295
Death of Birchie Potter
According to the Watauga Democrat, Boone, N. C, April 29,
1937: "Glenn Brown, charged with the slaying of Birchie Potter,
pled guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to ten years
in the penitentiary. A brother, Robert Brown, charged with assault
with deadly weapon, received a two-year suspended sentence."
Mr. N. J. Presnell of Boone, to whom the ballad is ascribed, in-
formed Mrs. Laura Brown Timmons, also of Boone, that the "Death
of Birchie Potter" was really the work of Jim Brown, one of Mr.
Presnell's neighbors. In a letter to A. P. Hudson dated June 2,
1948, Mrs. Timmons made the following report regarding Jim
Brown's authorship of the ballad :
I went to the Democrat office and found the broadside copy of "The
Death of Birchie Potter," then went to N. J. Presnell's home. He is
98 years old, and has a copy of the poem in his Bible, but told me Jim
Brown, one of his neighbors, wrote it. Then I found Jim Brown, who
is a carpenter about 45 years old, native of Watauga county, very intel-
ligent, and at times gets religion and preaches. He has written other
verses, none of which have been sung. When asked why Mr. Presnell's
name was used, Mr. Brown says both boys [Glenn Brown and Robert
Brown] were cousins of his, and he thought perhaps they might be
offended should he have the poem published using his own name. So
he gave it to Mr. Presnell, who in turn took it to Mr. Rivers without
comment. Naturally Mr. Rivers assumed that Mr. Presnell was the
author. . . '. Numbers of people have copies of this and other poems by
Jim Brown.
Received from Miss Edith Walker, Boone, undated, with this note on
the typescript : 'This broadside appeared in the IVautagua Democrat
for the week of April 23-30, 1937. Evidently inspired by a trial just
held in the town of Boone."
1 In the state of North Carolina,
In a place called Pottertown,
Two cousins took to drinking;
One shot the other down.
2 Birchie Potter was the victim,
He was tall and brave;
^ Compare this stanza with the last four lines of 'Christ Was a Weary
Traveler.'
684 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
But Glen Brown with his derringer
Sent Birchie to his grave.
3 Glen, his age was twenty,
And Birchie's was twenty-one ;
Two freer-hearted boys
Don't walk beneath the sun.
4 Birchie is in the graveyard,
No more will we see his smile,
While Glen is in the jailhouse
Waiting for his trial.
5 We hope Glen will get justice
Right from the Maker's hand,
And repent and be converted
And be a better man.
6 We ask the prayers for Birchie,
That his soul might be saved
When on that judgment morning
He will rise from the grave.
7 So, young men, please take warning,
And shun this awful time [sin?].
If you will just stop your drinking
You'll all be better men.
— N. J. Presnell