Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)

Subject: Lyr Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock
From: GUEST,Perky
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 09:27 AM

An 80+ year old woman told me of this traditional Adirondack logging song, but she was uncertain about the title--specifically the spelling of "Gerrian." I've tried different possibilities, but have come up empty. Has anyone heard of it? (At this point I'd settle for about any old log jam tragedy song!) Thanks!
Perky

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 09:38 AM

There are two examples in the DT, under the most common title:

THE JAM ON GERRY'S ROCKS As published by an unspecified Lomax, with alterations by somebody and two verses added from a book identified only by its title. Traditional sources not named.

THE JAM ON GERRY'S ROCK As recorded by Pete Seeger; traditional source not named.

See also DEATH OF HARRY BRADFORD, a song based on it.

I expect there are discussions in the Forum, too, but unfortunately the search engine isn't working just at present.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 09:47 AM

The Limeliters did it too (as "Gerry's Rock")

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 09:50 AM

This is the first I've ever heard it as "Gerrian's" Rock, and I've been singing it for 50 years.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 10:01 AM

The Roud Folk Song Index (where the song is no. 256) lists a number of variations on "Gerry", which include Geary; Garish; Garby; Gary; Gerrion; Hughey; Gerow; Garey, and Garian. That's beside the versions called Young Monroe (and variations thereon)...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock
From: Mark Clark
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 10:36 AM

I've always loved this song but have never taken the trouble to learn it. I think my first memory of the song was on a Folkways album by Pete Seeger, maybe one of the American Ballads recordings if I've got the series right.

I've imagined for many years that I'd heard a version of the song with a line something like:

He pulled the key log out of the jam,
And off went young Monroe.

I've checked all the links here and even performed a WebFerret search but, although there are many versions of the song, I can't find one with the snippet I thought was there. For some reason I also (mis?)remembered a line:

All cut and mangled on the beach lay the head of young Monroe.

Does anyone else remember lines like these or have I gone completely daft? (I understand that may not be an either-or question. <g>)

      - Mark

Subject: ZDTStudy: The Jam at Gerry's Rock
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 01:24 PM

Here are the pertinent entries from the Traditional Ballad Index.
-Joe Offer-

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Jam on Gerry's Rock, The [Laws C1]

DESCRIPTION: Young Monroe and his crew do not wish to work on Sunday, but when a log jam forms, they turn out. The jam breaks and all are cast into the water, with foreman Monroe being drowned. In some accounts, his sweetheart dies for love and is buried with him
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1904
KEYWORDS: logger death drowning lumbering
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MA,MW,NW) Britain(Scotland)
REFERENCES (20 citations):
Laws C1, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock"
Doerflinger, pp. 238-239, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock"; pp. 239-240, "The Jam on Jerry's Rock" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Leach, pp. 771-773, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text)
Friedman, p. 418, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fowke/Johnston, pp. 78-79, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text, 1 tune)
FSCatskills 4, "The Jam at Gerry's Rock" (3 texts, 3 tunes)
Warner 16, "The Jam on Gerrion's Rock" (1 text, 1 tune)
Sandburg, pp. 394-395, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text, 1 tune)
Scott-BoA, pp. 175-178, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text, 2 tunes)
Lomax-FSUSA 50, "The Jam on Gerry's Rocks" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-ABFS, pp. 448-450, "Gerry's Rocks" (1 text, 1 tune)
Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 847-849, "Gerry's Rocks" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hodgart, p. 240, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text)
Arnett, pp. 122-123, "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" (1 text, 1 tune)
Beck 51, "The Jam on Gerry's Rocks" (1 text, 1 tune)
JHCox 51, "The Jam at Gerry's Rock" (2 texts plus mention of 2 more)
Abrahams/Foss, pp. 127-128, "The Jam on Jerry's Rocks" (1 text, 1 tune)
Darling-NAS, pp. 176-178, "The Jam on Jerry's Rock" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 101 "Jam on Jerry's Rocks" (1 text)
DT 600, JAMGERR1* JAMGERR2*
RECORDINGS:
Bill McBride, "The Jam on Gerry's Rocks" (AFS, 1938; on LC56)
Jim Kirkpatrick, "The Jam on Gerry's Rocks" (AFS, 1948; on LC56)
Warde Ford, "Foreman Monroe / Young Monroe" (AFS 4214 A1, 1939; in AMMEM/Cowell)
Pete Seeger, "Jam on Jerry's Rocks" (on PeteSeeger02, PeteSeegerCD01)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Death of Harry Bradford" [Laws C12] (plot, tune)
cf. "'Twas on the Napanee" (plot)
File: LC01

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THE JAM ON GERRY'S ROCK

Come all you trueborn shanty-boys, and listen while I tell
The tale of one young shanty-boy, and what to him befell.
'Twas of the jam on Gerry's Rock, a place you all do know,
Of the death of six brave shanty-men,and their foreman, young Monroe.

