Stories-a History Of Appalachia, One Story At A Time

In the area of Bland and Tazewell Counties in Virginia in the late 1780's a pregnant young woman and her child were captured by a band of renegade Indians consisting of two Cherokee, three Shawnee, three Wyandots and three Delaware.  After a year as their slave, this woman managed to escape and make it back through the Appalachian wilderness to her family and friends. Today we tell the story of Jenny Wiley. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app.   Thanks for listening!

In 1912 a Presbyterian pastor in Greeneville, Tennessee, decided to help his former secretary back at the school he headed in Pittsburgh. That decision cost the woman her life and landed the pastor in jail. Today we tell that story.

In the late 1700s two cousins, Micajah Harpe and Wiley Harpe, terrorized the Appalachian frontier, stealing, fighting, raping and killing pioneers as they crossed Appalachia looking for a new home. Today we tell the story of the Bloody Harpes, two of America's most vicious serial killers. Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast, at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods, Audacy, Audible, IHeart Radio, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening.

Today we tell the fascinating story of the first woman in this country to go down in the coal mines to make a living, and how she made it legal for women to do so. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Goodpods, Audible or on your own favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!

In the summer of 1946 a training mission for a B-29 Superfortress ended in tragedy. Today we tell the story of that B-29, which crashed into the third-highest mountaintop in the eastern United States. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audacy, Stitcher, Goodpods, Audible, Spotify, IHeart Radio, RadioPublic, or on your favorite podcast app.

Who were the men who moved into what’s now East Tennessee, establishing the first local governments there, such as the Watauga Association in 1772 and the State of Franklin in 1784? Many of them came from a movement that had been quashed in North Carolina by the Royal Governor in a battle that’s still remembered and re-enacted today. Today we tell the story of the Regulator Movement.

In 1950 a man shot and killed his sister-in-law and niece in a country store in northeast Tennessee. Why he did that is our story today. Don't forget to subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app!

In 1951 Little League baseball came to Norton, Virginia.  In that very first season the Little League allowed black boys and white boys to play together, fully integrated, for the first time in the South. Today we tell that story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Audacy, Goodpods, Audible, IHeart Radio or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!

After the end of the Revolutionary War the land north and west of the Ohio River was organized by Congress into the Northwest Territory.  Soon settlers began to move into the eastern part of the territory (the future state of Ohio) and form new towns, including Marietta, at the junction of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers. One of these new settlers was an Irish nobleman, Harman Blennerhassett, who built a fine estate on an island in the Ohio not far from Marietta.  There he entertained the rich and famous, and that, folks, led to his downfall. Today we tell the story of Harmon Blennerhassett's ill-fated venture with a former vice-president, Aaron Burr. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Stitcher, TuneIn, Goodpods, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening and for sharing our stories!

At the turn of the 20th century, a Kentucky man obsessed with spiritualism, fortune-telling, seances and speaking to the dead, was convinced to marry a "psychic" and give her all his property. This act set off a chain of events involving this man, his siblings, his new (fourth) wife, and a man named Fred, all of which ended up very badly for him. Today we tell that story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Goodpods, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, IHeart Radio, or on your favorite podcast app.

In May of 1902 one of the best-run mine companies in the Coal Creek, Tennessee, area suffered a disaster when an explosion trapped and killed 216 miners, all but 3 of the adult male population of the Fraterville community. Today we tell that story.  Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app!

This holiday season has been a tough one for us, so we haven't had the opportunity to put together this year's Christmas episode.  Instead we give you last year's wonderful tale of the Krampus.  By the way, all the references in that episode to 2020?  Nothing's really changed, so just mentally put in "2021" when you hear us say "2020." Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, y'all!

On June 17, 1922, a tremendous explosion happened at the Thealka mine near Paintsville, Kentucky, killing two miners starting up mine equipment. This blast was no accident. Join us today for a story of labor unrest, coalfield violence, and justice, along with a bit of redemption. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Stitcher, Audible, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, Goodpods, or on your favorite podcast app.

In the spring of 1856 the two little boys of Samuel and Susanna Cox disappeared, seemingly without a trace. Today we tell the story of how the tragedy of that disappearance led to a miracle, one memorialized with a monument in the township of Pavia, Pennsylvania, east of Johnstown. You can subscribe to the audio version of the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, Audacy, Goodpods, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast app.

There was a man who lived in Lee County, Virginia, who claimed to have once been a Tennessee Circuit Court judge, a preacher, a teacher and a business owner in Cumberland Gap. He was also tried for killing two lawmen who tried to arrest his son-in-law. Today we tell the story of Green Allen Brooks, dubbed by the press as the "Mountain Man." You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Audacy, Spotify, Audible, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening

Over 120 years ago one of Devil Anse Hatfield's sons made his escape from a Williamson, West Virginia, jail.  How he got in that jail, why he escaped and where he went is our story this week. Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast, at Apple Podcasts, Audible, PlayerFM, Stitcher, Spotify, Audacy or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!

A hundred years ago two men were captured near Harriman, Tennessee, after an intense manhunt.  They, along with two other men, were responsible for an attempted armed bank robbery, two kidnappings, and one murder during a crime spree through the Tennessee hills west of Knoxville in June, 1921. Today we tell that story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Stitcher, IHeart Radio, Audacy, or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening and for sharing our stories of Appalachian history with your friends!

In the early 1800's central Pennsylvania was the home of a man named David Lewis.  Lewis joined the army then went AWOL, starting down a road that led to him becoming a charming con man, counterfeiter, robber and murderer, as well as a legend in the area, some even comparing Lewis to Robin Hood. Today we tell his story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Stitcher, IHeart Radio or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening.

In 1877 a young Kentucky man's body was found by the side of the road, the victim of a knife attack. Suspicion quickly fell on the deceased's former best friend since the two had recently had a falling out over a girl. That led the friend to go on the run. 20 years later he was found and brought back to Kentucky to face justice. Today we tell that story.

In 1803 John Sevier was the governor of the state of Tennessee and Andrew Jackson was a Superior Court judge, both in Knoxville.  They were also bitter political rivals.  One day the two met on the steps of the Knox County Courthouse and began an argument that turned into a fist fight and challenges from both men to the other to settle matters with a duel.  Today we tell that story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening and for sharing our stories with your friends!