The Braswell Boys- Songs and Ballads fron Overton Co.
[The events are: the Nov 29, 1875 murder of Russell and John Allison of Putnam County, TN. They were allegedly killed by Jo and George "Teek" Braswell (and two others) as the Braswells attempted a robbery. On Mar 27, 1878 was the date of the hanging of the Braswells. Jo confessed to his crimes, but Teek maintained his innocence to the end. This ballad is usually sung to the tune of "Life's Railway to Heaven (Life is Like a Mountain Railroad)." The ballad is attributed to C.P. Glenn. Crabtree's version has an extra verse from the standard versions. It was also published by McDowell in her 1949 book, Memory Melodies.
R. Matteson 2014]
The Braswell Boys
[Composed and Sung by D. P. Glenn]
Come my friends or near relations,
Come and listen to my song;
I will sing about the Braswell’s,
About the men who were hung.
On the twenty-ninth of November,
Eighteen and seventy-five;
Was the night they done the murder
For which they had to give their lives.
They said, dear father and dear mother,
I hope you will remember me,
When we are dead and gone forever
And our face no more you’ll see.
When I rise and fly to glory,
I will meet my Savior there;
I shall live and reign forever,
Shall we know each other there?
For the judgement day is coming,
We must meet before the bar;
We must meet the ones we murdered,
Shall we know each other there?
We have lain long in prison,
In our attempts we never fail,
God will aid and assist us
For to break the Nashville jail.
When they started from the prison,
And the guards surrounded them,
Teek said, “Joe we are lost forever,
For our escape is very slim.”
Dear parents, sister and brothers,
For my soul do understand,
I am bound for to acknowledge
That I am a guilty man.
I want you all to go to meeting,
Lead new lives for this day,
For I expect to go to Heaven,
I can with you no longer stay.
Bohannon placed them in the wagon,
They were neat and very young,
Their coffins were seats for them
To the place where they were hung.
They had a sister and a brother
That seemed so very nigh,
They followed down to the hollow
Where they soon did see them die.
When they ascended the scaffold,
And the guards surrounded them,
They were joined by McFerrin,
Who opened up their prayers for them.
The third chapter of Romans,
It was read to them there;
And is a private conversation
They poured out their souls in prayer.
Death, you know, is the wages
You receive for your sins,
You must learn that in the future
You have to lose all you win.
Do not drink a drop of whiskey,
Do not kill or rob a man,
For it was the love of money
That I do on the gallows stand.
We know they committed murder
By taking other lives away,
So, now upon this solemn hour
We must take theirs today.
Then Jo said, in a cool voice
Gentlemen and ladies, too;
If you will give you your attention
I will speak some words to you.
I am here upon the scaffold
Before you all today;
And what’s it for? It is for murder,
Was the words he did say.
What caused me to do this murder?
It was whiskey and money, too,
And if you drink a drop of whiskey
Money then might tempt you."
Teek said: “It is a solemn hour
It’s told me that I must die,
I am ready and awaiting,
Prepared and willing to die.”
Then Isbell came upon the scaffold
Shaking heads with them there;
They were delighted at his presence,
Seemed very glad to meet him there.
He said, “Jo, was you at my house
The night the murder was done?
“I was there and I am guilty,”
Was the answer Jo made him.
Teek was low and fair complexed,
Jo was tall and very neat
They were pale and very silent
When their lips did seem to meet.
They listened to the death sentence,
It was there read to them,
Then they tied their wrists and ankles
And placed white caps upon them.
One said, “Jesus do have mercy
Will you be with me today?”
The other said, “Lord, have mercy
On them that swore my life away.”
The door fell and left them swinging
Betwixt the earth and the sky
It was for a dreadful murder
These two men did have to die.
They were cut down, put in their coffins.
Delivered over to their friends,
That was there for the purpose
To receive them at the end.
Read this song while you are adorning
When you before the judgment stand,
You by this might take warning,
Live only a sober man.
Do not keep any bad company,
I advise you not to drink a dram
Or you might be like the brothers
That died on the gallows stand.[1]
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1. See my notes above. Crabtree adds: The late J.B. Allison was sheriff of Putnam County at the time of the killing. Campbell Bohannan was sheriff at the time of the hanging. It has be said it was the largest crowd ever assembled in this county.