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  • News
    MAYOR SAYS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS LATE BECAUSE OF LOCAL COMPANY’S STAFFING SHORTAGE

    MAYOR SAYS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS LATE BECAUSE OF LOCAL COMPANY’S STAFFING SHORTAGE

    Conservative Patrick Flannery Announces Run for House District 96 in Carter and Lawrence Counties

    Conservative Patrick Flannery Announces Run for House District 96 in Carter and Lawrence Counties

    Grow Appalachia helps Lawrence County couple start new farm

    Grow Appalachia helps Lawrence County couple start new farm

    Bridge on KY 644 at Walbridge in Lawrence County closed next week for inspection

    Bridge on KY 644 at Walbridge in Lawrence County closed next week for inspection

    FOR “PETE” SAKE: FORMER BIG SANDY REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER ADMINISTRATOR GETS ‘HEFTY’ MONEY SETTLEMENT

    FOR “PETE” SAKE: FORMER BIG SANDY REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER ADMINISTRATOR GETS ‘HEFTY’ MONEY SETTLEMENT

    ‘A crazy path’ brings Thanksgiving dinner and inspiration to forgotten Blaine, Ky.

    ‘A crazy path’ brings Thanksgiving dinner and inspiration to forgotten Blaine, Ky.

    WHAT IF WE MADE A DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT ‘HILLBILLIES’?

    WHAT IF WE MADE A DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT ‘HILLBILLIES’?

    Kentucky Power Storm Summary: Thanksgiving wind storm update, 7,000 lost power

    Kentucky Power Storm Summary: Thanksgiving wind storm update, 7,000 lost power

    Lawrence County Grand Jury Indictments include drugs, theft, and endangering minor

    Lawrence County Grand Jury Indictments include drugs, theft, and endangering minor

    100 FEET OF DAMAGED PIPE AT LOUISA EAST WILL HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AFTER FIRE

    100 FEET OF DAMAGED PIPE AT LOUISA EAST WILL HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AFTER FIRE

  • Sports
    Bulldogs hot from the start in District victory over Betsy Layne

    Bulldogs hot from the start in District victory over Betsy Layne

    Rebels ready to take the next step, Open season tonight at Home

    Rebels ready to take the next step, Open season tonight at Home

    Paintsville upends Lawrence Co. in OT

    Paintsville upends Lawrence Co. in OT

    Lady Rebels fall in the BJM Tournament, Marcum makes All Tournament team

    Lady Rebels fall in the BJM Tournament, Marcum makes All Tournament team

    LC’s Ally Moore signs with West Virginia Wesleyan Soccer

    LC’s Ally Moore signs with West Virginia Wesleyan Soccer

    Dawgs defeat Phelps in Home opener

    Dawgs defeat Phelps in Home opener

    Lady Dawgs Runner Up in BJM Tournament at Tolsia

    Lady Dawgs Runner Up in BJM Tournament at Tolsia

    Martin Co. opens new digs with big win over Lawrence Co.

    Martin Co. opens new digs with big win over Lawrence Co.

    Lady Dawgs take care of Lady Rebels, Will play for BJM Title tonight

    Lady Dawgs take care of Lady Rebels, Will play for BJM Title tonight

  • Lifestyles
    ‘Christmas in the Mountains’ in Martin County

    ‘Christmas in the Mountains’ in Martin County

    WE LOVE A PARADE! CHRISTMAS PARADE IN LOUISA SET  FOR DEC. 14

    WE LOVE A PARADE! CHRISTMAS PARADE IN LOUISA SET FOR DEC. 14

    TOYS FOR TOTS TOY DRIVE AT LOUISA WALMART; SANTA VISITS FOR PICS, TOO

    TOYS FOR TOTS TOY DRIVE AT LOUISA WALMART; SANTA VISITS FOR PICS, TOO

    15th ANNUAL LMS ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR HOSTS MORE THAN 40 ARTISANS

    15th ANNUAL LMS ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR HOSTS MORE THAN 40 ARTISANS

    Lawrence County Extension Office holds Wreath Making Class on Thursday December 5, 2019

