Nancy Forsyth Noblin interview with Edna Noblin, Mammie Tucker, Vera Turner, and Cora Seay interview (part two)

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. This is the second of a three-part interview; it starts at page 24 of the transcript. Cora Seay starts the audio by telling two quick stories. The first is about a dog who jumped a fence in front of Joe Larmon and caught fire. In the second, her brother Fate saw a wagon that spontaneously combusted with a baby inside. At 1:15, she claims that her brother Charles saw a ghost dog. At 2:15, Cora Seays daughter-in-law Marie Seay (1919-2000), Cora Seay, and the interviewer discuss whether ghosts are always human or if they can be animals. At 3:10, Cora Seay recalls superstitions about mysterious lights. Her brother Gart believed that if lights appeared in the pine thicket, it indicated a graveyard where people could disappear. Next she tells a humorous story about locking out her friends Tom Anderson and Homer Wilson (1913-1979) after they drank too much. A light appeared, scaring them so much they stopped drinking. She also recalls a local woman, Annie Sommerhourer, seeing a mysterious lights after her baby died. Seay admits that she is skeptical of the existence of this mysterious light. 7:50: Seay changes topics to an explanation of how hogs were slaughtered when she grew up. The best time to kill them was during the first Winter frost. Next at 9:14, Seay discusses Ember days, three days of fasting, abstinence, and prayer practiced once a season. The time was used to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach moderation, and to assist the needy. It was also a good time to slaughter livestock. The interview pauses while additional people arrive. At 12:05, Seay says potatoes must be planted on the full moon. At 13:55, Nancy Noblin, the interviewer, comments that she admires how Seay made biscuits from scratch without a recipe. They discuss orange trees and issues with gaining weight, then at 19:30 Noblin asks if Seay knows any scary stories. Seay cannot remember any specifically, but recalls hearing them as a child. At 21:32, Seay talks about coon hunting, which required hunters to wake up early. Once she caught two while hunting with Noblins grandfather. Next at 26:30, they discuss Seays old cow Bessie, which was mostly a pet, and how to make homemade butter. Seay attributes her superior butter to feeding her cow well. 30:08: Seay then reminisces about barn raisings, where an entire community built a barn for a family. Barn raisings included log-rollings where the community gathered big logs in a field and set them on fire to create fertilizer. They also had corn shucking competitions and a feast. Edna Noblin (1907-1990) was born near Auraria, Georgia. She moved to Dawsonville, Georgia and then to Atlanta. Noblin married Richard Lewis Noblin (1909-1985), and the couple had two children, Nancy Forsyth Noblin (1942-2011) and George David. Mamie Odessa Tucker (1885-1976) lived in Dawsonville, Georgia. Myrtie Vera Turner (1896-1984) lived in Dawsonville, Georgia, and had two children, Betty Jo Turner (1934-2007) and Kenneth Turner (1931-2016). Cora Seay (1891-1979) lived in Dawonsville, Georgia, married Harley Manon Seay (1885-1970), and had two children, Irma Summerhour (1914-2008) and Hoy Seay (1918-1984). Additional biographical information has not been determined. TAPE 1 Interviewer: This is Mrs. Edna Noblin. (I asked my Mother to start telling any story she might remember as my informants stated that they could not remember any at all. I thought that if she started the session they might feel more comfortable with the tape recorder. As you will see, this presented problems of a different nature.) Mrs. Edna Noblin: I remember a song that my grandmother used to sing to me when I was a little girl. It was about Johnny Sands and his wife and it was, uh, based on the story of Jack Sprat and his wife. I remember - I do not remember it word for word but I do remember the story that Johnny Sands and his wife would eat - Johnny Sands would eat no fat, his wife would eat no lean. They fought all the time (Here Mrs. Mammie Tucker adds the line "and twixt them both they licked the platter clean. ") Mrs. Noblin In spite of my non-verbal signs to the contrary says .. No ... and would eat no lean. Uh, they fought all the time and, uh, finally Johnny Sands said, "Oh, wife Iwant'a please whut can I do?" She said, uh, "Johnny Sands I've stood you as long as I can. You stand on top of the hill. I'm gon tie your hands behind your back and push you in the well." So Johnny Sands stood on top of the hill and his wife tied his hands behind his back, and his wife gave a big run and pushed him down the hill, and uh, he, jest as she pushed him he stepped aside and she fell in the well. (Hard to hear unless volume isturned up to full, but Mrs. Vera Turner inserts "river," Mrs. Noblin continues as if no interruption) Oh save me Johnny Sands she cried, save me. I would my wife but you have tied my hands. Now 31 that was the gist of the story. And it was. It rhymed well and it and it was a rhyming story and her mother, who had come from Ireland in 1800 and something, 1800 and 35 I think or 1800, anyway, in the 1800' s, had taught it to her. And another one that I remember was, uh, about Lucy Grey and Lucy Grey had gone -2- out to find some little baby ship, uh, sheep and uh, that were lost in, uh, snow storm, and uh, and the song was 'bout they lit the lamp and no Lucy Grey, and they look out the window and, no, little Jucy Grey, and, uh, they lit a lantern and they went to find her, and the footsteps went to the middle of the bridge, and the bridge had broken in two, and, and, uh, half the bridge was gone, and, uh, the foot steps end there, and poor little Lucy Grey they never saw again. Then I remember one that my Aunt used to tell me about a big black toe and I was only 18 months old then, I'm 58 now, and I would say, oooooh more boooo, more boooo, and it was uh. uh, I loved that story, it scared me to death but I couldn't wait to hear it over again and this is the Aunt that used to tell it to me. This is Mrs. Mammie Tucker. 46 Interviewer: Mrs. Tucker, 'Now you started to correct mother about the Johnny Sands story, how do you remember that?" (Mrs. Noblin asserts, in the background, that Mrs. Tucker had it mixed up) She had, how did they, she fell in a river instead of a well. (Mrs. Noblin holds out for the well, speaking at the same time as ... ) Mrs. Mamie Tucker: River instead of a well. Mrs. Noblin: Who did? Mrs. Vera Turner: Sammy, uh, Johnny Sands. Mrs. Noblin: It was a well. Mrs. Mammie Tucker: Run down the hill into the well ? Mrs. Turner: I thought it was a river, run down the hill, push 'em into the river. Mrs. Tucker: And she stepped aside and fell in the river (Violent signals are -3- being made to Mrs. Noblin to "shut up" by the interviewer, but as you can see they are ignored) Interviewer: Do you remember the story about the big black toe? Mrs. Tucker: No. Interviewer: You don't? Don't remember anything about it? Mrs. Noblin: She's L-Y-I-N-G. Mrs. Tucker: You tell it. You know it better than I know it. Mrs. Noblin: I don't. Mrs. Tucker: Well. Interviewer: You're the one that used to tell it all the time. Mrs. Tucker: Well, I know it, she used to listen. Mrs. Noblin: When I was 18 months old Interviewer: 18 months old. Mrs. Tucker: Well I don't know it. Mrs. Noblin: Well whut was the gist of it? Mrs. Tucker: Well, uh, one time there was a man and his wife ... Mrs. Noblin: Well, sit over there in that chair so she can get it. Mrs. Turner: Well now, one time there was a man and his wife ... Mrs. Tucker: Vera, now you come and tell it. (At this point I got Mrs. Noblin to exit.) 73 Mrs. Tucker: Once a1pon a time there was a man and hi~ wife, and they, uh, lived alone and they were very, very poor, and they lived in a very small mountain cabin, and they, uh, didn't have enything to eat hardly, except whut -4- they could go in the woods and find, but they did have a garden in back of their house where they raised a lot of irish potatoes 'nd beans. 'n peas. 