Forgotten Highwaymen II

Part Two: Forgotten Highwaymen

Highwaymen were a special breed of folk hero. They took risks and lived dangerously. Thanks to them the roads weren’t safe. As was noted in American Highwaymen Part I, they could live outside the law – in some cases, create the law to suit them. Some of them had been outstanding citizens before turning to lives of thievery, and their reasons for doing so might surprise you. Here is look at another group of forgotten American folk “heroes”.

The Harpe Brothers: Often referred to as America’s first true serial killers, the Harpe Brothers left an endless trail of death and destruction behind them as they traveled throughout Kentucky and Tennessee in the late 18^th century. Some reports suggest that even fellow outlaws feared these men, “Big Harpe” and “Little Harpe”, because of how ruthless they were. The Harpe Brothers murdered not for financial gain, but for the love of the sport, and held no discrimination towards age, gender, or race. Anyone was fair game. The total death count has been estimated to be somewhere around 50, although the actual number remains unknown. 

Michael Martin: A 20-year old Martin partnered up with a known highwayman, Captain Thunderbolt, and began robbing travelers in Ireland in 1916. Known for his quick feet, Michael Martin was often referred to as Captain Lightfoot. The two “Captains” formed a chivalrous thieving duo, vowing never to steal from women or the poor. They found success wherever they went until Martin decided it was time to start a new life in America. He began his old ways by robbing unsuspecting people when he arrived, until his eventual capture. In 1821. He became the first and last person to be hanged in Massachusetts for highway robbery. 

James Ford: Described as “Satan’s Ferryman”, the ex-county Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, and overseer of the poor had what some had described as an evil lurking deep within him. Known for creating the “Ford’s Ferry Gang”, James Ford and a group of degenerates would prey on any unsuspecting traveler in their vicinity during the 1820’s. Ford’s reign of terror would come to a sudden end when a group of vigilantes decided to take up the law in their own hands and assassinate the leader himself, dismantling the gang entirely.

Related Information

Folk Heroes and Heroines 

About Highwaymen

 

March Madness + Folk Heroes

March B'Ball Folk Heroes

March Madness is a basketball championship that is held each spring in the United States. 68 college teams participate in this fast-paced elimination tournament that was created in 1939 by Phog Allen, a Kansas coach. With most of the games held in March, it has become one of this country’s most prominent sporting events.

Overall, sports are competitive games that have their roots in specific communities of origin. As community folklore, many of them have been modified to suit their new environment. For example, bowling which can be traced back to ancient Egypt. By the 14th century it had become popular in England. In Italy, the same game of rolling a ball and knocking down pins was known as bocci. 

Now, back to basketball. It was developed in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith who was charged with creating a new indoor sports activity. According to NBC.Com, the activity was designed as a physical education class at the international YMCA training school in Massachusetts. Originally the hoop was a peach basket that hung ten feet above the floor. 

In general, folklore sports are a very vibrant category of folklore; always present in most cultures it is a physical example of several key social values: sportsmanship, ability to compete and working with others as a team.

All sports also produce sports heroes, men and women who achieve through skill and applied determination a standard of excellence. These athletes represent the best of the best, so to speak. In turn these figures become folk heroes/heroines; people who are admired for their talents and leadership. 

Because many athletes come from adverse circumstances, they also represent what is possible for others who may also be in less than fortunate circumstances. They also serve as a rally cry for people who might not otherwise not come together as a larger community; one that can provide hometown, statewide and/or national pride.

An interesting twist in our American cultural values is the addition of wealth as success that many sports folk heroes/heroines gain during their careers. Unfortunately, sports fans can, and often do, forget about the other values that contribute to being a sports folk hero/heroine.  It will be very interesting to see how sports as an element of community folklore continues to evolve.

Here are some basketball folk heroes/heroines:
Nate Thurmond 
Nikki Caldwell
 

Related Information:

Folk Heroes and Heroines

Self Made Legends

Self Proclaimed Folk Legends

Benedict XIII

Folk legends capture the special qualities a person may have. The traits of these self made legends are then used to convey information about a society’s values and morals.  Over time the facts may become exaggerated. Rarely does a story that is passed from person to person stay exactly as it originally was.

Such is human nature, yes. And such is the nature of sharing folk legends. They often do change to fit a specific time and place in order to make them more relevant. For example, someone who walked six miles in the snow each day to get to and from school may not be believable if told in area where snow no longer falls or where snow never existed.

The fluidity and the creativity of this folklore form allows people to contemporize and make it relevant today.

But what about folk legends that are self-made? These stories are spun by the folk legend him or herself in order to preserve a certain folkloric perspective which is usually ‘heroic’ in nature.  In some ways, these anti folk legends have in fact, become folk legends.

Here are a few examples of such people whose stories about themselves helped to preserve their memories and deeds.

SELF TITLED ROYALTY

Georges-Eugène Haussmann was also known as Baron Haussmann even though he was not a Baron.  He was said to have helped rebuild Paris into the city it is today replete with boulevards and public space.  His title? It was a nickname he had been given.

It is interesting to note that his achievement, under the direction of Napoleion III was considered impressive in light of the fact that he had no training as an architect or urban planner.

THE ANTIPOPE

When a Roman Catholic Pope has been sanctioned and someone else claims to be the pope as well, that person is referred to as an antipope. There have been more than 35 such cases; rival factions have used the position to gain political power. Such was the case with Benedict XIII who ‘reigned supreme’ from 1394 to 1422. It was at this time that the church had split.

He had been asked repeatedly to surrender his claim but refused. After his death, another antipope was chosen. However, when the two factions reunited there remained only one pope.

Related Information: 

Benedict XIII  

Folk Heroes and Heroines