Help Connect Appalachia Project Notables

Question

This month, the Appalachia Project is conducting their very first WikiTree-wide Challenge!

For the month of July: Help Connect our Notables. 

We have a great selection of Notables: Musicians, Folk Artists, Preachers, Painters, Authors and Activists. And many more! 

1. Check out our Notables, 
2. Pick one (or more!)
3. Click the "Answer this Post" link and let us know who you picked.
4. Connect/Add as many profiles as you can to each Notable you select. 
5. Click the green Challenge Tracker button & select "Connect Appalachia Notables" 
6. Come back here to your post and let us know any interesting finds and how much their CC7 increased.

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You do not need to be a member of the Appalachia Project to participate.  All WikiTree'ers are welcome to Connect Our Notables.  Want to join the Appalachia Project? Click here

Join us in our Discord Channel to get research help, chat, explore Appalachian topics, or share your love of biscuits. 

Comments

Want to help the Appalachia Project Connect our Notables but not sure who to pick from our Notables Category? 

Have some fun connecting one of these Appalachians:

•  William Horton Baker a Traditional Appalachian Singer who was blind most of his life. 
• Earl Scruggs, a defining Appalachian Bluegrass Picker only has a CC7 of 483 760!  Can we get him more?
•  Earnest East ,  Mountain Music Singer/Musician  - Thanks to Mark, he's at 914!  Can we get him higher?
•  Sara Rogers Blizzard Blizzard, fought for Appalachian Miner's Rights  Thanks to Mark, she started at 12 and now has a CC7 of..... 6207!
•  Richard Chase,  a Folklorist who collected Appalachian Folklore & Folk Games  Thanks to Mark, he started at 0 and now has a CC7 of..... 997!
• Jamie Coots, an Appalachian Pentecostal Snake Handling pastor ... who died of snake bites 
•  Lucy Furman , a Frontier Appalachian Nurse & Animal Rights Activist 
•  Arch Goins, one of the first Melungeons photographed and documented
•  Hazel Lewis Matthews, activist who specialized in Appalachia and women's rights
• Quillian Meaders, an Appalachian folk artist / Master Potter best known for face jugs

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July 8th - A fresh Crop of Appalachian Notables that are either not connected (n/c), at all, or have extremely low CC7:

• David Schnaufer - (n/c) - Credited for bringing back the Appalachian Dulcimer
• William Constable - (n/c) - Three figner style Banjo Picker
• Grandpa Jones - He only has a CC7 of 407.  Eek!
• Horace Kephardt - he only has a CC7 of 10.  Eek!  He's one of our most famous Appalachians. A travel writer who wrote Our Southern Highlanders
• Margaret Zande - She has a CC7 of 4.  Eek!  Any Kentuckians out there that want to help improve her CC7?
• William Leigh - (n/c) - He has a CC7 of zero.  Double Eek!   Do you love Westerns?  Paintings?  West Virginia?  
• John Stephenson - He has a CC7 of 37.  Eek!  Founder of Appalachia Studies.  Any educators out there that want to work on his CC7?
• Martin Douglas Wallin - (n/c) - Appalachian Ballad singer that is not connected and has a CC7 of 2.  Double Eek!

Pick one and Answer below on which one you chose. 

Welcome to Appalachia! 

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Earl Scruggs is now up to 760 connections!

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That's awesome Mark!  Keep it going. He deserves lotsa of CC7. 

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Sarah Rogers Blizzard now has 6208 (up from 12) connections, and Richard Chase has 935, make that 997.

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WOW!  That is amazing! Major thanks for your help. 

You are rocking this Challenge. Come join us in Discord. And, I'll drop this link here as a hint. 

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Wow! Congratulations on his CC7.

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Earnest East is now connected at 824! Make that 914.

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Awesome all the connections you are making Mark!

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Helen Matthews Lewis is struggling, with only 66 connections...Update: Now at 671...that's more like it!

Wait, this just in...803 connections! Up to 843 and counting...

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New Notable getting added now. I have him since he is the brother of Ola Belle. Alexander Cicero "Uncle Alex" Campbell. [[Campbell-60261]]

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Yay! Another new Appalachia Notable!  Thanks Lisa.

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Mark - excellent updates on Helen Matthews Lewis!   I was worried for a minute there.  

She was one of the biggest champions of Appalachia.

Answer 1

I'm in - and I'm going to pick John Charles Campbell-48294 to start.  He begins with a CC7 of 207.

