Roan Mt. State Park
At times, I wonder just what it is that keeps me living in East Tennessee. For one thing, the name East Tennessee itself has much to do with it. We don't live in eastern Tennessee or in "the eastern part of the state" as some call it; in fact, we barely consider ourselves as being part of the State of Tennessee. Of course, I'm speaking for most of us whom were born here before about 1955. The rest of the state treated us like poor cousins for many, many years, and it wasn't until the early 1960's that we elected a governor that cared to recognize us as being equals. Now, we have the most voters of all three grand divisions of the state, and things are much better here than in the old days; but not so great that we will recognize our western compatriots as anything but poor relatives the same as they once did us.
This area is beautiful with its mountains and valleys, some so rugged or isolated that they have yet to feel the footprint of a white man. But that natural beauty can be found elsewhere in the US, so that isn't the main reason I stay here. It is the feeling of an independent heritage and pride of where I fit into the history of the hills. One of the first (if not the very first) free and independent governments created on this continent by European settlers and their descendants was the Watauga Compact in 1772, four years before the colonies declared themselves separated from English rule. It was certainly the first such entity west of the Appalachian divide. The King of England had declared that no one was allowed to settle west of the mountains, and there were several reasons for his decree. On was that he didn't want problems with the natives whom had been here for many centuries. Another is that the isolated settlements would be difficult to protect under colonial laws, particularly the laws of the North Carolina colony of which this area was a part. The main reason however, was that it would be damn near impossible to tax the people whom chose to live here. Many of the settlers were people whom had broken one or more of the King's laws, and were seeking a place to hide. Most were poor people seeking a piece of land to cultivate and to live a life free of most man-made restrictions, but where people decide to inhabit, sooner or later unsavory characters will try to prey on the honest. The loose compact created laws and courts which worked well for several years, but was eventually replaced by the State of North Carolina. I am able to trace one branch of my family to Jonesborough in the late 1760's, and there is always the smidgen of Cherokee Indian blood in my veins that ties me forever to this soil. There are many, many other things which endear me to the hills, but suffice it to say I am proud to be a hillbilly and an East Tennessean; I can be nothing else.
Sorry for the personal history lesson, but sometimes I feel lost and need to renew a sense of why I am me.
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At times, I wonder just what it is that keeps me living in East Tennessee. For one thing, the name East Tennessee itself has much to do with it. We don't live in eastern Tennessee or in "the eastern part of the state" as some call it; in fact, we barely consider ourselves as being part of the State of Tennessee. Of course, I'm speaking for most of us whom were born here before about 1955. The rest of the state treated us like poor cousins for many, many years, and it wasn't until the early 1960's that we elected a governor that cared to recognize us as being equals. Now, we have the most voters of all three grand divisions of the state, and things are much better here than in the old days; but not so great that we will recognize our western compatriots as anything but poor relatives the same as they once did us.
This area is beautiful with its mountains and valleys, some so rugged or isolated that they have yet to feel the footprint of a white man. But that natural beauty can be found elsewhere in the US, so that isn't the main reason I stay here. It is the feeling of an independent heritage and pride of where I fit into the history of the hills. One of the first (if not the very first) free and independent governments created on this continent by European settlers and their descendants was the Watauga Compact in 1772, four years before the colonies declared themselves separated from English rule. It was certainly the first such entity west of the Appalachian divide. The King of England had declared that no one was allowed to settle west of the mountains, and there were several reasons for his decree. On was that he didn't want problems with the natives whom had been here for many centuries. Another is that the isolated settlements would be difficult to protect under colonial laws, particularly the laws of the North Carolina colony of which this area was a part. The main reason however, was that it would be damn near impossible to tax the people whom chose to live here. Many of the settlers were people whom had broken one or more of the King's laws, and were seeking a place to hide. Most were poor people seeking a piece of land to cultivate and to live a life free of most man-made restrictions, but where people decide to inhabit, sooner or later unsavory characters will try to prey on the honest. The loose compact created laws and courts which worked well for several years, but was eventually replaced by the State of North Carolina. I am able to trace one branch of my family to Jonesborough in the late 1760's, and there is always the smidgen of Cherokee Indian blood in my veins that ties me forever to this soil. There are many, many other things which endear me to the hills, but suffice it to say I am proud to be a hillbilly and an East Tennessean; I can be nothing else.
Sorry for the personal history lesson, but sometimes I feel lost and need to renew a sense of why I am me.
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6 comments:
I'm glad that my good American friend is an East Tennessean. It's v. interesting what you wrote. I understand well your feeling of pride. I think each most of us needs to renew a sense of our identification. There are two cities v. important in my life - Łodź (world of my childhood) and Warsaw (my life fulfillment, and the city which has a great history).
Thanks, for this personal lesson, my friend.
Thanks, Jola.
I think I know how you feel about your life places, especially Warsaw, and it is much how I feel about the hills. We each must see our lives from different perspectives to know whom we really are. :-)
Nice history lesson. I suspect that many people who are born and raised never really leave the mountains even when they do. There is a harmony with the soul that you get when in the mountains. I also get that feeling when I am on the water.
The interesting thing about the East Tennessee bigotry is, as you know, that there is a general ignorance amongst Americans about the south. Despite all that is wrong with the south I think it is a place that has retained much of its past, good and bad, and it is truly still American.
Good history lesson. The kind of stuff you don't learn in school but can learn from the old timers if you stay still long enough to hear it.
I suppose everyone has a place that helps them to feel whole or at peace. I'd move back home in a second if Mike could get work there. I miss the woods, oranges groves, and most of all my family. Funny, at one point in my life I couldn't wait to leave. Now I pine for it. Growing up I suppose.
Keep the stories coming Ken. you are entertaining us all.
Peace on this Tuesday.
The south has become so homogenized with all the northerners moving here and bringing their various cultures with them that the differences are becoming a fine line. Unlike the big cities where cultures collect into enclaves, here it is spread throughout all communities, particularly outside the big urban areas.
Thanks, Mark.
Thanks, Tammy.
I've lived and worked around Polish, Italian, German and other ethnic groups, and found them all to be fine people, but even though most of them were born in the USA, they still have a longing to "go home" to the "old country", most not permanently but to dip their heritage roots in the soil of their ancestors for short time.
We continually desire and need to touch the "green, green, grass of home".
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