Devil John Wright of the CumberlandsDevil John Wright of the Cumberlands
In the heart of Appalachia, a legend looms as large as the mountains themselves. Today, we tell the story of John Wesley Wright. Born in the Elkhorn Valley of Kentucky,
Category: Personalities
Deathwind in the Wilderness: The Lewis Wetzel StoryDeathwind in the Wilderness: The Lewis Wetzel Story
Today we venture into the untamed wilderness of the late 18th-century Appalachian frontier, along the Ohio River. In this episode of Stories of Appalachia, Steve and Rod unearth the life
Appalachian Goliath-The Tale of Tennessee’s Strongest ManAppalachian Goliath-The Tale of Tennessee’s Strongest Man
Step into the world of Appalachian giants with the incredible tale of Joseph Jefferson Copeland, known to all as Big Joe, the strongest man in Tennessee. In this episode of Stories
The Hanging Judge’s ExecutionerThe Hanging Judge’s Executioner
Discover the fascinating tale of George Maledon, the legendary hangman for Arkansas’ Hanging Judge Parker, and his peculiar path to Tennessee’s Mountain Home veterans cemetery. Uncover a piece of Old
Frontier Justice: Russell Bean and Andrew JacksonFrontier Justice: Russell Bean and Andrew Jackson
Russell Bean was the son of William Bean and his wife, Lydia, the first people to settle in what’s now Tennessee and for whom Bean Station is named. Russell, considered
Billy Dean Anderson: Appalachia’s Most Wanted OutlawBilly Dean Anderson: Appalachia’s Most Wanted Outlaw
Billy Dean Anderson was born in Fentress County, Tennessee, and, by all accounts, lived a normal law-abiding life as he grew up, even becoming a volunteer preacher in his church.
Amos Owens: The Cherry Mountain MoonshinerAmos Owens: The Cherry Mountain Moonshiner
After the Civil War a young man bought Cherry Mountain in Rutherford County, North Carolina and used the wild cherries found there to add flavor to his distilled product, illegal
Dr. John R. Brinkley: The Goat Gland Doctor from AppalachiaDr. John R. Brinkley: The Goat Gland Doctor from Appalachia
John Romulus Brinkley was born in Burnsville, North Carolina, to a former Confederate medic and his housekeeper. From those humble beginnings young Brinkley grew up to become a traveling “Quaker
Bettie Simms, The Queen of the MoonshinersBettie Simms, The Queen of the Moonshiners
In the early 1900’s a young mother in Polk County, North Carolina, had a decision to make. She had separated from her abusive husband and had several young children to
The Outlaw Kinnie WagnerThe Outlaw Kinnie Wagner
The 1920s were a decade of loosening morals, Prohibition and crime, with notorious outlaws popping up across America. Along with the likes of Al Capone, John Dillinger and Bonnie and