christyland

WELCOME TO "CUTTER GAP"

and the home of

"CHRISTYLAND"

Del Rio, Cocke Co. Tennessee

GOD'S COUNTRY U.S.A.

Music: A New Day Has Come by Celine Dion

Researched and written by Carolyn Whitaker

N O T I C E

You may print these pages for your own personal use, however, they are not to be published without written permission from me, nor may you use it on any other website, but you may link to this webpage. If I find out they have been published I will pursue legal action. I'm not trying to be mean, but I have had so many people take my research and photos, use it for their own and not even give me credit, nor have they asked permission to use it. So under these circumstances it has caused me to set guidelines. I'm sorry it has had to come to this, but some people just don't get it.

Take off your shoes and sit a spell!! Come on in and meet the REAL CHARACTERS in the book "CHRISTY" by Catherine Marshall, and join me in a journey through the lives of my Click cousins and their friends and neighbors, as they raised their families in an incredible true story that took place in the beautiful Smokey Mountains of Cocke County, Tennessee in the early 1900's.

The Book "Christy" can be purchased at Barnes and Noble Book Store and used to be a television series on Pax TV and Odessy TV networks.

There is no possible way I could begin to tell as wonderful a story as Lenora Whitaker's daughter, Catherine Marshall told in this book. As we all know, this book was written in fiction form, but after delving into the story and talking to family members and descendants from other families involved, the story is pretty much true to the events that actually took place. The names of the families were changed around, but as I read the book or watch the TV series, knowing who certain family members were, their spirit truely comes to life.

My discovery that our family was involved in the story came to light through genealogical research I am doing on the history of my Click family, who were among the very first settlers prior to the statehood of Tennessee. Our family is German descent (actually French Hugenots) and they settled in Washington County, Tennessee in abt 1785, coming down through the Shenandoah Valley along with the many other settlers from the Pennsylvania Dutch settlements. This area of Tennessee, is in the heart of the Cherokee Indian Nation, and was mostly settled by Germans, Scotch, and Irish. They brought with them the customs and culture of their home countries. Many carried with them superstitions that they continued to practice which had been passed down from generation to generation (remember the axe & string in the book?). Strange it seemed to other people, but was a way of life for them. Many of them would isolate themselves and chose to live a secluded life rather than be subjected to ridicule or interference by outsiders. They were very proud, clanish people and took the law into their own hands, the males ruling the roost, and they didn't take lightly to outside intrusion. They were kind and loving people, but of course had their disorderly ones as well. Course ya know everybody's kin has em!!

As the Christian missionaries made their way around to these isolated mountain areas things began to change, but the way of life of the mountain people was difficult for them to understand.

Various members of our Click family moved to Cocke County around 1825. This part of our Click family that were portrayed in the story came to Cocke County from Greene County between 1857 and 1860. Our Click family members resided in Washington, Greene, Cocke, and Monroe. We have documentation that all of them are related.

THE CHRISTYLAND PEOPLE

Click on the photo for larger version. These are the members of the families who attended the mission school and church and were portrayed in the story. Photo taken abt 1915/16 at the Old Ebenezer Mission

Whenever you see a question mark means that person is not identified.

1st row L to R: Grady Elkins, Ralph Elkins, George Thomas Ellison, Cleveland Ellison, ?, Clarence Fox in Opal Fish's lap, Altha Alice Click, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ? Mary Jane Click, ? Burland Maggie Corn, Lady in dark hat is Mrs. J. A. (Nancy) Messer, Opal Corn in white dress and bonnet, ?, ?, ? Mary Ellison, ?, J Allen Messer (preacher)

2nd row L to R: Jim Brown, Kate Pack, Oll McMahan, Niney Burke, Florence Click, Kate Fish, Rhoda Pack, Till Turner, Bertie Ellison, ?, John Fish, ?, T. S. (Tall) Corn, in front of Tall is Gladys Fish, Marion "Hoss" Click, ?, Texanna Ball, Noah Pack, ?, ?

