#clyde haley

[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 94

#JohnHartford discovers some #genealogy for #EdHaley #Appalachia #history

Not too long after talking with Patsy, her son Scott sent me a copy of Ed’s genealogy, most of which came directly from Ed and Ella. “James Edward Haley was born in August and was the son of Milt and Imogene (Mullins) Haley,” the notes began. “He died February 4, 1951 in Ashland, KY. He married Martha Ella Trumbo, a daughter of William A. and Laura Belle (Whitt) Payne Trumbo. She was born July…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 90

Clyde Haley tells #JohnHartford about his dad's family on #HartsCreek #WV #LincolnCountyFeud

I asked Clyde if Ed ever talked about his early life on Harts Creek and he said, “He didn’t talk to us kids too much. My dad’s folks were from all around Logan County, West Virginia. I didn’t know who they were. I remember his Aunt Liza and Uncle Peter Mullins. ‘Club-Footed Peter’ Mullins, they called him, and ‘Reel-Footed Peter’ Mullins. That was his uncle. I remember them because I was the one…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 353

#JohnHartford and #BrandonKirk visit Cas Baisden on #HartsCreek in #LoganCounty, #WestVirginia. #history #EdHaley #music #amwriting

Early the next morning, Brandon and I arrived on the bus in Harts and drove to see Cas Baisden, who we spotted in a porch swing up main Harts Creek, just above the mouth of Smoke House Fork. It was a pastoral scene: a somewhat old farmhouse, several chickens in the yard and a few cattle in the distance who’d done a marvelous job of clearing the mountainside just back of the place. As we pulled up…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 350

In Search of Ed Haley 350

After the contest, we all gathered at Pat Haley’s. The dining room table was crammed with food and the refrigerator was stuffed with every conceivable drink. People filled the downstairs rooms, many even spilling out onto the front and back porches. Once the kitchen was cleared, I got my fiddle and planted myself in a hard-back chair near Clyde and Noah. I immediately gave Mona a mandolin I’d…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 341

#JohnHartford and #BrandonKirk visit Ugee Postalwait in #Rogersville, #Alabama to learn more about #EdHaley. #history #amwriting #music #fiddling

Ugee said, “I never will forget the first time I seen Ella. I’d fixed cabbage for supper – big head of cabbage. Next morning, Ed said, ‘Where’s the cabbage?’ I said, ‘Well you don’t want cabbage for breakfast.’ ‘Oh,’ Ella said, ‘We love cabbage for breakfast.’ I went and got that cabbage and heated it up. I wish you’d a seen her eating that cabbage. I didn’t know anyone ate cabbage for breakfast.…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 331

#JohnHartford and #BrandonKirk visit with the Haleys in 1996. #Ashland, #Kentucky #history #EdHaley #music #amwriting

About an hour later, Brandon showed up at Pat’s, followed by various members of the Haley clan: Noah, Clyde, and a bunch of children and grandchildren. The house was soon full of people – talking and eating. It was a bittersweet moment due to Lawrence’s absence, although his spirit was everywhere. I watched the Haleys – Ed’s children and grandchildren – business executives, gamblers, bar owners —…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed Haley 325

#JohnHartford speaks with Marshall Kelley about #blind #fiddler #EdHaley. #Harts #WestVirginia #history #amwriting #music

That night, Brandon and I congregated at Billy Adkins’ house in Harts Bottom.  In ensuing conversation, Billy told us about Marshall Kelley, an old-timer in the community who remembered Ed. He dialed Marshall up, then put me on the telephone. Marshall said he was seventy-three years old, had been born and raised about three miles up Harts Creek and was the son of a Baptist preacher. He was great:…

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[brandonraykirk]

In Search of Ed haley 280

Ugee Postalwait recalls the children of #EdHaley. #Appalachia #history #amwriting #WestVirginia

Ugee and I turned our attention back to the family photographs, where she spotted a picture of Ed’s son, Clyde. I told her about my visit with Clyde the previous year in California. She totally dismissed his story about Ed teaching him to drink, saying, “His dad never done no such stuff as that.” She paused for a second then said, “I went out and stopped Ed from whooping him one time. I think…

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