'n things like that. So, uh, the wife said to the husband, said. we uh, do not have enything fur supper. Whut shall we have. Whut shall we eat. He said, Well I know we have some potatoes, some irish potatoes in the garden. and I'ma go'n in the garden and see if I can find some irish potatoes. She said Oh husband that would be fine, but we do not have any meat to season 'em with. And he said, well, we'll thlnk about that later when we, when I git the potatoes. So he went to the garden, picked up a hoe and went to the garden. and begin to dig up the potatoes, and. and. uh. in this big bunch he found a lot of potatoes, and in this potatoes, bunch of, hill of potatoes, he found a great big black look'n uh, he thought it was another potatoes but, bh he picked it up and smelled of it and it smelt just like pork, hit was uh, hit was some kind of meat. So he uh, takes hit on in the house and he said to his wife, said now I've found uh, found enough-, meat in the hill with the potatoes to uh, season urn. And she sayd, "Oh, that will be fine. So she scrapes the potatoes 'n cooks 'em and they, shes waJes the piece of meat that he's found, she washes it thoroughly and she finds out that it didn't look, hit looks real good to eat. So she puts it in the pot and after the potatoes aWhile the potatoes and the meat is ready to eat. So, uh, she called her husbands, uh, husband, and they have a wonderful meal of irish potatoes, and uh, and the meat, they found out it was a nice lean piece of meat, but it was in the shape of a big potatoe. So they eat very ~arJly and they retire after(a) while and they couldn't go to sleep but they keep hear'n some'n like a wind a roar'nJa roar'n. and so uh, saying I want my big black tooooe. I want my big black tooooe. So the woman -5- give the husband a nudge 'n she said uh, git up husband 'n see whut it is. So \-Y he gits up 'n looks under aU the chairs, and the table and in the closet 'n he comes back 'n goes to bed and he said I did'n see one thing. I did'n find a thing. She said well, probably it wus "just the wind roar'n and she said I had a premonition I don't think we should'uv eaten that meat. Oh he says, forgit that. Arid so, uh, in a few minutes after he had retired they something ,Cl.noise said uh, I want my big black tooooe. Where is my big black tooooe? So uh, he says to her uh, git up my dear 'n see if you can find whut it this. So the woman of the house gits up and she goes in to the little kitchen 'n looks all in the cupboard 'n behind the dishes and everywhere, she dudn't see enything. And she comes back 'n goes to bed. He says did you hear it or see it? She said no, there's not a thing "but the wind whistling in the tall trees. So they were netrlY asleep when it, this thing began to holler again I want my big black tooooe. What did you eat my big black tooooe for? I must have my tooooe. And he, she said git up it must be outside the house. So he gits up 'n lights a lantern and goes aU "around the house 'n looks in the bushes 'n the jam"of the chimly 'n every where, he comes back 'n he says well I kain't find enything, I don't see enything, I jest hear the wind roar'n in the wind, uh, the tree tops 'n he retires. Well aft, uh, he had, hadn't hardly more than gotten in bed till this uh, voice said I must have my big black tooooe. If it, if you don't 4~ hurry and git it 1'11 have to do something treeable, I must have my big black tooooe. I can't live without it. And so he says to his wife, said now, if I got up the other time, this is your turn. And she said all rite, she'd git up. But she got up very trembly and shakey 'n, went to the fireplace 'n looked up the chimbly 'n there she saw two big, big eyes, like saucers, gleming down 'n a big long nose with some big long claws, and it scared her so bad she jest fell rite on the spot! She just -6- had a heart attack! Mrs. Turner: .scared her, jest scared the breath out of her. Mrs. Tucker: and jest died. (laughter) and then he was, he was rilly scared then. So uh, he got his wife up on the bed, or s1D"ffi'ething and enyway, uh, then heuh, he went back and he, decided he ud look up the~imly to see what if, uh, whut he could find. So he looks up the chimly and he sees this big owl or uh, egal or whut ever it was 'n saying he wants his big black toe 'n the big claws, 'ntlthe big wings, 'n the terible eyes gleaming like bright saucers. So he was scared neerly to death. He got the gun and he uh, decided to kill whut ever it was so he put the gun up the (Mrs. Turner breaks in - he got down on his knees) Yeah, he got down on the knees and stuck this (Mrs. Turner - gun up the chimly) gun up the chimly and fired. And here fell this uh, enormous owl, and so he 'ud killed the owl, but his wife was dead and that was whut, that was whut wanted his big black toe . .pJ>~ Mrs. Turner: The owl. Interviewer: That was a beautiful story, that scared me. Mrs. Turner~ Gooooh, good! Mrs. Tucker: Well didn't you know that? Interviewer: I remembered it a long time ago. Aunt Cora used to tell that to me, but it wasn't nearly as good as yours. It was shorter, and the man came stomping up the stairs, it was a man, and they hadn't eaten it, and the man camp up the stairs and said I want my big black toe and they threw it at him, and said well here's your toe, you can take it and go. Mrs. Tucker: Well now you can have it anyway you Interviewer: I like your story better, it's scarier. Mrs. Tucker: You like. -7- Mrs. Turner: Yeah, the scarier the better. Interviewer: The scarier the better. Mrs. Tucker: Now that's all there is to the big black toe. And he killed it and when it fell down it was an enormous owl or you kin say egal with the big bright eyes and the Mrs. Turner: I thank owl would be better, to say hit wus a owl Mrs. Tucker: Uhuh, at night you know especially Mrs Turner: Whut 'bout eyes that big 'n them shining. Interviewer: Oooooh (laughter all 'round) wouldn't like that. Mrs. Turner: Wouldn't either. 223 Interviewer: It would be kind of a ba~ thing to see when you're going out to milk the cow (Mrs. Turner: Oh, it sure would) out in the dark. Interviewer: You ever seen a ghost? Mrs. Tucker: Nuhu, I never have. Interviewer: Haven't either. Mrs. Turner: A ghost? Interviewer: Aunt Cora thought she saw one one time. Gone out 'n saw something mysterous. Mrs. Turner: I've always heard of them all my life, but I've never seen one. Interviewer: Do they have them up here? You know a lot of times places will have uh, a particular place they say is haunted, particularly where a young girl has been killed or \something and a ghost is 'sposed to be. We have a house in Atlanta, not too far from where I live that's' sposed to be. Mrs. Turner: Haunted? Interviewer: Had a young girl that was killed or s{i)mething 'n she comes back. -8- I wonder if there are any storms like that up in, around Dalonega about the gold mines or anything like that. Mrs. Tucker: I don't know. Interviewer: They had some tragic happenings up there. Mrs. Turner: Oh, they killed people up there. Killed' em over the gold or .... Mrs. Tucker: Yeah, they sure do, kill them over their gold, or .. 246 Mrs. Turner: Our grandfather went up there 'n give a man a good whipping, you remember that Mammie? Didn't kill 'em thoughL Interviewer: When, When?????? Mrs. Turner: Up there at Aurea, some where 'bout there, up in there, 'bout some gold. 249 Mrs. Tucker: Used to be called Knuckletown. Interviewer: Knuckletown? Mrs. Turner: Knucklesville. Mrs. Tucker: Knuckletown. Interviewer: 'cause it was so rought? Mrs. Tucker: They fought rough, and everybody, they didn't fight with guns, they {0ught with knuckles. You know whut knuckles are? Interviewer:" Those brass knuckles? With things to make your hands hard? (During the latter part of the above sentence, Mrs. Tucker, and Mrs. Turner are saying, uhuh, yes and yea~h). Fingers Interviewer: What did he whip him for? Did he steal something of his or what? Mrs. Tucker: They got in a argument, something about my, this my grandpa Tucker, (Interviewer says uhuh) 'n, 'n -9- Interviewer: Boy! That's way back. Mrs. Tucker: Yeah, and uh, so my grandfather, Tucker went up to Knucklesville, and that's where all the gold miners would meet there in this little town of Knucklesville ... Unterviewer: Umhuh. Mrs. Tucker: They had a b~commisary there and they git their weeks supply, ~ (;S"M and my grandfather (something, can't m~ke 'out this word) more, well he like to play cards, and gamble. Unterviewer: Uhuh. Mrs. Tucker: And so did all the others. Pmd so they had a little ole house there where they would play cards, 'n bet 'n things like that. So my grandfather went in there and he was (Here Mrs. Turner notices someone out the window, they discuss who it might be) - Mrs. Noblin comes in. Mrs. Tucker: Edna, do you remember my grandfather going to Knucklesville and having a fight with Boney Who? Mrs. Noblin: Why no. Mrs. Turner: She says she don't remember. Mrs. Tucker: Well he did. Mrs. Noblin: Certainly not since I was born. Mrs. Turner: Nunuh. Why he'us dead before you wus born. Mrs. Tucker: Oh mercy! he'us (Mrs. Turner- He'us dead before you wus born) he, uh, he died .. (Mrs. Turner :hits our Grandfather) Hits our grandfather Tucker. Mrs. Turner: Not eny you know. Mrs. Tucker: No. Hits my, 'tore, Mrs. -10- Mrs. Noblin: Never heard of that in my life. Mrs. Turner: Well hit's so, hit happened! 