The Mysterious Walker Sisters of Gatlinburg, TN

By Michelle Shocklee

My husband and I recently visited the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Considering I'm a Rocky Mountain Girl -- born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with the Sangre de Cristos out my back window -- I must admit the Smokies are bee-u-ti-ful! Factor in glorious autumn colors, chilly weather, and a snuggly sweater, and I'm pretty much in paradise!

One of the most fascinating tidbits in the park, however, has nothing to do with the beauty or the changing leaves. It has to do with a family named Walker who called these mountains home in the 1800s and 1900s. When the government came knocking on their cabin door in the 1930s, with plans to create a national park that included their property, well, let's just say the Walkers weren't too keen on the idea.

Let me tell you a little tale about a dream, a cabin, and some mysterious sisters...

John Walker, father of the Walker sisters

During the Civil War, a young man named John Walker fought for the Union Army and was even captured and held prisoner. He survived, and after the war ended John married his sweetheart, Margaret Jane King, whose family came from Little Greenbrier, an area near present-day Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He purchased property from Margaret's father that already had a cabin on it, the original section built in the 1840s and the larger two-story section built by Mr. King in the 1850s.  Being a very industrious man, John built a barn, corn crib, smokehouse, pig pen, apple barn, and blacksmith shop. A spring-house situated on a nearby creek kept dairy products such as milk and butter cool throughout the year, as well as provided storage room for pickled root vegetables. John was also a skilled carpenter and crafted ladderback chairs, looms, tools, and a small cotton gin. He planted orchards that included more than 20 kinds of apples, as well as peaches, cherries, and plums. Chickens, sheep, goats, and hogs were all raised on the farm. 

In the midst of all this building and settling, Margaret gave birth to eleven children -- seven girls and four boys. All eleven children survived into adulthood, a feat not many families could boast back in those days. The boys grew up and left home, but only one sister--Sarah Caroline--married. The other six sisters remained unmarried "spinsters" and lived out their lives in their childhood mountain home. 

The seven Walker Sisters: Front L-R: Margaret, Louisa, Polly.
Back L-R: Hettie, Martha, Nancy, & Caroline.
Photo: Jim Shelton, 1909

John Walker was 80 years old when he passed away in 1921. His six unmarried daughters, as well as his youngest son Giles, inherited the property. One of the sisters, Nancy, died ten years later, and Giles deeded his share over to his remaining sisters. For the next 43 years, the five Walker sisters would make a name for themselves in the community--and in the public's eye--as hardworking, if not odd, mountain women. Instead of looking to modern-day conveniences, they did all the farm work themselves, including tending livestock as well as a huge garden that provided their food for years. They raised sheep and washed, carded, spun, and wove the wool into clothing. Cotton and flax were also grown on the farm, and the sisters produced their own textiles using the cotton gin their father had built.  Following in their mother Margaret's footsteps, the daughters also kept a herbal garden for mountain remedies, including horseradish, boneset, and peppermint for healing teas. Natural plants in the forests were collected, too. One of the sisters was quoted, saying, "Our land produces everything we need except sugar, soda, coffee, and salt."

Martha and Hettie on the porch; Louisa churning butter

But their little chunk of paradise was threatened when the US Government decided to create what is known today as the Smoky Mountain National Park. The states of Tennessee and North Carolina were given permission by Congress to begin raising money to purchase nearly a half million acres for the park, most of which was privately owned. Parcels of land collected from families and timber companies alike were bargained for, haggled over, and eventually purchased. Refusing to leave their 122-acre mountain home, the sisters held out until 1940. Once the park was officially dedicated, the sisters struck a bargain with the government: they received $4,750 for the land WITH the stipulation that they could live out their lives in their home.

Living in the national park, however, meant their daily practices of hunting and fishing, cutting wood, and grazing livestock were now prohibited. The sisters were forced to find a new lifestyle in order to survive. People from all over the country flocked to the park and visited what became known as "Five Sisters Cove". The Walkers welcomed the curious newcomers and saw them as an opportunity to sell handmade items such as children's toys, crocheted doilies, fried apple pies, and even Louisa's hand-written poems.The sisters were even featured in the Saturday Evening Post in April 1946, showcasing their mountain lifestyle to the rest of the country.

The Walker Sisters Cabin (notice the stone steps are still there!)