3rd row L to R: Tillman Ball, ?, Harl Ball in Fannie Ball's arms, ?, Sarah Jane Ellison, Dolly Elkins, Katherine Ellison, in front of Dolly Elkins is Mrs A. S. Corn and baby, Betty Ellison, ?, Zeb Fox, behind Zeb is Toot Turner, in front of Zeb is George Ellison Sr, A. S. Corn, Sam Hall, Jack Click, ?, ?, Jackie Hall, Creed Click, Minnie Fox, Hattie Click, ?, ?, Hubert Click, ?, William Fish on fence post, in front of William is ?, lady in hat 2nd in front of William is Julia Burke Fish, ?, ?, ?, ?

4th row L to R: Isaac Crum, Martha Corn, Flora Corn, ?, ?, Meb Webb, ?, ?, ?, ?, somewhere in back row is Willie James who died in World War I.

Photograph and identification contributed by William Creed Click, Jr

LET'S SET THE STAGE

In Catherine Marshall's book she indicates the story beginning in 1912 when Lenora Whitaker, her mother named "Christy" in the book, arrives by train from Asheville, North Carolina to teach in a mission school to the economically distressed "highlanders" children, located a few miles from Del Rio, Tennessee (EL PLANO in the book).

However, in my research I discovered that Lenora Whitaker, who was 19 years old, was listed in the 1910 Cocke Co census with what appears to be her sister, Essie Whitaker age 17. They were boarders residing in the household of Margaret Allison age 37 and single. Also residing as a boarder was John A. Wood, "DAVID GRANTLAND in the book", age 27, Lenora Whitaker's future husband. This area is the location of the mission.

To the west of "Cutter Gap" is a mountain called "Hall's Top". This is the general area where THOMAS PACK lived, who was mostly portrayed as "BIRDSEYE TAYLOR", the ole moonshiner,(made up along with other characters such as himself into this character) and his son, WILEY PACK as "LUNDY TAYLOR". This area is also known as the "Old 15th District" of Cocke County. This area was also occupied by the many Turner and Hall families for which the mountain was named.

Coming on down from Hall's Top mountain into the area of BIG CREEK, which is located to the West of Christyland in the valley, we find some of the Click and Fish families. This is the area of the old mill talked about in the book of the "ALLEN'S", which actually was the CLICK MILL owned by James Newton Click and his wife, Alice Fish, daughter of Uncle Marion Fish & Laura Avaline Griffith. Now are ya keepin track of all these "Fishes" yet?? cuz it gets MORE confusin as times goes on, especially when David Johnson starts "FISHIN FOR KIN"!

This is Big Creek where the Click Mill was located.

In the bottom right hand corner you will see CLICK MILL, up from there you will see Bat Harbor, where a lot of kin to the families in "Cutter Gap" lived.

The following information was supplied by Woody Pack, my dear friend, who has passed away. My notes are in parentheses:

"as you make the last hard left turn on your way to the Mission site; the cabin on your right is the third edition cabin of my maternal ancestors. George Washington Ellison had a land grant to 160 acres to the top of Chestnut Ridge and back behind you to the original log cabin of his eldest son, Bertie Ellison, who married Lizzie Click (daughter of James Newton Click and Alice Fish, the ALLEN'S in the book). Straight up the ridge behind his cabin is the Ellison Cemetery.

If you took a tumble off the ridge from Bertie's cabin you would land at the junction of Morgan Branch and Big Creek. Morgan Branch was Christy's "CUTTER GAP" and Big Creek was "TUMBLING CREEK". "LONESOME PINE RIDGE" in the book is Chestnut Ridge then and now.

The aforementioned cabin just before the Mission is the home of my last living Uncle Clark Ellison. Clark was born 1910 and said he sat on Christy's knee when he was a child. Christy taught my mom Katherine Ellison at the Mission school. Mom was born 1900 died 1995.

At the fork of the road the Old 15th --down hill to the left and Chapel Hollow Road up hill to the right, if you look off the bluff to your left and down to the bend of Big Creek you will be looking at the site of the old Click Mill, which I remember well.

There was a low head dam at about the junction of Big Creek and Morgan Branch that supplied water for the mill wheel via a wooden Millrace on the far side of the creek. There is still a nice house at this junction, which was occupied at one time by my Dad's brother, NOAH PACK and his (first) wife KATE FISH, Minnie ("RUBY MAE" in the book) Fish's sister, (and both granddaughters of Uncle Marion Fish & Laura Avaline Griffith). Minnie kept the little store in the corner of the yard. The store has been gone for years. When Kate Fish Pack died (14 May 1944), Uncle Noah married (22 Aug 1945) ALTHA CLICK (daughter of Marion Stephen Click ("O'TEALE'S in the book) and Marcelia Fish,( daughter of Uncle Marion Fish and Laura Avaline Griffith)."

