Niki Fiedler interview with Frank Smith, Sibyl Smith, Dixie Miller, and Clare Findley

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.
There is racially discriminatory language and themes in stories told at minute :29 and 12:55. In this recording Niki Fiedler and her husband, John, interview Frank and Sibyl Smith. Frank begins by telling stories about a prank played on African-American wait staff at a party; his father encountering dog ghosts in South Carolina; a man hunting with one bullet in Floyd County, Georgia; a man visiting town to get drunk; and drunks driving in Atlanta. At minute 9:30, Sibyl Smith recounts stories about her uncle visiting her mother and finding the house was haunted and visiting a fortune teller. At minute 12:55, Frank Smith tells a racist story that is meant to be humorous about an African-American man cashing a check in Detroit. At minute 15:50, Sibyl Smith reminisces about a mythical goose that her family had for generations. The interview ends at 17:38. The transcript includes interviews with Dixie Miller and Clare Findley that are not in the audio. Miller tells stories about ghosts in Alabama and about the soldier who fired the first shot of the Civil War. Findley recalls superstitions and remedies from her childhood in Duluth, Georgia.
Sibyl Early (1902-1993) was born and raised in Fosters Bend, Georgia. She worked for her father, a postmaster and depot agent. Frank Smith (1896-1978) was born in South Carolina. When he was 11, his family moved via wagon to Martin, Georgia, and then to Fosters Bend, Georgia. He lived on the family farm then moved to Atlanta in 1919. In 1925 Early and Frank J. Smith married and lived in Atlanta; they had one son, Guy (approximately 1933- ). After Frank Smith retired in 1962, the couple returned to Floyd County. Dixie C. Miller was born in Cedar Bluff, Alabama. She married and had four sons. After her husband died, she became a local history writer and folk story collector. Clare S. Findley was born in Duluth, Georgia, where she lived and farmed with her husband. After his death, she moved to Atlanta where she worked for the Fulton County Board of Education.
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( ( \1"""" '" 0.. 're; (y CC)\'",ov\v:ll~ 'Sc. ) ~\ Y '/ l W 0 '<' S \A.~ '0 'S;'\ ;,~ ~ Q '" '". ,/ \-l'0 "'" '" ~~Q.., <;;Q.""....,Q 21 \ Q '" C,\~ IYA S\ ,),j{ ( C:, 4 b'OLK,s 1\'1' b'OS'l'bH'S BJ!;ND AND JEDI\R IJLUF'li' 1\ Nlki li'1 eo Ie r l"elk1&re 301 Ilay 21, 1969 '1'ABl,U; O~' JONTbNTS I. Introductory Statement, includes !listerio'11 & f\i.Ggraphioal Infarmatiel1 en Area &, Infermant s II. Talea Frem Faster's Rend 9n' Gedar Bluff III. SuperBtitiane IV. CJanoluBhn J/i'l'HUJ)UJ'l'ORY S1',,'l'EMEN'l': INJLUJ)ES HW'l'ORIJ AL & BIOGHAI'HIJiIl, INfORMATION ON AREAi. ANlJ INF'OHMAN'l'S Having na speoifio lead te rellew up hr my oelleotlnr. pr0jeot, I was disou8sing the problem with a neighber ene day when she suggested I talk with her in-laws whe live near the Geerg,ilA-Alabama line nine mi.les west ef (J .... sa, Geergia. She oont'\oteel them anel vIas obl.. to help mo arrange l1meeting with them for the next weekend. April 19, 19(,9 my husbaml, Jabn, <1n. I met Mr. an. Mrs. Fronk ll. Smith, the primary infarmo'nts ueed flor thl.. prejeot. It taak only a few m&nutes f,>r us to feel as though we ha. a 1ways known the Smiths. Mrs. Smith haa jUBt to.ken Bome sweet potatee pieB fram the oven anel, as mic:ht be expeote., InBisteo that we el.t elown "nol have e@me. HIlV11ng spent muoh IiIf hi s life in the North, John had never tasted this eeuthern dessert b!lt aemn lI",el" Bure that I pbtaine. tho reoi I'll.. In thia war"', frien.ly o,tmasl'here \~e leo,rne. that the Smitha live in an area eteeped in Indian and pianeer traelltien. Pern and raleed In FOEter'" Peno, "ixty-aeven.year-e1~ Mr". Smith h.s "pent .,11 but thirty-seven years ef her Ufe in thia 'H"a. Her great-granomether flr"t osme to Geerela a" u misBi ..nary I." teaoh the Inolana, and MTfJ. SmIth