Origins: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad

Subject: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: GUEST,Pat Blackman
Date: 09 May 12 - 07:29 PM

This week on Murder Ballad Monday, we explore the Civil War murder ballad Hiram Hubbard.

Introduction - A first look for those unfamiliar with the ballad.

While Travelling Through Kentucky - An exploration of the history of the ballad and a good bit of educated guessing (or reckless speculation) about its historical context in the guerrilla warfare of highland Kentucky during the Civil War.

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: michaelr
Date: 11 May 12 - 07:14 PM

Pat, there is a nifty, spooky version on the CD Among the Oak and Ash by the group of the same name. Check it out!

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: Susan of DT
Date: 11 May 12 - 08:13 PM

Hiram

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HIRAM HUBBARD

Come gather round me children and a story I will tell
Come gather round me children and a story I will tell
Concerning poor Hiram Hubbard, and how he came and fell

While traveling through this country in sorrow and distress (2x)
The rebels overhauled him, and in chains they bound him fast

They whopped him up the mountain and they whopped him up the hill
To that place of execution where he begged to write his will

Farewell kind friends and neighbors, likewise my wife and child
I never hurt nobody, but now I'm bound to die

Well they bound the chains around him and they tied him to a tree
Eleven balls went through him and then he sank away

Hiram Hubbard was not guilty, I've heard great many say
He was not in this country, he was ninety miles away

@rebel @outlaw @Civil
DT #367
Laws A20
recorded by Joe Hickerson
filename[ HIRAMHUB
TUNE FILE: HIRAMHUB
CLICK TO PLAY
SOF

Popup Midi Player

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: Stewie
Date: 12 May 12 - 05:23 AM

Many thanks for your website and explorations. Fascinating!

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: GUEST
Date: 12 May 12 - 12:35 PM

@Stewie, thanks!

@Susan, Thanks, I looked for the Hickerson version but couldn't find it anywhere. Does anyone know where to get hold of it?

@Michael, thanks... I did find that one and a few others, but couldn't find sources for all of the lyrics (ie. did they folk process them or are they different old sources?)

Here's my Spotify playlist of everything I've found so far.

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: michaelr
Date: 12 May 12 - 05:29 PM

Well, the lyrics are not all that different in these versions - ATOAA substituted "sheriff" for "rebels" but the rest is pretty much like Jean Ritchie's version.

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: GUEST,Pat Blackman
Date: 12 May 12 - 09:32 PM

That's what it seemed to me, all likely derivative of the Ritchie version except for the Tammerlin lyrics which clearly have more detail... The question then is whether the Ritchie family's version is older or the one that Laws cites (by citing Combs)is older. I think the latter, which I discuss in the post, but it's circumstantial. Also not sure where the Hickerson version that is in the DT here falls in the mix. Hoping to find it soon on an album or in a collection with some liner notes, or that someone here can add information from such...

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: Felipa
Date: 08 Jan 23 - 03:00 PM

https://singout.org/hiram-hubbard-hiram-hubbert/

https://archive.culturalequity.org/field-work/kentucky-1937/hazard-1037/hiram-hubbard
Nancy Stacy recorded by Alan Lomax and Elizabeth Lyttleton Lomax

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: Felipa
Date: 08 Jan 23 - 03:24 PM

new link for https://singout.org/while-travelling-through-kentucky/

Ia this essentially the same as the blog which Pat Blackman directed us to at the start of the thread, and which appears to be a private site? I expect so; Pat Blackman is the author.

Subject: RE: Hiram Hubbard - Murder Ballad
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 12 Jan 23 - 01:24 PM

Information on The Ballad Index https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/LA20.html

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Hiram Hubbert [Laws A20]

DESCRIPTION: Hiram Hubbard is captured and brought to trial. Although he is not guilty of anything, he is tried and convicted on the evidence of his captors. He makes a will and is summarily shot. (He is reported to have been ninety miles from the crime scene.)
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1909
KEYWORDS: trial execution lastwill trial Civilwar
FOUND IN: US(Ap)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Laws A20, "Hiram Hubbert"
Combs/Wilgus-FolkSongsOfTheSouthernUnitedStates 48, pp. 171-172, "Hiram Hubbert" (1 text)
Ritchie-FolkSongsOfTheSouthernAppalachians, p. 77, "Hiram Hubbard" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roberts-SangBranchSettlers, #32, Hiram Hubbard" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT 367, HIRAMHUB*
Roud #2208
RECORDINGS:
Jean Ritchie & Doc Watson, "Hiram Hubbard" (on RitchieWatson1, RitchiteWatsonCD1)
NOTES [94 words]: Reported to be "an echo of the guerilla warfare in the [Kentucky/Tennessee?] Highlands during the Civil War" (indeed, the RItchie text refers explicitly to rebels) This strikes me as not unlikely. These regions were filled with Unionists who did not like the fact that their states had put them into the Confederacy. It took the Union two years to get troops to Knoxville. Until they did, there was generally trouble between the locals and the Confederate government.
I have not located any actual references to a Hiram Hubbard who was executed in this period. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.2
File: LA20

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