Linda Richardson interview of anonymous interviewees telling stories from Gilmer County, White County, and other

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not wa This recording contains a collection of stories about Gilmer County, White County, and others. The recording begins with a Native American origin myth of the Sautee Nacoochee Mound located at the intersection of the Chattahoochee River and Sautee Creek in Nacoochee Valley. The story is about star-crossed-lovers Nacoochee, the daughter of Chief Wahoo of the Cherokee tribe, and Sautee, of the Choctaw tribe. The speaker then tells two stories about mountains in the Nacoochee area. The first story is about Lynch Mountain, which was named after a Native American named Lynch who killed anyone who opposed him. The second story is about Grimes Nose Mountain in Sautee, which got its name from a man named Grimes whose nose was so big that when he was buried a large mound of dirt was needed to cover it. The speaker then tells various superstition beliefs, including one that stuffing cottonwood leaves into shoe soles cures heart problems, and another that young people dont take sugar in their tea because it causes bad luck. At 14:58 the speaker retells Uncle John stories, a famous Civil War veteran and bachelor, commonly told in Nacoochee Valley. The stories are about fishing, trading post scams, gold mining operations at Dukes Creek, and panning for gold to help pay off debts. At 32:50 another speaker recounts a ghost story in which he passed a cemetery where he saw nine white objects floating that he later realized were just tombstones. The speaker also claims that if you tie a dirty sock around your knee you can cure a cold. And it is bad luck when a rabbit runs across the road in front of you, but it is good luck if a squirrel does it. At 50:55 the speaker tells stories about interesting people from his community, including one about a man whose presence would make everyone around him dance. At 57:33 another speaker recalls when General Sherman and the United States Army camped at Chickamauga during the March to the Sea. When the army sent scouts to search for food and resources, they stole the speakers grandfathers livestock and burned down smokehouses. At the conclusion of the interview, the speaker tells a story about a ball game between the Creeks and Cherokees that resulted in the Creeks winning dominance of Gilmer County. Biographical information has not been determined. Gold mining; Mount Yonah; Native Americans; There is no transcript for this recording Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us in a position to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials accurately. Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment. We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created. Additionally, our work to use reparative language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete is ongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.