Comments

John Campbell is a Champion of Appalachia. Such a beloved person throughout the regions 

His school with hands-on instruction to preserve the mountain crafts, tools, and entertainment of the Appalachian people is amazing. 

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Since I'm working on John Campbell, I'll work on his wife, Olive Arnold (Dame-252) Campbell.  She's starting out with 419 connections.  She's the one who established the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina after his death.

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And ... I've discovered that John Campbell's father, Gavin Campbell-60197 was a machinist/engine maker who seems to have joined the Wisconsin Central Railroad pretty much at its inception in 1871, rising in the ranks of management to be the general supervisor or manager and perhaps even the receiver through the long period of that railroad's bankruptcy and financially troubled existence.  His tenure at the company ended only a few months before his death in 1894.

Answer 2

I'm starting with Karl Dewey Myers (Myers-23507) He is currently unconnected and has no CC7 number on his profile.  I've added his parents and will work on siblings.

Comments

Karl has an incredible story! And, anyone that has Edgar Allen Poe as an influence really intrigues me.

With a CC7 of zero, I can't wait to see it grow. 

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He was a really interesting person to add to WT and develop a profile for.

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Thanks for getting him off to a great start.

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Karl's niece, Mary Kathleen Coberly Finn, married Colonel John Milton (Mickey) Finn on 09 December 1945 in Seoul, Korea. She was a U.S. Army Nurse. The ceremony was the first military wedding in the throne room of the governor's palace in Seoul. 

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Thanks for a good start. Hopefully he’ll connect to the main tree soon.

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Oops, I forgot to post that Karl Myers is now connected to the big tree.  I'm still working on adding profiles for other family members.

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Awesome work, Karen!  I really love the interesting finds that you... find. 

Answer 3

I picked Harold Reid-14535.

Comments

Oh, the Statler Brothers. 

What a great choice!

Their harmonies were amazing. And their love of Appalachia was pure.

I know they had bigger hits but two of my favorites: We Got Paid By Cash and How Great Thou Art. 

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I really like several of their songs but I think Bed of Roses is my favorite.

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I thought this was an interesting little fact.

Harold’s great grandfather, [[Reid-21667|John Kenny Reid (1834-1900)]], is listed in the 1880 census as a stage driver. That’s the first one of those I have ever come across.

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Like in... stage coach driver from the Wild Wild West??  That is super cool!

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Sure is.

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Ok, now that is just super cool!!

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Harold’s CC7 has gone from 147 to 625. I connected him to a big family yesterday, just didn’t realize how big.

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Aaaaaaand now he’s connected to Germany. He should make another big jump.

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I’m going to work on this guy for awhile. 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Weatherly-543

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Jim Weatherly was a great 2nd choice. I’m related to him a couple of different ways.

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Oh my gosh!  James Weatherly wrote Midnight Train to Georgia  

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Got Jim Weatherly to 549 and hit some stumbling blocks.

Going to move on to [[Simmons-11657|Morris Eugene Simmons (1937-2006)]] who has a CC7 of 2.

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And Jumping Gene Morris has gone from a CC7 to 515.

Hit a brick wall so I’m moving on to https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ausborn-37

Answer 4

I will work on Martha Finley (1828 - 1909), a teacher and children's author who has a CC7 of one.

Comments

Oh I am so happy you picked Martha, the author of the Elsie Dinsmore series. A publishered author for over 38 years!

Another one with a with a CC7 of zero, I can't wait to see it grow.

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Martha Finley's father Dr. James B Finley was an officer in the War of 1812 and the oldest son of General Samuel Finley, a Revolutionary officer, major in the Virginia line of cavalry, afterward general of militia in Ohio, and of Mary Brown, daughter of one of Pennsylvania's early legislators, James Brown. 

Martha is now connected to the global tree via her paternal grandparents with a CC7 of 2,125.

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Fantastic Pirate Patty!  Thanks for working on Martha's profile.  Would you like another 20? 

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Yes please, 20 more pieces of silver! 

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I'm finished working on Martha & ready to move on. She now has a CC7 of 2,525! 

There are many doctors and military men in her line... plus her father's step-mother was the daughter of Samuel Moore-48516. (A physician, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 6th district, US Mint director, and president of the Hazleton Coal Company.)

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What a great lineage for Martha.

Answer 5

I’d like to work on Jean Ruth (Ritchie) Pickow!

Comments

Shelley, you picked a most beloved Appalachian Folk Singer. 