Remember the song "Rocky Top Tennessee"? You're looking at the mountain written about in the song!! Rocky Top is the mountain on the north side of "Cutter Gap" and the road the families walked to go do business in Newport. They traveled this path because it was shorter distance of 7 miles from their homes, instead of going through Del Rio which was 15 miles from Newport. Many of them had family members on this side of the mountain in the "Bat Harbor Community". One day they would travel to Newport, return to Bat Harbor and spend the night with their kin before going back to "Cutter Gap" the next day. The road that you see is the road that "Christy" trekked up to get to "Cutter Gap".

Click on the map for a larger version. If you will look closely in the center of the map you will see a church - this is Ebenezer Mission and the area where the story took place. On my journey in June, 2000 to the area, I plotted my route to get to the location of the Mt Zion Church Cemetery where many of these families are buried, and the current location of the church, which was moved from it's original location. I believe this map was drawn by Larry Myers, who is the curator of the site of "Christyland". Anyway, he used to be, but Larry's cabin has since burned and I'm not sure where he now resides. Larry's family was "Jeb and Fairlight Spencer".

Click on photo for larger version. This flag located by the railroad tracks in Del Rio (EL PLANO) where "Christy" should have gotten off the train, but instead she got off at Bridgeport. That meant she had to walk over the mountain of "Ole Rocky Top" which is 7 miles to "Cutter Gap" and a VERY rough road in deed. Since my trip there in 2000 the flag has been repainted with a U.S. flag.

This is the Ebenezer Church Mission where the children in Chapel Hollow "Cutter Gap" went to school and the families attended church. Three brothers, JAMES "JACK" NEWTON (the ALLEN'S in the book), WILLIAM FRANKLIN (the MCHONES in the book), and MARION STEPHEN "HOSS" (the O'TEALE'S in the book) CLICK who married three FISH sisters, donated the land to build the mission. Their cabins were but a short distance from here. The land was originally purchased by their father, WILLIAM HENRY CLICK, from George Brown King and his wife Lucinda McIntosh. Now keep your eye out on those McIntoshes, cause they keep carryin on with these Click boys, who keep carryin on with the FISH boys. These McIntosh girls are the daughters of James McIntosh and his wife, Elizabeth McIntosh (also her maiden name) who were from Iredell County, North Carolina.

William Henry Click, contributed by William Creed Click, Jr

The grandparents of these three Click brothers was JANE CLICK who was born 16 March 1812 in Tennessee and died 1 Sept 1896 Del Rio and is buried at Mt Zion Cemetery, and BENJAMIN JACKSON FORD, who were not married, their son being William Henry Click 30 May 1833 Greene Co. Tennessee and died 16 June 1914 Del Rio. William served during the Civil War and as a Postmaster of the former Readhill, Tennessee Post Office from 22 Jan 1900 to 15 Oct 1907. He was a wagonmaker as well as a farmer. His wife was SARAH ELIZABETH "Bettie" TURNER. Now here comes MORE ya gotta keep straight. Bettie Turner Click was the daughter of Lorenzo Dow Turner and Eliza Buckner. Now here's where ya don't want to forget about ole "BIRDSEYE TAYLOR" aka THOMAS PACK.

Marion "Hoss" Stephen Click and his wife, Marcelia Fish were the O'Teale's; William Franklin "France" Click and Cora Fish were the McHones; and James Newton "Jack" Click and Alice Fish were the Allen's. These Fish sisters were the daughters of William Marion Fish and Laura Avaline Griffith. The Fishes had moved to Cocke County from Haywood County, North Carolina sometime in the 1880's. Now word has it that Laura's mother was a witch --remember them superstitions I was a tellin y'all about before? They also had a son Whipple Carpenter Fish who married Martha Avaline McIntosh. Now here we go with those McIntosh girls!! Martha McIntosh was the daughter of John H Hall (remember Hall's Top??) and Nancy Jane McIntosh, who never married. Now hold on with me here cuz you're gonna heer more about all of these families and y'all gotta try to keep em all straight!! And dontacha be a makin fun of the way we talk either, we're juss kin ya know and we can't hep it. And besides we're not the dummies that the yankees think we is!!