    Lawrence County Extension Office holds Wreath Making Class on Thursday December 5, 2019

    Inez Hometown Homemaker Christmas Party at Miss Ida’s

    Inez Hometown Homemaker Christmas Party at Miss Ida’s

    TAPESTRY OF OLD FT. GAY HIGH PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AT MEETING

    TAPESTRY OF OLD FT. GAY HIGH PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AT MEETING

    15th Annual  LMS Christmas  Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    15th Annual LMS Christmas Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    Tolsia ProStart winning you over one bite at a time

    Tolsia ProStart winning you over one bite at a time

  • Courthouse
    December 2019 Lawrence County Fiscal Court Update on illegal trash dumping

    December 2019 Lawrence County Fiscal Court Update on illegal trash dumping

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – DECEMBER 1-8, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – DECEMBER 1-8, 2019

    TWO ARRESTED IN BLAINE IN PAST TWO DAYS

    TWO ARRESTED IN BLAINE IN PAST TWO DAYS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE REPORT: DECEMBER 7, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE REPORT: DECEMBER 7, 2019

    Louisa Utility Board Meeting Agenda December 3, 2019, 6:00PM

    Louisa Utility Board Meeting Agenda December 3, 2019, 6:00PM

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – NOVEMBER 24-30, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – NOVEMBER 24-30, 2019

    Lawrence County District Docket Judge Brett Butcher

    Lawrence County District Docket Judge Brett Butcher

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 15-23, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 15-23, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE NEWS; MARRIAGES, DEEDS AND CIVIL SUITS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE NEWS; MARRIAGES, DEEDS AND CIVIL SUITS

  • Recollections
    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Christmas is Coming

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Christmas is Coming

    Michael Coburn EXTRA: Pulled Pork

    Michael Coburn EXTRA: Pulled Pork

    19th Century Appalachia Comes Alive in Betsy Reeder’s Broomstraw Ridge

    19th Century Appalachia Comes Alive in Betsy Reeder’s Broomstraw Ridge

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA:  Marriage

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Marriage

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Happy Thanksgiving!

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Happy Thanksgiving!

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA:  Grocers

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Grocers

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Wake Up! It’s Veterans Day  

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Wake Up! It’s Veterans Day  

    2019 Veterans Educational Exhibit is loaded with displays

    2019 Veterans Educational Exhibit is loaded with displays

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA:  Restaurants

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Restaurants

  • Obituaries
    Darrell Daniels, 63,  of Louisa, KY

    Darrell Daniels, 63,  of Louisa, KY

    William Herbert Vance, 62, of Louisa, KY

    William Herbert Vance, 62, of Louisa, KY

    Thomas “Jack” Thurman Fowler, 69, of Fort Gay, WV

    Thomas “Jack” Thurman Fowler, 69, of Fort Gay, WV

    Joy E. Burchwell, 95, of Louisa, KY

    Joy E. Burchwell, 95, of Louisa, KY

    Raymond D. Ball, 70, of Toledo, OH, formerly of Louisa, KY

    Raymond D. Ball, 70, of Toledo, OH, formerly of Louisa, KY

    Bascom Castle, 88, of Fort Gay, WV

    Bascom Castle, 88, of Fort Gay, WV

    Robert Crum, 73, of Ashland, formerly of Louisa

    Robert Crum, 73, of Ashland, formerly of Louisa

    Teddy G. Wilks, 73, of Webbville, KY

    Teddy G. Wilks, 73, of Webbville, KY

    Shawn Murphy, 37, of Independence, KY

    Shawn Murphy, 37, of Independence, KY

  • Regional News
    Matt Bevin coming under harsh, bipartisan condemnation for long list of ‘extreme’ pardons

    Matt Bevin coming under harsh, bipartisan condemnation for long list of ‘extreme’ pardons

    Pike County inmate’s death under investigation

    Pike County inmate’s death under investigation

    MAGOFFIN Inmate death under investigation

    MAGOFFIN Inmate death under investigation

    Beshear appoints all new Kentucky Board of Education

    Beshear appoints all new Kentucky Board of Education

    UPDATE: Kentucky State Police Post 14 Cancels Golden Alert – Man Found Safe

    UPDATE: Kentucky State Police Post 14 Cancels Golden Alert – Man Found Safe

    MARTIN COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 7, 2019

    MARTIN COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 7, 2019

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    Outgoing Gov. Matt Bevin fires off order aimed at curbing Rocky Adkins’ pension

