The following is a transcript of a transcript,
so hopefully nothing has been lost in the translation. In the 1930's, Dr.
Mary Sloop and Theron Dellinger and Denise Abbey obtained the "Anthology of
Death" and interpreted it and had it typed. I don’t know the location of the
original journal, nor of the original transcribed copy, but I have a copy of
the typed version sent to me by my cousin Evelyn Tharp in 1989. I re-typed
this precious document so that it can be enjoyed by any and all who are
interested. I did this at Dr. Lloyd Bailey’s request in 1997 (for
publication in one of his fantastic "Toe Valley Heritage" books). Some of
the last pages appear to be missing from my copy. This document contains
references to my Carpenter and
Davis ancestors.
The rest of this document will be a verbatim
copy of the original transcript. No punctuation has been added, nor has
grammar or spelling been corrected. "Uncle Jake Carpenter" was born 4 Jan
1833 in Yancey Co, NC. He died 10 Mar 1920 in Avery County. He was married
on 15 Mar 1855 in Yancey Co, NC to Evaline Pyatte. Jacob’s parents were
William Carpenter and
Elizabeth Wilson. Jacob’s paternal grandfather was
Jacob Carpenter, and
Jacob’s maternal grandparents were William and Elizabeth (---) Wilson.
Following is the original introduction:
"Just below the crest of the Blue Ridge on
Three Mile Creek, Uncle Jake Carpenter lived for eighty-seven years. His
house was two miles up the Gap from the main road, but he was intimately
acquainted with every one of the scattered families in that mountain region,
and it was this knowledge which enable him to add personal comments after
many of the dates in his unique record. From 1842 until the time of his
death on March 10, 1920, Uncle Jake set down in and old note book and later
copied into a daybook every death in his community. This information is
valuable as the only accurate record of its kind in Avery County, and the
brief but enlightening annotations on individuals lend human and often
humorous interest for anyone, and give glimpses of native mountain life.
These pages were taken verbatim from his own
handwritten record, and are preserved in his own spelling. Afterwards they
were read to Aunt Naomi Cuthbertson, nee Barrier, who added remarks which
have been put down with her name after each."
Copied and prepared from the original by
Denise M. Abbey, with the aid of Mary M. Sloop and Theron Dellinger.
Albert Vance
age 40 did auges 30 hey wars Lotenin ware of rev
hey wars good feler
William
Davis age 100.8 dide oc 5 1841
ware old Solder in rev wre and got his thie brok in laste fite kinge monte
he wars farmer and made brandy and never had Drunker in famly
Franky
Davis his wife age 87 dide Sep 10
1842 she had nirv fite wolves all nite at shogar camp to save her caff
throde fier chonks to save caff the camp wars haf mil from home noe she mus
have nirv to fites wolf all nite
Elizabeth Wilison
age 82 dide oc 20 1842 She wars my granmother
Poley Winters
ag 70 did May 15 1845 Spon wov cloth
Perin Winters
ag 78 did May 13 1845 wars farmer
Robert Wilison
ag 45 dide oc 10 1845 ware harde workman
Liz Vance
ag 22 dide Novm 9 1846
Seary Wise
ag 76 did may 2 1846
Milton Ingeles
ag 72 march 2 1847
Wm Wilison
ag 86 dide July 30 1847 hey wars my grn fther
Sary Wise
ag 72 dide Nover 9 1847.
Ben Blaock
ag 40 cild Jun 5 1848 by tree cot for conny
Henery Dilling
age 90 dide oc 25 1851 wars farmer work over bodceep his mly hey made
ditches
Charley Kiney
age 72 dide may 10 1852 wars Farmer live in mt on bluey rige at kiney gape
hey had 4 wim cors marid to won res live on farme all wen to felde work to
mak gran all wen to crib for the brd all went smk hos for there mete he
cilde bote 75 to 80 hoges eve yere and wimen never had worde bot him haven
so many wimin he wod be this times wod b hare polde thar wars 42 childern
blong to him th all wento preching togethern neth set that des aver bod go
long smoth hel won nother hey made brandy all of his lif never had any foes
got long smoth with avery bodi I nod him Jacob Carpenter.
Jacob Carpenter
age 86 died July 18 1856. Wars farmer and copor to make hoses and md brand
and never hade Drunker in his family and never had Dockor in his farmly no
sickness ra 12 childern.