286 Mrs. Tucker: It's so, it happened. And so my grandfather would go up there every Saturday night, and these gold miners would come down there, its rite where the burnt stand is, you know, we own it now, where the burnt stand was that's where they chained more gold 'n everything, had a store there, you know where the burnt stand is. Mrs. Turner: Som'n they accused him of, I don't know whut hit were, he said he wasn't guilty at all though. Mrs. Tucker: Well enyway, he got to fighting with this, uh, Mrs. Turner: Bully of the town Mrs. Tucker: Bully of the town, they called him Boney somebody, and uh, they got to desput'n over which way the card game went. .. And they had bet on which one would win, you know. And so they got uh, uh, desput'n over it. and uh, so this Boney jumped up and uh, ga, gave my father a lick over the head, and uh, my father, grandfather, grandfather. Mrs. Turner: Uhuh, he wus always fight'n. Mrs. Tucker: He was conoidered one '0 the best fighters in 'n around the burnt, burnt stand and Aurea, and, and, so he wus young and full uh, energy 'n he'd go up there 'n have a 1'ight every Saterday. Mrs. Turner: Every Saterday nite. Mrs. Tucker: Went up there that Saterday night Mrs. Turner: Edna, he sure wus rough, wudn't he? Mrs. Tucker: And so this other man, he hit this other man with the knucks, he -11- hit Boney, with the knucks, Boney just keeled over.... Mrs. Turner: that knO\Gked him out. Mrs. Tucker: and Boney's friends, then said that my grandfather was to blame for hurting Boney so much that, they two or three of them jumped on my grandfather. And my grandfather knock 'em off, jest. .. Mrs. Turner: Knock' em cold, everyone of 'em ... Mrs. Turner: Quick as they come, jest knock 'em cold, everyone of 'em. And, uh, so finally, one of 'urn ran out, a man by the name of H~Jky, ran out and got a big rock, and came back 'n hit my grandfather, in the head with the rock, and my grandfather, fell over. And uh, they brought him home and he died the next day. That's rilly true. Mrs. Turner: Oh yes, that's rilly true. Interviewer: He was married 'n had a family and everything, didn't he. Mrs. Tucker: Yes, he wus married, sure, and my father was a little boy 7 or 8 years ole. Mrs. Turner: 9 Mrs. Tucker: 9 years old. Mrs. Turner: He's olest one. Mrs. Tucker: My grandfather, my father was 9 years old at the time. So uh, all left my grandmother, how many children Vera? Mrs. Turner: 6 Mrs. Tucker: With 6 little children to ... Mrs. Turner: Raise without a husband Mrs. Tucker: Rear, without a father. That rilly happened, and that's the way .... -12- Mrs. Turner: That's the truth. Interviewer: Your grandfather must have been a very strong man Mrs. Tucker and Mrs. Turner: He was, he was, Mrs. Tucker: And he's noted to have the .... Mrs. Turner: To be the best fighter in the town (),,-s-C Mrs. Tucker: Punch, you know the most strength in his arms. (Follows a discussion of his picture that was lost when the house of Mr. Roscoe Tucker, late brother to Mrs. Tucker and Mrs. Turner was set ablaze by vandals on Christmas ~ve) Interviewer: Did he mine any of the gold up there around Aurea (pronunciation corrected by Mrs. Noblin)? Mrs. Tucker: Yes, he (somethin) up ther to mine, but he rilly wasn't a miner, he was rilly a ~laUghter) Mrs. Turner: He was a fighter that played cards. Mrs. Noblin: Whut did he do for a living. Interviewer: He faught. That's what he did. Mrs. Turner: He faught, and played cards. Mrs. Tucker: He fought and played cards and gambled, yes. Interviewer: That's exciting. I didn't know we had anybody like that back in the ancestry. Mrs. Noblin: I didn't know that either. I thought they were quiet school teachers on the Tucker side. Mrs. Tucker: Well grandmother was, she was a Hyde, but grandfather wus a, wonted to fight, 'n did fight. Mrs. Turner: He's a fighter, grandfatherwus. Mrs. Tucker: He's up there at the mine because there wusn't eny mine down here'., . w, -13- down here 'n it wuldn't too far you know. He minded lots around Aurea, but he never did make much money. Made enough to bring home a few groceries, but whut he did mostly wus fight 'n gamble. Interviewer: . When did Aurea get itM name changed from Knuckletown ? Mrs. Tucker: Knuckletown and Aurea the same thing. Same place. It wus known then as Knuckleville. Interviewer: Knuckleville? Mrs. Tucker: Now it's Aurea, they changed it to Aurea, same place. Interviewer: Ummmmm. (To Mrs. Noblin) Did you know it was called I(nuckleville because they faught with brass knuckles? 399 Mrs. Noblin: It wasn't because they faught with brass knuckles, there was a man named Knuckles, who had a store there and it was called Knucklesville and had the first hotel there. But they faught so much everybody thought it was named because of the knuckle fighting. Mrs. Turner: Well, isn't that ole hotel or rooming house still standing? Mrs. Noblin: I don't know. Mrs. Tuner: Mammie, I think it is, isn't it? Mrs. Tucker: Oh no, not the real one ... Mrs. Tuner: Not the real one .... Mrs. Tucker: The'se some ole building up there. Mrs. Tunrer: Some real ole buildings. Don't know where that's the hotel? Mrs. Tucker: No, I don't know. Interviewer: Did your father take after your grandpoppa eny? What did you used to tell me about the -14- Mrs. Tucker and Mrs. Turner: No, no. Mrs. Tucker: He took after his mother, quiet 'n-easy, didn't want to fight no one and never no .... Mrs. Noblin: He was a school teacher, and the county judge. He was the county judge. Mrs. Tucker: Yes, yes he wus. sneezing? Mrs. Noblin: (the abovlil. had been directed at Mrs. Tucker, but-- 417 I said that, well I'll tell it. Interviewer: You don't have to come way over here. Mrs. Noblin: My grandmother sneezed so loudly that she could be heard all over town. Pa, my, her husband, who was the county judge used to say that she disturbed his, he could hear Sally sneeze in the court house. She always hollered when she sneezed she'd go cheeewed (Can't duplicate this sound! ! !l And I sneeze like her. Interviewer: I do too. Mrs. Turner: Well I declare! But, ub, Pa always said, I heard, I kin hear Sally sneezin the court room. Mrs. Turner: He wus judge of the ... Mrs. Noblin: He was judge of the countv court. .. Mrs. Turner: And so she rilly sneezed, did she, 'n hollered when she Mrs. Tucker: Well, in fact he was the ordinary Mrs. Turner: Yes, that's right. You know they used to call him Judge Tucker, you remember that? Mrs. Noblin: They called him Judge Tucker ever since I can remember. Interviewer: Did he ever have any real exciting cases? -15- Mrs. Noblin: No, you don't have in county court. (Again violent signals by the interviewer for Mrs. Noblin to "hush up") Interviewer: No exciting murders or any thing like that? Mrs. Tucker: The only thing was my grandfa ther got killed, my grandfather. He wus, he was a roudy type. I didn't know it till I looked at the picture. It was a great big picture, and it was enlarged, 'n he had pretty brown eyes. (pause) ffiere follows discussion of family characteristicy Intervi~wer: Mama used to tell me a wild tale about grandmother, that she used to ride a horse to teach sbhool. 