J. Leff interview with Willie Prather, Larry Moore, William Kitchens, Wayne Franks, Donnie Long, Buddy Summers, Terry Denmark, Pat Karas, Allen Frey, Debbie Smith, Wanda Biffington, Margaret Reese, and Jacquelyn Reid (part one)

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 want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. At the beginning of this interview, Louise Morris and her daughter, Judy Morris, discuss a mysterious white light that appeared near their home shortly before Louises baby died. Judy also recalls seeing the ghost of her sister a few weeks after her death. At 5:48, Barbara Knight shares stories her grandmother told her as a child growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina. First, Knight tells the story of the gray lady, a tragic Civil War tale in which a wealthy South Carolina woman promises her lover that she will wait for him to return from fighting for the Confederate Army, but loses hope that he will return. She agreed to marry another man, only to find both him and the estranged soldier dead on her wedding night. Knight explains that the woman disappeared, but her ghost can still be seen off the Carolina coast. 10:50: Knight then tells another ghost story called The Georgetown Ghost, which several family members told her over the years. In this tale, a wealthy cotton merchant sends his son north on a ship to conduct a sale. The merchants son is killed at sea and his ghost appears along the Carolina coast during inclement weather as a sign of good luck. Biographical information about Mary Sue Lunceford, Louise Morris, Judy Morris, and Barbara Knight has not been determined. AHC Oral History Cataloging Worksheet File Information Catalogue number 1'\"c)c"::) {(}O::) ,(jC, 0D~ Source Field* (ContentDM) Release form IjJwbrNo Transcript Yesorl~ scanned: From Yeso Default text: Contributed by an OR: Donated by individual: individual through <your org. name> Georgia Folklore Collection through <your org. name> , \tj \ ){I. \ Object Information Enter information about the Description (bio on interviewee) 1 Creator (Enter either an individual's name or an organization) '1,,11) ), Burrison Folklore Class \ ) Collection Name (within the organization) Georgia Folklore Archives Creation Date Exact Date (yyyy-mm-dd) '} (use only one) I-:-:-----------+---'-----,--~-=-=-__r~------___I Year (if only the year is known) Circa (4 digit year) Year Span From To Object Type Image_ Text Text and image _ Video and s0l:\Pd--=Sound only_v_ Media Format (VHS, reel to reel, etc Reelreel Recording extent Hours: () () Derivatives Minutes: Access copyc!~~ or No Access copy format: Recording clip 'Y'es)or No j~~,,/ ~)b(Yl? ,~jhfJsl lot ~j lold lA))i k~j I Clip extent: :0';) End: " /'g )~Jltd ~( N001'10 (j ) a,h'\+\X,\l ,-) " Ibell tAXt',,) Beginning: li;ti' '~i}, Notes (interview summary) Time code for clip (h:m:s) 2 Recording issues (background noise, echo, static, etc.) f h b' h Subject Information Enter I'nformati.on about the content 0 t eo )Ject ere: Subject Date Exact Date (yyyy-mm-dd) (use only one) \ Year (if only the year is known) \qlo~ Circa (4 digit year) Year Span From To Subject Who Last Nam, e First Name MI \Yt:JIY\S ~~li \j /~ '(~ i ,I. ,t\.