We post a new episode of Appalachian History weekly podcast every Sunday. You can start listening right away by clicking the podcast icon over on the right side of your screen. If you’d rather grab the show off itunes for later listening, click here:
We open today’s show with a look at tensions between the English and the Cherokee that contributed to the French & Indian War of the 1750s. “The cruel depredations and ravages committed by the Indians after General Braddock’s defeat had induced government to offer a considerable premium for every scalp of a hostile Indian, that should be brought in by any of our rangers,” explains Andrew Burnaby in ‘Travels through the middle settlements in North America.’ “This unfortunately opened a door, and gave occasion to many acts of enormity; for some of the back-settlers, men of bad lives and worse principles, tempted by the reward, insidiously massacred several of our friendly Indians, and afterwards endeavored to defraud government of the reward, by pretending that they were the scalps of hostile tribes.”
We’ll pause in between things to catch up on a Calendar of Events in the region this week, with special attention paid to events that emphasize heritage and local color.
From April – June 1914 Emma Bell Miles wrote “Fountain Square Conversations,” a weekly editorial for The Chattanooga News. The “Conversations” cleverly combined her naturalist’s knowledge and her social commentary. In this piece, ‘Survival of the Fittest,’ Miles examines the delicate balance between a growing population and a limited food supply. “The reckless exhaustion of the soil is helping forward the day of reckoning,” she warns.
Princess Talladega, the beautiful daughter of the Creek Indian Chief ChoccoLocco, made the mistake of falling in love with the wrong man, E. Grace Jemison tells us in her 1959 book “Historic Tales of Talladega.” ChoccoLocco wanted her to marry Cheaha, an ugly old chief from an adjoining province, who was wealthy and powerful. But her heart was with Coosa, a handsome young brave who had no standing. Just as it looks as though the young couple may find a way to have a life together, Cheaha hatches a treacherous plan.
We’ll wrap things up with a humble appreciation for coal miner bucket lunches, in an oral history by Howard Rees of Frostburg, MD. “Each ethnic group had its own cuisine,” says Rees. “The Germans used a lot of pork, and they would have a piece of pork between big slices of rogenbrote, as they called it — rye bread — or schwarzbrote — black bread. They didn’t go in for white bread like the Welsh or the Scots or the Irish.”
And, thanks to the good folks at Juneberry78s.com, we’ll be able to enjoy some authentic Appalachian music from Dilly and his Dill Pickles in a 1930 recording of “Kennesaw Mountain Rag.”
So, call your old Plott hound up on the porch, fire up your corn-cob pipe, and settle in for a dose of Appalachian History.