Sheets Family and Appalachia Stereotypes Andrew Sexton

Pedigree

Over View This is how my family who is from the Ashe and Wilkes Counties since 1753 and I present how my family disagrees and also agrees to the typically stereotype in this region.

8 Generations have lived in and are still living in the Peak Creek area since 1753.

Compare and Contrast The Stereotypes – Uneducated – Strongly Traditionalistic – No saving – No use of long range planning – Bootlegging – Close Family Ties – Close proximity – Inner Family Marriages – Racism – Young Marriage

Meeting Stereotypes When her sister-in-law passed away with four small children still to care for, Martha Ann Sheets (Granny Mat) took the two girls to raise while the two boys went to another relatives home. Because of the lack of medical knowledge, and accessibility, there were often children left without mothers or fathers so the community and relatives would take these children into their homes to live. My Great-Grandparents were related. Austa Farrington’s grandmother, Elizabeth was a sister to Arthur Sheets mother, Martha Ann. They were third cousins. Because travel was not easy, you only saw a limited number of other people so a lot of times relatives married. The mountain families were incredibly self-sufficient, they raised their own food, sewed their own clothing, etc. To earn money Arthur had to go to West Virginia and work in the coal mines for a period of time then return home. Their only other income source was from raising and selling turkeys. The oldest son, Bain worked in lumber when he got older. The need for money was not as great. Great-great grandfather Rudy Farrington was a well-known bootlegger in the community. Still today, Sheets Gap is remembered for the moonshine. My Grandpa Roger remembers as a boy seeing people come to purchase the “moonshine” from his grandfather and his grandfather removing floor boards to get the goods.

Atypical Examples My great-grandmother Austa was a big believer in the importance of education. Because she wanted the best possible education for her family, she moved with three of her children to West Jefferson so they could attend West Jefferson School. The school had dorms that the students lived in and she took the job as caretaker of the dorm, cooking and cleaning so that her children could have a better education. My great-great grandfather was the sheriff of Ashe County and resigned due to his conflict in beliefs during the very well-known trial of Will Banks. Will Banks (the last man hung in Ashe County) was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a public hanging. Sheriff Tom believed it to be “self-defense” and refused to hang a man unjustly. He felt the sentence was a prejudiced judgment because the man was black. My great grandmother Austa was “churched” which means to be withdrawn from membership of a church. This was a big family secret. Unusual for a lady to be churched in that day, but perhaps her individualism and freedom of thinking was cause for this dismissal. My Grandpa Roger and Grandma Roxie were eight years apart in age, with Roger the senior and were married late in life usual for this period. This was a first marriage for both with their ages being 36 and 28.

Bibliography Secondary Sources Fletcher, Arthur Lloyd Ashe County: a history. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. Beaver, Patricia D Rural community in the Appalachian South. Prospect Heights, Ill: Waveland Press. Weller, Jack E Yesterday's people: life in contemporary Appalachia. [Lexington]: University Press of Kentucky Abramson, Rudy and Haskell. Wikipedia, "Appalachia." Last modified 24 April Accessed April 26, Ballengee-Morris, Christine. ERIC, "Hillbilly: An image of a Culture." Last modified September Accessed April 29, xtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED464794&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED

Primary Sources Robin Sexton, (Relation to Sheets Family), interview by Andrew Sexton, April 29, Melissa Barr, (Relation to Sheets Family), interview by Andrew Sexton, April 10, 2012 Allen, Robert T Ashe County, North Carolina estates records, Baltimore, Md: Mrs. R.T. Allen. Hamilton, Russell Ashe County, N.C. cemetery records. West Jefferson, NC: Creative Printers. Ancestory.com, Accessed April 29, Virginia Roberts, (Relation to Sheets Family), interview by Andrew Sexton, April 15, 2012.