Photographs of the family members were contributed by our cousins, William "Billy" Creed Click, Jr., Sharon DeBruyn, and David Johnson. The photos of the people at the mission were given to Billy by his cuzzin "RUBY MAE" Minnie Fish before her death in 1978. Minnie Fish is the daughter of John Fish and Julia Belle Burke, a son of Uncle Marion Fish and Laura Avaline Griffith. Minnie's parents were divorced and a big hullabaloo. Minnie's sister, Katherine "Kate" Fish was the 1st wife of Noah Clayton Pack, who Woody Pack was talking about above.

THOMAS PACK was born around May 1873 and was an out of wedlock son of William Massey Turner and Carolyn Pack (who's related to all the other Pack's in the area). So now we're Packin, Fishin, and Clickin right along! Massey Turner was also a son of Lorenzo Dow Turner and Eliza Buckner, and sister to Bettie Turner Click, wife of William Henry Click. Are you lost yet??? well hang on it gets better!!! Ole "BIRDSEYE TAYLOR" is a FIRST COUSIN to the three CLICK brothers, James, William, and Marion Stephen through their mother. Now don't that just beat all?? Now we know that Cocke County is famous for being the "moonshine capital of the world", so ya better go back and re-read the book again so ya can make the connections again, wouldn't ya think? Now ole Tom Pack died in 1937 and is buried near "Hall's Top" mountain in the FISH/TURNER Cemetery in an unmarked grave. He was married 3 times and had a total of 9 children, among them Wiley aka"LUNDY". Two of his marriages were to his Turner cousins, one of which divorced him because of spousal and child abuse and the court ordered him to stay away from her, the poor thing. On a trip to the courthouse in Newport one day I ran into a grandson of Tom Pack and he told me how he tried to pour metal of some kind in some of his kids ears!! Very mean man I am told. He used to keep a wire tied around his property with cans on it so when anyone came around his property he would know they were on his property because he was runnin' moonshine. No wonder Lundy was such a little heathen. Onary ole cuss!!

William Franklin "France" Click and Cora Fish

William Franklin Click "France" (The McHones) and Cora Fish, daughter of William Marion Fish & Laura Evaline Griffith. Cora Fish is the aunt of Minnie Fish who was portrayed as "Ruby Mae" in the book. Cora died in 1912 of typhoid fever and France remarried to Milem Shelton. Prior to France's marriage to Cora Fish he had a couple of out of wedlock children with Nancy Jane McIntosh. Their son Reuben McIntosh lived with France and Cora for a while until France made Nancy Jane mad for whipping Reuben, so she sent him away and he was raised by a family in Sevier Co. and lived near his aunt, Elizabeth McIntosh Henry. Reuben inherited land from his aunt Elizabeth and died in 1975 Sevierville, Tennessee on that farm. (Remember Lucinda McIntosh and George Brown King, who sold the land to France Click's father? She is the sister of Nancy Jane and she and Brown King eventually moved to Greenville, South Carolina where France moved later. Nancy Jane McIntosh also had a daughter with her sister Lucinda's husband George Brown King. That daughter was raised by Lucinda)

Reuben was the 1/2 brother to Martha Avaline McIntosh Fish, all the children of France Click and Cora Fish, and France Click's daughter by Milem Shelton, Rosa Lee Shelton Wright. Also, his 1/2 siblings his mother had by other men George Allen McIntosh, Nora McIntosh Brooks, Mary Ann McIntosh King by George Brown King (Nancy Jane's sister Lucinda McIntoshes husband). Unwrangling the relationships of all these family members was a nightmare. Just before Reuben died he called his Click siblings to his bedside and revealed he was their 1/2 brother, something they were unaware of. It was through our research that David Johnson and I found his estate file in Sevier County where the family of Martha Avaline McIntosh and Whipple Carpenter Fishes children received the majority of the estate. David had remembered his parents coming to Tennessee to settle the estate and never could quite figure out why, but we finally were able to establish all the relationships. In spite of the perception of these families is concerned, it certainly isn't the only ones where this occurred and it surely will not be the last. It's just life and that's the way it is.