Wm Vance
ag 75 did Jan 1 1856 wars farmer.
Samel Frank
age 94 dide July 12 1857 hey wars farmer hwed loge for hoses no man cod bete
him.
Lizeh Winters
ag 60 did Feb 9 1857
Sary Wisman
ag 30 d April 8 1857
Dock Chiles
ag 82 di March 5 1859 wars docker
Lizer Carpenter
ag 9 march 18 1859. It snode that nite 14 inch deep March 18.
Caterin Dilling
ag 88 dide oc 3 1859 wars fine olde lady.
Mary Diling
ag 49 wars cilde in mill her tress wars cot rond shaf end mashed flat gin
trane she lay 3 ours in mill for wars fond Jun 11 I help pol out, Jacob
Carpenter. 1859.
Turner Carpenter
ag 23 did Nov 10 1862 hey fot his cntery loste life.
Josph Carpenter
ag 18 did Auges 18 1862 hey fot for his contery los his lif.
Samel Carpenter
ag 62 did oc 15 1862 wars farmer made hoses & spinels by thos.
Franky Carpenter
ag 56 did oc 25 1862 harde workin womin in farm made corn oates.
Dave Oakes
ag 80 did apr 5 1862. Shote by John Parmer in ware.
Lander Pyatte
age 40 dide Feb 10 1863. Wars fine man. Dide in ware.
Joef Pyatte
a 75 Jan 15 dide 1864 hey wars farmer made hoges by 100
Pegey Wise
a 75 dide oc 15 1868. She wars granny womin for cntery (Nute Wise’s
mother. Had crazy boy marked after a snake. He’d get scally during dog days.
I’ve passed through their yard and seen him lying flat of his belly panting
with tongue out. Name Marion. I remember when there used to be great
rows of houses up the river above Linville Falls. There was a big dam. Was
for a forge to make iron or steel. All the big men were interested. They had
a big forge hammer so heavy that very few men could lift. Such men as Tom
and Nute could but commen men couldn’t. -- Comment by Aunt Naomi when
the anthology was read to her.)
Wm Hoskins
ag 50 did Mar 15 1868. Wars farmer got loste in ware.
Lisebeth Carpenter
21 did Nov 28 1869.
John Wilison
ag 80 dide augus 15 1870 in Alabam wars hard work in coten fild.
Soonsy Ollis
ag 84 did June 10 1871 grates Der honter & Turkies bee trees by honders and
ratels snak by 100 cild deer by thosan I no him well.
Henery Barer
ag 78 did March 15 1871 wars fine honter cil bare by 100 (Aunt Naomi’s
grandfather. It is true he killed 100 of deer. He often went out befor
breakfast & killed deer. -- Aunt Naomi’s comment.)
Betey Ollis
ag 73 dide Jun 10 1871. (Dud Ollis mother -- Aunt Naomi.)
Faney Ollis
ag 62 dide oc 5 1871 wars fine lady rais 2 prechers in her mamly.
Lockey Oaks
ag 80 did Jun 15 1872 wars farmer & made brandy.
Margit Carpenter
age 87 dide Jun 5 1875 wars good womin good for pore she did not have no bed
to slep on when she was marid she slip on der skin til mard but that lok lik
hard times no womin had to li on Derskins when was mared.
Bud Wisman
ag 83 did July 25 1875 wars farmer and black smith.
Lily Wisman
ag 82 Fev 23 1875. Spon & wov cloth made all of ware.
Vine Wisman
age 62 did Feb 22 1875 ware good criston in family.
Alek Wisman
ag 80 did Marc 20 1877 wars farmer & stilde never had Dronk boy never had
Dock in hos for sick he ras 12 in faml wars good hand to mak brand (Old man
Fate Wiseman is Uncle Robert Wiseman’s father brother -- Aunt
Naomi.)
Wm Berlisen
ag 75 dide July 25 1877. Wars farmer & blacksmith cot wolf lots.
Alvie Pyatte
ag 70 dide July 29 1877. Wars fine ldy work hard all of her lif.
Cathern Carpenter
ag 71 did Dec 3 1878 wars good criston.
Abern Johnson
age 100.7 dide Oc 15 1881 hey was farmer and ran forge to mak iron and Drank
lichr hs days never wars dronk in his days (Aberham Jonson age 110
wife 100 old Man John Johnsons’ father. -- Aunt Naomi).