500 Mrs. Turner: Oh, III tell you a wild tale, uh. Mammie will, about Grandma. Whut about the gun? "n it scared Harrold nerlly to death. Mrs. Noblin: Oh, that's not funny. Mrs. Tucker: Nuhu, that's not folktale. Ohis was interesting to me, because I Ie had not mentioned folktale, but had asked for any past rememberences, or stor~, in order to learn more about the history of North Georgis/' Mrs. Turner: He say, he say he gona kill Grandma. ~rs. Tucker and Mrs. Noblin make signs to Mrs. Turner not to continue the story. The story referred to here is about their cousin Harrold Hendrix, now the black sheep of the family because he is generally drunk. When Harrold was small he was spoiled beyond endurance, according to my grandmother. One day he was pestering her (grandmother) in the kitchen, and in spite of all threats would not leave her alone. Finally, in desperation, grandmother took the old gun 0ffhtwl'e. kitchen wall and said she was going to shoot him if he did not leave her alone. He c mtinued to cut up, so she pointed the gun at him. The gun went off (much to her surprise, she did not know it was loaded), shot a hole in the -16- kitchen wall, but did not harm Harrold. Harrold took off for the hills, yelling "She's gona kill me" and great grandmother fainted. I've heard my grandmother and my mother tell this tale. I can't remember word for word how they tell it, so the above is my versiqiY Interviewer: Did grandmother really used to rid a horse to teach school? And put her hair up? Mrs. Tucker: Your grandmother. Interviewer: Yeah, that's who I'm talking about. Mrs. Turner: Your grandma. Interviewer: Put her lB ir up when she rode. Mrs. Noblin: She could do her hair. Interviewer: Fixup her long hair when she was riding a hDrse. Did you ever do that? Heads shaking all round. 512 Mrs. Noblin: Well one time Aunt Ine:i, got swept away in the creek in the buggy, e Whut was that story? I head that recently. Aunt Ine;a; went to M ~ Mrs. Turner: She's startin to teach 'n it wus a mile from here, you know over yonder at Shoal Creek. Mrs. Tucker: Hit's. two or three miles. Mrs. Turner: No honey, hits rite over here at Shoal Creek. Mrs. Tucker: Hit wus not! Mrs. Noblin: Well listen, don't argue about where it. .. Mrs. Turner: Well they always told me it was. That's whut I heard, 'n they come back, and s he come back with dripping clothes. That Roscoe jumped in, -17- her hat went floatin in the creek, 'n he jumped in brought her hat back. They come back 'n got dry clothes. She went on back to her school, She's teaching ... Mrs. Tucker: Well Roscoe wus on one horse, 'n she wus on another, 'n they's afraid it'uh, everything, it wus so cold, 'n everything wus frozen over neerly. Mrs. Turner: 'N the creek wus up Mrs. Tucker: 'N the creek wus up'n, and so, my father says don't let her go by herself, something might happen to her. "n says lets send Roscoe along with her. And Roscoe did, he got on a horse, 'n uh, and Inez got on the other, andthey went, they got started, and uh, creek, Shoal Creek wus up so much the horses didn't wanta go in. They whuppedlem and made urn go in..... n rite in the middle of the steam Inez looked down and she saw how terible deep it wus, 'n all, the horses wus neerly a floatin uh, its so deep, and it scared her ,F 'n she fell off. Mrs. Turner: on her head Mrs. Tucker: Rite on her head, 'n her hat went floatin down the stream and uh, ~ Roscoe, I don't know how he got it out, sticks, er maybe ele horse go down there, enyway Mrs. Turner: enyway he got her ha t 'n got her out- Mrs. Tucker: got her hat and Mother said she looked out it wus 12 o'clock 'n she, there carreRascae 'n Inez, Mrs. Turner: Drippen wet Mrs. Tucker: Drippen wet. Both of 'urn drippen wet, Inez wus more thoroughly soaked than Roscoe. And she went out 'n Roscoe told her that Inez fell off rite into the middle of the stream. And she said she looked down and it scared her so bad she fell over. -18- Mrs. Turner: Now thats the truth. Mrs. Tucker: That's rilly the truth Mrs. Turner: She put on dry clotheB, did she go on back to school then or not? Mrs. Noblin: Surely not, it was too late .... c. Ldiscussion among the three condlude it was probably too late, buy Mrs. Turner: We don't remember none. Mrs. Tucker: But daddy says that morning, Ine1 can't go by herself today the streams are up too much. I'm afraid she'll get drowndid let's send Roscoe along to help her. Inez said if it hadn't a been for Roscoe she gussed she would floated down the ... Mrs. Turner: I guess she'ud got drowndid rilly she's so scared. Mrs. Tuckell: You know you kin just get so frightened that you just il\'Irther discussion of the vandalism that has been occuring recently in DawsonvilW Mrs. Noblin: Well tell about some of the Grandpa McKee things you used to play with when you was little girls. What'ud you play with over at their house. Mrs. Tucker: Over at ~ose house? Mrs. Noblin: Grandpa and Grandma McKee's 623 Mrs. Turner: You used to run on the walk, didn't you, on the high rock wall. Mrs. Tucker: Yes, there wus a high rock wall, that grandfather had built around it. The house wus a story and a half high, 'n Annie Moss, that was my first cousin, and I used to go ther 'n play, and uh, grandmother would have us cob dolls made out of cobs and we uh, just rather go ... Mrs. Noblin: Were these dressed up? Mrs. Tucker: yes. Mrs. Turner: Had on a calico dress, I reckon, the dolls did. L -19- Mrs. Tucker: Yes Mrs. Turner: She fixed the dolls. Mrs. Tucker: I don't know where she got them, but she had the blue glass, little blue glass plates, 'bout that gig (indicated size of demitasse saucer) 'n she'd always give us some of those to play with. Mrs. Turner: 'n she'd take a hot coal 'n burn the cob fur ,?es, I don't know wht<X' she put fur mouth, it pokeberry juice, I guess. Mrs. Tucker: She would take the uh, silk out of a corn cob, 'n make the hair 'n s ilk from the corn cob, you know, Mrs. Turner: Well hit does make pretty doll hair, it does. Mrs. Tucker: Well we loved to go there better than enywhere I guess, she'd made us bob dolls to play with. Mrs. Turner: Did you know that house is still standin. You can still see Interviewer: No, nuhuh, nuhuh. Mrs. Turner: Well hit is. I never got burnt. It's up there today three miles from here. Mrs. Tucker: Yeah, but they took the top story off. It's jest one story now. Mrs. Turner: Jest one story now? Mrs. Tucker: Yeah. Interviewer: Whey did they take to top story off? Mrs. Tucker: Well I don t know. They didn't like the, it was just a story' n half to begin with. But they took the top story off. Interviewer: Can you tell me some of the best times to plant things, 'n uh, some of the old ways they used to do things up here? Mrs. Noblin: Full of the moon. -20- Interviewer: We plant potatoes, when do you plant potatoes? I know there's uh, special time. For potatoes, it's at the full of the moon isn't it? At night your' sposed to plant them. Mrs. Tucker: I, I don't know. Interviewer: 'n that the moon er something has to do with when you dry your cow too, when she's geting ready to have a calf. Mrs. Tucker: Moon has something to do with when you kill your hogs too. Mrs. Turner: Oh, yeah, uhuh. Mrs. Tucker: They say icrdoes. I don't know. They believed in the sign of the moon. Mrs. Turner: Ma said it wus rilly true. Interviewer: When was it that was the best time to kill your hogs? Mrs. Turner: I don't remember. ffnterviewer starts to say something here, but I can't make it out, Mrs. Turner is talking als..Q7 Mrs. Turner: That's it, that's the catch, I don;t remember. But mother said it wus true. 709 Mrs. Tucker: Mother said one time she wus, they had killed some hogs, 'n uh, her sister, which wus Aunt Mary, came down to spend the day with her. So Aunt Mary said I want'a fry the meat, and mother said all rite we have some nice fresh meat. So Aunt Mary cut hit and she said, when she put it in the pan she turned around to mother, and said this uh, this hog wus killed on the wrong time of the moon. And mother said how could you tell that? and she said because it Mrs. Turner: Puffed up .... -21= Mrs. Tucker: All turns to meat 'n there's not enough lard to fry itself in. Not enough grease, ~'l,1ls you'll have