US & Canada Versions: 3. The Bramble Briar
[The Bramble Briar, the location where the servant is "killed and thrown," is known by a number of different names in the United States[1] but ironically only two versions[2] have "Bramble Brier" or "Bramble Briar" in them. Four have "Bamboo Briar(s)"[3] and there are several other variations- two have "Branberry," one "greenberry" and one "Bomberry." Several have "Ditch" or "Ditch of Briars"[4] while many others simply call the burial place, "The Lonesome Valley[5]."
Many titles are fashioned after the location or residence of the merchant, his sons, daughter and servant. This location often appears as Bridgewater[6] and the longest and perhaps oldest complete version is titled, "The Bridgewater Merchant[7]." In the versions that have Bridgewater the ballad begins, "Near Bridgewater" or "At Bridgewater" which is very similar to the only early extant British version[8] which begins "Near Tunbridge Waters." It's easy to conjecture that Bridgewater may in fact be a derivative of Tunbridge Waters. However, Bridgewater, or more accurately Bridgwater, is the likely location unless other early versions or an early print version are discovered that prove otherwise.
Cecil Sharp titled his Appalachian versions, "In Seaport Town" as seven of the seventeen versions he collected begin with that opening line while other of Sharp's versions begin: "In Maple City," "In Transport Town," "In Newport Town" or "In Boston Town." Later collected versions in the Appalachians begin similarly and titles include: "In the Seaport" or "In Zepo Town[9]."
Other versions named after the murdered servant titled "The Apprentice Boy" still have Bridgewater in the opening line: 'Twas near Bridgewater a rich man lived[10]. Another group of names use the opening line: "Two Lovers Set Sparking[11]" or "One Evening as I Sat Courting." The last group of names, recently collected, are titled, "The Jealous Brothers."
The ballad has been disseminated in two main areas: 1. New York/New Jersey and 2. The Virginia Colony. This ballad didn't come with the early settlers (the Virginia House of Burgesses was established in 1619) since it's origin is estimated to be the early to mid-1700s[12] but it was likely here by the late 1700s since it was found in the early 1800s[13] in NY and reached isolated regions in the Appalachians where it was later collected[14]. The New York/New Jersey versions are the closest to the missing broadside[15] and include one print version[16] that was arranged from oral circulation[17]. One traditional version was taken to Michigan from New Jersey[18], another to Ohio and another Indiana.The westward migration could include an Iowa to California version and the version from Utah. The Virginia Colony was well established in the 1600s. By the late 1700s the ballads were brought to remote Appalachian regions like Beech Mountain, NC (Hicks/Harmon lines), Madison County, NC (Shelton line/Sodom-Laurel singers) and Flag Pond, TN. In 1775 Daniel Boone began blazing The Wilderness Trail into Kentucky and middle Tennessee paving the way for the settlement of those areas. The Bramble Briar was known in Kentucky and Tennessee as well as the earlier settled states of North Carolina and Virginia. The westward southern migration includes Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The southern versions, in general, are sometimes missing: 1. the inheritance awarded to the daughter when her father dies; 2. the location is Bridgewater; 3. the revenant visitation, or it has changed to a dream visitation 4. the father is a merchant; 5. the bramble briars, or the briars, instead they have been replaced by a generic location such as The Lonesome Valley.
As pointed out by Belden[19] the versions are corrupt, due inherently to the lack of existing print versions. There are certain phrase identifiers which have remained consistent in enough versions that we can understand the missing broadside or ur-ballad. These phrases include "wallowed in a gore of blood;" "she found him killed and thrown" which rhymes with "unknown;" her brothers were both "rash and cruel" and lastly "dearest bosom friend of mine." These identifiers can help sort out and give meaning to the mangled texts from oral transmission.
Although the ballad is rare and does not appear in a number of collections[20] the number of US versions totals well over sixty[21]. Currently in my collection there are fifty-six. The ballad tradition in the US never died out completely and although the method of recreation has changed, the ballad has been sung traditionally at least until the 1970s[21]. As pointed out by Gardham, the US version are longer and fuller than the English ones. Gardham primarily uses The Bridgewater Merchant taken from a Douglass MS estimated to be dated c. 1820 for his reconstruction of the supposed missing broadside ballad[22]. In England there also has been some borrowing from the similar ballad, The Constant Farmer's Son[23] that is not evident in US versions. I have attached US and Canada versions of Constant Farmer's Son in 3A, an Appendix to Bramble Briar. It is common knowledge[24] that Constant Farmer's Son was written about 1830 by a broadside printer based on the theme of Boccaccio-- presumably using a print or traditional version of Bramble Briar.
