Fulks Run Youth Arrested for Making Moonshine.
April, we made it. I always believed April is the month that proves winter is over.
Now our March jingle was Brylcreem “a little dab will do you.” If you didn’t remember the rest of the song it went like this, “Brylcreem You look so debonaire, Brylcreem The gals all pursue ya, They’ll love to run their fingers through your hair.” Now what young teenage boy wouldn’t want that? Now for those that can remember in the 50’s the haircut of the times was flat tops, crew cuts, also know as GI’s which was a left over from World War II . Then Hollywood actors and singers started longer hair, remember Elvis, and the young men went for that look. This is when Brylcreem took the market leaving Wildroot Cream and Vitalis in the dust. And yes, all of those were available at Macs Superette. This month jingle is this “Trust your car to”……. Finish the sentence.
One thing about April is warmer weather, and the trees begin to grow out those luscious leaves, and both help to jump start a business that was dormant all winter. What business was this? Moonshining! Called this because most of the activity was done under the darkness on the moon. As a child in the store, I remember we had a good sugar business, and it was too early for Jellies and Jams. Fulks Run had more Moonshining going on than one might expect. In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s prohibition took effect which jumpstarted the local Moonshine trade. In the early 1930’s the Fulks Run Farmers would take their cows up in the Hog Pens section for summer grazing. The farmers would take turns checking on the cows, and it was on one of these trips that my Grandaddy Pap Clory and my daddy came across one of these stills. They paused briefly and continued on all at the same time. Pap Clory was explaining to my daddy NOT to mention to anyone what he had seen here this day. “Matthew,” he said, “this man is just trying to put food on the table for his family. And we cannot blame him for that.” As it turns out it became a tragedy for this moonshiner. As it happened the revenuers ( I think they now are called ATF agents) found the still and came across the man when he was running his shine. They sneaked in and when in a good position yelled hands up, don’t move. The shiner then reached down to the ground to pick something up, the revenuers thinking it to be a weapon fatally shot him in the back. Sadly, it was only later that they found out he was deaf and never heard their commands. Shortly after this tragedy my daddy went with another farmer to check on the cattle. When they approached the area where the still was, they found it beat to pieces, and the sad reminder was the bloody leaves that surrounded the destroyed still.
As we already know, not all events turn out for the good. It was 1960, and on this day, the 15-year-old son of a local shiner that they called THE FOX was helping his dad. The reason they called him The Fox was he had never been caught and was fast on his feet. It wasn’t until he sprained his ankle that they finally caught him, and he served two years in a West Virginia Prison. On this day the young man’s job was to carry in the sugar for the mash. Now this was a big job for a 15-year-old boy to lug a 50-pound bags of sugar through the woods up, hill and down. Finally, he was almost there, and upon arriving with his sugar at the still site he was in for a surprise. The law was waiting. They jumped out and arrested him and took him to jail. After carrying all that sugar, he was just too worn out to run. Before the judge, he stood waiting for his sentencing. It could have been worse, because of his age he received one year probation, and I can only guess an order to never do it again. To me this was a lot of work, for very little. The young man, which will be 80 years old this year, told me that in those days they sold a pint for $1.00 and a gallon for $8.00.
Another story that came across the local store’s news wire was when one of Fulks Runs well know Shiners was making his deliveries in Harrisonburg. As he was making his appointed rounds he was stopped by law enforcement. They had him without any question, for there on the seat was a gallon of some of the best corn liquor Fulks Run had to offer. Hoping to try and receive a lesser sentence, he asked if the officers would allow him to finish the delivery and that way, they would not only have caught him but also one of his customers. They agreed and positioned themselves to be able to see clearly the next sale. The shiner as usual pulled into the driveway of a very nice home and walked around to the side of the house where he knocked on the door. A maid came and answered the door, returned into the house and returned shortly with the money. He then handed the maid a gallon of Moonshine, she gave him the money and he turned to leave the residence. But the situation had changed as he walked back the law enforcement vehicles were no longer there, for you see he had just delivered a gallon of Moonshine to the home of the Circuit Court Judge in Harrisonburg. Judges get thirsty too!
I will continue with my Moonshine stories in future issues. But my May Follies will be used for a Feature about a United States Marine pilot in observance of Memorial Day. To me the most important story I have ever told or will ever tell. Please pray that I can put on paper the events that happened on that day and the days and years to follow. Please don’t miss it!
Important date: Easter April 20th Celebrate Jesus’s resurrection from the grave.
I do want to let you know that on April 12th @ 6:00 PM the Roby Family and the New Valley Four will be at The Brethren of Mountain Grove Church. Good Gospel Music and Everyone Welcome See Ad
Brocks Gap Heritage Days J. Frank Hillyard Saturday April 26 at 10:00 AM
Believe it or not
Until Next Time
Ronnie