Whipple Carpenter Fish and Martha McIntosh, Contributed by David Johnson, their grandson.

Lee Annie Fish Johnson, daughter of Whip Fish and Martha McIntosh and mother of David Johnson.

Home of William Franklin "France" Click and Cora Fish

Remember the check stubs that "Christy" found when she went back to "Cutter Gap" in the cabin from the mills in South Carolina? Welll, France Click left the mountains and went to work in the mills in Greeneville, South Carolina and later moved to Shelby Co. North Carolina where he died 26 Dec 1932. He is buried on the farm where his old homestead stood across the road and up a steep hill. Directions to his house: On the Old 15th Road you go past Chapel Hollow Road that leads up to Christyland and continue on until you get to the concrete bridge and on the right you will see a rock chimney still standing in a field. Arsonists burned the log cabin dwelling several years ago. This is just before you cross the bridge.

remains of chimney from France Click home

Now cousin William Creed Click, Sr, son of France & Cora Fish, was married to two Painter sisters, Nellie Mae Painter and Mary Helen Painter. Cousin William "Billy" Creed Click, Jr's mother was Mary Helen Painter. Remember Lorenzo Dow Turner above and Eliza Buckner? Mary Helen Painter is their great granddaughter. Lorenzo Dow Turner's son Reuben C. Turner is the brother of Sarah Elizabeth Turner Click, mother of France Click. Reuben's daughter, Mary Ellen married John Dolphus Painter and are Mary Helen and Nellie Mae's parents. So their cousins to themselves!! Creed Sr was born and raised in "Cutter Gap" and attended the mission school. Remember the name "CREED ALLEN" in the book?? I'm sure she took that name and applied it to one of James Newton Click's kids for the story using France's son's name!!

Taken ca 1909 in Del Rio. the lady was a mission worker who had this group of young boys in her class and called them "the Sunshine Workers". Front L to R: The lady is believed to be "Christy" but there again may have been "Miss Alice Henderson", Noah Pack, William Creed Click, Sr, Nathan Pack, Tillman Ball. Back L to R: Frank Turner, Marion Stephen "Hoss" Click, Charlie Toby, Frank Cashen.

Taken 1917 at the mission. Back: Baleue Turner (standing), Marion Stephen Click (lots of forehead showing with big hat). Middle L to R: William Franklin "France" Click, Jim Griffin, Willie Clark, Nathan Pack, Noah Pack (husband of Alta Alice Click, dtr of Marion Stephen Click), Lenora Whitaker "Christy". Front L to R: Noah Click (son of Marion Stephen Click), Harley Pack, Mack Clark, Frank Turner, and Jess Pack

Now another story has it that a Click who lived in the Del Rio area killed a man by the name of Gentry over a poker game. Now ya know they were a drinkin some of that moonshine ole "Birdseye Taylor" was a makin up there!! Story I heard was the Gentry guy was beaten to death with a board. Now I haven't discovered the culprit yet, but the irony of it is that my own great grandfather, William Reginald Click, born in Cocke Co in 1840 was involved in a murder in Monroe Co. Tenn during the war between the states with a neighbor by the name of Pink Gentry. My grandpa and Pink Gentry ran, and Pink ended up living in Hot Springs, North Carolina, which is just over the mountain from Del Rio. The Gentry boy was the son of Pink and supposedly killed by one of our cousins!! Lordy me, now what???

Uncle William Marion Fish and wife, Laura Avaline Griffith, and granddaughter, Minnie Fish "Ruby Mae" taken abt 1907. Contributed by Wm. Creed Click, Jr, great grandson.

Minnie Fish "Ruby Mae" with the long red hair

In an article of the Newport Plain Talk newspaper submitted by Mrs. Wilford Metcalf a few years ago, she talks about Uncle Marion Fish...an excerpt (my notes in parentheses):

"Ebenezer was started by Catherine Plantz (Miss Alice Henderson in the book) of Watertown, Wisconsin, a member of the Soul Winner society in the late 1800's.

Before she came, a wandering preacher came through this area preaching and happened to have services at old Fair View, a little meeting house that stood on the point of the hill above the present home of Mrs. Opal Turner (sister of Minnie Fish "Ruby Mae"), better known as the old "Tall Corn Place. He asked the people about starting a Sunday School, and of course, everyone was interested. Then suddenly in the fall of that year a young lady stepped off the train at Bridgeport to be greeted by a crowd of men sitting around a big stove with tobacco juice going strong sometimes landing in the sand box around the stove and sometimes other places."