dill has the great bed her rr,nomether br.ught te Georgia in an ex oart. Several ef her male ancestera, the Guuloa, have been pre,aerved in hoal hl!ltery hr the part they p1a,'''0 all. Bteamt.at oaptains plewlnr: the 4!eeoa River letween Heme, Gellrgia, On. OadBoen, "labama. ~B a yeung weman, she "erked "everal yea"D rer her father whe "aB the !"'stma,,ter ano oepet agent rer the oemmunity. Tn 1925, Ahe marrleo P'rank J. Smith an. went te J\thll1t., where they r"ja". theIr enly ohilo, a 'Jon, befere meving back to the fa'llily heme In F'hyel ,leunty in 1962,a,\<t"r Mr. Smith's ret 1rement Originally frem Nerth JareUna, Frank :;mith, seventy-twe years .1., first .. eveel with hie family by wag.n t .. Martin, Ge"rg'ia an. then I.e F'ester's Reni when he was eleven. He lived en hie famIly 's r ..rm until 1919)when he went t. ".rk in Atlanta. After retiring and rn0v,1n~ back till the old famUy farm at Fester's Bend, he and Mre. ~;mlth rejuv"nate<l the comfert"tle home and have spent the lapt seven years cultivating and enjoying the lan which has meant so muoh to them. In 1916, the J.osa River overran He hanka w.. shing through an Indian graveyard at ~'"Bter'e Ben where DeSoto ano the Jherokee h.d battled. Many skeletons, beaclf, ano other Inoian ebjecta suoh Ba ]lottery ancl bone hairpins were unearthecl by the waters. The Smiths have many of these items whioh they founcl en their ]lreperty. In aclditien to their pottery ano m.ny arrow heudo, they have WRat appears t. be an Ind ian map or F'oster I s Bencl and what they believe ie oalle .. ohunkey or ohunkney atene which was used by the Indians to ]llay a ,ame similar to today's tenpins. Most of this informat)@n as woll as @ld family pictures an. intsrestlng artIfaots was pasee arounEi the kitohen table along with the c"ffee ami wweet potat@e pie at threB first meeting. N"t enly were the Smitha knowleigeable .bAut and interested in this o@lorfUl area, but they were more than ,lad t. help preserve an Important part sf our heritage whloh ia rapil~ Eiylng "ut wHh the "olEi-timere." l'rom them I WJ f. able to oo11"ot eii;ht ateries, many of whioh Hore reperted "s true f"wily hietory. 'rh oug h Mr. Smith is iii atraightface liar from whom I got six <!If the eight steriea, he is not the "'ree. 1u story-ap:lnner fer whom I waa ~ohinr in:the area; hlD\llever, he \'IllS the person ChSBst ts a Btnytel1er that I oeuilJi :find. Unf"rlunaUly, most of the noled tale-tellers have diei in fairly recent years leavint only a few scattereEi tales infrequent ly passed dawn wUh in fami Hes. After this lsni;!lhy get-aoquainteEi e,mversatIon, the Smiths d'rove ua t. meet a "peouliar" Indian woman \,holll they thought might be sf aeme help. ~1innie Hall, " .escen.llnt of the historioal :Jherokee Vann family, wae frden<illy in a .istant manner. 1'he presenoe ef the Smithe, lont'-time Boquointan()es of Miss Hall, ~elpe. t. persuade her te talk mere freely than I suspeot she weuld have, had tbey net been present; he"over, Miss Hall refured to be tape. 'm tbe reoer."r ilnd ''''e rather reluotant to tell any tales. She oIid relate hIe "hioh I bild hoped to return and reoero if pessibl", but en a return trip the time proved to be ~noonveni"nt fer her. tensequently, T have been un"l'l" te oolleot frem Miss Hall. On a later day, I h~pe te oay anether return vilit te talk "ith her. I was able to learn than "he has been appr"aohe. befere by "thers I>er histerioal infermaUon osnoerning bel' a"lOesters, but I am nst sure hew rioh a 6~ C""-\\.x~ ssuroe~she ~ight preve. Hay 10, 1969, Jehn ami I maee eur seoend trip te F'oster's Pen. 1.9 visit the Smiths an. o>lleot steries. 'l'hou~h the heur we arrIve. was >lell after lunch time, the Smiths insiste. that "e eat seme seup with them. As bahre, muoh of eur visit "as spent passing hoal hlstury, t.ales, an. ceffee anun. the kitohen table. After thi.s, Mrs. Smith iloo0mpanioo us to Jedar BlUff, Alabama to meet prespeottve inform..nts. Visits ie Jer. Re~ert Nann an. 