213. The Jam at Gerry's Rock

213

The Jam at Gerry's Rock

Mrs. Eckstorm (MM 176-98) has made a careful study of the
origin and history of this woodsman's song, and it has been ably
supplemented by Phillips Barry (BFSSNE xii 22-3). It seems
that it originated in Maine, some time shortly after the close of the
Civil War, and has spread pretty much wherever river-drivers have
gone to carry on their dangerous trade. Barry recognizes two
forms of it, one of which shows the influence of Canadian loggers
in Maine. Neither the hero of it nor the girl nor the "Gerry's
Rock" that is the scene of the incident can now be identified. Mrs.
Eckstorm pretty thoroughly demolishes Gray's theory that it is the
spontaneous creation of a communal throng (SBML xv-xvi). The
ballad has even found its way to Scotland, Cox says (FSS 256) ;
it has been reported as folk song from Newfoundland (BSSN
331-3), Nova Scotia (BSSNS (367-70), Maine (MM 82-90,
SBML 3-9, MWS 52-3, FSONE 217-20, BFSSNE x 18-20, xii
21-3 — this last really from New Hampshire), Vermont (NGMS
44-6), Pennsylvania (NPM 83-5), West Virginia (FSS 236-8),
Michigan (BSSM 272-3, SML 133-6), Wisconsin (BSSB 15-18),
Minnesota (BSSB 11-14, Dean 25-6), North Dakota (BSSB 19),
Oregon (ASb 394-5). and Florida (FSF 107-9). Barry (BFSSNE
XII 22) mentions an unpublished text from New Brunswick. Only
one of the three texts in our collection is strictly speaking from
North Carolina tradition; but the interest of the ballad is such that
it seems best to give here all of them, for comparison with the other
texts listed above.

A
No title. Given to Mrs. Vance at Plumtree, Avery county, by a stu-
dent, Miss Dorothy Royall, of Shelby, Wisconsin. A text originating —
see stanzas 3 and 4 — among woodsmen from Canada.

1 Come all ye brave shanty-boys, wherever ye may be,
I would have you pay attention and listen unto me.

For it concerns a shanty-boy so noble, true, and brave.
Who broke the jam on Garry's rock and met with a watery
grave,

2 It was on a Sunday morning, as you shall quickly hear.
The logs were piling mountain high, we could not keep

them clear.
'Cheer up, cheer up ! brave-hearted youths, relieve your

hearts of fear;
We'll break this jam on Garry's Rock and to Saginaw we

will steer.'

 

502 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

3 Now some of them were willing, while others they were not.
To work a jam on Sunday they did not think they ought;
Till six of our Canadian boys did volunteer to go

And break the jam on Garry's Rock with their foreman,
young Monroe.

4 They had not picked off many logs when the boss to them

did say :
'I would have you be on your guard, for the jam will soon

give way.'
His lips to this short warning scarce gave vent when the

jam did go
And carried away the six brave Canadian youths and the

foreman, young Monroe.

5 Now when the boys up at the camp the news they came to

hear,
In search of their dead bodies to the river they did steer;
And they found to their surprise, their sorrow, grief, and

woe.
All bruised and mangled on the beach lay the corpse of

young Monroe.

6 They picked him up most tenderly, smoothed down his

raven hair.
There was one among the watchers whose cries did rend

the air.
This fair one most distracted was a girl from Saginaw

town.
And her wails and cries did reach the skies for her true

love who was drowned.

7 The Missus Clark, a widow, lived by the riverside.

This was her only daughter (and Jack's intended bride).
So the wages of her own true love the boss to her did pay,
And a liberal subscription was made up by the shanty-boys
next day.

8 When she received the money she thanked them, every one,
Though it was not her portion to live for very long ;

And it was just six weeks or more when she was called

to go.
And her last request was to be laid to rest by the side of

young Monroe.

9 They buried him most decently ('twas on the fourth of

May).
Come one and all, ye shanty-boys, and for a comrade pray.
Engraven on a hemlock tree which by the beach did grow
Was the name and date of this sad fate of the foreman,

John Monroe.

 

NATIVE AMERICAN BALLADS

 

503

 

The Jam at Gerry s Rock; or, Young Monroe.' Contributed by E. Emer-
son of Ldgecombe, Maine ; the manuscript does not say when or through
whom It was secured. This text is fairly close to A, and yet has some
mterestmg variants. Note the repeated objection to working on Sunday,
stanzas 3 and 6. o j,

1 Come on, all you brave shanty boys, and list while I relate.
I'll sing about a shanty boy and his untimely fate.

This river man, called Young Monroe, so manly, true and

brave,
He broke the jam at Gerry's Rock, and found a wat'ry

grave.