Come all you trueborn shanty-boys, where-ever you may be.
Come sit here on the deacon seat, and listen unto me.
'Tis of six young Canada boys, and a hero you should know
And how they broke the jam on Gerry's Rocks with their foreman, young Monroe.

'Twas on a Sunday morning ere daylight did appear;
Our logs were piled up mountain high, we could not keep them clear,
'Till six of our brave shanty boys, they did agree to go
And break the jam on Gerry's Rocks, with foreman young Monroe.

We had not picked up many a log, 'till Monroe, he did say:
"I'd have you boys be on your guard; this jam will soon give way".
He had no more than spoke the words when the jam did break and go
And with it went those six brave men, and foreman young Monroe.

When the rest of all the shanty-boys, the sad news came to hear,
They gathered at the riveredge and downward they did steer
And there they found to their surprise, and sorrow, grief and woe,
All cut and mangled on the beach, lay the form of young Monroe.

They buried him most tenderly, 'twas on the 4th of May.
Now come all you bold shanty-boys, and for your comrade pray.
And engraved upon a hemlock tree, which on the beach did grow,
Was the day and date of the drowning of foreman young Monroe.

See also JAMGERR2
Recorded by Seeger on The Bells of Rhymney.
DT #600
Laws C1
@work @death @logger
filename[ JAMGERR1
TUNE FILE: JAMGERRY
CLICK TO PLAY
TUNE FILE: JAMGERR3
CLICK TO PLAY
EL


THE JAM ON GERRY'S ROCKS

Come all you jolly fellows, where-ever you may be
I hope you'll pay attention, and listen unto me.
It's all about some shanty-boys, so manly and so brave.
'Twas on the jam on Gerry's Rocks they met their watery grave.

'Twas on one Sunday morning, as you shall quickly hear,
Our logs were piled up mountain high, we could not keep them clear
"Turn out, brave boys" the foreman cried, with a voice devoid of fear,
"And we'll break up the jam on Gerry's Rocks, and for Eagletown we'll steer".

Some of us were willing, while others, they were not.
For to work on jams on Sunday, they did not think they'd ought;
But six American shanty-boys did volunteer to go
To break the jam on Gerry's Rocks, with their foreman young Monroe.

They had not rolled off many logs, before the boss did say
"I would you all be on your guard, for the jam will soon give way".
He had no more than spoke those words, when the jam did break and go,
And carried away those six brave youths and their foreman young Monroe.

We took him from the water, smoothed back his raven black hair,
There was one fair form among them, whose cries did rend the air.
There was one fair form among them, a girl from Saginaw Town
Whose mournful cries did rend the skies, for her lover that was drowned.

She received their presents kindly, and thanked them, every one.
'Though she did not survive him long, as you shall understand.
'Twas scarcely three weeks after, when she was called to go...
Her last request: To lie near her love, our foreman young Monroe.

Come all you brave young shanty-boys, I'd have you call and see
The two green grave by the river side, where grows the hemlock tree,
The shanty-boys cut off the wood,where lay those lovers low...
'Tis handsome Clara Clark, my lads, and her true love, young Monroe.

(Lomax version with alterations by Edith Lux to improve scansion)

(two further verses are added in Ballad of America)

Miss Clara was a noble girl, the river-man's true friend
Who, with her widdowed mother, lived near the river's bend.
The wages of her own true love, the boss to her did pay,
And the shanty-boys made up, for her, a generous purse, next day.

They buried him with sorrow deep, 'twas on the first of May.
Come all of you bold shanty-boys, and for your comrades, pray.
Engraved upon a hemlock tree, that by the grave did grow,
Was the day and date of the drowning of the shanty-boy, Monroe.