'l'helma Shane lurne. up much fasoinating, leo .. l history about the Inaians an. vhil 't/a%' but n.. tales. A thir' prespeotive inf"rmanl h~. died the "eek bofere, anetber wa. leaving fer the hespital "hen "e arrived, and a fifth >las prepadnt te take his wife, whe baol just had. streke, to t.he he~"ital as we dnve up. 'lie vlere finall~ able te centoot Dixie J. Mi ller who was unilble te talk vli.th us tben but premised an interview fl>r tbe next weeken'. S_"hat disoeura!['ed "e returne. te the Smi.the where we were taken areund the fa I'm an. put. te "srk piokitlg stra"berries. Though we were unable to 0011eot any tales that trip "e went heme witb a oar full ef strawberries and freeh ""l'"J'l'tUS. May 18, John an. :{ m"de eur final oelleoUnff trip t .. lfester I s Bend and Jedar Bluff. Our first step was at the medest heme ef Dixie J. Miller. A native ef Jed.r Bluff, Nrs IHller turned l1rJter and a kind "f o"lleoter herAelf when her huaban,i died leaving her with four small beys t .. raise. MeAt ef her time is sp""t traokin/f .evm faats, peeple, leg'enoA, and ether ty,pes ef leaal infermation which .he uses in feature artiole~ printed in several leonl newnpapers. Mrs. Miller gave me feur stories whioh are the type fer which I ha. been Ieoking. They are l"h .. st steries and a type ef le~en. which are repeate. areund the area; however, they have been written up by Mrs. Miller as features In local newsp~pers. She has lOIs .. had prlnte. The Shry ~i Lillie Harris, a brief bIography "f " ne" legen'.ry Negro vleman frem the area. A o"lleoti"n ef 1000.1 life and st"ries in and ar"und Jedar Bluff ls serl"usly needed t" preserve "",I +.'-,'" ateries ~nd legonas beille' rapidly lest frem the oJ,;;oture. 'felevisien seems t" be replooi,nc' the pastime of st"rytellIng. Mrs. Miller heplIs te publish suoh a. werk semeday, hut at pre Bent the prespeot is dIm 'H' she is an "l'Boure, 100,,1 \1riter witheut the funds fer such "n undertaking. About a week bef.. re the closo 0f the term I learned "f a 1'"ssible infermHnt in Atlanta. Mrs. Wr"nk O'Neill wus very courte"us and interested in the pr"jeot and gave me an interview f"r ,. few .ays later. Unhrtunately, she had t" later break the app"intment and tw" .aye later left t"wn fer hie vleeks. \"hen she returns, she has agree. t" aee me. She als" has in-laws of Irinh anoestry whe, I am t"ld, are wonderful sterytellerAl h"wever, Ii reoent death in their family haa prevented me frem being able t" vIait with them at the preaent time. l'AlliS li'ROM li'OS'l'EB'S Br;ND AND JJJ;DAR BLUF'F 'I'he all,,,;;n[ eir-ht etaries Were oellected fr,,", Mr. !In. Mrs. Fr'ink .J. SmIth, the first six frolm, Iir. Smith an. the hAt tw" frem Mre. SmJth. In ",eAt :Instances I was ahle te fin. only very gener"l ,""tIfe "n' never any tale-typeA. 'I'h!s firat atory weuld aeem te employ the m"Hfs of J2665. 'I'he swkwar. servant; J2650 DungHnlI f".I; and JI819 PhyAlaal phenomena mieun.erst.... --mieaellane.ua. ThiA happene. up thia rlver--where there're-- you kn",w just a.untry folks-never ha. l,een ne\1here. But there 'e Aeme relkA meve. in there kimla--fnm "eaiety, an. they waA ~lvin' .. purty--" >leddinr,--ililetea. af a party, and they aske. a let af seaiety fGlks there, gn. they ha. these Ne.l;r. men dresse. up in the whlte, "aibin' .n 'em, ya knew. An.-.-uh--they'. aandlelilfhts ,,11 around the heuse ..n. everJ'thing l:1.t up--b'aaneI. And--uh-- there's a bunah .r misahus boys, .Y" know (tlmisahi",v.us" a.rreated Mrs. Smith), misohleveus Le:>,s--that--uh--they sll ppoo in there ano saw the so Neg:reea runnin' arouno, ya kne\1, \11th tho"e white AuitA on ano " ..it in , ell 'em and they'o--runnin' te the well ano get a bucket ",f ",.ter. OSe they just sliape. in there/an. there waA a well curbin' boxed up, yo. knew, beut three feet--fellr feet en tel', an. they ju"t moved this curltoin' @ver--this well t@o over.