Still some writers, collectors and researchers have lumped the two similar ballads together which creates confusion.
R. Matteson 2016]
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Footnotes:
1. No versions of the ballad have yet been found in Canada.
2. The Bramble Brier- Goon (OH) pre1876 Eddy/ The Bramble Brier- (NY) Wehman's Songster 1890.
3. Bamboo Briers- Hannah Ross (VA-WV) 1875 Cox A
The Bamboo Brier- Harmon (TN-NC) pre1880 Henry
Bamboo Briars- Minnie Doyel (MO) 1917 Barbour
The Jealous Brothers- T. Lockard (WV) 1969 Bush B ("Bambu Briers")
4. A Ditch of Briers- Wheeler (VA) 1918 Sharp H
The Ditch of Briars- Yorks (NC) 1940 Brown C
Bridgewater Merchant- Stevens (NY) 1820 Thompson ("In a dry ditch")
5. This title is possibly derived from this text:
5. They traveled over hills and mountains;
Through lonesome valleys they did go,
[The Bamboo Briars- Hopkins (IN) 1935 Brewster]
6. Bridgewater or more accurately "Bridgwater" likely refers to a market town located in Somerset, England. Although Bridgewater (Bridgwater) is the best choice for the location, it is not in the majority. There are nearly twice as many US versions titled "In Seaport Town" or similarly and almost as many titled "Bramble Briar" or similarly. Bridgewater (Bridgwater) also appears in a number of English versions and I concur with Gardham that until the missing broadside is discovered it is my first choice for a location.
Bridgewater Merchant- Stevens (NY) 1820 Thompson
Apprentice Boy- Lambertson (OH-MI) 1850s Gardner ('Twas near Bridgewater)
Bamboo Briers- Hannah Ross (VA-WV) 1875 Cox A (Across Bridgewater )
Near Bridgewater- Eliza Pace (KY) 1917 Sharp E
The Bridgewater- Graham (CA-IO) 1938 Cowell REC
The Murdering Sweetheart- Ammons (WV) c.1952 (Bridgewater)
7. "The Bridgewater Merchant," from New York MS taken from a great-aunt of Douglas; dated circa 1820, part of Douglass/Stevens MS from A Pioneer Songster- Thompson, 1958.
8. "Near Turnbridge Waters" is found in Chapter 18 in Tales About Christmas by Peter Parley (Samuel Griswold Goodrich) London 1838.
9. "In Zepo Town" was sung by Lisha Shelton of Madison County, NC; 1963.
10. "The Apprentice Boy" is from New Jersey/Ohio/Michigan taken from a MS book (c. 1852) of Mrs. Elsie Clark Lambertson.
11. "Two Lovers Set Sparking" is by Fred High (AR) 1951 and was learned much earlier from The Walser's. "Sparking" is another word for "Courting."