Over the next few years, the sisters began to die off. In 1951, with only two sisters remaining--Margaret, 80, and Louisa, 70-- they wrote a letter to the park superintendent asking that the "Visitors Welcome" sign be taken down. Margaret passed away in 1962 at the age of 92, and Louisa remained in the house alone until she died in July 1964.








Today, the homestead is a quiet place, tucked way back in the woods, a mile from the old Little Greenbrier school house that John Walker helped build in 1881. The old spring house greets you as you arrive, and I couldn't help but imagine all the butter, milk, and yummy garden goodies the sisters kept there over the years. John's corn crib is also still standing, and hubby and I were quite flummoxed over its design--no doors; only a small opening on the side to reach in and grab some corn that surely must have been loaded from a gap at the top of the far (covered) wall.

The old house, of course, was my favorite. We sat on the porch where the Walker family must have spent countless hours (as the picture above of the sisters reflects). Enjoying the solitude and quietness of the forest that surrounds it, I could certainly see why the sisters refused to sellout and move away. Home, they say, is where the heart is, and I believe the hearts of the Walker Sisters were very much at peace in this beautiful place.

John's corn crib

Old Little Greenbrier school house John helped build in 1881.
The school house also housed a church, and a small fenced graveyard
is off to the left.

Your turn: Have you been to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park? What was your favorite part?

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Count the Nights by Stars, winner of the 2023 Christianity Today Book Award, and Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy Awards and Selah Awards finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online at www.MichelleShocklee.com


APPALACHIAN SONG

Forever within the memories of my heart.
Always remember, you are perfectly loved.

Bertie Jenkins has spent forty years serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943. As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.

Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.

https://www.tyndale.com/p/appalachian-song/9781496472441

Sisterly Gifts Between Mary & Elizabeth Tudor

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Mary Tudor during her younger years

Mary and Elizabeth Tudor are a fascinating pair of sisters. Same father, but rival mothers and seventeen years apart, it is surprising how affectionate the two were throughout most of their lives. One of the main ways that the sisters expressed their affection was through gifts exchanged. We can learn a lot about their situation and relationship from each of these. 


Mary, as the elder sister, often sent Elizabeth spending money and cloth for making clothes since King Henry often neglected attention to such details. She also gave Elizabeth many pieces of jewelry, some of these pieces can be found in museums today. Her gift giving became so much of a custom, that when the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth turned hostile, Mary’s councilors told her she should send Elizabeth away with a gift so she wouldn’t suspect something amiss. Mary gave her a beautiful sable hood and some pearls before she departed to Hertfordshire.

In turn, Elizabeth also sent gifts to her older sister. Small pieces of jewelry, and hosiery were common during her younger years.

Queen Elizabeth I

One of the most notable gifts exchanged between the sisters was during Queen Mary’s reign, after her marriage to Prince Philip II of Spain. Mary believed herself to be pregnant multiple times, and it was during one such assumed pregnancy that Elizabeth made her sister a very special gift, which spoke volumes of her care and loyalty: A set of baby linens meant for the newborn prince. Elizabeth was skilled in needlework, but it still must have taken hours of careful stitching to create such a gift. Of course, the prince was never born, but the sentiment behind the gift remains. When you consider that Elizabeth was the younger sister, who would be eliminated from the succession of heirs with the birth of a prince, and the political tension that surrounded Mary’s false pregnancies, the hand-made baby linens were precious and significant. Unfortunately, photographs of the linens are not available.

Like her mother Anne Boleyn before her, Queen Elizabeth I loved gifts all throughout her life. Was it an inherited trait, or did it begin with the gifts her sister gave her during her youth? Either way, giving gifts to Elizabeth became an important part of foreign and domestic affairs during her era. Many ambassadors attempted to win her favor by presenting lavish gifts. Elizabeth also bestowed gifts upon those she favored, and such exchanges became a key part of the Elizabethan court.

Isn’t it amazing how a simple exchange between sisters could influence the culture of a realm?

 

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She just released her first non-fiction work, Twelve Sisters Who Changed History. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

Sisters That Changed History - Sarah & Angelina Grimke

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Continuing our series of Sisters That Changed History, we're now brought to the antebellum era in the United States.

Although thirteen years apart, Sarah and Angelina Grimke were very close and became legends during their own lifetimes.