--And here ceme this bey t. get. bucket .f water. And he jus run in the well. Uause the ~@x u~ @n the ether slde. He just ran in the well end some @f them run eut there. They heard the cemmetien Gut there, this niller hellerin'. Ano--uh he le.ke. up there sez,"S",mebsdy dene meveo dis h'yer well." He thoulht they'd meved the "ell. ThaA all there W"8 t. that. Fer the next story I f0un~ the felhwinff motHs 1"401.).') Spirit as black ~eff; 1"402.1.2 '5pirH blocks persen's rea.; 'In. 1"407.2 Spirit fa."s int .. <iiiI'. Now I gues" thia happene. tack b"hre I uz bern, Anyway, was right after-wahn't tee len, "fter my mether an. f,ther msrrie. baok in Seuth Ja"rl1ner. Well, he h".--uh--feur ar five brother&, an. one of um .i. a l.t ef hunting. An~--uh--hIB name wao Buck. Ami Be ene meenohine nirht my .....y an~ ",ether wuz rioln' in a ene herse wa(an. They uz rein' .ewn--heen te vioit Beme nei(hbarB. Ano--uh-- they hoke. o"wn the 1'01'] lin. B~W twa ."1';8 cemln'--hle: .egs. An. my .a y Bez/I ruess thas Buok !'0in' possum huntin'." An. they uz rddln' ahn,r In thle one hel'se wagen, ya knew. 14ell,whe.f\lO the deffs r ..t t .. Ulll, well, they j uet 1',,1 red up 'lnd ,lu& stayed there, And --uh--my .sddy l4ahn ' t 8care. <>r n..thin '/ and he w..uldn't tell n.. lie at all, and he Bai. he ha. a whip in the laok .. f the waff ..n. Sal. he reache. fer that whip, he's /fenna hIt ene ef um aee--hit 'Ihatever it Vlao. He kne" .It ,,"hn't [leffe jUfl rai re. up there) ano he tuk hio eye off of' um; he couldn't [,nd hi" I4hlp. He tuk hlB eye ..ff' @f Ut<' t" leek for the whip, ond he lnk taok they uz g'''ne, And he Bal. that aotually happened. SaId he wahn't Roare., I kn"w he wahn't Raared ef n"thln'! John Fie.ler, Where w.s thiR? Mr. Smith' 'i'hls UZ "vel' in South vaerHnlll'--..ver aroun' Greenville. Nlki. p'!eoler' \4hat '. he think they \~ere? Mr', Smith: Well, he .Ion't hallev.. In hanta, ya know. An.--uh--l4hat It \~as he never dio tlff""r euL But it aouldn't a-heen ."lrA juo Bit up there. Ji'er this shry the tW0 '"lhwin&, general motifs "ere found: Xll2? Lie: hunte,' with remarkabae marksmanship; Xl12J~ lde: the hunter oatohes or ki l1s ,ame by i nt':enious .. r unerthea"x Pleth" Mrs. Smith: Oan y"u tell itT Mr. Smith: Yeah J o..n tell that tale. Uh--I fiirht even tell it wr"nr but thi.e-- uh--h"ppened in F10yd oeunty, ya knew here. D"wn at Sarly Stati"n there use.. t .. be " ."p@t here, ....nd this ol' ro"n live. around here by the name ef Akrey. And he sqUirrel hunted a let, and he had ene of theBe--uh-- oa, ..nd ball rifles, and he done his own 100.in' with p"wder 'n--uh he'. 10 squirrel huntin', he'd bring us h..ok s"metime fi.fteen "r twenty ~qutrrels. S" ane m0rnin' he went, he I':"t baok pretty early tho.t d"y "n Mr. Early rUl1 the stere eut her", 'n el' man Akre,Y "eme In \~ith his bumJh er ~quirrels. ]I,r. Akrey?" iSui. "llew'. ya make eut t.his m0l'nin', I "Uh--uh," he sez--he talked funny like that (at this p.. int Mr. Smith bel'an h opeak In e. hiR'h, shaky veioe)--Bez.,,"uh--l didn't d" sa r""d this mern;n'," se,,/ "I l"st my ball." lIe vlau1. --uh he'd ,jUdge the istanoe frem the I'r<i>lJDd to "he re thet squi rrel "Jas und he'd 1o"d his ~:un , them see t he ,jus put in eneurh p<i>wf/er to--t<i> hit V, thet squirrel and g'" ;n lim hut w<i>ul.n't GEnJla O\1-t , anol when the squIrrel fea 1 "ff, he'd ,jU" out his bullet out .nd--uh--e" hunt anether squirrel. Sez/"1'bJa "l!"(he fumbled eNun'!l] there, pull "ut ene), sez'i"'!'hls "l,~ b"y here," sez) "he must a-been a little tender. I put in a little ta" much ,,,wder "ne," Bel') "r l"vt my bul.1et." An that uz e aotua1 faot! (At .. la.te I' tIme 1 WII S te 1d th..t Mr. Akray sh"t eao h squ i r"a 1 At ra ight th r"ugh the same aye.) I was only able to find one bread motif whioh ~ertajnp. to thl" next otery' X800 Humer bRsed en drunkennees. I think this happened in Atlanta!,', Geugie. Thane three drunks uz rJ.din' areuno, 'n they uZ slngin', tslk:in', and dein' meetly sing'in'. lind se thio feller waR drlvin' sez (t"lk to Jehn in the baok) , sez,"John," sez/"hew beul yeu gitlin' up here