R. G. Absher - Ghosts of the Yadkin Valley

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2009 by R.G. Absher

All rights reserved

All images by the author unless otherwise noted.

First published 2009

e-book edition 2013

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.62584.267.1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Absher, R. G.

Ghosts of the Yadkin Valley / R.G. Absher.

p. cm.

print edition ISBN 978-1-59629-711-1

1. Ghosts--North Carolina--Yadkin River Valley. I. Title.

BF1472.U6A27 2009

133.1097566--dc22

2009015723

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To my mom Helen Absher, Ma Helen, for her loving guidance and support through the years.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

The first time I heard really exciting ghost stories was in my youth in the early 1970s. I was a youngster growing up in the town of Taylorsville, North Carolina. It was late in summer. The night noises of the crickets, singing bugs, tree frogs and distant cars accompanied the sounds of a crackling campfire. These were carefree August nights. The evening stars came out as friends, neighborhood kids and even neighborhood dogs sat around the campfire. Tales and ghost stories were sometimes exchanged into the wee hours of the night. A neighbor, Leonard Gant, would catch the unsuspecting off guard during the midst of a scary story by sneaking up behind him and touching a straw behind the ear of the victim. This prank almost universally caused the subject to jump into the air, resulting in a successful prank and the familiar laughter from Mr. Gant.

Around those campfires, I would learn and retell those stories that have fueled a lifelong interest in ghosts and shadowy tales. For years I have traveled around the tourist areas, historic towns and sites, and have been a frequent participant on as many ghost tours as I could muster. From these years of being a ghost tour sampler, I have learned a lot of strange and fascinating tales in the process. Ive also noted many common threads that make these sites and haunts both compelling and mystifying.

In my twenty-five-plus years of residing in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina, I have been employed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a park ranger at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. Years of hanging around many of the folk of the region have resulted in the accumulation of a wealth of tales and stories. I guess that by being around the music scene as well as the historic community, it is expected that I might have run into a lot of odd stories and odd characters too! In my spare time, I collected these stories, sometimes as a matter of fact and sometimes as a matter of conscience.

During the last several years, Ive really picked up the pace in my ghost chase. I visited the sites of the stories and then researched the historical information surrounding them. The ghost research and search, if you will, has resulted in some very good finds. Ive discovered fascinating accounts, often finding remarkable historical clues backing up the stories. Ive also interviewed lots of people. Perhaps this has been the most enjoyable aspect of the process. I must admit that at times during interviews, I felt like I was some kind of psychological advisor or a paranormal talk show host. Wow, in spite of all the unusual conversations and interviews, it was worth it! After all, I talked to real live people who have witnessed firsthand some very strange and unexplained happenings.

The sense of awe and mystery from these collected accounts has inspired me to write this book. Although I do invite the reader to ponder the obvious question, Do you believe in ghosts? it is not my attempt in this book to convince anyone that ghosts exist. My main focus is to let these stories roll, to intertwine them with historical details of area and place and then to let your imagination run as it may.

It is my goal that the reader will become more aware of the rich history of this place, which has a culture nearly bigger than life. Wilkes County at one time went all the way to the Mississippi River and is still referred as the Great State of Wilkes. Technically, Wilkes County could have included the greater portion of Tennessee. But for the scope of this book, I have pinpointed the region of present-day Wilkes and the surrounding counties along the Yadkin River Valley. I hope that by adding a sprinkling of history, I will whet your appetite to discover more. Along with the history, hopefully you will enjoy the stories, leaving the door open for the possibilities.

The great writer Alfred Hitchcock often left the door open for the possibility. Its the thought of the possibility that makes these stories interesting and causes the imagination to drift into another time and place where events almost freeze in time. It is my wish that you will encounter a few passages that will spark or excite deep intrigue in that regard. I hope that I challenge you to tap into your imagination and your sense of wonder. This is what storytellers have been shooting for since the settlement of America.

From the Salem witch trials of New England to the misty fields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, ghost stories are a part of American history. From Charleston and Savannah to Colonial Williamsburg, and the back roads of Appalachia, ghost stories have slipped into our culture all the way back to the colonial period. The information contained in this book will examine the stories along the upper Yadkin Valley communities in Western North Carolina.

And what a historic area it is! The names and happenings of the region are the stuff of familiar legends in American folklore. In this lush green valley, the citizens endured two major military campaigns, including the campaign to the Battle of Kings Mountain in the Revolutionary War and Stonemans Raid in the War Between the States. In one sentence, you can say Daniel Boone, Tom Dooley and even NASCAR! In the heyday of moonshining, it became necessary to build fast cars to outrun the law. The cars and the driving skills of men in the hills became legendary. NASCAR racing legend Junior Johnson and many others became experts at building high-performance engines for cars that could outrun the government-issued standard patrol cars of the day. Movies such as Thunder Road were produced about this legendary practice of running white liquor. These bootlegger stories could fill volumes.

And what once was shine country is now wine country. For those interested in the Yadkin Valley as a wine destination, see the reference link in the area attractions section in the back of the book. In an hour drive from my home in Elkin, I can reach over thirty vineyards.

Rising from the economic hardships created by two world wars and the Great Depression, the industrious and innovative citizens of the rural backcountry along the upper Yadkin River rose to create national businesses in poultry and home improvement industries. Today, Tyson Foods and Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse are pretty much household names on the lips of thousands of Americans.