Blockader's Trail

This item is part of the W. Amos Abrams Folksong Collection, which includes some 400 individual song titles, most of which have multiple variants. Dr. Abrams recorded songs primarily from the Appalachian region of North Carolina from 1938 to 1946 and transcribed them in 1973. Like the I. G. Greer Collection, the titles contained in Abrams’ collection range from traditional Child Ballads to 19th century popular music to compositions of local origin.

North Carolina--Songs and music

West Virginia--Songs and music

Distilling, Illicit--Songs and music

Arrest--Songs and music

Ballads

Folk music--Appalachian Region

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

1921

Abrams, W. Amos (William Amos), 1904-1991

JPEG

Song texts

English

Text

1920s

Blockader's Trail

Henry D. Holsclaw [Holtzclaw], 1878-

Holsclaw supposedly wrote this ballad based on a personal experience. Holsclaw was born in Draco, Caldwell County, North Carolina. The events in the song occur around Lenoir, Caldwell County, North Carolina. According to a note in Brown' s NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE, this ballad was first "published in Welsh (Welch?), Virginia, in 1921," where Holsclaw lived for a time. The mention of Virginia in the note is likely erroneous--Welch is located in McDowell County, West Virginia.

Jerome Triplet. John Teeters. Charlie Walker. Taylor men. Robert Dula. Uncle Cas. Rufus Walker. Bob Teeters. Mr. Helan

Brown North Carolina Ballads - 313.

Henry D. Holsclaw [Holtzclaw], 1878-