    Outgoing Gov. Matt Bevin fires off order aimed at curbing Rocky Adkins’ pension

    KENTUCKY POWER TO DELIVER 100TH ACT OF APPRECIATION WITH GRANT TO HIGHLANDS MUSEUM & DISCOVERY CENTER

    KENTUCKY POWER TO DELIVER 100TH ACT OF APPRECIATION WITH GRANT TO HIGHLANDS MUSEUM & DISCOVERY CENTER

  • Announcements
    KentuckyWired Begins Activation of Government Offices

    KentuckyWired Begins Activation of Government Offices

    The LCHS Winter Choral Concert at Louisa United Methodist Church 7:00 pm Tuesday

    The LCHS Winter Choral Concert at Louisa United Methodist Church 7:00 pm Tuesday

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    The Louisa Police & Fire Departments’ TOY DRIVE

    The Louisa Police & Fire Departments’ TOY DRIVE

    15th Annual  LMS Christmas  Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    15th Annual LMS Christmas Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    Matt Jones coming back on Kentucky Sports Radio

    Matt Jones coming back on Kentucky Sports Radio

    KSP Kicks off Annual Holiday Food Drive

    KSP Kicks off Annual Holiday Food Drive

    Ft. Gay Tree Lighting Ceremony today at 6:00 pm

    Ft. Gay Tree Lighting Ceremony today at 6:00 pm

    LAWRENCE COUNTY TOURISM SPONSORS TURKEY TROT ON THANKSGIVING MORNING

    LAWRENCE COUNTY TOURISM SPONSORS TURKEY TROT ON THANKSGIVING MORNING

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  • News
    MAYOR SAYS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS LATE BECAUSE OF LOCAL COMPANY’S STAFFING SHORTAGE

    MAYOR SAYS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS LATE BECAUSE OF LOCAL COMPANY’S STAFFING SHORTAGE

    Conservative Patrick Flannery Announces Run for House District 96 in Carter and Lawrence Counties

    Conservative Patrick Flannery Announces Run for House District 96 in Carter and Lawrence Counties

    Grow Appalachia helps Lawrence County couple start new farm

    Grow Appalachia helps Lawrence County couple start new farm

    Bridge on KY 644 at Walbridge in Lawrence County closed next week for inspection

    Bridge on KY 644 at Walbridge in Lawrence County closed next week for inspection

    FOR “PETE” SAKE: FORMER BIG SANDY REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER ADMINISTRATOR GETS ‘HEFTY’ MONEY SETTLEMENT

    FOR “PETE” SAKE: FORMER BIG SANDY REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER ADMINISTRATOR GETS ‘HEFTY’ MONEY SETTLEMENT

    ‘A crazy path’ brings Thanksgiving dinner and inspiration to forgotten Blaine, Ky.

    ‘A crazy path’ brings Thanksgiving dinner and inspiration to forgotten Blaine, Ky.

    WHAT IF WE MADE A DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT ‘HILLBILLIES’?

    WHAT IF WE MADE A DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT ‘HILLBILLIES’?

    Kentucky Power Storm Summary: Thanksgiving wind storm update, 7,000 lost power

    Kentucky Power Storm Summary: Thanksgiving wind storm update, 7,000 lost power

    Lawrence County Grand Jury Indictments include drugs, theft, and endangering minor

    Lawrence County Grand Jury Indictments include drugs, theft, and endangering minor