See also JAMGERR1
DT #600
Laws C1
@work @logger @death
filename[ JAMGERR2
TUNE FILE: JAMGERRY
CLICK TO PLAY
EL

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Death of Harry Bradford, The [Laws C12]

DESCRIPTION: Harry Bradford, the foreman's son, cannot escape being crushed by falling logs. The father learns of his son's tragic death
AUTHOR: W. J. Taylor
EARLIEST DATE: 1941 (Beck)
KEYWORDS: death logger lumbering father children
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Laws C12, "The Death of Harry Bradford"
Beck 52, "The Death of Harry Bradford" (1 text)
DT 836, HARBRADF
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" [Laws C1] (plot, tune)
cf. "The Death of Harry Bradford" [Laws C12] (plot, tune)
Notes: Beck describes this song as "frankly in imitation" of "The Jam on Gerry's Rock". - PJS
File: LC12

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2002 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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DEATH OF HARRY BRADFORD

Come all ye true-born lumbering boys, both fellows young and old,
A story I will tell to you that'll make your blood run cold,
Concerning a poor unfortunate lad who was known both far and near.
He was killed on the deck at Essex Mill, as you will quickly hear

He walked out in the morning with little fear or doubt
That before the whistle blew at noon his life would be crushed out.
His father was the foreman here of this brave lumbering crew,
And he never dreamed that his son so dear would meet his fatal doom.

'Twas on the twenty-ninth of January in nineteen hundred two;
Little did we think a life'd be lost in our brave lumbering crew.
Little did we think in the morning that before the close of day
Our noble friend would be doomed to go to his cold and silent grave

It is only three months ago since his little sister died.
Poor Harry was killed in this rollway; he'll be buried by her side.
On the thirty-first of January Young Harry was laid to rest.
His body was laid in the silent tomb; his spirit is with the blest.

And now I'll try to explain to you the last words that he said.
They chained the log and they set their hooks as they stood side by side.
He spoke up to his partner, saying, "I'll bet you a cigar
That this is the highest rollway that stands in this big yard."

"I'll bet you once," said his partner George, " there's another just as high."
"All right, we'll shake and make a bet," Young Harry he did cry.
He gave a waving signal to the lad that pulled the chain;
The team was quickly on the move, and he never spoke again.

The log came rolling up the skids, dropped over on the deck.
Every man was leaning on his hook, not a man Of them did speak.
While the team was trying to jump the log, they scarcely made the raise;
The log dropped back and jarred the face, which sent him to his grave.

While the logs were rolling towards him, he tried to climb the tiers;
To the very top of this highest deck Young Harry tried to steer.
While trying to climb a large log, another one caught his hand,
Which carried him back down in the jam as you will understand.

The logs came pounding over him like thunder from the skies.
The boys they stood and gasped for breath when they saw that he must die.
"Poor Harry's killed," Smith Rogers cried. "Come quick. Bring the team around.
These logs must all be cleared away. His body must be found."

The chain was placed around the logs; they were quickly pulled away,
So the boys could see down in the jam where the mangled body lay.
His ribs were broke, his back was broke, his legs were broke also;
And his brains they lay beneath the deck in the cold and bloody snow.

His father was on the road to camp when the dreadful deed was done.
As soon as he reached the shanty, he heard news of his son.
One of our crew spoke up and said, " Our rollway has given way,
And an accident has happened. I have something bad to say.

"Come down by the shanty -- " And he slowly walked away.
As they were walking down the road this young man to him did say,
"Do you know that, Mr. Bradford, your Harry, he is killed!"
"Oh no! I can't believe it, and I know I never will! "

And by the time they'd reached the jam where the mangled body lay,
He walked up there within three rods and then slowly turned away.
He walked back and forth with head bowed down with not a word to say,
While the boys were working very fast to take his body away.

The dreadful news was carried to his kind old mother dear.
No one knows how she must have felt when the sad news reached her ear.
Little no one knows what dreadful pain has touched that mother's heart
When the truth at last it came to pass that from him she must part.

I'll bid farewell to our noble friend that we will see no more.
God bless his loving parents whose hearts will suffer sore;
God bless his loving sister who'll mourn so silently;
And now we'll say farewell, dear friend. He's gone to Eternity.


(( THE DEATH or HARRY BRADFORD" is frankly in imitation of the
tale of the death of Jack Monroe in "The Jam on Gerry's Rocks"
The tune is the same as the most common "Jack Monroe" tune.
Mrs. Ramsey, of Cadillac, says that W. J. Taylor wrote the song
about an accident that occurred at Phelps's camp, north of Torch
Lake. Mrs. Frank LaNore, of Central Lake, informs me that she
knew the lad's mother. The Bradfords lived at Central Lake.
This particular version came from the lips of a shanty-boy singer,
Edward Sayer, of the Murphy-Diggins camp.)) Beck