+~ ~ 'V.jU v ~J(:fll\(\f\ ~Jud\{ Subject Country State County Town Local Name Location U' ' :'''' _l~ -",\: t, ,I 'I) - c- JQ I I ..,-,'\ :"P0\j. .... \1".1\. 1'.\ t li ' . .. il. Subject What AHC'Cataloger will complete this for you. , (LOC subject headinos only) Keywords Burrison, John Personal names See subject who for additional names lAO \ \ \.) \ I , \:. " 1.1 \) \\ 3 Corporate names Geographic locations 1<DSlj\y'(l). \ )"\JA'f ! Topics ~ '_... ../ G 4 Transcription of' Collecting Projec'l; by JiiJ,'lTy Su.!? Luneeforrli for John Burri son Engli 8h 405 IPhc; F01ktc-J,lp Georgia st~tp Collegp {Vhe following material W~8 recorded by me, Mary Sue LllJ1Cpford ~ in li.osvrpl1, Georgia} on May 27 j 1968. Mrs. lionise Morris, ag'c 40) EU1d her dELl1ghter, ,Judy Noonan, El.ge 11 ~ one of .lViI's. liJlOrris I s 11 childrc-:m) eight of whom ,::l,re living, told me of a m;vsteT'ions light they hi:lve seen near their h0118e j.n recent months. a,ppE?tlY'S as an omen 0 It seems that the light 1',;l1's. l\'wrris told me (],bout the liS'td; first. Well, j.1; starts in a past1Jrc. It l s a small light a,nd then it cJntinucs all. to the barn till itls a large l:i..[i:ht HJ'ld, lJh, ,you c,"J,n stand in my 118.ck door ancl see it (lnd then some,"" time it l'vill come to the little gC=J.ra,e;e out in my bEtek yard And from there on to the pines. It WL1,g A.bout a week or two be'fore my bEl-by died. Judy's story of the lig'ht: It was hacle last year, We just came rlown here ~o visit lny mo1;her. "N" di rln I t kno,," to stn,j' Oll iCtnd cL friend W,18 kpeni 1'1,0' I. .' ... '.) lTly dog Fl,xil he'd writ!? so of"l;on [j,nd tell me how my dog Vl,.1S ? Q ~ Where w.as Y'CH1T' 010C'? In' Mobile, Alabama. I tIl.GYp questioned lvlrs~ lViorris furthc:c' abolJ.t the l:iC)lt~ (2~ Do "JTOU hear F!.ny noise vihen ;you see t.he lip;ht? You don'-t hear no nois8 0 Judy- said, "It In ,just 1ike a flashlight only i l~ gets Q: Whn,t color is it'? iViT'S. J'.rloI'ris repli ed) "\Vhj l;e a It (~: Wl1cn did YO'll first sec~ it? Well, it sta,rted two weeks before my baby died. 0,: iVhere did you say that it lived? I .!~ 1 i VPS 'j 11 that pa,s turf? ovc~r there G 1 t I 11 s tart in that pasture !Jl1d U:o over to the ba,rn and from t}:at harn to this shed" and from [;ho shed to those little pines rigid; in the back. And on8 night m;)'" NI()thcT'-in~law, she was here, and my Dad-:in~lgw? <:mel J had V/3.1ked ou-[; on thE: front porch and I Pl1t 1;he light on for them to see how to get to the call') and I 1001<:ed ovpr there and there \'I,:J,S a lJig red light" Wel1~ J di.dn't \VEtn.t lem) you know, to pEt)r ('lJ1 J1 attentio:n to it 1 c'lnd I dicln I t sa:';l El.ll,yth:ing' til' we cmme back to the house'i and I told my husband about i,t. And he sai d. ~ !lAw ~ you jlISt :imaginin' things" II And I said, "lifo I'm not ei thero II Well, that was on Friday night and 011 Sund,3.y ni.&:ht my 3 husr)andi got El fire right in th8,t, roon1 right thero (Mrs I> hioTT'is pointed to the next room where her youngest child, a premature baby still in an incuba1;or was sleeping)!