As Miss Plantz walked into the store, Uncle Marion Fish seemed to be the spokesman and said, "Where ye hedin fer, young lady?"

She then told her story of how the preacher man told her how much these people in the Tennessee hills wanted a Sunday School and that she had been told some one would meet her, but no one had been so instructed in this group. So again Uncle Marion spoke and said, "I'll let you ride my mule - I've come to mill but I can carry my turn of meal and you can stay with me and Laura until we find a place for a Sunday School." (So this would be the basis in the story for "Christy" getting off at the wrong stop).

She remained with the Fish family for a few months, going down to Fair View for services. Aunt Betty Ellison's relative took a liking to the mission lady and Uncle Marion Fish and his son in laws, Jack and Marion Click."

Catherine Plantz married William Nomack, ....and went to China.

John Wood ("DAVID GRANTLAND")then came, and is the one credited with building the church and school. Apparently not long afterward Lenora Whitaker "Christy" arrived and she and John were married. They took over together until they were called away to another location. There were many other missionaries who came as well after the Wood's left.

"...each child had to pay 60 cents a month. (to go to school) If one could see the books that burned you would read like this.

M. S. Click - plowed in garden for schooling (The O'Teale's)

D. F. Turner's brought vegetables

Smith Teague hauled wood

J. R. Turner brought fruit and vegetables

A. J. Corn brought vegetables (Arter Corn, father of Opal Corn Meyers "Jeb Spencer")

Contributed by David Johnson

Martha Avaline McIntosh, at about 8 years old, is the daughter of John H. Hall and Nancy Jane McIntosh. This photo was graciously shared by her grandson, David Johnson of Valdosta, Georgia. Now I told ya not to forget about all those Fishes didn't I?? Well we're now goin "Fishin for Kin" like David says. Martha (PHOTOS ABOVE) married Whipple Carpenter Fish, son of Uncle Marion Fish and Laura Avaline Griffith. Martha was also sent off the mountain, as her 1/2 brother Reuben McIntosh had been, to live with another family by the name of Abe Watts in Greene Co. Tennessee. At some point she returned to end up marrying Whip, circumstances we're not quite sure about. They had a large family and tramped all over the place until they finally settled in Georgia where they both died. Their daughter, Lee Annie Fish, is the mother of David Johnson.

It was quite by coincidence that I connected with this family. I was scrolling through queries back in 1999 on the Cocke County genealogy site looking for other family who might be researching and found a query about my Click cousins and Jane McIntosh's death certificate that David had posted. I emailed him a reply and the next thing ya know we're plannin to meet in Tennessee to do some research together and figure out just what was going on up in them there hills. Boy, did we ever get an education!! and had a fabulous trip walking through "Christyland" and visiting with Larry Meyers and scouting around through the cemeteries, court records, and libraries that netted us a huge amount of information. I still laugh hysterically about that trip, can you imagine the two of us trampin' around those mountain roads in a Lincoln Continental? It was interesting to say the least and half scared the wits out of David, especially when we went to the cabin we rented with about a 100 foot drop off on one side. You went up the mountain road to the cabin and you had to turn left or right to get to it. You had to turn left and back up to the cabin, otherwise when you backed down the mountain you might end up going off of it!! You could tell he'd been living on flat ground his whole life!! I still just roar about it.

Nancy Jane McIntosh's family had lived as neighbors to William Henry Click since at least the 1870's when her parents moved to Cocke County from Hawkins Co. Tennessee. Nancy Jane was born abt Dec 1854 and died in 1925 while residing in the household of France Click and Cora Fish's son, Creed Click, Sr and his first wife, Nellie Painter at the old France Click homestead. France had gone to South Carolina by this time. Jane had helped raise the children of the Click families and they ended up burying her when she died. Where she is buried we are uncertain, but possibly in the Click Farm cemetery across from France's house.