Sarah Grimke (Public Domain)

Sarah was born into the home of a wealthy South Carolina family on November 26, 1792. Her father was a prominent Charleston judge and a slaveholder. He was a strict disciplinarian who believed his children should learn hard work. As a result, he would often send them out to work among the slaves in the cotton and corn fields. Although we don’t know the exact instances, it must have been here that Sarah, as well as her younger sister, Angelina, saw something at a young age that made a very deep impression on them. It caused them to fiercely oppose slavery despite the contrary opinions of the rest of their family.

Angelina was born February 20, 1805, the youngest of the 14 children. Since Sarah’s parents had forbidden her to study, she turned her interest to her youngest sister. She begged to become her godmother and was a strong influence on Angelina's life. The sisters would share a lifelong bond.

After the death of her father, Sarah converted to Quakerism and moved to a settlement in Pennsylvania in 1821. Angelina soon followed in her footsteps.

After their move to Pennsylvania, Angelina’s public career began accidentally. In 1835, the renowned abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison published an appeal in Boston begging the people to leave off violence. Mobs of angry people and violent demonstrations were becoming frequent, especially in New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. For some reason, Angelina felt compelled to send the man a personal letter of encouragement. Garrison ended up publishing the letter in an issue of The Liberator, much to the embarrassment of Angelina and the shock of her Quaker neighbors. This was the start of her and her sister’s public career.

Angelina Grimke (Public Domain)

Angelina soon discovered her gift for speaking and became known as the most powerful and stirring female orator for the abolitionist cause. The dynamic duo soon began touring around New York, New England, and New Jersey speaking to audiences about what they saw growing up and the need for abolition. They kept up an amazing schedule, sometimes speaking as many as six times per week.

Besides their speaking tours, the sister wrote books, abolitionist tracts, and pamphlets. Angelina became the first woman in America to address a body of legislators. Sarah may not have dazzled audiences with her speech as Angelina did, but she was mighty with the pen.

Angelina married Theodore Weld, also a devout abolitionist, and together they continued to work toward racial equality.

Angelina’s dynamic speaking career came to an abrupt end two days after her marriage. Tensions were high at the anti-slavery convention on May 16, 1838. Angry crowds in Philadelphia turned violent as she stood in the convention hall and gave her last stirring speech. “I have seen it! I know it has horrors that can never be described.” The next morning, the mob burned and destroyed the building, offices and everything inside. That was the end of her public addresses.

Angelina's husband, Theodore Weld
(Public Domain)

However, she, her husband and her sister continued to write and educate. Angelina raised three children, ran two schools, and continued to advocate abolition.

Sarah died in December of 1873 at a ripe age of 81. Angelina’s health declined after a series of strokes left her paralyzed and she died in October 1879. Both of them survived to see the end of slavery before their deaths.

The views of these two sisters were radical, even amongst their own ranks of abolitionists. They were also proponents of women’s suffrage. Yet today they leave a strong legacy of social reform and anti-racism.

*****

Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  Her title, Dawn of Liberty, was awarded the 2017 CSPA Book of the Year award in Historical Fiction. She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. 
Her new book, Solve by Christmas is now available for pre-order! Click here to check out the pre-order bonus.

Sisters that Changed History: The Tru'ng Sisters

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Trung Sister's Statue in city of Ho Chi Minh
Photo by CC BY-SA 3.0

This month in our series of Sisters that Changed History, we visit Vietnam during the first century A.D. These two gals are kinda like the Vietnamese Joan of Arc.

Tru'ng Trac and her younger sister, Tru'ng Nhi were born in Gaio Chi (Northern Vietnam) to a military family. As they grew up under the Han Dynasty, Vietnam was under Chinese rule. With their father being the prefect of the county, the two girls were made to study martial arts and war strategy, which they utilized later in life.

At some point, a neighboring prefect came to visit Tru'ng's father. The neighboring prefect's son, Thi Sach, met and fell in love with the eldest daughter and a marriage was arranged.


According to the Vietnamese accounts, the Han Dynasty was a difficult one for the oppressed people. The Chinese overlords were cruel and heartless. Tru'ng Trac's husband made a stand against the Chinese and was executed. The overlords hoped to make an example of him and discourage further rebellion.

