Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 13 - 04:16 PM

I appreciate all the answers and guesses above. But I recently contacted the Roy Acuff Museum (did you know there was a Roy Acuff Museum?)down in Tennessee for the definitive answer to the question: "Who the heck is 'Old Man Daddy Claxton.'" The answer I got was, "We have no idea." -- Steve (same Steve as the
1998 post above)

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,Jim Loewen
Date: 16 Jul 13 - 07:25 PM

Please see my article on the Wabash Cannonball and Daddy Claxton, at http://hnn.us/jim_loewen/articles/152354.html. There I suggest that Daddy Claxton was a farmer in Alabama; I think he was African American. Like many farmers at that time -- maybe 1890, maybe as late as 1910, I'm not sure -- he was hurting, because the railroad had a monopoly. Crops and livestock went to market by rail. Cars and trucks did not exist. Only one railroad served most counties. Even when two did, they did not compete; they agreed upon a common rate. That rate almost bled their customers -- farmers -- dry, almost bankrupted them.

The Farmers Alliance, an interracial organization that predated the Populist Party, protested, but usually to no avail. Not knowing what to do, Claxton took matters into his own hands. He stole a train! Of course, his was only a partial solution, since he had no tracks. Eventually they caught him, of course, charged him with theft, and brought him to trial. I think he got off owing to jury nullification, but I'm not sure. I also no longer remember where I read or heard this story. But it cogently explains the lyrics: of course he would be remembered 'round the courts of Alabam' for this escapade, which encapsulated and publicized the plight of so many people.

Comments?

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,Stephen Clark (Clarkson, Clarkston, Claxton)
Date: 16 Oct 14 - 12:35 AM

Wabash Cannon Ball.
I've been singing it for a couple of years now because it had the name Claxton in it. Here's the story which I can't say is true or not but I didn't make it up. George Middleton Clarkson, also Clarkston and Claxton, was the first person executed in what is now the state of Tennessee, then the State of Franklin. The story goes that GMC got in an argument over whether there would be slavery or not (Claxton opposing it)and the argument got so violent that GMC killed the other man. There was a contingent from North Carolina in the area led by a Mr. Tipton. The Judge was named Campbell and he issued a warning from the bench, "If anyone else harms Mr. Tipton or his men he will meet the same fate as Mr. Clarkson." GMC was hanged immediately by then governor of Franklin John Sevier who became the first governor of Tennessee.

Franklin was originally called Frankland, land of the Free, and I think George Middleton Claxton took the name seriously

Whether this is the same Claxton I cannot say, but at least one of his descendants is still remembering him in song.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,SeniorStrength
Date: 19 Apr 15 - 07:12 PM

I feel that daddy claxton was a fictional character, But a famous hobo - in the original verses he is described as a 'rounder' which is a drunk and a carouser - back in them days you were put in jail for being drunk and disorderly - Sooo this is a famous hobo that must have faced a lot of judges an been jailed a Lot - so he's being honored as a person who will be remembered 'throughout the courts of our land' - and he possibly died and will be taken home on the Wabash Cannonball.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,sidbhuston
Date: 29 Nov 15 - 09:34 PM

I can't confirm "Daddy Claxton" but the song Wabash Cannonball was adapted from music and lyrics of J. A. Roff's THE GREAT ROCK ISLAND ROUTE written in 1882.
Actually, I believe more people think of the Rock Island Line as a "mythical" railroad than the The Wabash (Cannonball) Line.
See the link:
THE GREAT ROCK ISLAND ROUTE

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: cnd
Date: 29 Nov 15 - 10:21 PM

Here's an explanation of "Daddy Claxton":

The last stanza of Acuff's version also has considerable historical significance. Daddy Claxton was a farmer in Alabama; I think he was African American. Like many farmers at that time -- maybe 1890, maybe as late as 1910, I'm not sure -- he was hurting, because the railroad had a monopoly. Crops and livestock went to market by rail. Cars and trucks did not exist. Only one railroad served most counties. Even when two did, they did not compete; they agreed upon a common rate. That rate almost bled their customers -- farmers -- dry, almost bankrupted them.