    100 FEET OF DAMAGED PIPE AT LOUISA EAST WILL HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AFTER FIRE

    100 FEET OF DAMAGED PIPE AT LOUISA EAST WILL HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AFTER FIRE

  • Sports
    Bulldogs hot from the start in District victory over Betsy Layne

    Bulldogs hot from the start in District victory over Betsy Layne

    Rebels ready to take the next step, Open season tonight at Home

    Rebels ready to take the next step, Open season tonight at Home

    Paintsville upends Lawrence Co. in OT

    Paintsville upends Lawrence Co. in OT

    Lady Rebels fall in the BJM Tournament, Marcum makes All Tournament team

    Lady Rebels fall in the BJM Tournament, Marcum makes All Tournament team

    LC’s Ally Moore signs with West Virginia Wesleyan Soccer

    LC’s Ally Moore signs with West Virginia Wesleyan Soccer

    Dawgs defeat Phelps in Home opener

    Dawgs defeat Phelps in Home opener

    Lady Dawgs Runner Up in BJM Tournament at Tolsia

    Lady Dawgs Runner Up in BJM Tournament at Tolsia

    Martin Co. opens new digs with big win over Lawrence Co.

    Martin Co. opens new digs with big win over Lawrence Co.

    Lady Dawgs take care of Lady Rebels, Will play for BJM Title tonight

    Lady Dawgs take care of Lady Rebels, Will play for BJM Title tonight

  • Lifestyles
    ‘Christmas in the Mountains’ in Martin County

    ‘Christmas in the Mountains’ in Martin County

    WE LOVE A PARADE! CHRISTMAS PARADE IN LOUISA SET  FOR DEC. 14

    WE LOVE A PARADE! CHRISTMAS PARADE IN LOUISA SET FOR DEC. 14

    TOYS FOR TOTS TOY DRIVE AT LOUISA WALMART; SANTA VISITS FOR PICS, TOO

    TOYS FOR TOTS TOY DRIVE AT LOUISA WALMART; SANTA VISITS FOR PICS, TOO

    15th ANNUAL LMS ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR HOSTS MORE THAN 40 ARTISANS

    15th ANNUAL LMS ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR HOSTS MORE THAN 40 ARTISANS

    Lawrence County Extension Office holds Wreath Making Class on Thursday December 5, 2019

    Lawrence County Extension Office holds Wreath Making Class on Thursday December 5, 2019

    Inez Hometown Homemaker Christmas Party at Miss Ida’s

    Inez Hometown Homemaker Christmas Party at Miss Ida’s

    TAPESTRY OF OLD FT. GAY HIGH PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AT MEETING

    TAPESTRY OF OLD FT. GAY HIGH PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AT MEETING

    15th Annual  LMS Christmas  Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    15th Annual LMS Christmas Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    Tolsia ProStart winning you over one bite at a time

    Tolsia ProStart winning you over one bite at a time

  • Courthouse
    December 2019 Lawrence County Fiscal Court Update on illegal trash dumping

    December 2019 Lawrence County Fiscal Court Update on illegal trash dumping

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – DECEMBER 1-8, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – DECEMBER 1-8, 2019

    TWO ARRESTED IN BLAINE IN PAST TWO DAYS

    TWO ARRESTED IN BLAINE IN PAST TWO DAYS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE REPORT: DECEMBER 7, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE REPORT: DECEMBER 7, 2019

    Louisa Utility Board Meeting Agenda December 3, 2019, 6:00PM

    Louisa Utility Board Meeting Agenda December 3, 2019, 6:00PM

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – NOVEMBER 24-30, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST – NOVEMBER 24-30, 2019

    Lawrence County District Docket Judge Brett Butcher

    Lawrence County District Docket Judge Brett Butcher

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 15-23, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 15-23, 2019

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE NEWS; MARRIAGES, DEEDS AND CIVIL SUITS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE NEWS; MARRIAGES, DEEDS AND CIVIL SUITS

  • Recollections
    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Christmas is Coming

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Christmas is Coming

    Michael Coburn EXTRA: Pulled Pork

    Michael Coburn EXTRA: Pulled Pork

    19th Century Appalachia Comes Alive in Betsy Reeder’s Broomstraw Ridge

    19th Century Appalachia Comes Alive in Betsy Reeder’s Broomstraw Ridge

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA:  Marriage

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Marriage

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Happy Thanksgiving!

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Happy Thanksgiving!

