January 2024 - FAMILY LORE

 

            I first heard this story about one year ago from a cousin of mine, who has been doing family history research for many years now. He and I are third cousins, and has lived in Cumberland and Rhea counties of Tennessee all his life. He and I are both closely related to Jessie Sherrill. When I saw this topic for 2024, I knew right away that this is the family lore I would write about. 


This story has been passed down through four generations, and by all accounts it is true, according to the great granddaughter of Jessie G. Sherrill (1846-1924). Jessie Sherrill is my 3rd great uncle. 


Hinch Cemetery, July 2023


Jessie grew up and lived on Hinch Mountain, which is in the Cumberland Plateau in the USA. The mountain is highest point in Cumberland County, TN. My father’s parents, grandparents and great grandparents made their home there, as did many other families since around 1840.  It is deeply forested, with very rugged terrain. It is hard to imagine families living there and raising families there,  Even today, a good deal of the roads can only be accessed with 4 wheel drive vehicles or ATVs. Of course before automobiles, transportation was by horse, mule or on foot. 


The story goes like this:


There was an old lady (Aint Hannah) who lived up on Hinch mountain and it was rumored that she was a witch. She was always coming to Jessie Sherrill’s log cabin to borrow something, like meal (feed for her animals) or as an excuse to test him. 


Meal was not something that was readily available. Jessie would have to make an all day trip down the mountain to get it, and they didn’t have much, if any, to spare. Jessie Sherrill had loaned her meal time and again until one day he grew weary of it. He said “No, I don’t have any meal for you today.” And Aint Hannah said back ”You’ll regret that, Jessie Sherrill.”


Then Aint Hannah turned and walked away. But as she left, she ran her finger along Jessie’s mule from tail to nose and kept on walking. As soon as she ran her finger to the end of its nose, the mule dropped in its tracks. It was down on the ground just quivering and shaking all over. 


As his father Cravin, Jessie Sherrill was good with horses and mules. He called on his sons to help. They did everything for the mule they knew how to do. The mule still was on the ground quivering and had begun foaming at the mouth. They all thought it was dead. 


Finally, after he exhausted everything he could think of to do, he sent one of his boys to go get Aint Hannah. When she got there Jessie said “You can have all the meal you want, just get my mule up and going. I need that mule.” He couldn’t plow or haul rocks or timber or anything without that mule. 


Taking it kindly, the old lady Aint Hannah reversed the process. This time she ran her finger along the mule from nose to tail. As soon as she did that, the mule jumped up off the ground, shook itself and sauntered off to feed on the nearby grass. 


Needless to say, they gave Aint Hannah whatever she wanted after that!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Jessie Sherrill, from FindAGrave.com website


           Jessie and his wife Nancy Hannah Elizabeth Tollett are both buried in the Hinch Cemetery. If there were grave markers, they have been lost to time and nature.