The Farmers Alliance, an interracial organization that predated the Populist Party, protested, but usually to no avail. Not knowing what to do, Claxton took matters into his own hands. He stole a train! Of course, his was only a partial solution, since he had no tracks. Eventually they caught him, of course, charged him with theft, and brought him to trial. I think he got off owing to jury nullification, but I'm not sure. I also no longer remember where I read or heard this story. But it cogently explains the lyrics: of course he would be remembered 'round the courts of Alabam' for this escapade, which encapsulated and publicized the plight of so many people.


From http://historynewsnetwork.org/blog/152354#sthash.TkWwCJGu.dpuf

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,steve from brooklyn
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 08:43 PM

In reference to the Carter Family version, I believe it's "the ports of Tennessee",
not the courts.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,kenking11
Date: 16 Jun 18 - 05:03 PM

"Claxton" refers to my GGG Grandfather Hiram Madison Claxton

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 16 Jun 18 - 07:06 PM

And of course, all these Claxtons received their name because an ancestor left the village of Claxton near York ...

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,ANON
Date: 30 Dec 24 - 01:59 PM

Hello. i am looking for source on the Post made by Your LDB about The Wabash's Origins With Bunyan? Has anybody heard this anywhere else?
LDB's claim seems to be the oldest i can find on the internet, but i Think he may be quoting some source...

Thank you for any help in the eternal search for the Wabash Cannonball

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Dec 24 - 04:09 PM

Since LDB hasn't posted here since 2013, I doubt he or she will mind if I venture to answer your question instead.

The Bunyan story is quoted from Alan Lomax's "Folk Songs of North America" (1960).

Lomax, in turn, paraphrased the tale from "The Sad Fate of the I.J.A. & S.I.," a short story by Budd L. McKillips, that first appeared in "The Signalman's Journal" for December, 1936.

McKillips made up the story from whole cloth. It makes no mention of the Wabash Cannonball.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: GUEST,ANON
Date: 30 Dec 24 - 07:03 PM

cool. makes sense the Wabash Myth would get connected to that Cal Bunyan tale. I wonder when that occurred, early or late into the myths cycle? its fair to think the two myths formed independently and then converged at a certain point in time.

Also this McKillips does seem to be a writer/author. so the IJA & SI trail ends at McKillips. I really appreciate this. im changing the current Wikipedia article to reflect what i found out today.

thank you lighter. keep on pickin!

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Dec 24 - 07:26 PM

The original sheet music to Roff's "Great Rock Island Route!" (1882) is visible here:


https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/collection/057/135

The "Wabash Cannonball" was an actual train of the period:

Chicago Tribune, Feb. 12, 1881: "The Wabash 'cannonball train' was three hours late [owing to a blizzard]."

St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat (Feb. 18, 1882): "Charles Ogden...arrived yesterday morning on the Wabash Cannonball."

The latest mention I've found of the real train is from 1904.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Dec 24 - 10:27 AM

According to the Congressional Record - Senate, June 12, 1969, a "Wabash Cannon Ball" of the Norfolk & Western Railway Co., was still (or "again") running between St. Louis and Detroit.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: meself
Date: 31 Dec 24 - 11:19 AM

Lighter: According to an earlier post in this thread, the train that popularly became known as THE Wabash Cannonball was named after the song, rather than the other way around. Apparently, the name had been casually used for earlier trains in the area before it became an official name.

Subject: RE: Story Behind Wabash Cannonball & Claxton
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Dec 24 - 04:26 PM

The latter-day Cannonball may well have been named for the song, but I don't see any reliable evidence that the song predated the train of ca1882-ca1904.

There's a wealth of information here:

http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/wabash-cannonball--1882-lyrics.aspx

I can't agree, however, with the claim that the "Cannonball" owes much, if anything, to the Hutchison family's "Uncle Sam's Farm" (1848). The tunes are also entirely different.