Month: March 2022

image_pdfimage_print

The Death Ballad of Abner Vance

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

As reported in The Logan Banner, Nov 23, 1979

“One of the most legendary characters in Logan County history was Abner Vance. [A distant relative of my niece’s husband.] He was also a Revolutionary War veteran from North Carolina, an Indian scout, and a surveyor. As a Baptist minister, Abner spent many years traveling the countryside spreading the Baptist faith. He loved to write and sing the early mountain ballads and hymns.

According to the legend, Abner Vance had a daughter named Betty. Betty eloped with one Daniel Horton. Horton was a Virginia doctor and he took Betty off to Baltimore, had his way with her for two weeks, then brought her back to her father’s house and dumped her unceremoniously in the front yard, saying something to the effect of “Here’s your heifer back.”

In a fit of rage, Abner Vance pulled down his shotgun and killed Lewis Horton, Daniel’s brother, though he may have been aiming at Daniel, as he tried to cross the Clinch River.

Abner stayed in this area [Logan Co., VA] until friends convinced him that if he went back to Russell County, he would get a fair trial. But the trial ended in a hung jury, and was moved to Washington County. In the second trial, Abner was found guilty and sentenced to hang. Tradition says that while in jail awaiting his execution, Abner wrote the famous Death Ballad of Abner Vance, which he sung standing on the scaffold minutes before he was hung. A newspaper account of the hanging says that Abner addressed the spectators, about 4,000, for an hour and a half, with considerable ability.

Ironically, he did receive a pardon from the Governor of Virginia, but the pardon arrived after the hanging.”

Click below to hear the song:

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

“Why Don’t You Speak For Yourself, John?”

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

Thanks to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, most people remember John Alden as the third party in the love triangle immortalized in his famous poem, The Courtship of Miles Standish. While Longfellow, a Mayflower descendant, always claimed that his poem was based on family history passed down through the generations, most of today’s scholars believe that the description of Alden acting as a middleman to Miles’ failed wooing of Priscilla Mullins was a concocted fiction.

What we do know for sure is that John Alden, a 10th great-grandfather to my sons, was hired to work on the Mayflower as the ship’s cooper (barrel-maker). Upon landing in Plymouth, which marked the termination of his contracted services, he voluntarily elected to remain and become part of the community. This was news that was undoubtedly welcomed by the others. He was described as “a hopeful young man of twenty from Harwich, Essex. His children remembered him as tall, blond, and very powerful in physique, one of the strongest men at Plymouth.” He went on to serve as assistant to the governor and helped found the nearby settlement of Duxbury.

John Alden and Priscilla were married and together had ten children including their eldest, Elizabeth, who had the distinction of being the first white female born in New England. John died in 1687 at the age of 89. At the time of his death he was recognized as the last surviving signer of the Mayflower Compact.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

The Hatfields and McCoys

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

For the record, I have no beef with anyone named McCoy even though it appears that I have a number of Hatfields sitting in my family tree. In fact, Ephraim “Eff of All” Hatfield, the progenitor of the clan, is a 5th great-grandfather of my niece’s husband. 

The infamous feud between these two established families who were separated by the Big Sandy River which ran between Kentucky (the Mccoys) and West Virginia (the Hatfields) seems to be traced back to the Civil War. Though both families primarily aligned themselves with the Confederacy, Asa Harmon McCoy opted to fight for the Union. While at home, recuperating from a wound he received in battle, Asa was murdered. While no one was ever charged, the rumors persisted that Devil Anse Hatfield and his Logan Wildcats (a local militia group) were behind it.

A number of years later, the Hatfields and McCoys were involved over a land dispute that was decided in favor of the Hatfields. This was shortly followed by a trial involving the ownership of a hog… again the Hatfields were victorious. By then, the rancor had set in. Violence was not far behind.

In 1882, three McCoys had a violent argument with 2 Hatfield boys. Ellison Hatfield was stabbed 27 times then shot in the back. While the McCoys were apprehended by authorities, they were subsequently taken by the Hatfield clan who secreted them across the Tug Fork into their land, tied them to some pawpaw bushes and waited to see if Ellison would survive. He didn’t. The Hatfields then executed the three bound McCoys by shooting them over 50 times.