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA:  Grocers

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Grocers

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Wake Up! It’s Veterans Day  

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Wake Up! It’s Veterans Day  

    2019 Veterans Educational Exhibit is loaded with displays

    2019 Veterans Educational Exhibit is loaded with displays

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA:  Restaurants

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Restaurants

  • Obituaries
    Darrell Daniels, 63,  of Louisa, KY

    Darrell Daniels, 63,  of Louisa, KY

    William Herbert Vance, 62, of Louisa, KY

    William Herbert Vance, 62, of Louisa, KY

    Thomas “Jack” Thurman Fowler, 69, of Fort Gay, WV

    Thomas “Jack” Thurman Fowler, 69, of Fort Gay, WV

    Joy E. Burchwell, 95, of Louisa, KY

    Joy E. Burchwell, 95, of Louisa, KY

    Raymond D. Ball, 70, of Toledo, OH, formerly of Louisa, KY

    Raymond D. Ball, 70, of Toledo, OH, formerly of Louisa, KY

    Bascom Castle, 88, of Fort Gay, WV

    Bascom Castle, 88, of Fort Gay, WV

    Robert Crum, 73, of Ashland, formerly of Louisa

    Robert Crum, 73, of Ashland, formerly of Louisa

    Teddy G. Wilks, 73, of Webbville, KY

    Teddy G. Wilks, 73, of Webbville, KY

    Shawn Murphy, 37, of Independence, KY

    Shawn Murphy, 37, of Independence, KY

  • Regional News
    Matt Bevin coming under harsh, bipartisan condemnation for long list of ‘extreme’ pardons

    Matt Bevin coming under harsh, bipartisan condemnation for long list of ‘extreme’ pardons

    Pike County inmate’s death under investigation

    Pike County inmate’s death under investigation

    MAGOFFIN Inmate death under investigation

    MAGOFFIN Inmate death under investigation

    Beshear appoints all new Kentucky Board of Education

    Beshear appoints all new Kentucky Board of Education

    UPDATE: Kentucky State Police Post 14 Cancels Golden Alert – Man Found Safe

    UPDATE: Kentucky State Police Post 14 Cancels Golden Alert – Man Found Safe

    MARTIN COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 7, 2019

    MARTIN COUNTY ARREST LIST – NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 7, 2019

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    Outgoing Gov. Matt Bevin fires off order aimed at curbing Rocky Adkins’ pension

    Outgoing Gov. Matt Bevin fires off order aimed at curbing Rocky Adkins’ pension

    KENTUCKY POWER TO DELIVER 100TH ACT OF APPRECIATION WITH GRANT TO HIGHLANDS MUSEUM & DISCOVERY CENTER

    KENTUCKY POWER TO DELIVER 100TH ACT OF APPRECIATION WITH GRANT TO HIGHLANDS MUSEUM & DISCOVERY CENTER

  • Announcements
    KentuckyWired Begins Activation of Government Offices

    KentuckyWired Begins Activation of Government Offices

    The LCHS Winter Choral Concert at Louisa United Methodist Church 7:00 pm Tuesday

    The LCHS Winter Choral Concert at Louisa United Methodist Church 7:00 pm Tuesday

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    MOUNTAIN MOVERS PRESENTS ELF, JR. THE MUSICAL

    The Louisa Police & Fire Departments’ TOY DRIVE

    The Louisa Police & Fire Departments’ TOY DRIVE

    15th Annual  LMS Christmas  Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    15th Annual LMS Christmas Arts & Crafts Bazaar THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2019

    Matt Jones coming back on Kentucky Sports Radio

    Matt Jones coming back on Kentucky Sports Radio

    KSP Kicks off Annual Holiday Food Drive

    KSP Kicks off Annual Holiday Food Drive

    Ft. Gay Tree Lighting Ceremony today at 6:00 pm

    Ft. Gay Tree Lighting Ceremony today at 6:00 pm

    LAWRENCE COUNTY TOURISM SPONSORS TURKEY TROT ON THANKSGIVING MORNING

    LAWRENCE COUNTY TOURISM SPONSORS TURKEY TROT ON THANKSGIVING MORNING

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Home Content Recollections

Cratis Williams, “Mr. Appalachia”

