John Atkins

John Atkins of the County of Fayette and state of Virginia that I was in the
revolutionary war with him I think in the year 1779 we were stationed at Osburns Mill in Surry County State of North Carolina. he was under the command of captain David Harrison and I was under the command of Captain David Humphries I do not now recollect whether there was a regiment or what number of men or companys were there or what the army at that place was called we had the place aforesaid as a place of rendezvous where we continued near six months to guard against the depredations of the tories and Indians which time I know that the said John Atkins was in the service of the united states. after we continued here the term as aforesaid we were marched to a place called Salsberry where I last saw him during the war I enlisted there under Capt James Shepherd and the said John Atkins I was informed enlisted under Capt Thomas Henderson.

Pension of William Carter...had its head quarters at Osborne mill on Loving’s creek [sic: now Lovills Creek] in the said County of Surry – While the said company and the applicant of course were engaged in this service some of the North Carolina light Horse took some of the tories prisoners and committed [several words illegible] to the Jail of Surry Cty aforesaid the applicant was directed to take some of the rest and escort them to the Head quarters above mentioned, where they were kept awhile, and then taken in charge of the applicant and some horsemen to the Jail of Henry County Virginia. While in this tour the applicant and fifteen or twenty of the troops pursued the Tories who had robbed a whig Daniel Carlin while said Carlin was in [word illegible],) some distance over the mountain dispersed them and recovered the property

Quick!!! A virtual revolution toward good, real, heart-bending music...

Quick!!!  Stevie Wonder is on TV at nine tonight!  It's a total resurgence of great music and somehow I feel it is all connected to Gino Vannelli. Gino's big break came when Stevie asked him to fill in when Chaka Khan was unable to tour. It is a virtual revolution of good, real, heart bending music.

How does this connect to NC and the revolution?  I'll find out.

My encounters with revolutionary NC stories today include a you-tube from the outdoor drama The Sword of Peace.   Gino wrote a whole suite of music concerning war with the London Philharmonic way back in the seventies.  It was the beginning of artistic differences. Gino began to break again from mainstream mass music business and followed his own conscience to music as art and self expression. FREEDOM. 

Last year, when my sister and I saw Gino Vannelli in Augusta, we came home by Kings Mountain, NC and saw a brand new play called "Liberty Mountain" written by Bob Inman. I immediately thought Gino and his brothers Ross and Joe should score a movie of my favorite NC revolutionary story and posted this on the international shamelessly devoted fans site of. Barend and Trees in Holland.

Lastly, Gino supports our troops. This is my favorite - None So Beautiful As the Brave.   You can own it on the CD or DVD from the concert  Live In LA huzza!

Revolutionary Significance, Gino Vannelli and SNL

I have been remiss for years now -discouraged by the handling of the bill in Congress.  However, I hear an opportunity exists for it to rebound.  Also, out of the blue, unexpectedly, encouragement appeared for me to continue writing here in 2015 from a fan on twitter. Finally, today on Meet The Press Dana Carvey pronounced he was "keeping his powder dry" about SNL s 40th Anniversary show so I knew every day continues to have revolutionary significance. Every Day Matters.

This is the deal. This blog exists to encourage the establishment of a National Heritage Area around the events of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution.  I stay in tune with the culture to hear references to the great divide as the United States pulled away from Great Britain.  I research counties in NC to include their history and if I find some fun things to do there for visitors, I note that and add links. 

In addition, I am employed. I have found my calling again in textiles thanks to encouragement from a song by Gino Vannelli called "Something Tells Me".  No!  I'm getting this wrong!!!  I rediscovered Gino and thought about giving him information about music in NC, but I didn't do it until I found this song...   I'll find the interview he gave that encouraged me to look for my better job on another night...

  Gino is a passion of mine from my youth when I met him in NYC in 1977 by sneaking into the line with the press after a concert to gain an audience with him in his dressing room. I had chaperones.  In fact, I did not even know who he was at the time, but he made a big impression on me first by his exceptional music and secondly by his beautiful eyes and gallant manners.

I have a lot of stories to tell you about the revolution, but everyone will also include a moment from my GinoMania these days. And we will visit the remaining counties even though they have already advertised their links to the Revolution for some time.

It is important to tell our stories and watch them take hold in the minds of others. Understanding, inventiveness and bonds between generations form when we tell our stories.  For example, since I started my blog, the OVTA has grown more important as a leader in trails, and the Revolution has emerged in popular TV everywhere. I am so taking credit for whispering in the ears of the universe for all of that. I give you Sleepy Hollow, The Sons of Liberty, and that marvelous Fiat commercial "The Italians are Coming".    I just rewatched The Sons of Liberty on the History Channel from my recorded list. This is fantastic. Sleepy Hollow until recently has been filmed in Wilmington, NC.  We are all loving the tension between Abby and Ichabod Crane.  The Fiat commercial was filmed in Winston-Salem, NC and two acting friends were in it.  And this is exactly what happens especially to women when we hear Gino Vannelli is in concert. People Gotta Move.  See how this all works?