It backfired.

Thi Sach's wife and sister-in-law banded together and took over the revolutionary movement, somehow managing to raise a force, which seems to have been mostly women. They marched on the commandary capital Lien Lau. They were victorious and the Chinese commander fled for his life. 

As the year went on, the sisters and their allies captured 65 cities. Tru'ng Trac and Tru'ng Nhi became co-reigning queens of the newly liberated state.

However, their success did not last long. The Emporer of China gathered boats, wagons, and supplies and sent an army to overthrow the two sisters.

The records of their death contradict each other. The most popular claim is that the two drowned themselves in the river to avoid capture, but other tales insist they died while fighting after being abandoned by their fellows, or they were captured and decapitated by the Chinese, one legend even claims they vanished into the sky.

Either way, these two sisters are emblems of freedom and are revered still today in Vietnam. There are many temples erected in their honor, and every year the Vietnamese hold a celebration to remember their valor. Even though they lived over 2000 years ago, the sisters are considered national symbols. Their legacy inspires patriotism and freedom in the Vietnamese people. 

Sisters That Changed History - Athena and Artemis

Blogger: Amber Schamel

 Today we're continuing our exploration of sisters in history. If you missed last month's post on Leah and Rachel, you can find it here.

Athena

 

Athena (known as Minerva to the Romans) and Artemis (Diana) were the mythical daughters of Zeus in Greek Mythology. While these two figures are either legends stretched to extraordinary proportions or complete products of imagination, they did affect history, as we will see.

Athena, considered the goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and war, was the principle deity of the Greek Capital of Athens. She is best known for the story of her...ahem...unusual birth. As the story goes, her father Zeus swallowed her mother after she became pregnant for fear of her bearing a son that would threaten his reign. Afterward, he developed such a horrible headache that he begged a friend to split his skull with an ax to relieve the pressure. When his friend obliged, Athena sprang full-grown, wearing weapons and armor, from the slit in his head. Of course, such tales are of little interest to us, except for the fact that they had a tremendous influence upon the Greeks as well as Romans, who in turn influenced the entire world. Especially America. Here’s why.

According to the myth, Athena ended up being Zeus’s favorite child and was given great power. She was widely worshiped but is most commonly remembered for the city of Athens which emerged about the time that Greece went from monarchy to democracy. The city of Athens seemed to be an intricate piece in the development of democracy in Greece, the form of which greatly influenced the founding fathers when they set up the United States as a republic. Had it not been for this goddess which, “protected the city and inspired restraint and practical insight,” Greece may never have become the world influence that it has.

The temple built to her is also a part of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World and was a religious hub for the Greeks. 

Depiction of Athena's Birth

The city of Athens is also mentioned in the Scriptures. In Acts chapter seventeen, Paul is visiting Athens when he notices an inscription “to the unknown god.” His heart was grieved for the idolatry of the people and he delivered one of his most famous sermons here.

Artemis/Diana

Artemis, the huntress, was Athena’s sister, as well as the twin of Apollo. She was known as the goddess of nature and fertility, also possessing power over all forms of wildlife and even the moon. She was the principle deity of Ephesus, and there was a temple there dedicated to her. This temple also became one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

So great was the influence of this goddess, especially in Ephesus, that the businessmen of the city became enraged when Christians began missionary work in the area. The Scriptures (in Acts chapter 19) record the incident where the silversmiths enrage the entire city against Paul for preaching against the goddess. They proclaim:

“Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

Moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.”
Whom all Asia and the world worships. So then, the influence of this mythical woman must have been great at the time. Some scholars also argue that Artemis was a “savior goddess” which would have made the preaching of Christ as Savior even more offensive to the Ephesians. Still, many in Ephesus were converted to the truth and one of the epistles recorded in the Holy Scriptures was addressed to them.

Ephesus Coin with Artemis' Image

It also seems that this figure was the inspiration behind fairies and nymphs. In more current times, she is considered the “feminist goddess”.

So we see that these two sisters, while they were mythical, still affected the culture of ancient times and even beyond. They generated commerce, inspired temples that became icons, dictated the lives of those who worshiped them, influenced their thinking, and had cities dedicated to them that became major in the Christian movement.

If a “legend” or imaginary character can do that, what more could you and I? 

*****

Author of over half a dozen books, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!