...provided by Professor Sonny Branham

Special For The Lazer by Special For The Lazer
October 4, 2019
in Recollections
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“Our Mom, Merica Skaggs Branham, as a gorgeous young miss out on a date in the early 1930s. She is with her suitor, the legendary Dr. Cratis Williams of Blaine (aka ‘Mr.Appalachia’). Who knows, he could have been the right man for her. 🙂 Please, please read Dr.William’s bio that is posted below.Thank you Ruth Ellen Kelley for the photo.”   –Prof. Sonny Branham

 

 

Cratis Williams, “Mr. Appalachia”

 

Cratis D. Williams (1911–1985), respectfully and fondly known as “Mister Appalachia,” is widely considered the father of Appalachian Studies.  As a famed commentator and master story-teller, he came to the University of South Carolina in October 1981 to participate in the first Language Variety in the South conference and to give a presentation on “Storytelling in the South.”  

Listen to the Cratis Williams Presentation

CratisWilliamsPresentationAmped2.mp3

Read a Transcript of the Cratis Williams Presentation 

For an assessment of Cratis Williams as a linguist, see: “Williams, Cratis D. (1911–1985) Scholar and folklorist.”

Biography by Patricia D. Beaver, Appalachian State University

(The account below is reprinted from the Encyclopedia of Appalachia, edited by Rudy Abramson and Jean Haskell and published by the University of Tennessee Press (2006), p. 1100.):

[Cratis Williams] is known for his eastern Kentucky roots, his Scots-Irish heritage, his breadth of knowledge of Appalachian folk speech and cultural traditions, and his great wit and humor. Born in his grandfather’s log house on Caines Creek, in Lawrence County, Kentucky, he drew lifelong inspiration from his rural family and community culture. He initiated curricula and programs in Appalachian studies, became a professor of English and dean of the graduateschool at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and served as acting vice-chancellor for academic affairs and also acting chancellor before his retirement from that institution. A nationally recognized spokesperson for Appalachian culture, Williams documented and interpreted ballads, folktales, language, historical traditions, and religious customs. 

The first child of Curtis and Mona Whitt Williams, Cratis Williams was educated in the one-room Hillside Elementary School on Caines Creek. Later, he boarded with relatives in the county seat of Louisa to attend high school, from which he graduated in 1928. His interest in ballads had been sparked at Louisa High School, and he began a lifelong study of historical and cultural traditions of the community into which he was born. He attended Cumberland College (1928–29), and then taught in one-room schools on Caines Creek (1929–33) while taking classes at Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College and the University of Kentucky, where he completed his B.A. degree in 1933. After graduation, 

Williams moved to Blaine, Kentucky, to teach high school science and English (1933–38). In 1937 he married fellow teacher Sylvia Graham, and that same year he received the M.A. in English from the University of Kentucky. In his thesis, Williams analyzed 471 ballads and songs from eastern Kentucky. Reproduced on microcard, his work was used extensively by folklore scholar Malcolm Laws in his revised edition of Native American Balladry. While serving as principal of Louisa High School (1938–41), Williams ran unsuccessfully for the board of education. Following his defeat, he and his wife Sylvia were unable to find work locally as teachers, and he had to leave the area and teaching for a time.

In 1942 Williams was hired as critic teacher at the Appalachian Demonstration High School, Appalachian State Teachers College. During their first year in Boone, his wife Sylvia succumbed to tuberculosis, a disease with which he had also been diagnosed. Recovering from the illness, he served the high school until 1949 as critic teacher, assistant principal, director of drama, and director of the first school counseling program established in North Carolina. In 1946 he was named assistant professor of English and speech at Appalachian State. 

While continuing to teach, Williams pursued his Ph.D. at New York University and earned the degree in 1961 with a dissertation entitled “The Southern Mountaineer in Fact and Fiction” (abstracted in Appalachian Journal, 1975–76). Acclaimed by the Journal of American Folklore as “the most comprehensive and valuable current work on Southern Highland literature,” his dissertation is unparalleled and remains the baseline work in the field of Appalachian literature. In 1949 Williams married Elizabeth Lingerfelt, with whom he had two children, Sophie ( b. 1953) and David Cratis ( b. 1955). 

