Charm Doctors, Witches, and Faith Healers: Southern Appalachian Folklore

By Wilbur G. Marsh

Recent years have seen a growing interest in the culture, traditions, folklore, and faith healing from the southern Appalachian Mountains. Charm doctors are positioned as "granny witches" of the past and have been romanticized as simple folk healers, when in actuality they were often the ones who would fan the flames of intolerance to mobilize communities against innocent people that they accused of diabolical witchcraft. This book is a fascinating journey through witch hysteria and superstitions between 1830 and sometime in 1937, and includes cases from Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. In its pages, you'll find seven cases that are notable for revealing the methods of charm doctors, as well as what people once believed about witches and how those fallacies almost destroyed the lives of so many. It's divided into three sections. The first part contains tales of charm doctors and witches, and the second part explores the supposed practices of witches, as well as the methods utilized by charm doctors to heal those in their community. The gruesomely delightful images were created by Albert Wilmarth to intrigue younger readers and get them more involved in folklore, history, and Appalachian lore.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CKRWKN26
• ISBN13: 9798863785714
• Release Date: October 2023
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"