After that, things quickly escalated, resulting in warrants, ambushes on both sides, multiple murders, political intervention, and trials, including a US Supreme Court hearing. On June 14, 2003 descendants from both the McCoy and the Hatfield clans signed a joint declaration proclaiming an end to the feud as a symbolic gesture of peace.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

The Honaker Long Rifle

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

In America, during the 1800s, gun making was something of a family affair. It was a specialized blacksmithing skill passed down from father to son throughout the generations. Not surprisingly, a number of gunsmiths have found their way onto our family tree.

It seems to have begun with Hans Jacob Honaker, my brother-in-law’s 4th great-grandfather, who immigrated from Switzerland and eventually settled in Wythe, Virginia. There are rifles attributed to his hand that date back to Revolutionary War period. He apparently taught his son, Abraham, who in turn taught own his sons the trade craft. At one point in time there were eight gunsmiths named Honaker actively working in and around Wythe.

Their specialty, especially in the 1800s, was the cap and ball long rifle, familiarly known as a Pennsylvania Long Rifle but later renamed the Kentucky Long Rifle after Daniel Boone favored them as his hunting firearm of choice.

The Honaker Rifle was known for its excellent carving and intricate work. James A. Honaker, Hans’ grandson, would often engrave his name or initials as well as the manufacture date on the barrel of the rifle by applying a soap plate to the barrel; carving his name into the soap and then pouring acid into the carving. The acid would eat through the soft soap and then etch his name onto the barrel.

The Honaker rifle is highly prized by collectors and some will occasionally appear at auctions where they are sure to attract considerable attention.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Parrish, FL

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

There’s a little town in Manatee County FL called Parrish. It has a population of approximately 9,700 people and is home to the Florida Railroad Museum. It was also named after my 1st cousin (5 times removed), Crawford Parrish.

Originally from Georgia, Crawford was a rancher and farmer who, after the Civil War ended, decided to leave his homestead in North Florida and move himself, his wife, his children and his herd further south. He bought the land known as the Oak Hill Plantation outside of what is now Bradenton and there raised his cattle and planted orange groves. The area grew to the point where it needed its own post office and since there was, at that time, already an Oak Hill FL, the residents overwhelming elected to rename the town after my cousin. And when Crawford’s son, John, donated land for a railroad station, he requested that it also be named after his father.

Apparently, Crawford was a well-liked and respected member of the community. Here’s what was written about him some 50 years after his death: “A pious man, he loved his Creator and he loved his church. Devoted to his family, his roots early found firm hold in the soil he worked and cared for so well. And to the end, the cares of the world existed not for him, for his house, and that of his children, was ever in order. An honest man: yea, verily, he was a co-worker in the vineyard of the Lord.”

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

The Regulators

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

After the Civil War, life in many of the southern states was anything but civil. Kentucky in the late 1800s was particularly hard hit with lawlessness and violence that local authorities could not control. It was so bad that the citizenry banded together to take matters into their own hands. Calling themselves “Regulators,” they made it clear that lawlessness would not be tolerated… even if they had to break the law themselves in order to enforce it.

This form of vigilantism began in 1879 in Elliott County when two hundred regulators stormed the local jail, dragged two alleged outlaws outside and hung them in front of the courthouse. The movement then quickly spread to adjoining counties, spawning an outbreak of terror against suspected wrong-doers and undesirables, including those operating outside of the moral standards of the community.

In March of 1880, about a hundred regulators rode up to the house of James Binion, my daughter-in-law’s 5th great-grandfather, where they demanded to see John Boggs, a supposed nefarious character who was sheltered inside. Binion refused them access, instead opening fire upon them and allegedly killing one of the regulators. Although they had only come to notify Boggs to leave the county, once shots were fired, they broke down the door, fired a volley which instantly killed Binion, then took Boggs and lynched him. Binion’s wife suffered a broken leg in the melee and his son was whipped for participating in the exchange of gunfire.