to give me .some grease to make the m. eat fry itself. So mother gave her some lard 'n she put it in Here, and she says another thing says hits tougher certain time of the moon than it is others. So mother said she got to thinking and said it wus on the Mrs. Turner: The wrong time of the moon. Mrs. Tucker: The wrong time of the moon. Mrs. Turner: She went 'n had a Greer's Almanac I believe it wus 'n look 'n it wus on the wrong time of the moon. Interviewer: I didn't know that. Mrs. Turner: Uhuh, and the next time they killed hogs, they killed it on the right time of the moon and when she put it in there ... ~ring the above there are several people talki!07 Mrs. Tucker.: JRlight time of the moon, it'll have plenty of grease and fry itself. Mrs. Turner: Plenty of grease, and just fry itself down to cracklins you know hits good when it. Interviewer: I love that. Mrs. Tucker: I love it too. Mrs. Turner: The wrong time it'll all puff 'n turn to meat, 'n there won't be enough Mrs. Turner: Won't be no grease hardly Mrs. Tucker: grease to fry it. Mrs. Turner: to fry it. Mrs. Turner: And they say about plantin corn too, you oughter plant it on the right 77 7 time of the moon. -22- Mrs. Tucker: Full of the moon, 'n then when you plant it on the full of the moon, ,--- your ears will be full. When you put itt on the decline of the moon, the moon goin away, I mean the uh, uh, quarter of the moon, you know ... Interviewer: Yeah Mrs. Tucker: Whey hit'll grow, won't h,ave as much corn. Interviewer: Yeah, I've seen it out in the fields when it has a lot of tassels, but there are not many kernals, just all tassel and no kernals. Mrs. Turner: Yes, all tassels. Mrs. Tucker: If you plant hit the wrong time of the moon, but if you plant it the rite time, the air will, the ears will fill out. Mrs. Turner: I don't see how the moon could have enything to do with it. Mrs. Tucker: don't look like hit. Mrs. Turner: But they say hit does. Interviewer: Well, it affects the tides and things like that. Mrs. Tucker: Yes, you're rite, and maybe if hit can do that. ... 5verybody talking together, general agreement with above stateme'!!y 809 Mrs. Turner: And you have to plant beans too. You know green beans. If you plant 'em of the wrong time, the moon they'll make big vines, and no beans (Mrs. Tucker comes in here with, and no beans.) fur you a' tall. If you plant 'em on the rite time will be loaded with beans. Mrs. Tucker: I'll bet Aunt Cora could tell you all about 'em. Mrs. Turner: Oh, yes Aunt Cora could. Mrs. Tucker: Cause she rilly believed it and she could give you illustrations of it. Because she planted 'n all more than. -23- Mrs. Turner: Well they wouldn't plant nothin without considering the moon. LJ{ere the tape runs out. I was so interested in the conversation, that I forgot to watch the tape. Mrs. Turner told me one more superstition before I left. Here is my version of the story she told. - Well you know Roscoe's fine fight 'n hens, uh, cocks? Interviewer: Yes, Mrs. Turner, Well, one day he wus, well he did all the time don't you know, but this time he cut a cock's comb, 'n put the roster in a cardboard box up in, in the spare, room up stairs, in the old house. They burned that house on Christmas Eve, Wasn't that the sorriest? -Interviewer: Yes, that was awful, I always did like that house. Now, wha,t happened to the chicken? Mrs. Turner: Well, he left it in the bdi, as he did, till hit stopped bleedin, you know, 'n when he went up stairs, hit ud done bled to death, rite to death. He said hit wus the moon, the wrong time you know. The wrong time of the moon' n the chicken bled to death. He did another one, all the rest after that, but at the rite time. Never had eny trouble. Bleed to death, the wrong time of the moon. - I had to leave at this pointJ End of Tape 1 Track 2 Oor some reason (what I don:t know) I only recorded on the second side of this tape"? -24- TAPE 2 - TRACK 1 Mrs. Cora Seay of Dawsonville, Georgia - Mrs. Seay: I've heard, I've heard 'em tell 'bout uh, they use'ta always be seeing things up there where uh, John Larmon usedta live, .down there by Mr. Seay's, the very man who killed my daddy, he's goin along one day, one night hit wus, and there's little dawg run out in front of him, and hit run rite on up, there used to be uh, 50mething - can't make this 0l!i7 and that dawg jumped over the fence, and hit went up in a blaze uh, fire. Interviewer: The dog? Mrs. Seay: He just went up, just like a blaze uh, fire, just like uh, tree. And brother Fate wus comin along there one time, rite by Mr. Seay's place, He's in 17 a wagon, and he wus the funniest lookin man when he come on down the house, 'n said there's a little baby out in the front of the wagon, that's all he could see. He jest, the wagon just lit up, 'n said there's a baby a lyin there, and, in front of the wagon, with him. I never did see enything, myself. Interviewer: My gracious! 24 Mrs. Seay: Charles LOne of Mrs. Seay's brother./' and me wus comin from Elijay, comin down out there above, if you kin remember like that ole road before the highway wus build. Do you remember hit? Interviewer: Yes. Mrs. Seay: We'us comin along down there'n he had a litle ole gun, he 'n, and uh, some West boi:;r had been uh, out walking you know. We uz in a wagon with us little fertilizer, that's whut we hEid, and uh, after while, he reached down 'n jerked up the little ole gun, 'n theyed been a shootin along, you know, they'ed walk, and uh, pointed hit out between the mules, 'n I knocked his hand up, and I said, "Charlie, -25- whut do you mean?" I said uh, you'ed shoot a mule, thru that, to shoot between 'em you know. And he just pointed that rite on up /can't make this out/, said wher' ed that dawg go. I didn't see one. There wern't no dawg there. /laughter/ And the moon wus shine'n just as bright, just little after dark, you know. And if hit uhed Gic, had bee.ri7 a dawg there I'ud saw hit. But they wusn't enyone there. Interviewer: I thought that, uh, ghosts or haints they call them here, always were people. I didn't know they were animals. Mrs. Seay: They are, there's not people every time. Hain't you heard that they'd be animals things like that Lfhis to Ellen, Mrs. Seay's daughter-in-la~'n change from one thing to another. Ellen: Oh, you mean like whearwolves? gilen 's from Chicago, not folt7 Mrs. Seay: Yes, something like that (pause) I don't know. Hit's a funny thing to me. Interviewer: Are there any around here, you know, sometimes, uh, the'll be a ghost 'spose to belong to a certain part of the country, or like uh, Mrs. Seay: Well, I don't know ... Interviewer: Mine or mountain has a ghost on it, where somebody's been killed, or something. Mrs. Seay: Well, when every, rite after my daddy wus killed, he's building that ole house, you know, that got burned up, and uh, we had an ole kitchen, all those woods between there and the Faucet's place, you know, wus, they wern't eny woods there, atth0t time, and I heared Gart, Lftnother brother of Mrs. Seay'.7 tell 'bout uh, watching the uh, lites, go out thru that, where the pine thicket is now. I've heared him say hit lots of times, you know, 'n telling 'bout those lites, you know, a goin, 'n there's a graveyard out there on the Faucet graveyard on -26- the hill and he said they'ed go to there 'n that 'uz where they'ed disappear. Interviewer: I wonder if they, like people with candles? 