Wm Carpenter
age 76 dide Nov 15 1881 wars fine honter cil bare and wolves by 100 der by
100 (He was awful sorry man. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Takey Persey
ag 74 dide auges 12 1881 wars fine farmer.
Lis Vance
age 82 oc 10 dide 1883 she work hard in feld mad corn.
Loes Vance
age 82 did march 10 1883 wars fine honter cil terky by 200
Loes Vance
age 93 did March 22 1885 wars hunter cil deer and turkey by 200
Peg Chatem
ag 72 did auges 14 1886 she spon & wove cloth
Kim Kone
age 73 dide Oc 15 1888 wars blacksmith he 6 gales th cod work in chop tha
wars 6 feet hy.
Lis Franklinge
ag 72 did auges 29 1889 wars fine lady any bod she like
Lis Carpenter
ag 56 dide April 18 1889 hard work womin.
Wm Carel
ag 82 dide March 26 1891.
Wm Wisman
ag 76 did Dec 10 1890 (A preacher. Was bro to Free Wiseman. The one
that killed Shug Clark. -- Aunt Naomi.)
David Frank
ag 72 dide July 29 1891. Wars fine man and som brand wars good.
Noe Webe
ag 55 did Dec 22 1891. Farmer. (Married Sary Key. -- Aunt Naomi.)
David Frank
ag 48 dide Feb 23 1891 wars farmer (Fine man good
neighbor. -- Aunt Naomi)
Elibeth Carpenter
age 65 did May 9 1892 woke hard for her livin.
Sentor Wisman
ag 67 dide Jun 18 1892 wars farmer nis olde man.
Samel Colberson
ag 67 dide Nov 9 1892 farmer wars solder wars fine man. (Married Tildy
Dellinger. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Wm Gray
ag 88 did April 26 1894 wars Der honter & bare honter cild 200 bare
Amer Wedens
she tak with romes auges 10 1894 can wok step for 21 yars.
Paty Wise
ag 93 did April 5 1895 white spon & wov cloh (Faster talker I ever heard. --
Aunt Naomi.)
Harson Ollis
a 83 jun 11 ---- he wars grates bare honter in conty hey cilde 99 bare.
Loes Deny
ag 70 d Jun 20 1896 hey grob made rales by day.
Samel Hoskin
ag 72 did may 5 1896 wars farmer and grate lier (Pretty braggy old fellow
not much at him. -- Aunt Naomi)
Jon Sinel
ag 87 did auges 5 1896 (Canser curoor. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Franky Berlison
ag 86 July 3 did 1893 she spen & weve cloth by 5000
Gorg Wells
ag 70 apr 22 1897 wars lumber man (He was carved up by Drs was sent here for
burial. Was not allowed to open coffin. Blood run out. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Loes Clark
ag 64 did augs 13 1898 (Migh good woman. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Steven Buckhanan
age 73 Jun 5 1899 he wer precher babus. (Preacher good man. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Les Frank
ag 72 July 8 1899 wars fine man hey set wot hey thot (cuss you all to pieces
if he liked you. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Margit Ollis
ag 60 did July 10 1899 work farm all of her days.
A.L. Wisman
ag 76 auges 7 1899 hey made brandy by 10000
Jack Carpenter
ag 56 did Sep 25 1899 wars grat to by rosters.
Dock Tripelite
ag 60 did oc 15 1899 he wars Docker
Marte Sintel
ag 65 did nov 5 1899 (Marte Singleton. Deaf & dumb -- Aunt Naomi.)
Jasper Buckanen
ag 60 did Dec 2 1899 was precher babis.
Doth Clarkark
ag 70 did April 2 1900 wars farmer and mak monshine (He stammered. Was a
curiousity. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Lother Baner
cil Berlison in matsomy July 24 1900.
Henry Wise
cild at Pine oly ag 22 Aug 10 1900 (Tree fell on him. There is a hollow
named for him. -- Aunt Naomi.)
Frank James
age 74 died in Albam Feb 20 1915 he wars grate bank rober him Jesy James
and Bobe Forde and Bob Forde shot Jesey James for warde
of Thirty Thosan Dolars in his hos wars birshing picker when shote him hey
wars won of gang for money.