12. "The Bridgewater Merchant" by Steve Gardham gives an estimated date of 1750. See: Dungheap No. 21: http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/dung21.htm
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CONTENTS: (Access individual version click on the blue highlighted title below or on the title attached to this page on the left hand column- see the green border)
1) Bridgewater Merchant- Stevens (NY) 1820 Thompson
2) Apprentice Boy- Lambertson (OH-MI) 1850s Gardner
3) Merchant's Daughter- Mayhew (MO) 1870 Belden A
4) Bamboo Briers- Hannah Ross (VA-WV) 1875 Cox A
5) The Bramble Brier- Goon (OH) pre1876 Eddy
6) The Bamboo Brier- Harmon (TN-NC) pre1880 Henry
7) The Bramble Brier- (NY) Wehman's Songster 1890
Jealous Brothers- Hammontree (AR) 1890s Randolph
Lonesome Valley- Walker (OK-MO) pre1906 Moores
Lonesome Valley- Pettit (KY) 1907 Kittredge
One Evening as I Sat Courting- Churchill (TX) 1910
The Apprentice Boy- (KY) pre1911 Shearin
Lonesome Valley- Sol Shelton (NC) 1916 Sharp MS
In Maple City- Banner Chandley (NC) 1916 Sharp MS
In Seaport Town- Alfred Norton (TN) 1916 Sharp MS
In Seaport Town- Hester House (NC) 1916 Sharp MS
In Seaport Town- Stella Shelton (NC) 1916 Sharp A
In Seaport Town- Martha Gosnell (NC) 1916 Sharp B
In Boston Town- Rosie Hensley (NC) 1916 Sharp C
In Seaport Town- Jane Gentry (NC) 1916 Sharp D
Near Bridgewater- Eliza Pace (KY) 1917 Sharp E
In Transport Town- Broghton (KY) 1917 Sharp F
In Seaport Town- H. Smith (KY) 1917 Sharp G
In Newport Town- Nora Haynes (NC) 1917 Sharp MS
Bamboo Briars- Minnie Doyel (MO) 1917 Barbour
A Ditch of Briers- Wheeler (VA) 1918 Sharp H
In Seaport Town- Sina Boone (VA) 1918 Sharp I
In Seaport Town- Julie Boone (NC) 1918 Sharp MS
Lonesome Valley- F. Richards (VA) 1918 Sharp MS
Jealous Brothers- Sutterfield (AR) c.1918 Wolf A
Over High Hills- Abie Shepherd (NC)1923 Carter JAF
The Hunt- Frank Proffitt (NC) 1924 Brown A
Brandberry Briars- Frances Sanders (WV) 1924 Cox C
Bomberry Brier- Moore (WV) pre1925 Cox B
The 'Prentice Boy- Becky Gordon (NC) 1928 Brown B
The Bamboo Briars- Hopkins (IN) 1935 Brewster
The Bridgewater- Graham (CA-IO) 1938 Cowell REC
In Seaport Town- Dora Ward (IN) 1938 Lomax
The Ditch of Briars- Yorks (NC) 1940 Brown C
Late One Sunday Evening- Gore (TX) 1941 Owens
Branbury Briars- Elizabeth Jensen(UT) 1947 Hubbard
The Merchant's Daughter- (TN) 1950
Two Lovers Set Sparking- High (AR) 1951 BK REC
The Murdering Sweetheart- Ammons (WV) c.1952
Lonesome Valley- P. Brewer (AR) 1958 REC Parler B
In the Seaport- Dillingham (AR) 1959 REC Parler A
Jealous Brothers- Armstrong (AR) 1962 REC Wolf B
Jealous Brothers- Hays (AR) 1962 REC Wolf C
In Zepo Town- Lisha Shelton (NC) 1963 Cohen REC
Lonesome Valley- Tommy Doyle (AR) 1965 Parler C
Two Jealous Brothers- Gilbert(AR) 1969 Max Hunter
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Collected by Josiah Combs in August 1908 from Margaret Combs of Smithboro, Kentucky; this version is very similar to the 1907 version Katherine Pettit supplied to Kittredge and could be from the same source. It's different enough to obviously be new version -- related perhaps to Pettit's version.
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at VWML) (CJS1/11/67)
https://www.vwml.org/search/search-roud-indexes?roudredirect=1&ts=1503506471147&collectionfilter=HHA;SBG;LEB;JHB;GB;COL;CC;DCD;GG;AGG;PG;HAM;MK;FK;EML;MN;TFO;CJS1;CJS2;FSBW;RVW1;RVW2;AW&qtext=In%20Yonder%20grove&precision=1#
In Yonder's Forth Town there Lived a Marjent (Merchant) (The Lonesome Valley)
1. In yonder's forth town there lived a marjent,
Who had two sons and a daughter fair
Away down in yonder's meadow,the ragent sea there for to sail,
And hunting with them forced to go.
2. One thousand pounds is this fair gay lady's portion,
She was a fair and comely dame,
She love the young man who crossed the ocean,
He told her how he could be do deslain (disdain).