78 Mrs. Seay: Uhuh, jest a lite he said, hit jest, jest lite. Well, uh, Homer Wilson, no that wus uh, wuden't Homer Wilson either, wus Toy Larmon a comin out there and day to our house, 'n up there where Weehuntslive you know, Charles House ... Interviewer: Yeah, yeah Mrs. Seay: 'N they's a lite com down that hill, and hit got rite there at that house, and hit devided, 'n one part went one way, 'n the tother went round the wother way. And Tom Anderson and Homer wus out there one time 'n, they'ed uh been a drankin Ldrinkin.w to much, and they'ed uh been lying, I uh told them if they didn't come in at bed time I lock the door and they shouldn't come inthe house. I wouldn't git up 'n unlock the door for 'em, they'ed uh lie in the shuck pen. So one night they got out of enything to drink 'n, they went to the spring to git 'em some water. And a lite come down 'n like to scared 'em to death, and you know they both quit rite there. (laughter) Next night, they's at home they'es ready to eat supper 'n go to bed. Interviewer: That's whatAA ought to use. Give 'em all a good scare. Mrs. Seay: I heared lots of talk about lites being up there, but I never, Annie Somerhourer saw one one time. She's settin on the back porch up there, I W8S down here at Irma's ffier daughtev when that baby of her's died, I don't think you, you wadn't born then ... Interviewer: No, I didn't know it then, but I've heard ... Mrs. Seay: But uh, she told me 'bout she's uh settin on the back porch a kitchen porch, and said she jest seen hit bouncing on 'n on up thelG But now I've, rve lived there years, 'n years, ' I never did see one thing, nor I never did hear enything. -27- Interviewer: How long have you Wv,ed up there? How many years? Mrs. Seay: I wus borned 'n raised there you know. And I, I lived since the house bUil~t, '41 you know, wus when the ole house got burnt. LStayed with mother 11 years, before she died 'n then I stayed on there till the house burnt down. And then, your grandpa built the house there, Milt, fur us 'n I stayed there till I went to Chicago. Whut year wus hit I went up there Marie? (Marie Ellen is Mrs. Seay's daughter-in-law, Mrs. S. calls her Marie or Ellen. She answers to botlY Ellen: About 1959, wasn't it. Mrs. Seay: I think hit wus 159. Interviewer: You never saw any of this yourself. Mrs. Seay: I never saw enything, eny of hit. I couldn't hardly believe that they saw enything .... Interviewer: Maybe that's because you don't drink. Maybe that's what it takes. (laughter) ffiiscussion of the family that moved into the house Aunt Cora used to live in. My mother owns the house and Aunt Cora lived there rent free for many years. It seems the man who moved in had a heart attack the day after he moved in J 136 Mrs. Seay: My Lord, you oug'ht ter been, you jest lived back 'n remember the boys goin to the mountains 'n gitten, branging in the wild hogs, hit be knees deep in snow, Interviewer: They had, I didn't know they had wild hogs. Mrs. Seay: Oh, yes. Interviewer: Tame hogs that had escaped 'n then had ... Mrs. Seay: The jest turnred 'em out, 'n they jest git wild you know. Interviewer: And then they'ed go out 'n round up their own hogs. -28- Mrs. Seay: Round 'em up, they'ed be lots of acorns 'n things, lot of - kill them hogs, brang in sometimes a wagon load. Interviewer: There's a special time to kill hogs isn't there? Mrs. Seay: In the winter time. Interviewer: Yeah, and the weather has to be cold, in the fall, first frost. But uh, Vera wus telling me, no it was Mammie was telling me that uh, when she was a little girl that Old Ma had killed a hog and her of her friends was up there. And they were frying some in a pan, and it didn't have much grease to it, and the woman told her it was 'cause she had killed it at the wrong time of the moon. And that was true. 158 Mrs. Seay: They tell me now that the time to kill hogs after the full moon 'n hit goes to ~rinkin. The kill hit 'n, but we got to where we didn't pay much attention to hit. I know Milt came up there one time omething, can't make this 007. He says hit ain't the rite time, but says I'ma gona kill hit anyhow, says you need the meat. And .kill hit on the new moon, hit wus just as good as could be, just certain time. Interviewer: It didn't ruin the meat. Vera told me that, said that everytime that they would kill a hog at the wrong time of the moon, it wouldn't have enough grease in ti to fry itself, and the meat would to gough. Mrs. Seay: Hit would be tought everytime . Interviewer: They told me about Roscoe, you know about those Game Cocks he had up there, that he one time and he was cutting the roster's comb Mrs. Seay: Yeah. Interviewer: And he cut one at the wrong time of the moon and the roster bled to death. -29- Mrs. Seay: That, that let me see now. Interviewer: Is that true? . 176 Mrs. Seay: Let me tell you honey, hits uh, Ember days. Your grandpa had a fine bull and Grover ~other brother of Mrs. Sea done that kind of work you know 'n they had him workin on 'n that bull stood there, they didn't thank bhink? to look you know, 'n he bled to death, hit just, hit just run in a big stream til that bull died. Interviewer: And it's what? Mrs. Seay: Ember days. Interviewer: Ember days? Mrs. Seay: Ummhuh. Let me show you. Interviewer: OK Mrs. Seay: Here just sit rite still, I '11 show you. Interviewer: I wish you 'ud let me w.t it Lft rubs off on you after a while f7 so you wouldn't have to get up. Mrs. Seay: I kin show you when they are in the Almanac. Hit shows yee. Interviewer: And the moon doesn't control this. Mrs. Seay: But you watch hit Nancy. Interviewer: Welll know, 'cause sometimes I can get a little hangnail and it wond't 193 bother me, and sometimes I-can get a hangnail and I'll just bleed for hours. Mrs. Seay: Well now, let me tell ye, you uh, notice. I've noticed hit. I'll tell Becky you know, every time the moon news hits always colder. Rite there. And she says the moon, and I says don't know whether the moon has enything to do with hit or not but I said, uh, you kin watch hit gits ready, uh you git ready. Hit tell you in here. I'll show you in a minute. /8110 sh<);vs-"uo ::0.::: ,_~~::.:.,,,:: ~ ;::,,':'cr -30- days for February are the 15, 17 anJ 18th/ Interviewer: Well, I can't help but think that the moon would have a lot of affect, if it can do what it does to the tides. Mrs. Seay: Uhuh, in here now. Ember days, now watch hit'll be the 15th .... Interviewer: 17th and 18th. Mrs. Seay: I don't know. There'll be one day, then hit'll skip one, 'n they'll be two 'n you kin look in there 'n you'll fine hit. Look a here. ffihort intermissiontwo small children just up from their nap come to visJi7 Interviewer: You have to plant certain crops at the right time of the moon, don't you, like uh, well potatoes are at the full moon aren't they? Mrs. Seay: Yes, now we plant them on the full of the, no now if you plant enything when the sign's in the bowels, you won't have enything on 'em. (laughter) They'll bloom, but uh, you won't have no beans. Miss uh, rite here let me show you. Goints to the sign in the almanq,D Rite thar when the signs are thar. Hit bloom, but no fruit come up. No beans or enything like that. uh, Interviewer: That's uh, Mrs. Seay: In the bowels, you see, Interviewer: It's October 23t1:l through November 21st. Well that's in uh different place. - rJ}/fA- ~ Interviewer: No, it's August 23rd to September 22nd there. 253 Mrs. Seay: Mother one time, she wanted me to make kraut. She told me the cabbage wus all burstin, 'n me to go up - David don't bother nothin now, - said me to go git the cabbage 'n brang 'em down. Well I went 'n got the cabbage, and I had everything down at the spring, my jars, 'n salt 'n everything. I sit down 'n 5. made the kraut. I got thru 'n went in the house 'n she ;'ays did you git the cabbage? -31- And I says yes, 'n I made the kraut. She says, Lor0you've ruined every bit of cabbage I've got 'n, she never had seen the cabbage. You know, but you know that wus the finest kraut I ever, she said I'll never say nothin no more LPhildren type noises in the backgrounN About ruin enything, says that wus the best ~aut you ever made in youre life. And the signs wus in the knees, and she thoughtwe'ud wait till the new moon, you know, and the signs wus in the knees, and I've made l{raut ever since like that. . Interviewer: You know, you used to fa~inate me when you made biscuits in the morning for breakfast, and you'd just have the flour, and put all your stuff in the flour board and make it, not in a bowl or mewe it or anything. I was just a pinch of this and a dash of that, and just make it up in the flour. Mrs. Seay: I do yet. .