The regulators’ reign of terror only lasted a few years. The movement was squashed when district Judge James Stewart called on Gov. Luke Blackburn to send state troops to restore order. That threat, along with the promise to pardon any regulator who voluntarily surrendered, effectively put an end to the organized vigilantism movement although isolated acts would occasionally occur until the twentieth century.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Not Worth the Paper It’s Written On

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

Counterfeiting is nothing new. During the Revolutionary War, one of England’s strategies was to flood the colonies with phony money in an attempt to weaken their fledgling economy and their attempts for independence. It was the first known use of counterfeiting as a wartime tactic.

After the war, but prior to 1865 and the passage of the National Banking Act, it was commonplace for individual states to print and circulate their own currency in the form of banknotes. With so many different forms of paper money in circulation, it is easy to see why counterfeiting became a problem for financial institutions. If enough bad paper was being passed, that currency would be devalued and the banks could fail. Many of them did. That is why the penalty for convicted counterfeiters was set high.

My 4th great-granduncle, William R. Alcorn, succumbed to the temptation of “easy money” and faced the consequences of being caught. He stood trial in Kentucky in 1804 (his partner-in-crime, Christopher Irving, was out on bail and did not report to court). A jury found him guilty of passing counterfeit money and he was sentenced to five years of hard labor in the Frankfort Penitentiary.

Furthermore, Willlam’s possessions (400 acres of land, 20 head of cattle, his rifle and his household furniture) were legally transferred to his brother George to sell in order to settle William’s indebtedness. Based on two letters written by the warden of Frankfort Prison, during his incarceration William conducted himself with propriety and industry. He was released after serving his time and eventually moved to Illinois with his family.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills!

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
image_pdfimage_print

In 1849, the dreams of “striking it rich” loomed large in the hearts of many. Stories of gold being found in the hills of California created a rush of men heading west in search of their fortune. Most were unsuccessful… like my wife’s 2nd cousin (five times removed), Charles Caviler French.

Charles became one of the forty-niners, leaving his wife and children at his home in Indiana to travel west with approximately 30 other men, driving a team of oxen to Salt Lake City at which time they traded their ox for horses to move forward into California. The trip took about six months to complete and the level of difficulty they endured can be measured by the fact that they arrived at their destination with only one surviving horse. Charles was 25 years old at the time.

Not much is mentioned about his prospecting adventures. We do know that he was tasked with hunting for meat provisions on behalf of the miners who accompanied him during his time in California. During one such expedition, he had a skirmish with some Indians and was injured. He returned home to Indiana some time later without his fortune in hand. He had to walk across the Isthmus of Panama and rely on steamships to make the journey home.

He then moved his family to Iowa and began positioning himself to be a traveling medicine man, even ordering a wagon to be used for this endeavor but his own failing health took its toll before the wagon could be delivered. He died at the young age of 31.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

The Donelson Expedition

~ michaelhvs ~ 1 Comment
image_pdfimage_print

John Blakemore, my 5th great grandfather, was an instrumental player in the settlement of Tennessee. In December of 1779, when a large expedition was being prepared to establish a settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, he was chosen to lead a flotilla down the Clinch River with plans to meet up with the rest of the river party (led by John Donelson) where the Clinch fed into the Tennessee River. Together they would make the remaining 900 mile trip to the Cumberland River, past the Muscle Shores and to their final destination: the bluffs of the French Salt Springs (later renamed as Nashville).

Their flotilla of scows, flatboats, and dugout canoes consisted of approximately 200 souls, mostly women and children. There were approximately 50 men with them but the more experienced frontiersmen had preceded them, traveling by land through the Cumberland Gap. It was thought that the overland journey would be the more perilous. The opposite proved to be true.

The flotilla was beset by life threatening dangers nearly from the start. It was one of the cruelest winters in history; one of the boats had to be quarantined during the journey due to an outbreak of smallpox. The boat carrying the diseased passengers had to trail behind at some distance which left them vulnerable to Indian attack to which they eventually succumbed.

All in all, four months later, when the settlers finally arrived at French Lick, reuniting with the men who traveled overland, 33 of their party had been killed or captured. Ramsey, in his Annals of Tennessee says, “The distance traveled on this inland voyage [and] the extreme danger in every respect marks the expedition as one of the greatest achievements in the settlement of our western country.”

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.