This program shares the mountain culture and heritage of Yancey, Mitchell, and Avery Counties in North Carolina. Drawn from a deep well of powerful stories, each podcast recounts a true-life tale as told by the descendants of the pioneers and trailblazers who nestled into the region over two hundred years ago, and continue to keep alive their way of life and language through storytelling.
Michael Fortner represents his cousin, the American novelist Thomas Wolfe, who made two eventful trips to Burnsville to visit relatives. One of these trips ended in a murder trial, and the other resulted in one of Thomas Wolfe's most famous short stories.
26 Jan 2025
Lucius Hale Ogle as told by Dylan Wilson
Dylan Wilson represents his cousin, Lucius Hale Ogle, who gave his one year fighting in the Civil War. When his year was up, he came home and did not go back. He was arrested, along with other men who had come back to the mountains and refused to fight. Located where they were, these mountain men saw themselves not of the North or the South, and many of them wanted no part of this war. Lucius escaped prison, came home, and was hunted down many times, narrowly escaping death on several occasions. He was later given a pardon, and went on to fight again. He later became a guide taking people to Mt. Mitchell. This story details his harrowing escapes. Lucius Ogle's life was chronicled in a July 5, 1903 article in the Charlotte Daily Observer.
26 Jan 2025
Julie Boone as told by Jennifer Wilson
Jennifer Wilson represents her cousin Julie Boone, a woman who carried the songs and ballads of the Appalachian Mountains that had been handed down through generations. This story tells of the time in 1918 that the famed ethnographer, musician, teacher, and song catcher, Cecil Sharp, came to Yancey County and collected traditional songs, the majority of which came from Julie Boone.
26 Jan 2025
Nathaniel Allen as told by Dylan Wilson
Dylan Wilson represents his third great-grandfather, Nathaniel Allen, recounting a story about his nephews Jim and Henry who fought in the Civil War.
26 Jan 2025
Isaac Adkins as told by Nathan Wilson
The Hermit of Bald Mountain. In this episode, Nathan Wilson portrays his fourth great-grandfather, Isaac Adkins, born in 1828, recalling the story of an ornery, dangerous man named David Hog Greer, who was known as the Hermit of Bald Mountain.
24 Jan 2025
Niagara Ray Wilson as told by Lesa Autrey
Lesa Autrey represents her cousin, Niagara Ray Wilson, wife of the famous tracker, Big Tom Wilson. She tells about her life and growing up on the Cane River. Born in 1848, Niagara recounts many tales, including losing some family land to a Sheriff who absconded with funds, seeing her first automobile, and about her husband being part of the search team to find Elisha Mitchell.
24 Jan 2025
Nathan Dempsey as told by Nathan Wilson
Nathan Wilson represents his cousin, Charles L. Brandt from an interview taken in 1957 about his recollection of Nathan Dempsey. Dempsey was known as the strongest man in the region. Folks gathered especially to see his wrestling matches on Saturdays on the square, where interesting challenges often took place.
24 Jan 2025
Nancy Silver Parker as told by Lesa Autrey
Lesa Autrey portrays her cousin, Nancy Silver Parker. In an old oral history, Nancy tells the story of her mother Frankie Silver, who was accused of the gruesome murder and dismemberment of her husband (and Nancy's father) Charlie. This story has been a legend throughout Yancey County for nearly two hundred years.
24 Jan 2025
Alfred Silver as told by Nicholas Rash
Nicholas Rash portrays his cousin, Alfred Silver, whose brother, Charlie was brutally murdered by his wife in December of 1832. Alfred recalls the search for his brother, including a visit to an enslaved individual in Tennessee who used a "Conjure Ball" to determine where his brother might be. This is another viewpoint of this famous legend, which has been told for nearly 200 years.
24 Jan 2025
Lovada Ray Bailey as told by Heather Hockaday
Heather Hockaday represents her fifth great-grandmother, Lovada Bailey. Lovada and her husband, Yellowjacket John, gave 100 acres to the Yancey County commissioners, and this property became the county seat, Burnsville, North Carolina, in 1834.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
79
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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