and drl\'lin' ," sez( "yeu tee drunk t" Bing." John Waf' jus sayin' " WIHO every enOe In " whUe; he ceuldn't hardly hold his head up. He I"ld him to fit up there and drive. He's lee drunk t" sip~. I wlIa unable I.e find a I~le-t,ype er motif fer the f<l11ewlng stery. I'll tell ya litlle Rh"rl "ne t" go with them ethera. This happened up In the waR raise. up Ihere--Mr. Burien. He worked "hel'e I oJd in AIlanter, 'n he said noarest nelghber wao five miles b.ak then in th"se oaya, 'n Bald he and hla d"ddy was out on the yard ene mernin', 'n hll aa~ this ""ten oemin', an it wuz a neighb"r. He live. "bout five mileB baok ul' the m"untain, 'n--ub--he g.I in funt .f' Ihe houee. He at.pl'''.' aez--uh) "G""dm"rnln I, :,11'. Burt.n" (he uZ Itllkln' I" Ihia Burt.m'a .".'y I uz lellin' ya abaul). He A"'i~ "a.e.merrJ:in' , Mr. ,l.nee. I Bee ya /[ein' te I.lin." Sez( "Yeah," AOZ /hlt '" Satl.y, ya knew, ,otla f[" I .. town an get clrunk," eezl"r eh. de oire... Jt I ..~." ~ That'A all ther" iA t. that ene. Motif J18 Wisdom aoquired from beating, Sftems t. be impliod in tho rollowing story. Well this Negro boy fn" the South W~F' up N..rth, I think H !?~trdt, and--uh he went in this b.nk t. let hIs .heak alRhed, pr~b.bly .ovment aheak,,'n there he vlent t .. the first winder 'n put hie aheak up t. the teller 'n sez;":Jash this aheak." He hoke. at it, turned it ever, sez, "You'll hafta slrn I.t." Sez/'N,nl," sez/'I don't h"ft .. 'lirn ib." Sez) "',Iell if y"u're [onn" g:it it aaahed y</U'll haf to." Sez;"I knows ,loy 1'lrhts." sli"1"1"'d'S'n't h.. ft,. sifn It." Sez} "Try that next wind"w there," Bez,"He mirht cRsh it." Some tale, ya know. "You'll hafto. sirn H." "I kn"wB my rights. I ain't pon ai,n it." SeZ;"'Ilell try that. next. un." He went .11 the way <I@",n te the lost wind. 'n that. teller wuz from Al.boma, 'n--uh he tuk his aheak In there, sez/"Jash this cheCk." II" l.oked 81 it "sez/You'11 hun" sJr.n It, bey." Said/"No, I knovlB rllY ri~ht8," Be2./I d.n't hafta pi~n H." Ill' reached 0ver In ret hIm l'y the .@llar 'n pulled hl.s head up 1n the 'linda 'n sez,"Boy, I'. f'r@. Alabama 'n," sezt"y@u sirn th.t cheok if yau " ..nt that m()n~y." Sa he al,ned it. Went taak up through lhere aountin' h1s maney, 'n one them lellers he'd been t. sez/ "llell, I see you i'"t It oaBh" " Sez) "Yesoir," sez /that last ..an down at that winder," sezJ"he .plain". it to me." 'fhese next t\~.slr'Hies were relate~ t" me oy Mrs. Smith in her delioerate, serieus manner. The first story ernpI,ye twe metife; '~7' Peltergeist. Invisible spIrit ( rnetimes i"Fntifi". us rh0st Qr witch) reopenBibie fer all B@rtf WeIl--my m0ther wasn't ufraid of anything, und they Iive~ in an eld heuee they said was--uh haunted, and--uh ("Haintod" breke in Mr. Smith)--ls it hainted? Uh--se her brether was st"yln' wIth im. He come up te visit fum Birmingham, and he .t u'. and came te her re , and he said "Peurl " said "1 den't knew '3 V . I ' ) what's happnin but that bed shakes se in my reem I oan't slee., and I'm net goin' baok in there." 'N she w.hn'~ afraid ef anything, Be she sai~ "Well, T'll change reems with ya." An she went in the reem, and she never--it didn't b,,~her her, but as leng es he lived, ho weul" never go back in thot rOQm an. sleep at night. And--uh one n1eht he was back on a visit, 'n it'. ab0ut flve miles to his [irlfrlencl's, 'n they r0do h.rs~s t. eee his [irl, and ehe--uh eaid she heard-- theulht horses' hooves in the yard, .n. she got up t@ soe. She Baid, "Well, OlayteD's h"me e.rly--wwnder what hu~pene.?" And shE- went Qut,nd there wus n"t a horse or anything aroun.; the moen waf shinin' jUf\t aE bright as day. And in this same h6use you CQuid cl_.e the doers and yeu aeulclh't keep em shut ~t all. You c@ul. lock em, . nd they WGuid just epen. (MI'. Smith interrupts the tape here.) And-uh luter this sume brether was viatin' and there waR a woman that told fortunes that lived .bout ei,ht miles frem them, and they decided te [O u. and have their fortunsR teld. And