David Johnson and Carolyn Whitaker

Home of Marion Stephen "Hoss" Click and Marcelia Fish

The O'Teale's in the book was the family of Marion Stephen Click and his wife, Marcelia "Celia" Fish, daughter of Uncle Marion Fish and Laura Avaline Griffith. They had 12 children, 9 of whom lived. Their little son, Bernie, was an epileptic and died when he was about 19 from this illness. He's the one talked about as being penned in the corner of the cabin, however, family has told me they didn't do that to him.

Marion Stephen Click and Marcelia Fish and one of their children

Larry Meyers and David Johnson in front of Marion Stephen "Hoss" Click cabin.

Fireplace Click cabin

stairway Click cabin

In June, 2000 David Johnson and I met in Tennessee and these photos are the result of our adventure with Larry Meyers and now the owner of the Marion Stephen Click and Marcelia Fish homestead.

L to R: David Johnson, Carolyn Whitaker and Phillip Ellison.

While David and I were visiting Larry Meyers (who's home is behind us and the home of Mrs. Opal Corn Meyers, who's mama and papa were "Jeb and Fairlight Spencer" in the book), Phillip dropped in to borrow something from Larry. When I realized who he was, we immediately got the camera ready. You see David Johnson and I are not related, but we have what we call "Cousins in Common". Phillip's mother was Lizzy Click who married Bertie Ellison (remember further back about Wood Pack's family above?? he's kin to Phillip too). Lizzy Click's parents were James Newton Click and Alice Fish (THE ALLEN'S). Course I'm related through the Click's and David's related through the Fishes. David's grandpa Whip Fish and Alice Fish were brother and sister. Now do ya have all that straight yet?? It does become a bit confusing sometimes!! I could get started on how I'm related iffin ya really wanted to know, but I'm a tellin ya you ain't got enough time right now and it's too complicated.

Now meet the "ALLEN'S"... owners of the Click Mill.

L to R: Laura Avaline Griffith Fish (now her mama is the one purported to be a witch) died in 1932, wife of Uncle William Marion Fish who died in 1924, with daughter Alice Fish Click who died Nov 1963 in Walden, New York, with her husband James "Jack" Newton Click born 14 April 1863 died 9 Oct 1929 and buried in the Mt Zion Church Cemetery, and sons (back row L to R) Andrew, Walter and daughter, Marie. He was truant officer for the school, squire, merchant, and owner/operator of the Click Grist Mill.

David Johnson at the Mt. Zion Cemetery where many of the families have their final resting place. The Ebenezer Church was moved next to the cemetery where it is still used for services of the descendants of these families. The old bell tower is still attached and the bell can be seen from inside the church.

In March, 2002 David Johnson and I once again ventured to Christyland, but this time he had his two boys, Chris and Chad, with him. We showed them around Christyland and told them the stories that we knew and who was involved. After taking a few pictures we were standing by the stream by Minnie Lee Fish's aka "Ruby Mae" old cabin. We weren't able to get to it when we were there before because of all the overgrowth, but this time it was plainly seen. We scouted around and we had found out from Phillip Ellison that the cemetery was straight up the mountain behind Minnie's cabin. So after some coaxing, I convinced David we needed to go up there. It had been raining lightly and the trek up the mountain was interesting to say the least. I had on slick boots and David had to drag me up the mountain, the boys had already beat us to the top and were scouting around the cemetery when we got there. After a bit of difficulties with batteries (:-)) David was able to get his camera working properly. We found Minnie and her brother, William McKinley Fish, buried there with tombstones but it was obvious there were others buried up there. For the life of me, I just can't imagine why in the world they'd drag a coffin all the way up there. The road that Phillip had referred us to was nothing more than an old path to the top. The trip down was equally as interesting. Chris held on to me as we walked off the mountain so I wouldn't fall and break my neck.

All of the following photos were graciously contributed by David Johnson.

The O'Teale Cabin aka Marion Stephen Click and Marcelia Fish Home

David Johnson and his boys, Chad and Chris.

Miss Alice's Cabin Site, which is no longer there

Chapel Hollow Sign

"Ruby Mae's" cabin aka Minnie Lee Fish

David Johnson and Carolyn Whitaker in the Fish Cemetery where Minnie Fish is buried

These are the beautiful wild roses that grow in Christyland. The same kind of roses grown in Fines Creek, Haywood Co. North Carolina where the Fish family came from.

A shot of Mt. Zion Church from up above

Carolyn Whitaker, Webmaster