DT #836
Laws C12
From Beck, Lumberjack Songs
filename[ HARBRADF
SOF
apr97

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'Twas on the Napanee

DESCRIPTION: A young man leaves his parents' home to become a raftsman; he is drowned while rafting saw logs. His parents and friends mourn
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1941 (Beck)
KEYWORDS: lumbering death mourning work logger
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Beck 54, "'Twas on the Napanee" (1 text)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" [Laws C1] (plot)
cf. "The Death of Harry Bradford" [Laws C12] (plot, tune)
Notes: In the mid-nineteenth century, a young man named Anthony Barrett was killed on the Napanee river.
Beck states that this song seems to have been composed in Canada around 1860; it was collected from a Mrs. Barrett, of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan -- possibly a relative of the deceased? - PJS
As "'Twas on the Napene," this song is item dC36 in Laws's Appendix II. - RBW
File: Be054

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Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 01:32 PM

The "Beck" book mentioned is Beck -- Earl Clifton Beck, Songs of the Michigan Lumberjacks (1941). Looks like that book would answer a few questions about this series of songs.

The Ballad Index bibliography is here (click).

Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 01:59 PM

Wonderful song. I've had trouble singing the verse where
"...They granted her(Young Clara) her final wish
To be laid by young Monroe."

Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: Mark Clark
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 02:11 PM

I've foud one reference the head of young Monroe here at Contemplator.com, a site that's been referenced in these threads before. According to the site:

Gerry's Rocks (Gerrish) are above The Forks, Maine and the events of the tune are related on a rock and tree on the Kennebec River. “Sagmor Town” is a corruption of Saginaw, which is probably a corruption of “Saguenay,” a river and site of an Indian settlement.

Still haven't found a version in which young Monroe pulls the key log out of the jam.

      - Mark

Subject: ADD Version: The Jam on Gerrion's Rock
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 02:33 PM

This is from Traditional American Folk Songs from the Anne & Frank Warner Collection (Anne Warner, 1984)

THE JAM ON GERRION'S ROCK

Come all you bold shanty boys, wherever you may be,
I hope you'll pay attention and listen unto me.
It's of some jovial shanty boys, so many and so brave,
All at the jam on Gerrion's Rock they met with a wat'ry grave.

It was on one Sunday's morning as you will plainly see,
Our logs were piling mountains high, we could not keep them clear.
When at length our boss cried out, "My boys, with hearts void of fear
We will break that jam on Gerrion's rock and for Saginaw town we'll steer."

Some of them were willing, whilst others did hang back,
All for to work on Sunday, they did not think it was right.
Until six bold Canadian boys did volunteer and go
For to break the jam on Gerrion's rock with their foreman, young Monroe.

They had not rolled off many logs when the boss unto them did say,
"I would have you to be on your guard for this jam will soon give way."
No sooner had he spoke those words when the jam did break and go,
And it washed away those six bold youths and the foreman, young Monroe.

When the rest of the shanty boys those sad tidings came to hear,
To search for their brave comrades for the river they did steer.
And one of the headless bodies found to their sad grief and woe
All cut and mangled on the beach lay the foreman, young Monroe.

They took him from the water, smoothed down his raven curls.
There was found some among them whose cries did rend the earth.
There was one found among them, a girl from Saginaw town,
Her moans and cries did pierce the skies, for her true love was drowned.

Young Clary was a noble girl, likewise a raftsman's friend.
Her mother was a widow dwelled by the river side.
The wages of her own true love the boys to her did pay,
And a larger subscription she received from the shanty boys next day.

Come all ye bold shanty boys, for your comrades now pray.
They buried him quite decently all on the first of May.
On a tall pine tree by the river side there stands in letters to show
The day and the date of the drowning of our hero, young Monroe.

Young Clary did not serve life long, to her sad trouble and woe.
In less than six months after, she was called to go,
In less than six months after, she was called to go,
And her dying request was granted, to be buried by young Monroe.

Now come all my bold shanty boys who wish to go that way,
By those two little mounds by the river side there stands that tall pine tree.
The shanty boys cut the words all around, two lovers there lay low:
"Her name was Clary Benson, and her true love, Jack Monroe."

Notes:

Yankee John had helped break many a log jam in his day, and he sang this song with feeling. It tells the story of six young Canadian boys (their foreman being James Monroe) who, in spite of a general belief that it was wrong to work on Sunday, undertook to break a jam and were all killed in the attempt. Clara Benson, Monroe's sweetheart, dies of grief shortly thereafter and is buried beside him near the river.
In Lumbering Songs from the North Woods, Edith Fowke says that this is the "most widespread of shanty songs."
Laws, in NAB, says that "one might suppose falling trees and branches would be the great hazard of lumbering, but I have found only one traditional ballad on that subject. . . . Death by drowning was apparently much more common, to judge by the ballads, in eleven of which lumbermen met that fate. The most widely known of these [is] 'The Jam on Gerry's Rock."
Although the ballad seems to recount an actual event and gives the name of the principal character and the location of the tragedy, scholars have not been able to find the actual place or date of the occurrence. Fannie Hardy Eckstorm spent more than twenty years (1904—27) in a search for the origin of the ballad without definite results.
See her chapter "The Pursuit of a Ballad Myth" in Minstrelsy of Maine, pp. 176—98.
We collected another, very similar, version of this ballad from Steve Wadsworth in Northville, New York.
Folk Songs of the Catskills (Cazden II) prints three versions of the ballad and has extensive notes.