3. Her brothers studied on this cruel matter,
Concluding a-hunting they would go,
And with this young man they both would flatter,
A-hunting with them he had to go.
4. They travelled over high hills and mountains
And through strange places where it were unknown,
Till at length they came to some lonesome valley,
And there they killed him dead and thrown.
5. All on that evening when they returned ,
She asked them where's her servant man;
What makes you (me) ask, she (you) seemed to whisper,
Dear brothers tell me if you can.
6. All on that night while she lay sleeping,
He rose and stood at her bed feet,
All covered o'er in tears and weeping,
All wallered o'er in gores of blood.
7. All on next morning when she arose,
She dressed herself in silk so fine,
She travelled over high hills and mountains,
Her own true lover for to find.
8. She travelled o'er high hills and mountains,
And through strange places where it was unknown,
Till at length she came to some lonesome valley,
And there she found him killed and thrown.
9. His pretty cheeks with blood were dyed,
His lips were salty as any brine;
She kissed him over and over a-crying,
"You dearest bosom friend of mine."
10. Three days and nights she tarried with him,
Till she thought her heart would break with woe;
Till sharp hunger came 'proaching on her,
Which forced her back home to go.
11. All on that evening she returned,
Her brothers asked her where she had been:
She said, "You hard-hearted, deceitful villains,
For him alone you both shall swing."
12. Her brothers studied on this bloody matter;
Concluded the ocean they would sail,
My friends I tell you, it's unto morrow
The raging sea there for to sail.
13. The sea began to roar, and I think no wonder,
That these two villains should be cast away
And broadways they cam tossling under
The sea did open and provide them graves.
Performer: Combs, Margaret
Date: Aug 1908
Place: USA : Kentucky : Smithsboro
Collector: Campbell, Olive Da Combs, Josiah H.
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Missing versions:
1) The bramble briar; sound recording | Sung by Samuel P. Harmon. (Statement Of Responsibility). Cf. Henry, p. 161. Fragment. Sound Recording (Form). Contributor: Halpert, Herbert - Harmon, Samuel P. Original Format: Audio Recordings
Date: 1939-04-26; -- We know Sam Harmon's version because it is the same as his wife's (Henry collected it) which came from Council Harmon, his grandfather.
2) In seaport town (The bramble briar) sound recording | Sung by Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill. (Statement Of Responsibility). Restricted. Sound Recording (Form). Contributor: Halpert, Herbert - Turbyfill, Lena Bare; Original Format: Audio Recordings
Date: 1939-04-00
3) The rich merchant (The bramble briar) sound recording | Sung by Joe Hubbard. (Statement Of Responsibility). Sound Recording (Form). Contributor: Halpert, Herbert - Hubbard, Joe; Original Format: Audio Recordings. Date: 1939-04-00
4) The lonesome valley --sound recording | Sung by Gant family. (Statement Of Responsibility). Sound Recording (Form).
Contributor: Lomax, John Avery - Lomax, Alan - Gant Family; Original Format: Audio Recordings; Date: 1934-11-00
5) In Seaport Town sound recording | Sung by Mrs. Maud Gentry Long of Hot Springs, North Carolina. (Statement Of Responsibility). Library of Congress. Recording Laboratory (Venue). Sound Recording (Form). Contributor: Library of Congress. Recording Laboratory - Long, Maud; Original Format: Audio Recordings Date: 1947-00-00. We know Maud Gentry's version came from her mother Jane Hicks Gentry- only Sharp included only one stanza of text with the tune. Smith may have published it.
From a Checklist of the WPA holdings, Alderman Library University of Virginia University of Virginia. Library, Bruce A. Rosenberg.
A. "The Rich Merchant." 11 (Joe Hubbard, Esserville, 10/19/38; ELH). Also recorded by Halpert- see above.
B. "A Rich Old Merchant," 9 (Mrs. Nellie Bray, Pound, 7/2/40 ELH).
c. 'The Hard-hearted brothers,: 11 (Mrs. Laura D. Bollin, Flat Gap 2/20/40 JTA).
D. "Charlesport City." 10 (Mrs. Cordelia Bentley, Esserville 5/4/39 eLR).
E. "Wake Up, You Drowsy Sleepers." 5 (Mrs. Alice Wagoner, Endicott 8/8/39; RHS). ???
In Seaport Town (text). Anderson, Collection 64. Mrs. Flora Havens, Binfield.