she'. !G Int0 S0me kinda tranae te tell ern. And "hen they--behre they ("t there, they "a8 or"sBin' the "reek, an. he sa:ld, "Pearl," said, "let me ~o in flrst >In. [et my fertune t01/J [MaUM It miyht be the lOA! chanae I'll hBve." And .he aaid all right, no "hen they ("t te the [@rtune teller's hou8e, the fortune teller <laid) "Well," 8Gid--uh l "I'll take him first for when he orossed the creek down there he sraid, 'Perarl, let me r" in iirAt beoou"e it mirht be the 19.st chance I'l.l have.'" John Fiedler: She t"ld a 10t "r fortunes'/ Vias she protty 1"00 at it 7 Mrf:. Smi th, Vh-huh. Mr. Smith: She must" been. real r"rtune teller. t-lre. Smith, Yeah, she ""fl. They sald she l'red,ioted everything. The seoGno siery t"ld hy Mra. SlnHb emphys tbe .."tifs X12~;8 Lies ahout leese; and X1258.2 T0Ugb I"oce. ~QG.e "itb jm~enetrable skin. Mr. Smith, ],et me tell y" s0metbin' bout" . ""se. I'ra. SmHb I \ihen my prandmother st,nted bousekee~inI, her m"t.her pave her a [Goae, an. they kne>l it >las 01' "ben theJ' ,,,"ve it to bel'. \'/ell, sbe kep it for yearc and yeur's I,no year~, 9t'd then "hen my rather ..ari'ied, be pet the I'",ese. My [randmotber I'""e it t .. him, "n. tbe~' kep it for year. an. ye9rs an. ye1us, and tbe b"l's bad tried to kill it ami ever,ytbJn/T' It """ tGugb. They fipur<,. it \'Inr al'out " hund red years old. And the ho"." couldn't. ki 11 it. And finAlly tbe traIn hit it "nd Id 11". H. And tbere 'e no tell in I h0\'1 len/, that ,:""ce ""uld 'ave live. ['ut it ~1'1. over a hunched yen's 01d. MI'. Smith: I\in't that Vie I'""re t.hat 'I. f"llor .'leI', everyb0dy--make it sail .roun'? Mrs. Smith: Yes, and t.he r'H,se--\'Ie--""ul .iUA ""lk arnuno ano--the place bere. And wae a man that w"uld oeme ever here and tie his mule out every d"y. He .eme to eBe the train ,. by, "nd that 01' laose w0uld sit by that mule til he'd start home, and he'd follow that mule for about a half a mile t. tap "f a hill, an. then he would Rail baok--fly baak an light. J@hn F'1edler: S0undu like 3 (reat reese. MI's. Smith: He was, und I .,ion't know geese live. te be that ul MI'. Smith: Oh, they lIve te be ,"VOl' a hun.rell yeara 01 Mra. Smith: rut he--they knaw he was OVer B hunllred yeara old--that tho 100.c was over a hundred year. old. Dixie J. Miller, _one of the few people left with muoh knowled~e ef the stories and legends ef means of expres8ion is the Jed.r Bluff erea, is not really a storyteller. Her l,.v '",; 'I-,,:'~-g mainly '"Fitten; oonsequently, she has little or the 8tyle of traditional storyteller. Her stories are remnants or the orel tro<lJtten ef ,)e<lsr Bluff and the f.urrounding erea. Metifs for he.' f'lrst stery indu<le 1~~02.1.1.~ Chest sings; EJj02.1.2 F'eotsteps ef invisible ghost hear.; N500 'freasure trove; ano N5l.7 Treasure hidden in LuH.ing. 'fhis story happeneo I,aok in ihe woeos in " oove neo,r Leesburg. There"s a nioe two-siery house "aok there but now every.ne sleel's in the same r.om. In slavery oays s"me lleili4iersc(,ere'"held}q,Nsonere in the seaon. st"ry. \~hen a smallpox eoloemie broke "ut, they \1eren'l "l1'"-,,ed t" leave bury the dead. N"w at night ]!le .. ple llvinl( in the h"use can the h"use t" v\ hear siging and 1\ dancin( o ..min!:,: rl''''' the eoc@n. Ilhor, but n.. "ne Jun be f"un. mHkinr thi,s n"l"e. Tho doers t" ihe h"use fly .. pen and oan't be kept oleseo. ~ rew y~are baak when the fireplaoe '.13S rOI1"rked, g .. ld bdaks 11ere hun. ind.e 0f it. An"ther tim" " white Lir. waB found on the seJ"n. flo"r @f th" house. The people put it in 0"1" to .how every"ne, but the bird JURt .isappeare. and was never seen agl1.1 n. One ..otif waB lo'o"te. fer this next st.ory. E~22.l.l1.5.l I1l""o"toln ineradieabl. e after bl"..oy tragDdy. This ehry ls about the Hall. h",us~ near Jeonr Bluff. Mr. Hall fell. in leve l/crs. lIe,ll an. the baby was sent h ..me. The next d.y MrA. Hall wa" [Guno in the kitahen with her thr0.. t out ami the baby still nursi,ng at her breaet. 