By the late 1940s Williams had developed curricula on traditional ballads and songs and worked with associates in a Saturday afternoon folk festival in Boone. In 1956 he initiated, with Professor Beulah Campbell, one of the first senior-level college curricula in Appalachian studies, a summer workshop called the Living Folk Arts of Southern Mountain People. It provided students an opportunity to participate in Saturday folk festivals, to conduct home visits to document local speech, songs, tales, folk remedies, and traditional crafts, and to study Appalachian literature, history, and sociology. 

In addition to his courses in ballads and songs and Appalachian literature in the English Department, he sparked development of new courses both among his colleagues throughout the region and through his students as they assumed teaching positions in secondary schools, colleges, and universities. His abiding interest in mountain speech led to publication of a series of articles between 1961 and 1967 in Mountain Life and Work, reprinted in 1992 as Southern Mountain Speech. His devotion to the nuances and rich subtlety of mountain speech was matched by his meticulous knowledge of ballads and his artful capacity for telling tales learned in childhood. He treasured and taught ballads as literature and as a key to mountain aesthetics. He lectured widely and entertained diverse audiences with his perspective on Scots-Irish heritage as manifest in cultural values and speech. 

Following his retirement in 1976 from a distinguished career as a teacher and administrator at Appalachian State University, he began to write about his life. His memoirs, most published posthumously, include William H. Vaughan: A Better Man Than I Ever Wanted to Be (1983); I Become a Teacher (1995); The Cratis Williams Chronicles: I Come to Boone (1999), which contains a biography, chronology, and bibliography of Williams’s writings and videos; and Tales from Sacred Wind: Coming of Age in Appalachia (2003). Video treatments include Cratis Williams: Living the Divided Life (1999). 

A retirement symposium held in Williams’s honor sparked organization of the Appalachian Studies Association in 1977 in Berea, Kentucky. In 1993 the highest honor bestowed by the association, given annually to an outstanding regional scholar, was designated the Cratis Williams Award. The 1970s saw many of his interests bear fruit in formation of new curricula, outreach, and collaboration, including preparation of teachers and supervisors for instruction in rural Appalachia. He was a founding member of the Appalachian Consortium and the Appalachian Consortium Press, where he served on the editorial board.

In 1972 Appalachian Journal was launched, with Jerry Williamson as editor and Williams as advising editor. He was the major catalyst behind creation of the Center for Appalachian Studies in 1978 and the M.A. degree in Appalachian studies in 1980 at AppalachianState. His awards include the Founders Day Certificate for excellence, New York University (1962); North Carolina Historical Society’s Achievement Award (1972); O. Max Gardner Award, University of North Carolina (1973); Honorary Citizen of Harlan County, Kentucky (1973); Brown-Hudson Award, North Carolina Folklore Society (1975); Laurel Leaves Award, Appalachian Consortium (1976); W. D. Weatherford Award, Berea College (1979); and honorary degrees in 1984 from Cumberland College, Morehead State University, College of Idaho, and in 1985 from Marshall University and Appalachian State University. The Cratis Dearl Williams Papers are housed in the W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection in Belk Library at Appalachian State University. 

References: Barry M. Buxton et al., ed., The Cratis Williams Symposium Proceedings: A Memorial and Examination of the State of Regional Studies in Appalachia (Boone NC: Appalachian Consortium Press, 1989); Loyal Jones, “A Complete Mountaineer,” Appalachian Journal 13(Spring 1986):288-96; Thomas McGowan, “Representing Cratis Williams: A Review Essay,” North Carolina Folklore Journal 49(2002):1-33; Cratis D. Williams, Southern Mountain Speech (Berea KY: Berea College Press, 1992); David Cratis Williams and Patricia D. Beaver, eds., The Cratis Williams Chronicles: I Come to Boone (Boone NC: Appalachian State University, 1999); Jerry S. Williamson, ed., An Appalachian Symposium (Boone, NC: Appalachian Consortium Press, 1977).

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Matt Bevin coming under harsh, bipartisan condemnation for long list of ‘extreme’ pardons

Matt Bevin coming under harsh, bipartisan condemnation for long list of ‘extreme’ pardons

December 14, 2019
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