I have to relearn how to make links. I'm going to see Gino again in #Annapolis, Maryland.  Www.ginov.com is his site and has tour info.  Catch him in #california. FEB 27 and 28.  Note the word 

"SUPERNOVA" beside him here? I kid you not. He is Revolutionary Significance.

It's good to be King

I'm working hard on a new website for the Yadkin Valley Craft Guild.  It's almost ready.  Calling all artists in the YVCG,  I  need images!  You can join us if you live in one of the 18 counties in the Yadkin River Watershed.
And, of course, I am so looking forward to the Royal Wedding at the end of the month.  It's a positive thing. I'm taking off from Merlefest to watch it. I wonder if they will put it on the big screen live in the very early morning. Now, that would be cool. And Prince William is George III's ggggggrandson, plus or minus a "g".  We can still be friends.

Goodbye, Elizabeth

There are no words I can add to that.  I am so sorry to see her go so fast. She did not deserve all the terrible circumstances she found herself in.  My love to the children.

Thank-YOU!! Congressman Spratt!!!

I am pleased to report the bill establishing the Carolina Revolutionary Road National Heritage Area has been introduced in this session of Congress and we are off and running again!! Yay!

Why didn't I think to just call him up during this lame duck session. But, thank-you Blog readers, Facebook friends and others for delivering this dispatch. I think we can carry on from here.

Meanwhile, I had an inquiry from a CEO in eastern NC for a designing position and I am waiting with my fingers crossed for the HR people to schedule my interview. I would be sourcing and designing and traveling. I have always wanted to see India so I am interested in this very much. However, I am also interested in the Heritage arts and crafts of our great land. I wonder with designers in the offices of former customers if we might find ways to source unique textiles back in this country. My economic eyes will be open.

The Carolina Revolutionary Road National Heritage Area.

I can't believe I haven't talked to you since July. I really thought life would be a little empty as I am taking only one graduate course and still job-hunting. But, a lot has happened.

The Yadkin Valley Craft Guild has determined its relationship with Surry Community College and as in my experience with automotive interior concepts, it is "refined" until the innovation part of the idea is bearly visible. That has taken a lot of time, but we do have a path with the college and I am pleased with that.

Meanwhile the Overmountain Victory Trail Association reenactment for 2010 was another success even without my Pepsi Refresh dreams. We could only host Elkin students again this year, but we did expand the day to include a public morning with the OVTA in the Elkin Municipal Park on Saturday. The best part was the children. The teachers dressed out in Revolutionary period dress!!! The kids walked the 4 miles again! We got thank-you notes from many of them and the consenus is this is the BEST FIELD TRIP ever!! In the notes, EVERY station we had was mentioned by at least one child as their favorite. The Winston Salem Journal did a fantastic story for us in the paper. The children wove a rug on old hand-made looms, saw a wagon of the type from the Great Wagon Road, captured escaping Tories and then reprieved them to be patriots, saw up close and personal a deer hide from a long-hunter, and thrilled to the thunder clap of black powder firing.

By the way, the NPS Environmental assessment of the proposed headquarters for the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail is released. It appears Morganton, NC is recommended spot. This is an appropriate spot since the eastern and western patriots gathered at Quaker Meadows.

Now is now. The election of 2010 has passed. We lost the primary sponsor of the bill requesting the Southern Campaign of the Revolution National Heritage Area, Rep. Spratt , D-SC. So I was very sad. I have researched a bit however. I noticed that in the Senate, Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-SC, sponsored a similar bill and it was co-sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC. Both of them remain and I saw Sen. DeMint's picture on the front of a magazine my mother gets with indications that his star has risen in the Congress. SO- I propose that we all write to these two senators and request that they reintroduce the bill in the new 111st Congress and examine the recent study. We have spent a lot of money and time on it. Let's complete it. The name of the Heritage Area has changed to The Carolina Revolutionary Road National Heritage Area.

So- has this already been done??? I don't know. I'm just thinking it never hurts to voice support. And remember, this is NOT about the Tea Party. This is a diversity story in the western Carolinas that needs to be spotlighted and it will be good for North Carolina as a whole in any case because almost every one of the 100 counties has valuable Revolutionary stories to tell.

Congratulations to Prince William and Miss Middleton! by the way. I've been following the Prince since he was born. Time FLIES! His bride to be is beautiful and they seem very suited to each other. IT is so important to share common interests and experiences. Marriages have ups and downs and it is important to have some good times to remember. Perhaps when they settle down and this bill finally passes Congress; when we are all ready to open our Heritage Area to guests, they will visit. Its good to put away differences and celebrate.