> There's thp proof on th" floor in t herG -, burnt my rug~ burnt my eTlrtains off the windows. He (hpr husband) 'us clfire" Hadn't absen for my mother and daddy (in-law) he'd a burnt up .. Q: Row long ha,s it be0D since you 'VB seen the light'? I I d SFJ,Y about two WPQks ago I> Q: Can yOll tell 1)8 any other ind dents concernine the light? Nope. Well, hadn't nothin' happened recently, thank God! rphe next \;<'::1,18 VIas related to Mrs. lVJorris by her mothF'J', Mrs. H~ 1 .. IWnrl~n~ "'ho lives on Riverside Drive, in Roswello C-l; Wh.at was thn.t )1011 \'{pre telling me a.bout Y01JT g:ra:ndrnother~ 1H8,S it )fOUT granclrnotheT'? NO j it 'was In;;f motherQ She said th8.i; she ivas tfc1,king he:r mother, my gra,ndlllother? to her mother I shouse, a,nd she had her choi ce ~ you know ~ ei thor come hack h;y the r~TI'LVeYfU:'d or come around the lone: pray, and she decided, Well 1'11 come 11<9.C1<: the long way, rl cause she's scared of the graveyardQ So she got over there and she Bnid she had a horse that won Id rl1D away wi th hpJ:', and s he knew it Q And said, llh, ttlCY come down in 1;11.1s holler and started !Jp that long tli.J.l and said it a milp, and was about ears 1.vent straight up~ and .she (Mrs. Maddox) thought tluh on) someth:in I S Vf)O Dn{','11 n.nd s"iicl .she bT'a.eed herself' in the And said she raised up like that and said there walked the prettiest little baby in front of her. Sn,id it hEld on a whi to lace dr(c:8s and ,1, white hat a,n(~ t Just kept .Q'i1:~ tt..Jwalkin 1 9 and soon as that baby 1.valkecl straight %' into M)"I'" t1lf" brlnk j she jnst eli eked to the horse ,~.4.' the horse ) " rc:m all the Wcl,Y horn('~ And .p..h1':-- E;'3,idibP next rnornin I that sornehocly came DJld tole I ern i~l at theil" gr:=mdrnothcT hrlc1. di_ed~ Judy then told me ahollt another inci_dpn-~ concerning I;he ligbt. sperl it. rphis 'I;ime the pr~ople who live next door' ha.d PhililJ;U()I~ his eye 1,11rn i IIOne niC:ht \'I1'1en 1,vC' were over th(?re) thpir ,sisLex" 'thurt'S (i\nnet'(;el:::)my r-..J,C;Pj they- seen thn,t light t.oo i Hnd just [:],S wp wpnt hacle in thpir lit Ip b]~othpr, next to the J_ittlpst) flYlrVl1/'jlf nf) J mr-:,'l,n n::::t:ct of hiFj "Vfc,Jl 11 Ol'l,f , those }J(~opl(: ovr~T' -I; hl-" 1"" (' if f,CPt! it tooo Juay Noonan tolrl me i;hp followi.ng story of 8ep hPT sistpr's g'host~ This is 1;he ghosi; of tllC chi.ld who di.pd approximately two weeks after Mrs. j~orris had seeD \Ve11 once rn:'l si,,:,,ter anrl I) 'IF(' l.v(~nt OVPT' to my f~('i('ndlfJ house. Vile l:lsed to {!;o over there just to play:; ELnd v,!c Vlcnt aYeT' there (!D.p night ('md as 1NP wpre [tlvcllkin I cHId tt Vn."18 a 'Heek 1)(:::fore in~ a {!;I-Jost my li.ttJ.e sister died and we saw her sharie - form lNalkin' strF~ight into my mo'l~her I s house and we loo]ccd real hard and my mother was 11P to here and they was watctli.n' tc'levi.sion C8,I]S0 you cOll1d see 'em throngh the hOll8e ~ and we ran 8.11 the way to lTIJ.T friend '0'3 hou.se which is next door about -~ ~. well~ i tIs not far~ but) uh, we ~old 'em abollt it and they cOmp Ollt and looked from -t ho-'; i): e,Iti-C the porch and the,Y said "v.,e JJ>,1.,'Z just imag'inin I things and we told them) flJiro \VA wacl.n' t. II And we ha,dn I 1; seen that baby s:i.ncc bl.l"G '.1,10 go to h('1:' D7'Cl,YP often) but 'Ire stj,11 say v,re .seen th8,t