@1scussion of the time I tried to make biscuits like Aunt Cora dig Mrs. Seay: One time your mother wanted me to make up some 'n bring down to Vera's and let her bake 'em. I said they won't be fit to eat. When you make 'em you've got to bak 'em rite then or they won;t be fit to eat. and they're a lot better to cut 'em out then they are to roll 'em out tiw with your biscquit, you know. Interviewer: I remember those tomatoes you used to grow up there too. Never had any tomatoes like that before. ffion-folk discussion of tomatoes, gardens and her son, Hoy, Fla. - I promised Aunt Cora I'd visit as well as ask questions Alo I didn't try to get her back on the old timey stores for awhilW Interviewer: I was going to say when you was talking 'bout all the things people have seen, I'm glad I'm the age I am now. I think if I had been about 10 or 12 it would scare me to pieces. Mrs. Seay: Oh, I'd lay there, the ole big house, you know before hit wus sealed, you remember hit don't yee. -32- Interviewer: Yeah. Mrs. Seay: And before hitwus sealed in there, they'ud talk on the other side and hit'ud scare me so bad (laughter - makes motion of pulling up covers) Interviewer: And in a feather bed by the time you'ed pulled up the covers, you'd, you'd just gone. Mrs. Seay: Cover my head up, like to scare me to death neerly. , I Interviewer: You don't remember any of the stores they used to tell, do you. Mrs. Seay: No, no I don't. I jast kain't remember. I know they'ed uh scare me so bad tho that I couldn't, I just think everytime the wind uh blowing over the house, you know how hit'll go in the winter time. Oh LordI just think, I never could stand hit. (laughter) Interviewer: Did they ever used to tell any tales about, that had uh, things like dragons, and uh, the dind of uh country bumpkin that would win out in the end? Mrs. Seay: No, I never heared none of them. They just told these like ole tales, you know, seeing things. Interviewer: You know I like to hear, you know some of these men that tell tall tales about their hunting dogs, you know, and going hunting and throwing a rock across the creek and killing t@J bears and all things these tall tales. Mrs. Seay: Becky used to go a 'possom huntin you know. Time and time again. And when ever, one time they robbed the bank over here at Dalonegah and they went out in them ole fields where she Q!len, the Faucet fields we'ud call them up there, and there they lay all day one day, and caught 'em over there, that broke her. She wouldn't go no more, she said hit scared her. Interviewer: I couldn't get up early enough in the morning to go 'possum hunting. Mrs. Seay: Hit was the early part of the night when she'ud go up there. Fore part of the night. -33- Interviewer: It's coon hunting you go early in the morning, isn't it? Mrs. Seay: Uhuh, I caught two coons one time. Little fellers up there. Out below the cemetary up there LSomethinw that ole house used to be up there. I had a ole dawg, of your daddies @1e means my grandfather, Milt Andersoj}/ , Ole Red, and she treed' em and I took a hoe' n knocked' em in the head. They were youngins. Interviewer: Those cute little things how could you do that (laughter) ilfow could I have said that! ! ! ??:fl I don't guess they're cute though when they get in your garden. LDiscussion of foxes,. chickens, and ole friends, neighbors, and Bessie, the old covil S97 Mrs. Seay: She let Joel Chester and Florence keep the cow fur two year. And florence said when Ople come 'n got the cow, 'n sold her again said I couldn't keep from crying herself. (laughter) Interviewer: She was a nice cow. I liked her. Mrs. Seay: She was, she's just a pet. She's, I go enywhere 'n ketch her, don't ker where she's at, says I go 'n git her. Interviewer: You always treated her so nice. Mrs. Seay: And we petter her to death, all of us, She's the best cow I ever owned best two enyway. I heated to sell her. Hit just neerly killed me, but I couldn't just me there I couldn't keep her 'n feed her. Interviewer: You used to make such good butter. Mrs. Seay: I miss my butter a lot. Interviewer: Oh boy! That was so good! Mrs. Seay: Why is hit? My butter never would melt. And everybody else's hit'ud just run like grease. I know this man come by he wanted me to uh, he wanted my butter, and he wanted me to give him some not salted for his wife, she couldn't L -34- . e""~ilo.~t co.I.s.., eat salt. He said Why is hit, he said your butter don't melt and cvcF,lleElieeebe"5' I git hit just run like grease. Interviewer: Well maybe it's the way you fed her. You fed her good and well Mrs. Seay: Yeah, I fed her. Butter that you don't fed the cow hit's not Wit to eat. And I kept good feed you know, for my cow all the time. Oh, me I miss everything miss my hogs 'n everything, I just Interviewer: Didn't it bother you to have to kill your hogs in the fall after you'd raised them all year? Mrs. Seay: Yes, I'd mte to but I'uz so glad to git the .... Interviewer: You nrleeded the meat. Mrs. Seay: Yes, I need the meat. LMore discussion to famil.v Interviewer: Did you ever hear any sto~ about Knucklesville, Aurea? Mrs. Seay: Nuhun, If grover wus alive he could tell ye. I heared something about hit but I kain't remember. Oried to see if she remembered any tales about the gold rus.!i7 Interviewer: Did they ever have any barn raisings, anything like that? Mrs. Seay: Yes. 759 Interviewer: Used to all get together. Mrs. Seay: Log rollins . Interviewer: Log rollings? Mrs. Seay: Yes, they would clean up a field you know, and be big logs and all, and they'd just leave them, trim 'em up, you know 'n leave 'em tand then a big crowd com in, and they'd take sticks roll them logs together, set 'em afar (fire) -35B 'n bum 'em. Get the new ground, you know, that's whut they call log rollins. They'ed have corn shuckins. They'd git urn a crop you know, 'n pile hit down, and they'd invite the settlements around 'n come to shuck, and have a big dinner. Lots of times they'd uh have a dance after dinner. Interviewer: Get all the work done and have a party at the same time. Mrs. Seay: Yes, at the same time. Interviewer: Did they have certain people come and fiddle for them. Mrs. Seay: Yeah. Interviewer: I guess that's how most of the young people got their courting done. Mrs. Seay: Yes, that's where hit wus, yes, most of the time. Oh Lord, I remember one time. Brother John, I'uz just, I'us just a little ole girl and they come made me come to the !S.htidain corn you know down with the crowd and make a potatoe pie for. Whut do you know? I never will forgit that. They come made me make the pie. - 0310- TAPE II, TRACT 2 [Family discussion of various deaths) Interviewer: I turned the tape over when you were talking about the corn shucking, you said potatoe pie, turnips and fresh pork. Is that what you had to have, is that right? Mrs. Seay: That's ~~s the main dishes, and of course, you'd have a lot of other things. Interviewer: But those were the things, you had to have those. Mrs. Seay: You had to have that. Law', 'n the biggest crowd, be 3 or 4, 5 tables full, before they'ud git through. Interviewer: I remember, you know there's no place to have good meals CUf~r6 ' like the North Georgia Mountains. With the bis~, and graJb and ham and fried chicken, and vegetables, ind' ooopoooooh... Mrs. Seay: Yeah, they'ud have a pot of chicken 'n dumplins, jest everything nerlly I ... I don't see how they ever did hit. I sure don't. [ Discussion of the food and times) Mrs. Seay: Everybody growed whut they, jest about everyttng they eat. They growed hit, and uh, now bout everytin [everything) they 'have they buy hit. Interviewer: Did they grow much stuff for uh, for market? Mrs. Seay: No, they jest growed, usually ~hut they ate. Interviewer: Would they trade? Mrs. Se sy: Yeah, they'ud trade lots a times. Usually though they'd uh, have fruits, carry hit off to market to sell, apples. I know my mother, I remember her goin time after time. Take a week to go to Atlanter [Atlanta) and back.... [something] those apples, a week, take 'em a week every time. -$7 - Interviewer: Hard to believe I drJove up here in an hour and something today. Mrs. Seay: You see how hit used to be. And they'd take cattle, droves of cattle. They'ud git a big drove of cattle, we'ud hear them a comin you know, us kids, 'n we'ud git o~he fence and watch you know. We'd hear them cows a comin, they'ud have a bell on you know, we'd git out to see the C~",-a-~c.A-:J specticul, us kids ud git up on that fence 'n watch them and one time " they come along with a <trove of turkeys! Interviewer: A drove a turkeys! Mrs. Seay: A drove a turkeys, just a big drove of 