1\10". frem the death weund had oevered the ohild. After this they'oouldn't wash the ble". off the fleer. Finally, they lmrnecl the fleer ever, but the st"ine kept reappearing. Also the doer te the kitohen wen't stay ol"sed n"w. Mrs. 1-1iller hOB a stery about the flrst man te fl.re a "het in the (Jivl1 War. I!'est ef the stery was oolleoted from the s",lJier'. surviving: <laughter, and as ether of the le.al steries, this ene has been ~ubllshe. in leoal news~aperB. The fo'lewing is frem Mrs. Miller's artiole. Sleeping quietly in a ."',m"n c;rave in Obenkee Oounty is tbe man wbe fired the first sb.t .f tbe 'livil War. A simple done vlith tbe words--Soldier G.J. E<lc;ins, 1o>rrJ Ootober 28, 18)8: Ole. Jlnuary 21j, 1890. Hred the first sbot at ~'ert ~)umter, 8.a.--m"rks his grave Five miles eaRt .f Jen.re .ff HithwMY 411. 'fhe sh<i>t "",. he"rd tnm ~'hrHu t. Minnes<i>ta. A. a ohlld J.ff Edgin. liked t. hunt with bew and Brr<i>W. His fatber t.ught bim t. bunt wltb his "Polk stalk" rifle whicb the boy handleade. with .bet, n.wder ,trill oaps. 'Pb'" b,"Y'. marksman, "fter br0u[bt borne rabbits, turkey. and .ther .,i 1. tame he bad ah.t. He wulke<l to. !loh".. l built @1' l@t's, studd:"d by o',noleB m.de frem hllow and fed bis father's f"rm animals. lie trew to be a "tr"pl'ine: yount ",an "hi Ie Jlvi 1 \Iar 0 10u.!l fro", he'wy. lie .nlisted in tbe aonfederate Army and wus .sRirned to Jharleston,B.J. On the mQrnint' of "pril 12, 18(1, tin 0rder Ita,; telel!:r,,~hed frem Mentgomery te Gon. ~eaUrBt:ar., wh .. 'tao in oommaml, telling him t" ""en fire "n Fert Sumter at ~"jO a.m. 'J'he "roler waA paBaeoi to Maj. Andersen, """'mander "f the Unien ort. In the still, qUiet heurs Jeff Edp;'ina mounted a s')i\ff@hl and repertedl31 fired the firBt shat ef the war. Edgins fought tn the 'tar fer hur yearB 'ud f<>ur days, sleeping many tImeo en the rreunol i11 an At'my blanket g'l'ewn tottered with uso. 'dhen the war ceaoe., he returned te his father'a farm near ,ll'artanburr, 8.0., 'll1d fell In hve w:ith l5year-<>lol H.rriet Brann"r>. 1'hey marri". and the ceuple, her father and anether man ect eut fer H"me, G"., In Ii covered "lagan pulled by t'la steut "xen. 'I'heir milk "aws were Ued behind the wat:liln. In the ItHren were their behn!"in,l':a, a pi!" and" few chickens. They re.che~ "adeden, Ala., tIre~, with Harriet expe.tinr their first ahll~. 'they were told that Rome ItaB qwarantinecl h""Hune of a Bma1it>"z ,'pideroic BO tY.ey huilt " ht caUn tl> aViait the birth of their chI1~--a pen, 'iln tIe. After lillie "orne Lu1a Belle. \'lillie lIlied '/hen he >lap three, and th<; heartbr" ken f"mi ly l"oole~ its ,"a,.IiIn qnd Bet eut a!"oJim--this time fer (Jentre In Gher0kee Jounty. ,It Jentre, Jeff' aoqulred a l(O-aore farm whioh cec"me the heroe of faur nonD and another laughter. He felt the effects "f hIn Jivi 1 1'{liIrl'servlce, ~eveJepinc:: v/hat was then oalled heart clr"psy. He .ie,1 while sitting in hi S "Gcldnr choIr en the front p@roh. He wan huried where he nO>l rents In an unmarked g-rQ.vfl. The state later ereatelll " marker at the site. Winls, rain and BIlOW have swept ihe rr.veyard and the small mauncl of dirt, on. tIme has almost erased the memory .f the m"n who ilred the firet shot in the Jivl1 War. Mrs. Mlller ala" ,ove me a fourth otery, "Legend of M..y's Gulf," which T have net used here 0.0 khe obtained much of it [rem a written reoerd of one man's ~, enoeunter with the tole undAexperienoes in the mysterious lead mine believed to have been hearded and mined by the Oherskee. From 001. Wo.leey Finnell's aooount, the tale seems te have been wi.eepread with several variante at one time. Mrs. II.Uler has researohed the tale farther than 001. Ii'innell's artiole and has been able to connect .. murder in reoent years t;'o'the"mlne . \' I>UPERS'f rr IUNS During this ~rojeot T wan ahle to oontaot a woman I hod met several times r"any years "f'o. Mrs. Jl"re S. Findley, who now lives at 117I7 Roswell Rood, Apt. 1>-9, At&Qnt~, was born and raiseo in Dulut.h, Georgia, whioh