Category: Rural Americana
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Call and Response: Railroad Tales of Jacob S. Miller
“Pick it up!” Grandpa Jake chanted, tapping twice on the desk. Dorris stomped her foot, “Lay it down!” They went on like that, his baritone and her alto voice echoing off the walls in the call and response of railroad workers.
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The Huzzah Creek Feud: Sallie Tubbs Remembers
“That road there,” Sallie said, pointing toward the dusty road, “is where the big family feud came to a head.” In 1915, at her 82nd birthday, Sallie Tubbs Camden told the tale of disputed land, fallen trees, bloodshed, and silence, the tale of the Huzzah Creek Feud.
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The Call Up the Hill: Myrtle Payne’s Final Reflections
Myrtle put down the engraved guitar pick she’d been studying and sighed. “I don’t know, Harper. It just feels like my days are numbered, you know? I’m gettin’ old.” She tapped a pile of photographs. “That one’s for Cliff, this one’s for Agnes. And Delmer—any musical stuff goes to him.”
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Weight of the Earth: The Plagued Life of Christopher Maples
Engaged in work in the deadly mines of Picher, Oklahoma, Christopher Maples battled suffocating dust, ruthless exploitation, and the slow grip of tuberculosis. His relentless fight for a meaningful life echoed the struggles of a town consumed by industry, leaving behind a haunting legacy of resilience, regret, and the unyielding pursuit of the American Dream.
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The Cream Rises to the Top: Owen S. Mitchell’s Fight for Justice
Owen’s heart sank at the sight of Dandy’s lifeless calf on the barn floor. The vet’s diagnosis confirmed his worst fear: contagion had infected the herd. Facing ruin, Owen didn’t back down. “He gave me his word,” he declared in court, determined to prove that honesty should prevail.
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Keep an Eye on the Baby: Daisy’s Journey to Stay Close to Her Family
Daisy leaned her head against the bus window, the rhythmic hum of the tires carrying her thoughts back through the years. Sylvia’s advice echoed softly in her mind: “Keep one eye on the baby.” It wasn’t just about watching over them as children, Daisy realized—it was about being there, always. Every journey she’d taken, every…
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Pleasant Times and Seasons in Pyatt Hollow
Pleasant Pyatt lives through seasons in Pyatt Hollow, as he faces love, loss, and resilience. Through drought, fire, and family upheaval, Pleasant’s journey captures the spirit of survival in the Ozarks during the Great Depression, culminating in a new chapter of faith and community at the dawn of spring.
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A Guest and a Stranger: The Resilience of Carrie Bergum
In the cold sanctuary of Lost Island Lutheran Church, Carrie Bergum sat surrounded by the remnants of her family, her heart weighed down by yet another loss. The organ began a familiar hymn, “Jeg er en gjest og fremmed, som mine fäder här…” – I am a guest and stranger, like my father here. The…
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Folklore and Faith: The Legend That Was Reverend JT Barton
In the heart of the Ozark hills, where legends grow like dogwood trees, the story of Reverend JT Barton endures. Born of Cherokee blood and raised along Brushy Creek, JT straddled two worlds—one rooted in the wilderness and the other in faith. With a Bible in one hand and a Winchester rifle in the other,…
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“Oscar will not die”: The Prophecies of Mary Tinker
On February 11, 1940, the Irondale Assembly of God congregation prayed for young Oscar, who was gravely ill. Mary Tinker Pyatt prophesied he would live, but that someone else must die in his place. Three days later, Mary fulfilled her own prophecy when she herself died, leaving behind a legacy of faith for her family.
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My Kindred Chronicles 