'em. And they,said, netver no more, said, when the sun went to goin down them turkeys didn't make no difference whut, they went to roost. (laughter) But Law', and uh, they'd come along with droves of mules, horses, you kno~ 'n things like that. Lot of times they'd uh, be two and two of them tied together, 'n then the rest of 'em lid be loose. Now you just think, gain from way back, way baik up 'bout Blue Ridge. They'd uh, come on you know, and uh And I seen as many as twenty wagons a gonin to Atlanter, just ole covered wagons, In mules hitched to 'em you know. You know how the roads wus,no highways a tall. Jest up one hill'n down another. Interviewer; You know us city folks, it's hard to realize"", -t.h Mrs. Seay; Hit's hard to realize, now you just wouldn't ~ank [think] ... Marie don't know nothin about things like that, either, she's uh..... ~ [Discussion of snow ~ Chicago] Interviewer: YOu know, Vera was telling me about, Inez, I think it was, one time uh, she's going to school on a hors~Jand they'd gotten Roscoe to go with her, and she fell in the creek uh, there. And she said she had a new hat and she made Roscoe get off his horse and go all the way down the ~and get her hat and bring it back.. She came back home and changed her clothes, and went back t~teach school. I can't image, here I get in my - 34'- car to go to school .. Mrs. Seay: I know hit used to be a hard time. 128 Interviewer: I know when I was a little girl, mama used to tell me about the revenuers coming up here, and of course they'd have to be real careful, because they didn't want to uh, Mrs. Seay: I know Interviewer: grandpa to get caught, and they, the telephone, 3 rings a. S and 2 short m~nt the revenuer)lwere coming, and she said she used to stand up on a box and she'd listen on the phone, and they'd say, well they just passed uh, the Goster place and we got a log out in front of the road, and they're heading down the road toward so'nso, and they all run out and try to ... Mrs. Seay: Yeah, and we finally got hit where hits just one long ring. you know 'n you heered that and you knowed whut's coming on. One time, ~ no body hears this they but us? " Interviewer: No, nuhu, I won't [I had my fingers crossed] Mrs. Seay: Abuh, Grover had moved form up there, he lived rite down below the church up there. "N they, Keller and I don't know whether you grandaddy wus in to hit or not, don't think he wus tho,'~h, Louise Larmon come down there, her cow, JEHXkH~ had come, you know, and I'd milked my cow but had hers up, you know, and went with her and went on to the spring and put my milk away. You know, no electrisitY>,'nothin, we had to pul- our milk in the water. So uh, I started on back and I met uh, a man where they stayed, they's uh, a Weaver, and uh, he says uh, revenuers, rite out there. I said I don't kare [care]. You know, my heart jumped clear up in my mouth. The boys uz all up there. He says then::' s 3 cars up there. "N there were. Rite there where Grover used to live, 'n drove rite down to the ole hog pen. 'N I said, I don't Kare if there's 6. I just walked on, I had two buckets ~ of water, 'n ~ on to the house. 'N I got up there. I never will forgit up the trail. .3 ghit. Lula Perry wus there, 'n I says, mother, revenuers out there at the ole. house, said, you want me to put hit on the telephone. She said, yes. So I run 'n told them where's they at. And un; Lula looked at me and mother motioned~e to go, 'n I koowed whut hit wus. I just walked on into the house and picked up me another bucket, -~effieffifie~-tftet-geed and walked on to the spring, like nothin happened. She could see me out thru the window you kno~ Interviewer: Yeah. Mr~, Seay: I went into the spring, and I set by bucket down and I took off (laughter) And I walked just as last as I could till I got out~f sight, and I run all I could. I got there and Grover, and Camron gone and had a box, Price, Price Anderson and Fate wus there, and I told them ::><> lnd grabed the cap, and h~says come with me. Sh I went with him and I don't know which way Price went. 'N we went to head off Grover and Camron, you know. [Here Mrs. Seay's son, Hoy comes in. I can't make out part of the above sentance - something about a shoulder] and uh, we went on and went back around, and they went and found hit, they cut hit down. I never ..... Interviewer: I'm glad nobody was there. Mrs. Seay: They weren't, they wouldn't there, they got everything, but the cap. They didn't git that. Oh me. I tell you I had a time. ~hat's the first time Becky utid come back home, a~er she got ~'iried, and I got back home, she'uz there and I [whispers] wus menstruating. I set down, I'uz scared so bad you know, 'n I'd run, and I thought I wus goin to flood to death. I'm a telling you, I wus never in such a fix. She wus cooking dinner when I got back to the house. I don't know which way, Fate turned me way 'round, 'n he went to his house, and I come back up the road. I said, I don't kare [care] if I meet'em, I going up on the road,. I said, I don't, I I m not gain in the woods no more. I walked on up by the cemetary, _ 40- walked on down thru hit, 'n walked on down the road, and went to the house. Interviewer: I remember that good scuppernong wine, I remember one time George [ my 13 years older half-brother] tried to make some at grandma's before she s.old the house to Roscoe, and he couldn't remember whether he'd put his suger in or not, so he went ahead and added some more sugar, and then he let it ferment aaWlw,- awhile, I was just a little ~irl and he called me , and told me he had Some Kool-aid for me, and wanted to give me a glass of Kool-aid to see how it teste, and gave me a jelly glass full. Mrs. Seay: And you drank hit? Interviewer: And I drank it, sick, Mama couldn't figer out what was ,~cong with me. But I was just ~drunk as I could be. (laughter) And sich, oh, that was just horrible, and George said he'd never make any more wine after that, cause he couldn't make.good wine like you could. Mrs. Seay: Well, I'll tell you, Gar he'd ud go on at me and say that I put in too much sugar. You wusn't 'spose to put in sugar at the start, the fruit:~. Well I put the sugar in mine at the start. I put in five pound of sugar in a 5 gal. jar, and I let that work nine days. I'd straine out all that and put hit back. I'd put in 10 pound sugar to 5 gal. Let that work off, and I had the wine. And Mine never would sour and Gar's would sour. Hit would, I'd make hit now if I could be able to git out and git something to make hit with. I'd make me some. [ Discussion of my scupperning picking da~ and Mrs. Seay tells of making will cherEy and apricott wine the some way. Then discussion of family, and a yound girl who got pregant down the road. Aunt Cora made me take this off the tape - she said hit wus none of the city folk's doings!] _06 - Mrs. Seay: Coy Larmon come out to our house one time. He come out thru the woods you know, they lived out there, and uh, weuz eating supper. He looked funny, and he stayed all night that night. I thought hit wus kind of funny of him and he told us next morning whut hit wus. He'd come and he said rite up, the corner of the ole garden up there, that uh, there's a big far [fire] built, and he thought Hoy wus out there loading somebody [giving someone moonshine], and he come on, said, he didn't know whether to corne on or not, 'n he some and they wusn't no far [fire] there, and we'uz uh, eating supper. [to Hoy] I wus telling her about people who had seen so many things round up there, where we used to live, lites you know 'n all. Did you ever see eny lites or enything? [ Hoy says no and begins to tell about his accident which as he says, took mostof his memory - about then two cars of family arrive - so r give up on co}lecting any more material. I had to leave in 20 minutes and it took them that long to tell me how much I'd grown, etc. So ends the session] 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. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.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 languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. 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 emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.