If you attended Brocks Gap Heritage Day this past April, you may have run across a frequent attendee holding court in a sunlit corner of the room.
Local author, Peggy Ann Shifflett, growing up in Hopkins Gap in an area then known as Palos, has put her memories to paper, in 5 very popular books- The Red Flannel Rag : Memories of an Appalachian Childhood; Mom’s Apple Pie: Memories of Food Traditions and Family in Appalachia; The Living Room Bed: Birthing, Healing and Dying in Traditional Appalachia; On the Way to Toe Town: Learning, Curiosity, and Rebellion and Play in the Traditional Appalachian Childhood; and the most recent Mountain Women Live On: Life and Legacy of Appalachian Women. Quite a historical reference to learn from!
Dr. Shifflett said “I have been presenting and attending at Brocks Gap Heritage Day over the past 12 years or so. Not a regular, but I always love to be there and meet distant relatives and friends I have not seen in years.”
Now living in Salem, VA with her partner and their beloved canine companions, Dr. Shifflett has not only a storied upbringing, but quite an accomplished adult life. She graduated James Madison University in 1969 and 1971 with a BA and MA, respectively. In 1980, she earned a Ph.D. from Texas A&M U. Studying both anthropology and folklore at UNC furthered her education.
“I always knew I wanted to write. My dad was the community historian, remembering and telling stories about family. As a teenager, I started making notes on pieces of paper and placing them in books. Over the years, I acquired a lot of history. At age 60, I started to write my first book – The Red Flannel Rag.”
Her inside view growing up in the area, gave her unusual insight to life in rural Appalachia. Through her studies and life, it would be only natural to write about it. One might say her upbringing led her to the path she took in life, and is responsible for her position in life today. At times what might be considered a harsh childhood, seems to have been the impetus for her pursuing the educational path, and achieving what she has.
Now retired from Radford University, where she was a Professor of Sociology, and Chair of the Dept of Sociology and Anthropology, Dr. Shifflett can now continue her familial research. “When I retired, I traveled for ten years, Peru, China, Tibet, Europe, Canada, etc. Now I garden and write. I had two Doberman Pinschers that I raised from babies. Both dogs recently died from cancer. I am still grieving. They were the best dogs I have ever known.”
The latest book, co-authored with the help of her cousin, Linville, VA resident Lori Bennett, delves into her family tree, detailing the hardships, as well as the happy times, of the women in her life and family, going back generations.
The introduction to the recent book, Mountain Women Live On, gives a historical look at Hopkins Gap area. The reader, for example, learns about the trees of the area and how different ones were used, the harvesting and use of what grew in the mountains- berries, greens, wildlife, and the hard work that was life back then. Literally living off the land.
The intro also describes the influx of immigrants who arrived in waves to settle the area. Just a few of the many family surnames mentioned, familiar and still in the area, are Shoemaker, Carr, Fridley, Conley, Dove, and Morris. There are detailed family trees.
The hardworking ethic of the men of Hopkins Gap is written about, as well as the hardships of living there. Some of the women often suffered in this lifestyle. Sometimes it is hard to read, but truthful in the telling, from Shifflett’s research and memories. Midwifery, one room school houses, childhood deaths, are among the memories shared. A walk through her old haunts, remembering who lived where, and what went on there, makes for interesting reading, even if you are not from the area.
A new book is in the works, due out in Spring of 2025. Called Shenandoah Valley Farmer: John I. Myers, Dr. Shifflett describes it – John Myers “was a wonderful man. He owned a lot of land, helped his neighbors, hired Hopkins Gap men as laborers on his farm. “
Her books, in order of publication, are: The Red Flannel Rag, 2004; Mom’s Family Pie, 2007; The Living Room Bed, 2010; On the Way to Toe Town, 2012; Mountain Women Live On, 2023
Some of these books may still be found locally at Gift and Thrift in Harrisonburg, Fulks Run Grocery, and J&B Country Store in Broadway, VA.
They may be ordered directly by contacting Peggy Ann Shifflett, 700 Cherrywood Road, Salem, VA 24153
