There's a grave in a small cemetery in Waynesville inscribed with the name "The Fiddler." No matter the time of year or day that you visit, the grave will be swept clean, even if the rest of the cemetery is buried in fall leaves. Is this hallowed ground swept clean by the dancing of a spectral couple enjoying the fiddling of some long dead musician?
All good questions, I suppose.
I visited the site a few days ago as the initial visit in a longer research project. I had hoped to delve into the legend, find out who this mysterious 'Fiddler' was, then dip into the more supernatural side of things. I did find a little information on my brief visit, and I did notice some discrepancies with the original story.
The headstone is a little more informative than I had heard. The full inscription reads
Joe Gillian
"The Fiddler"
Died 1934
Died 1934
There were, in fact, a few leaves on the grave. Oddly enough though, is that there is very little grass or moss growing on the grave, which consists of the small headstone and a large (maybe 10' in diameter) semicircular depression in the bank, even though the rest of the graveyard is very lush and green.
To add to the weirdness is the fact that the grave site is set about 20 yards or so from the rest of the cemetery. If I hadn't been looking for this specific grave, I probably would have missed it entirely.
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| To the right is the mossy green of the cemetery, to the left is the bare earth of The Fiddlers Grave |
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Beyond that, my research has been fruitless. I can't find any reference to the legend online, and almost nothing about the enigmatic Joe Gillian. So I'll put this here: Has anyone else heard this story? Does anyone know anything about Joe "The Fiddler" Gillian? If so, please drop me a note in the comments or via email.
So here is what I've learned about "The Fiddler". My friend, David Hill found the death certificate for Joe "Gilliland, NOT Gillian, but all the other information matches up.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the death certificate: Joe Gilliland, age 71, born TN, died 27 June 1934 as result of suicide (pistol shot to chest while in home of friend). OCCUPATION: MUSICIAN. Information on death certificate provided by Gleson Belt of Waynesville. Burial Place: Brendle Cemetery.
I researched Gleason Belt and found that he was a local musician living on Allens Creek (at the other end of Piney Mountain Rd). According to the 1930 census, Joe was living with the Belt family at that time.
Through Find A Grave, I found Gleason Belt's grave and his picture, which led me to his granddaughter, Kimberly. She confirmed that Joe committed suicide in the Belt home in 1934. Kimberly says "My mom was just a little girl and they were all out in the side yard. She had went in to get something when the gun fired. She ran out and got her father, and they found him. He was kneeling by the bed in what they called the 'new room' when he shot himself. It was the room he slept in. My mom always called him uncle joe, but he wasn't related."
Joe didn't have any other known family. According to Kimberly, Gleason Belt made the coffin and a wooden cross for the grave. She is not sure who eventually replaced it with the stone.