And, by picking Jean, you actually picked two Notables. Her husband, George, is also an Appalachia Notable. 

Answer 6

I am new to the Appalachia Project and I am selecting Robert Andrew (Kyle) Creed (Creed-1456). He has no connections at all. My husbands name is Creed and his ancestors were in Surry County, so he may be related!

Comments

It is awesome that you are participating in our first WikiTree -wide Challenge!

Kyle was a great round peak style player.  A technique few have mastered.  Come on back to our Discord Channel & let us know what interesting finds you discover including if your husband is related!

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I added some Creed connections so Kyle should be connected soon.

Answer 7

I'm in  I believe I'll begin with Belle Newman Caldwell Culbertson (Caldwell-10951) - she looks quite lonely.

Comments

I now completely believe you when you said you love a challenge! 

Belle lived around the globe including Bangkok.  I'm curious to see what you find about the woman who was the Trustee of the Anti-Saloon League. 

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No kidding, and such a mess 'elsewhere' (first snag: she's got her uncle attached as father, when parents are well documented in Who's Who and Wikipedia.)...ah, well, I did need a nice juicy distraction!

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I have comments.  I have jokes.  But, sigh, I will refrain. lol  

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it's all about the journey...

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Ok, so this is one of THE MOST interesting bunch of folks I've had the pleasure to research...(she's got a CC7 of 1932 now!!) AND I'm struggling to connect some of the early Wheeling, Virginia (later to be West Virginia) Yarnalls and Caldwells - there are many, Marys and Mordecais...

If anyone has better source locators than Family Search and FindaGrave, please jump right in!  I need this guy's wife: Yarnall-501 (I question the one in FS)

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Ok, so this is one of THE MOST interesting bunch of folks I've had the pleasure to research...  Welcome to Appalachia!  

Wheeling, VA/WV was a VERY interesting city around the mid-late 1800's.  Most don't realize that it had massive trade as well as former slaves traveling to the North via the Ohio River.  Also, it was the defining location for Divorces in the US around the same timeframe.  

I just did a Webcast called Heartsick and Astonished about Wheeling's Divorce pandemic.  Full details were displayed in testimonies that were quite shocking for the time.  

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wow, just keeps getting more interesting!  These folks, many of them Quakers (or from), were instrumental in the Underground Railroad...

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Where were they helping with the Underground Railroad?  This is an interesting family line!

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The Culbertsons - Belle's husband's* parents [[Culbertson-1488|John Craighead Culbertson (1809-1885)]] had a barn that they used to shelter runaways.  I'm not finished plumping those profiles yet, but it's got the basics.

I'm thinking this is what led [[Culberston-1|John Newton Culbertson (1841-1935)]] to become a missionary in Thailand, where he married Belle.  (My speculation at this point - needs proving.)

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My Belle is now up to a whopping (comparatively speaking: she beats mine by over a thousand) CC7 of 3523...and she's actually not "done" yet!

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What a fantastic job!  From a journey to over 3k for a CC7.  Thanks so much for working through this one.

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Ah, but Mordecai, Mordecai... he's a "whereforartthou?" I had to step away, as my forehead was beginning to bruise...

(https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Yarnall-501 can't find a good wife connection...)

Answer 8

I'm going to work on May Justus (Justus-667). Born in Tennessee, author of children's books -- and currently unconnected!

Comments

Yessss!  Tennessee is here!   Thanks Nan for picking May.  She is such an adored Tennessean and Appalachian.

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Yea for Tennessee Appalachians.

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Next time the connections run, May will be connected to the one tree. 

Answer 9

I going to work on Clarence Thomas Ashley, he is not connected.

Comments

Clarence is another amazing claw hammer banjo player.  

He has a pending merge requested.  Hopefully, that merge goes through quickly. :)

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I have been worked my on him too. Hopefully, he’ll connect soon. I have already connected to a few who are already in the tree.

Answer 10

Hello, I am working on aunt Molly Jackson at the moment.  If I can stop trying to learn the songs I may get some work done connecting her to the world tree.

Comments

Lukas - You picked a super strong woman.   Aunt Molly  did not let the tragedies get her down.  Her life could easily be turned into a movie. 

Answer 11

I picked Mike Trbovich. He had no connections. He was a labor union organizer.

Comments

Great choice Nancy and one person that is dear to me.  Mike was a leader in fighting for Coal Miner's rights with Black Lung.  I can't wait to see how you get his tree connected.