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In Yonder's Forth Town There Lived a Margent
First Line:
Source: Kentucky Folklore Record 6:4 (1960) p.128 item 23
Performer: Green, Mrs. Margaret
Date: 1909
Place: USA : Kentucky : Smithsboro
Collector: Combs, Josiah H.
Also Combs: "There was a rich man lived near Bridgewater"
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The Merchant's Daughter
First Line: In Seaport Town there lived a merchant
Source: Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.152-155 (version b)
Performer: Crawley, Lurlene
Date: 1938 (10 Aug)
Place: USA : Tennessee : Sale Creek
Collector: Duncan, Ruby
The Merchant's Daughter
First Line: In Seaport Town there lived a merchant
Source: Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.152-155 (version a)
Performer: Aslinger, Mrs. Ollie
Date: 1938 (8 Sep)
Place: USA : Tennessee : Sale Creek
Collector: Duncan, Ruby
In Seaport Town
Roud Folksong Index (S310577)
First Line:
Source: Anderson, A Collection of Ballads & Songs from East Tennessee (1936) p.64
Performer: Havens, Miss Flora
Date:
Place: USA : Tennessee : Binfield
The Ditch of Briers
Roud Folksong Index (S388625)
First Line: In Clarksburg city there lived a merchant
Source: James Madison Carpenter MSS Collection (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress / VWML, London) pp.10682-10684
Performer: York, Mrs. James
Date: 1929c-1935c
Place: USA : N. Carolina : Farmington
Collector: Carpenter, James Madison
High Hills and Lofty Mountains
First Line:
Source: Garrison, Forty-Five Folk Songs Collected from Searcy County, Arkansas (MA thesis: Univ Arkansas, 1944) p.53
Performer:
Date: 1960c (?)
Place: USA : Arkansas : Searcy County
Collector: Garrison, Theodore Roosevelt
Kentucky Folklore Record - Volumes 5-6 - Page 128
https://books.google.com/books?id=OGI7AAAAIAAJ
1959 - Snippet view - More editions
(G21) THE SILVER DAGGER: "Once there were a young man who loved a lady." Mrs. Richard Smith, Smithsboro, Knott ... (M31A) WILLIAM AND DINAH: "In yonders forth town there lived a margent." Mrs. Margaret Green, Smithsboro, 1909. 17.
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The United States Songster: 1836; [usually "Cupid's Garden" - a second ballad with a similar theme?]
The 'Prentice Boy.
As down in cupid's garden for pleasure I did walk,
I heard two loyal lovers most sweetly for to talk:
It was a brisk young lady, and her 'prentice boy,
And in private they were courting, for he was all her joy.
He said, dear honor'd lady, I am your 'prentice boy,
How ever can I think a fair lady to enjoy;
His cheeks as red as roses, his humor kind and free,
She said, dear youth, ne'er I wed, I'll surely marry thee.
But when her parents came this for to understand,
They did this young man banish to some foreign land,
While she lay broken-hearted, lamenting she did cry,
For my honest, charming 'prentice, a maid I'll live and die.
This young man to a merchant a waiting-man was bound,
And by his good behavior great fortune there he found;
He soon became his butler, which prompted him to fame,
And for his careful conduct the steward he became.
For a ticket in a lottery his money he put down,
And there he gain'd a prize of twenty thousand pound;
With store of gold and silver, he pack'd up his
clothes, indeed, And to England return'd, to his true love with speed.
He offered kind embraces, but she flew from his arms, No lord, duke, or nobleman, shall e'er enjoy mj charms;
The love of gold is cursed, great riches I decry, For my honest, charming 'prentice, a maid Til !i*t and die.
He said, dear honor'd lady, I have been in your arms. This is the ring you gave me for toying in your charms,
You vow'd if e'er you married, your love I should enjoy,
Your father did me banish, I was your 'prentice'boy
When she beheld his features, she flew into his arms, With kisses out of measure, she did enjoy his charms, Then so through Cupid's garden, a road to church they found,
And there in virtuous pleasure in hymen's band* were bound.