The Mountains of Western NC has lost a good one.

whitetailfreak

Senior Member
The thread "tell a story about your grandfather", got me thinking. It has been a little over a month since my paternal grandfather passed away, and having mentioned him here frequently over the years, I thought I would share his life with you. My Pap was born and raised on Hazel Creek along the North Shore of the Little Tennessee River on whats now the Great Smoky Mtns National Park. He was a wizard with a fly rod, and the critters of Graham County will live a little less hard now that he's gone. If you ever visit the Great Smoky Mtns Heritage Museum in Bryson City, you'll see his cross cut saw and sharpening files, his fly reel, and carbide hunting lights. He was a grandfather most could only hope for, a loving husband to my grandmother for 65 years, and he taught me all things mountain. He was a man of great Christian faith, and no doubt was ready to be with the Lord. We buried him in a primitive cemetery overlooking Fontana Lake, and there is no place on earth he'd rather be. The pic below was at Christmas, and he passed a week later. Im the ugly one standing in the back in gray. He did lots of interviews over the years, but to get a sense of his humor, watch the video below between 5:35-9 minutes.IMG_3629.jpg0618110946.jpg013.jpg_20151219_105936.JPG2012-04-28_23-02-53_686.jpg0206161106.jpgbone valley pap.jpg
 
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carver

Senior Member
You were blessed......I was too!
 

EAGLE EYE 444

King Casanova
whitetailfreak,

I just watched your entire video and I enjoyed every second of this visit to the Hazel Creek Hilton. This video was fantastic too with all of the animals and also the human characters involved and the scenery was absolutely beautiful.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful video and giving us all an opportunity to meet your dearly departed grandfather because I felt just like I was sitting there with your relatives and especially your Grandfather as he told some interesting stories from the past.

Gentlemen such as him are few and far between in today's world.
 

jbogg

Senior Member
Great video! I always enjoyed listening to the stories of the old times. Wish my Grandad could have been around longer. He would say he grew up way back up in the holler in Tennessee. Had a sixth grade education. Moved his family to Atlanta, got a job as a guard at the Federal Pen, and was one of many who escorted Al Capone by train from Atlanta to Alcatraz.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Thank you for posting this. Most of that generation is gone now. My dad was only a couple years younger than your grandpa, and I've heard him mention your grandpa's name many times, talking about bear hunting and fishing with him over on Hazel Creek before that last strip went over to the park.

If I'm not mistaken on the first name (it's been awhile,) I think he also talked a lot about a Ralph Laney. Those years and adventures meant so much to my dad, and he talked about them a lot in his later years.
 

whitetailfreak

Senior Member
Thank you for posting this. Most of that generation is gone now. My dad was only a couple years younger than your grandpa, and I've heard him mention your grandpa's name many times, talking about bear hunting and fishing with him over on Hazel Creek before that last strip went over to the park.

If I'm not mistaken on the first name (it's been awhile,) I think he also talked a lot about a Ralph Laney. Those years and adventures meant so much to my dad, and he talked about them a lot in his later years.

Ralph is correct. He was my pap's brother, and died back in the early 60's at age 36. Ralph's son, Billy Laney lives in Waynesville, and I speak to him often.
 

crackerdave

Senior Member
Those mountains grow a special breed of man,don't they?
Cherish your memories and thanks for passing some of them to us,sir.
 

mark-7mag

Useless Billy Director of transpotation
I really enjoyed watching that video. Thanks for sharing
 

mattech

Deranged Throat-Puncher
Thanks for sharing. He seemed like a great man.
 

whitetailfreak

Senior Member
One more short video. This was Pap's last trip to Hazel Creek in June 2015. We had a Cemetery Decoration, and singin' at Bone Valley which is about 6 miles up Hazel Creel from where it meets Fontana lake, and about a mile from where Horace Kephart lived for a time and wrote "Our Southern Highlanders". Most all shown are family.

 

swamppirate

Senior Member
Thanks for sharing that. He reminded me of my Grandaddy. A coal miner and mountain man from ol' Virginia. They broke the mold with that breed of men.
 

The mtn man

Senior Member
That was a generation where men were men. I know you miss him, I'd be willing to bet he was a goodun for sure.
 

whitetailfreak

Senior Member
I added a pic of Pap walking the Bone Valley Cemetery on Hazel Creek, where some of his/my family members were buried pre 1944. We have replaced almost all the primitive head stones with modern markers containing names and dates.
 
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