C;h08t 3.)1(+_t looJ<:ed jllst lLke OU1' little hetby 8j8teJ:'~ (2: How old was yOUTI ].itt1e sister, Judy? Six months l no, nine months old. Q~ VD.1at wa,s her name? Nancy Darleno Morris. Chl 0und[1,y nin:h'j;) three dp,.ys [l,{};Oy my n('i@;hbor~ I3a.r barc1, Knight) DJtd 1 ,\\,er(" discussing ghost stories tha,t we heard when we were children. j;erriblp storm thelt niE~'ht and) actl1.ally, we WE're tI';ying to " s '[lool(1t E','::lch othFr~ Barba,ra told me two stories then and was sincere when she said that she had 8(:,>pn both of !~hp is-hosts arollnd v,rhich the tVIO tales cpntPT" When I asked her to rcpr'::d; them so j;hn.t I mirth"!; record them [ihp srJ,ic1 thrtt she would be nJl Loo most of her life "in l-t(,l,leigh:; .North CST'olinn and T'ecently r~J'adun,t(Od f~com thE" rrnivPTsi ty of t1foTth Cr3.T oliJ18') in eha,pel Hill with a degree in IV!.\' nnm'"" -j D ITarhaT,'l Kn~i p~h+, 0 Vlhen "j V','8.8 ,jnst ;'1 sma,I.!. r1 m;y gr,.')ndltlothPT p,rho if-) -rlO'I! dCc'lrJ uned i;o -[;r,'1J 11S storie;. M~rs~ Jolin VlootPYI frorn T,llo1'(;),]cp, 00uth GnTolinl.l nnd VrF1.8 VPT,)T f;:,Jrlilin,I' l,vith th(C~ South Cn.rolin8. coast,~ favor:Lte f-lloT'ter:> 1,'.'(lf--l that of UlC' {jTIJ,,y lEI.d.;.\l who lived T'ight, out,<:;idp of Uporc/~to'/rn mE-my ,)TeEn's ngo in a beautiful .plantn HeT f,':lth('I'r:f.'an a, prosperolJ.s l':=lV",YPT' and. of his fam:ily~ ont of the whole lot the most hPflUti.ful and Li:1Jkcd n,l)out VIas hiD F-'ldcf3t dal).p;hter~ Now being 0, land.ed g'ontlerruJ,n, he was very ['),nxious for his dFUJghi!j,pr to marJ:';Y YlO J 1 . She, of cOllrse, being a woman, fell in love with jl1f'1t any man} the I'igh+; melD fOT' her, she' WH.S SUJ'('6 HpT fa,thPI' did not apvrove of the match because it Hleant tl'lttt she WOllld be marryj.ng beneath her station. He did everythine' v-.rithin his power to kE'Op her f:J:'orn IJlEtrrying' thE~ boy) ttl I 0 f but in spite ofhhis protests the COUyts}lip continl1cd. Much to his delj.ght and her sorI'ow, the Cj.vil War, 01' as my D'randmotheT ca,lled it, the 1/'/ilr of Northern Ag'grpssion" hroke 011t and the young lllaD was conscripted.. Be:fore he left to join the Confed.erate hrmyj the t\,VO lovers met fo:rt . O;\d , . one 113,.st tlme6 fit that T;J.me, the..2roung girl vowpd thiJ.t shp A would bp t:cue to him throughout the waT a.no. tha,t, ;:;he I Ii be waitj.ng for hi.ill when he returned. So he wRnt off to 1N<,:I,1' 1 sa,dIy, bl1t wi.th hope. WeIl, for 3 or 4 years she refused n'I)M all offers of cOlJrtshi}! ~ other young gentlemen, vp:r'-:,r pligible hacheJ.ors) who at the ,time were very scarce beCR11se of the WelT' which had l:ak~pn heT' love!faway from hero Ii'inally her fa'ther reflJsed to give in to her pe'l;tiness anymore and arrangpd a match v-!hich he considered to hp delightful" And after mllc]l protpst 8110 finally eave in, believj.ng that there waS no hope 8,t all for her Boldi,pr to retllrno The wedding was arrangpd; preparations were oracle; and parties had taken pla,ce 6 Un the n:i.