2 'Twas on a Sunday morning, as you will quickly hear.
Our logs were piled up mountain high; we could not keep

them clear.

Our foreman said, 'Come on, brave boys, with hearts de-
void of fear;

We'll break the jam at Gerry's Rock, for Agon's town
we'll steer.'

3 Now some of them were willing, while others they were not.
To go to work on Sunday wasn't right, they hadn't ought
But SIX of our brave shanty boys they volunteered to go
And break the jam at Gerry's Rock with foreman Young

Monroe. ^

4 Now when they got out on the jam, the foreman and his

crew,

The logs were rolled up mountain high ; it was a frightful
view. **

They had not rolled off many logs before they heard him

say,
•I'd have you boys be on your guard; the jam will soon

give way.

5 These words he'd scarcely spoken when the jam did break

and go.
And with it went those six brave boys and foreman Young

Monroe. *

Six of their mangled bodies floating down the stream did go
While crushed and bleeding near the banks lay foreman

Young Monroe.

6 Those shanty boys upon the shore beheld the awful sight
They shook their heads and said to work on Sunday wasn't

right.
The first they found was Young Monroe ; brushed back his
raven hair.

 

504 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

And when his sweetheart knew him, how her cries did rend
the air !

7 Fair Clara was a noble girl, the riverman's true friend.
She and her widowed mother lived down at the river's

bend.
The wages of her own true love the boss to her did pay
While shanty boys made up for her a generous sum next

day.

8 They buried him quite decently, upon the first of May,
And all the brave young shanty boys did gather round to

pray.
Engraved upon the hemlock tree that by the grave does

grow
You'll find the date of that sad fate of foreman Young

Monroe.

9 Fair Clara did not long survive ; her heart it broke with

grief,
And less than three months afterwards death came to her

relief.
Her time had come, and she was glad, because she wanted

so
To join her own true lover and be laid by Young Monroe.

10 For if you're ever down that way I'd have you call and see
Two green graves by the riverside where grows a hemlock

tree.
The shanty boys carved in the wood where lay these lovers

low,
"Tis handsome Clara Vernon and her true love. Jack

Monroe.'

c

'The Death of Young Monroe.' From the John Burch Blaylock Col-
lection. This is the only one of our three texts that shows the song
current in North Carolina.

1 Come all you jolly shanty boys, I would have you to draw

near
And listen to a story I mean to let you hear
About a gallant shanty lad, so manful and so brave.
Who on the jam at Garry's Rock met with his watery

grave.

2 'Twas on a Sunday morning, about the first of May.
Our logs were piled up mountain high ; we could not clear

the way.

 

NATIVE AMERICAN BALLADS 505

The foreman said, 'Turn out, my boys, regardless of all

fear;
And we'll break the jam on Garry's Rock and to Saginaw

town we'll steer.'

There were some who were not afraid to go, while others
they hung back ;

A-working on a Sunday they did not think it right.

There were six brave young Canadian youths who volun-
teered to go

And break the jam on Garry's Rock with their foreman,
young Monroe,

They had not rolled 'way many a log when their foreman
he did say,

T would have you on your guard, my boys, this jam will
soon give way.'

These words had scarce been spoken when the jam did
break and go

And carried away those six brave youths, with their fore-
man, young Monroe.

When the rest of these brave shanty boys this sad news

came to hear,
In search of their dead comrades to the river they did steer.
In search of their dead comrades to the river they did go.
All bruised and mangled on the rocks lay the body of young

Monroe.

They took him from his watery tomb and smoothed his

waving hair.
There was one fair form among them whose cries would

rend the air ;
There was one fair form among them who had come from

Saginaw town,
Whose mournful cries would rend the air for the lover

who had drowned.

They buried him most decently, being on the third of May.
Come all you jolly shanty boys who may chance to pass

this way.
On a marble slab by the river's bend, where the hemlock

trees do grow,
Engraved is the name and the date of the death of our

hero, young Monroe.

Miss Clara was a noble girl, likewise the raftsmen's friend.
Her mother was a widow, lived by the river's bend.
The foreman he gave to her all her dead lover's pay.

 

506 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

Likewise a liberal subscription was raised by the boys next
day.

9 Miss Clara had not long to mourn her sorrow and her
grief ;
In less than three weeks after, death came to her relief.
In less than three weeks after, death called on her to go;
And her last wish it was granted — to be buried by young
Monroe.

10 They buried her most decently, being on the twentieth of

May.
Come all of you young people who may chance to pass this

way.
On a little knoll by the river's bend, where the hemlock

trees do grow.
Lies the body of Miss Clara Belle of Saginaw town and

her lover, young Monroe.