in about forty-five minutes north of Atl~nta. $he Imo her husband owned dairy caHle,; en their hrm outsioe of Duluth for many years. After hie death, she lJved in tluluth several "'6~~"'years before finally movIng to Atlanh. A l'ort time emp10yee ef the F'ulton eounty Beard af E'uooti'm, l-ll'S. I'indley hos taught graoe soheel "ff ond 011 fer lllo'ny years. Alth"ugh she wos un'Ible to give me .qny steries, she wan aHe te give me some superstitions "'hioh she gre", up with. "'''l1""l1nl[ are the sUl'eretitiens nhe contributed: If a preg;n"nt w,,,.an "Urll seal', it wen't gell. ('fhi" sUl'erstitien gre'" Ul' out ef the praotill:e .. f ",emen killing he!':s and making their elfn lard and B"ap.) If a pregn"nt w"mon I~QkB at a oerpee, the caLy's eyes will set like the corpse's and beoame fixe If ~hything Belarefl " "rernant "oman ahd she t"uches a part af her Lody, the bahy "ill have a bitthmark in the same tp..t. If a pre/fna.nt ..email is fuller in front] she "ill have" h"y.:jf she is fuller in back, she "ill have" lirl. A baby is always horn en the chlll1re of the moen. If .. woman t"uches a sure plnnt "hile Rhe is menstruating', the ulant '11111 die. If a knife is dropped "t the tahle, " man :Is oemin! t" see yeu; if" fork is dr"pped "t the table, a weman is oominl to see yeu. If you are startlng eut some"here "nd have je turn back before yeu reach yeur destination, you must make" oress with Y0ur f""t and spit te "'ard eff bad luok. If a black oat c r~sses y~ur path, Y0U must spit three t '!mes .1'10 Ray ".amn" t e brea \<: the RpeJ 1. If Remeene is siok "nd "':acreeoh ..",1 oomes int0 the yard, this is 811'1'1 of oea t h If y@u wash yeur h"'ir in the fIrst May rain, yeu won't have "'.noruff fer '" year. If a o<>w elts wild oniens, her milk will taote like oni"ns. (ThIB last is not really a superatltlon aai" Mrs. FindleYl it Is faot. 'l'hls Is \~hy oeuntry people serve 'miens wIth their meals. This way peepl" ".,,,,'t notlae th" onlon t&lste "f the milk &IS muah.) 6 p": "'il Yeu muat drink sasaafras tea in the ~" to thIn y"ur bh"d. Mrs. J?1.n"ley alae told me "r tw" oeuntry reme"Iea her mether h..d uaed en her when she w.. s a ahIld: An .s.. f'etI ... b..g w.. s made frem the gum ,,1' 801me plant (ehe didn't lmew "hioh by ',"",e'me else that the asafetida bag "as hunt: ,.rouno the neak to "lIrd off hants. A sellr ohth "aa m"de frarn the Beat ,,1' blue serge pants a.nd wern areuno the neok en a strIng until it fell off. Lruol, turpentine, ~um, oampher, and mustard "ere firBt heated in a fryIng pan, then the ,)ieoe ef blue serge aloth was Beaked In thi.s mIxture und fInally hung ar~und the neak as a remedy f"r ohost a.n~esthn a nd a Ud s. aONJLUSlON Piotures for thi. pr.jeot are currently being .evelope. en. will be a e' In the near future. Alth<ilugh I feel that I ,,:as unable to obtain much of the true eral tradition a reun. Feater Ia P,end and Jed"r Bluff, T think th"t the area wlil'la preve to be a riakl ene in felklere H Beme " e ld-timey ateryteller~ coul. be feun '1'h6 pe.ple I woa referre. te had excellent hiatorlcal kn ..wle.ge ""out the area "n. a keen interest In it. Of /';reoteAt interest "ere the 01. on...nen valuable "rtifacts I was able te aee. 1'hese ranged fr"'" primitive runa an. arrew heails te lanterns, feetwarmers, teels m"ile frem stone uae. by the Tn.ians an. many ether aurious articlee, del, Mann ehewe. me seme c"rvings(believe. to be from " chariet) "hloh ha. been oisa ..vere. in the tomb ef the b~gypti.m klng Tut"nkhaman .' an. later "btaine. in Egypt by ene et' J ..l. ~lann 's relatIves. Theu~h thIs project has been complete., I plan to dl!> further researoh in the urea of' ~'eBterIB Beno an. Jedar Bluff. 'fbe Smithl!l Beem alm"st like chlBe relatlveB n"w/Be my t.rlps to Boe them should eff'er rea. epp"rtun.ity te centim,e werkln~ in tbe area,
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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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