See: Brown, Vol. 2, 501; Cazden I, 6; Cazden II, 46; Doerflinger, 238;
Eckstorm, 87; Fowke, Lumbering Songs from the North Woods, 98;
Laws, NAB, C-i, 147 (long list of sources); Thompson, 259

(as sung by John Galusha, 1941)

Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: GUEST,Perky
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 10:42 PM

Many, many thanks! You guys are the best!! Can't wait to relay the lyrics to the lady who requested them--

Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 01:12 AM

Mark,

My dad always sang "he picked the key log out of the pack"... but I don't know where he learned it (it would probably have been in the 40's). In his copy of Carl Sandburg's American Songbag, the "key log" is mentioned, but it's not the same version:

They had not picked off many longs till Munro to them did say,
"I must send you back up the drive, my boys, for the jam will soon give way !"
Alone he freed the key-log then, and when the jam did go
It carried away on the boiling-flood our forman, Young Munro.

In that version it's his "corpse" that is "bruised and mangled on the beach", not his head.

I'll see if Dad remembers. I think the version sung at camp in Vermont had the key log, too.

As to where the rock was, it's a little hard to tell which came first, the place names or the song... most lumbering states and provinces will claim it.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: kendall
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 11:10 AM

My father was a lumber jack in the early 20th century, and, this story was told to me when I was a boy. Naturally, it happened on the Machias river in Maine.

Subject: RE: Req: The Jam at Gerrian's Rock (Gerry's Rock)
From: cnd
Date: 28 May 20 - 12:52 AM

Mark Clark, you'll find some vindication in knowing that you didn't make up the verse about the missing head.

From Yodelin' Slim Clark's Cowboy Songs, Vol. 2, Palace M-688 (1961) - listen here

THE JAM AT GERRY'S ROCK

Come all you bold young shanty boys and list while I relate
Concerning a young shanty boy and his untimely fate
Concerning a young riverman so manly, true and brave
'Twas on the jam at Gerry's rock he met a watery grave

'Twas on a Sunday morning as you all will quickly hear
The logs were piled up mountain high, he could not keep them clear
A foreman said "turn out, brave boys, with hearts devoid of fear
We'll break the jam on Gerry's rock, for old town then we'll steer"

Now some of them were willing while some others they were not
For to work on the jams on Sunday, they did not think they'd ought
But six of those Canadien boys did volunteer to go
And break the jam on Gerry's rock with the foreman, young Monroe

They had not rolled out many logs when they heard his clear voice say
"I'd have you boys be on, your God, this jam will soon give way"
The words were scarcely spoken when the jam did break and go
And carried off those six brave boys and the foreman Jack Monroe

When the rest of our brave shanty boys, the sad news came to hear
The search of their dead comrades to the river they did steer
Some of their mangled bodies floating down the stream did go
While bruised and bleeding on the shore lay the head of young Monroe

They took him from his watery grave, brushed back his raven hair
There was one fair girl among them whose sad cries rent the air
Yes, one fair form among them, a maid from Thangor town
Whose moans and cries rose to the skies, for here true love there laid drowned

Dear Flora was a noble girl, the river man's true friend
She and her widowed mother dear lived at the river's bend
The wages of her own true love, the boss to her did pay
And the shanty boys made up for her a gen'rous sum next day

They burried him with sorrow deep upon the first of May
Come all you bold young shanty boys and for your comrades pray
Engraved upon a hemlock tree where by the grave did grow
Was the name and the date of that sad fate of the foreman Jack Monroe

Dear Florda did not long survive, her heart was broke with grief
Scarcely two months afterward death came to her relief
And when this time did pass away and she was called to go
Her last request was "Let me rest by the side of Jack Monroe"

Come all you brave young shanty boys, I'd have you call and see
Two green graves by the riverside where grows the hemlock tree
The shanty boys cleared off the wood where the lovers there laid low
'Twas handsome Flora Dennison and her true love, Jack Monroe