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I connected Mike through his brother's wife's family.

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As of July 29, Michael has gone from zero to 145 connections in his CC7.

Answer 12

I choose Cecil sharp (Sharp-6508) he starts with 3 connections! Hope to get him connected and increase that number!

Comments

I really love that you picked Cecil.  Appalachian music is widely known today because, in part, of Cecil.  He collected over 4,000 songs and was a Song Catcher.

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Cecil's younger sister was a novelist and suffragette. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Sharp_(suffragist)

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As of about 12 hours ago, Cecil is now connected to the main tree. next interesting find is https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Follett-1097 was an attorney General and solicitor general under Sir Robert Peel. he was knighted in 1835 and reputed to have been the "Gretaest advocate of the century" 4 degrees from Cecil Sharp.

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It is amazing how many Notables you have found while connecting Cecil's tree.  Thanks for all the work you have put into this one.

Answer 13

Tough Decision for me!  Too many interesting ones.  I chose Larry Gibson.  Environmental Activist that opposed Mountaintop Mining.

Comments

The activists have a special place in my heart. Great choice!

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I got Larry up to 323 connections. Update: 392. Wow suddenly he jumped to 639.

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Mark - you are awesome and really appreciate your help on this one.  I was wrapped up with Bingo prep most of the week and felt bad that this profile was being neglected.

Answer 14

I will start at the very beginning with a 0-connection profile, Mr. Hobart McKinley Smith (Smith-308289), a fiddler who once joked he could "play anything except a car bumper and a barbed-wire fence."

Comments

Fabulous choice!  He's our Appalachian Virtuoso.  

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His sister (an Appalachian Ballad singer) is connected through her husband so he's on the tree now! Still fleshing out his cc7 and tracing back to find more links.

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Well, Mr. Smith has rocketed this month from 0 to 851. I really wanted to get him to 1K but unless I get really lucky finding some extra connections to already well connected profiles I doubt I'll get there by month's end. But it has been really fun learning about those Smiths from Smyth (Virginia)!

Answer 15

I pick Alifair McCoy-594 --my family traces back to the Hatfields, so why not work on the McCoy's

Comments

Ah!  You found one of the Hatfield and McCoy clans to work on.  I wondered if anyone would pick one of them.  A true Appalachian family. 

Alifair has a CC7 of 15,880.   I am jealous of that CC7 #. Any guesses on how far you can make that number jump?  I am thinking a lot because there are a lot of them out there! 

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As of this moment, his CC7 is 17358.  I am aiming for 18000.

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Wow Judith, that is amazing progress!   1500+ jump in just a couple of days.  I'm rooting for you and that 18k!

(I noticed my connection to him has gotten closer too)

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Okay, I've worked on all of his siblings and their families and the current total is 17808.  Time to move on to someone else.

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Fantastic Job Judith!  Wow that is an awesome CC7.

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We hit 18069 for him this morning!!!!!!

Answer 16

Rev Ernest Phipps is who I am going to try first. I tend to jump around when I get stuck. Also I have a Newspapers.com subscription so if someone needs something searched tag me in discord. 

Alright Corbin, KY is a black hole, so if anyone lives there, help a girl out.

Till then I will try and work on James Larkin Pearson.
James is now officially connected, now to work on his cc7 more.

Comments

I worked on Ernest Phipps this afternoon. He should be connected after the update. His CC7 is still low at 20 connections. Corbin crosses a county line so records are in both Whitley and Knox County. I found most of the records for him in Knox County.

Answer 17

I'm working on Don Lee West. West-23076.

Comments

Larry -

What a really great pick. I love seeing our Appalachian Activists connected to the tree.

His daughter, Hedy, was an amazing songwriter and activist too.

Answer 18

I am starting to work on Harry Monroe Caudill (1922 - 1990) (Caudill-1454). I am hoping I can connect him to my Caudill line.

Comments

I can't wait to see all the ways his family line connects into yours.

Answer 19

I will start with Fiddlin' Doc Roberts.  He currently has no connections and no CC7.

Comments

Great Choice! Listen to his Essential Masters album while connecting him to the tree. Amazing Appalachian Music  

Answer 20

I'll take Pastor Jaime Coots, the snake handler.

Reminds me of the show, Justified.

Comments

Ya' know, I am not really surprised by your choice 

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Unfortunately, I can not find the maternal grandparents.

I found his paternal grandparents but can not connect them because his father appears to still be living.