(\'ht of the VIP-doing '1;11e yOl.l.ng girl dressed ~n a heautiDJl gown. All the guests were l)o10Vl i_n the pD.:r'lour and her bridegroom wrll t-i.ngfo:c hiC--;I', ~))l(ld -'-'-'1;y a shot \'/88 h0<'11'o,; and a SCI'Pcl,nl) II0h God!" rind the younp,' e\)i i\!,J (1.1 ~1"f? and 1'1 rllshed out to 1;he balcony to see w}lat was ,'SD,w jJ~.H~-~ in the moonJig'ht ~ her soJdieI' hl.Hlg' b;y thp neck Prom D, tree right outsiJle hel' halconyQ She saw her bridegroolll shot stone dead~ oh(-:' fainted~ Everybody rushed 011t to find 011t wha1; was going on, saw what ho,d hap]lcnec;l, clnd went to f:i_nd thf'hr01JrJ.E':: g'i.T'l Q Etrr:i ved in hpr lwdroom she vIas n.ot to be fonndo Vihen they As a matter fact, sliP Dever has been seen sineoo rphat is; not alivpo But, OD_ ni{!)'hts, lflhen you cnn 8('0 the phosphorons on the waves, whl_ch means that there 'ban be no moon, you ,ju_st spp pfferveSCeD.8P wi th l)hoBphorcscent l:i.ghi;$on the 1f,raves .~ then yOll can see the (J,T8"Y lady; if ;you [J,re lucl(y" She walks 11p and down the con,st [rorn Georeetown, on up to Myrt'le..- Bel'J,ch, ]\Ii_urrc'll's Inlet? Pfl.UIi r-" I s Isla_Dd and bacl<: down tdl And: I've Y0l)_ know) D,S I~l,(M:r-t ghost stori.es go, yon nevel' helipve 'ern I ~::;})end most of my SlHnrnpT'S n,t l'dUrT'C,U's Inlet) SOllth CRTolina Ivith m;y frullily; and mn.n;ys the:' niB'hi; th"J.,t as every young blade will do, I've gOlle over to the })oin't to ha_ve their so c(l,lll~d \VFI,termeJon busts and ,yOll GElYl SPC the gray lady. I'vp seen hpr once IJ1yself and she -Lu stclnd:Lng thvr'p vd-th n, beautiful vpil hlowi11.{J::, Fl, lH'idaJ veil, and cJ And if ,you're V0r,y qllip-b: sh(-:, waJks riu;ht on lly ('Ind ,,/011 can VI,cl,tch her disn,PTJP,1J' tnLo thp nie;ht ~ fricllds of the family, his mother, other lllembers of the f'cunil,V, Si:l,Vf hiH ghost. NQW~ it never stayed in Gr=\orgetowno It nevel"' has G00re;e'tO'lrn 0 But itls a JDcl::;y ghost. It '//8.1k8 'Up and dov,rn [;he COElst of S011.th Cf1.rolina and North Carolina and stays on pointE:! of land which might enclemp;er EL ship 01' wllich might harbollr pirates. What hap!Jens is that on f.'og'gy nights OT on nie,'hts when the VI('LV'l;f, D,I'e choppy~ or a storm might be bT'0' at 8 8.) or thE'~ tidF' is especially man can be seen on these ]1oints standingo He' 8 a 111.ck,'/ sign. He's sta,nding th!:,re to wfCly'd off ships. If yon Jool.;: eLt him froln thl? w8.ter, you can see tIts inrage on the land and know that you are approaching land, that itls near. He walks on shoals~ and)an,ythinc: tha,i; m:ight end::lngel' (:1, shil)" Now, lIve seen thi [', yOUJ1{',' IIlcTn manX times" He 1s a luck;y sign and he'El a lonely person. He WilS Sf'nt to do fl job ;hJ.l3.,tr hf~ didn't know F),tout and!h(-? di.ed in the procpss of trying to accoJnplish what he set OIJ't to do. He's a lonely He has no one> He'tj a soli tal'JT f:igure 1 anc/whr-"n 'JTOU sp~ the ghost; he's just walkingo He I S a tD.ll J S traj. rlJ:l t man with a ta..i leo!:1,t; on, vh, (-l,nd an ascot,; thi:=:s sort of th:inic1,'O llnel. you '):'e conside.r'ed to he very luc],,;y, and you hcl~ve to be qUJPt, DJHl you t:;hould not tr'y to bother him) hl'--:CHUS(' he 1 s Fl., si.gn of p,'ood 111C1,0 r1 c d: off t11P th8,t mig'ht be surrollndinc' you. A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. 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. 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