Finch Pruyn logger, Warren County sheriff's deputy, Town of Johnsburg constable, Gore Mountain Ski Area supervisor, Glens Falls Transit bus driver, pharmaceutical delivery driver, local scenic train conductor/brakeman, and rafting bus driver. Tom retired in 1996 after 27 years of service for NYS. During his tenure as the town constable, Tom was chosen as Town of Johnsburg, Citizen of the Year.
Always having a knack for writing, Tom wrote articles called “Backward Glances” for the North Creek News Enterprise, and later The Sun Community News on and off from 1991-2008. Those articles are what were used to compile this book, Backward Glances: Mostly True, But Slightly Embellished Stories of an Adirondacker. Tom is an avid reader. Mark Twain is his favorite author, particularly The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. You will see this come out in his boyhood adventures and his writing style.
People often ask, how did Tom get the name Buckshot? While building the missile silos in the 1960s in Plattsburgh, NY, a fellow operating engineer started calling him Buckshot and the name stuck through the years. It likely had something to do with the way Tom tried his hand at just about anything and “carried on” back in the day. We think you’ll agree, it’s a very fitting nickname, indeed.
Buckshot is a daredevil at heart. Over the years he has tried his hand at bobsledding, ski jumping (20 meters), hang gliding, and most recently soaring at age 85 & 86. He may have been a part of an unofficial car race or two over the years, as well. His many hobbies include playing country/bluegrass music on guitar, banjo or dobro (all played by ear), fly fishing, hunting, archery, knife throwing, riding motorcycles, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, running, walking, and weight training. As you can see, Buckshot has been a “go-getter” all of his life. Sitting was never a hobby of his. We hope you enjoy his many thrilling adventures from over the years.
(Daughters: Kiely Knickerbocker and Heather Flanagan, 2024)