The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 95

A.httflti3Pr-J0LT'tNAL Segquicentennial Edition SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1969 6 Grancer' Still Dances 100 C8TS After Death PAGE 10-J this day, for numerous times imerous potholes have been dug thieves have broken into this a 0Ver the area by fortune tomb searching for the money. hunters- Each time the tomb The last time, in 1964, the has been restored by Coffee would-be robbers almost County 0ffjciais. destroyed the tomb one rainy, Wnethcr or not any moncv night with a dynamite blast that eyer been foun(J iL, i-nn Unit MHH PAllf. IUIC Ull mc ivy nan a.m v. tjon that Kely t0 g0 tered brick inside the still unanswered, but at any rate if sturdy wooden pavilion that i there was once money buried with old "Grancer," it is not shelters the tomb.

LmMTtffiZT: in ll. I H.i m.rviiMlll The next day curiositv-seekcrs likely that it is there any more, and law officials gathered at I Upon his death the old planta-the old tomb where, inside, the tion began to die, and without bones of "Grancer" could be his powerful personality the seen after more than 100 years gaiety of days passed ceased with his dancing shoes still on. I to be, and the barbecues and At other times thieves havelhorse races that once livened chiseled into the tomb, and! things there were no more, down through the years nu- (Turn to next page) Home of Dancing Ghost CORDIAL SERVICE AWAITS YOU Old Wooden pavilion still shelters tomb of Grancer Harrison. Travelers long ago dreaded passing the place after dark because they said that they could hear the ghost of old "Grancer" dancing in his dance hall which was once located directly behind the tomb. Even today some people vow that the ghost still dances on certain dark nights.

AUTHOR'S NOTE The Search for the real story of a Harrison and his dancing ghost began more than four years ago, and during that time the author has traveled more than 2M miles over three counties and has talked to more fr.an a doien relatives of "Grancer" Har-'rison as well as many other people. Unfortunately, most of the written records of the time 'have been lost or destroyed, including those In Elba, flood that washed away nearly all of the records then In the Coffee Connty Conrthonse. Some records were found, how ever, i 1 I the original-sheepskin homestead deeds of William Harrison in 1841 and 1858, now in the possession of Mrs. a Rhodes Russell of Kinston, Ala. Because of the lack of written record, though, one must rely on stories handed down over the generations since Harrison's death, and fact from fiction i an impossible task.

Although certainly not everything written here is true, one can be assured that most old tales still told about "Grancer" Harrison have some basis in and many are true in their entirety. And regardless of the authenticity of each statement, the fact remains that William "Grancer" Harrison as probably the most domineering figure in this section of the state in the mid- 1800s, and like many great men before him his legend lives long after him. Much credit for this story goes to Tatum 1 Monroe Bedsole, Mr. and Mrs. Nace Rhodes, Mrs, E.

C. Xevin, Mr. R. S. Jeffcoat and many, many others who spent hours telling the stories they had heard about "Grancer" Harrison.

By JOHN A. Burgess Of The Opp News Selecting a site only a iew feet south of his dance hall, he then set his slaves to work laying a tomb above the ground. Leaving the top open, he of beef, and as the neighborspastime of all was dancing, and would gather for miles around, was said to have been one the slaves would carefully bastejof the best dancers in this entire and tend the beef until it was section of the country, barbecued to a rich, golden! So wjde did his fame grow brown. as a dancer that the insistnnce P'i fj i Of instructed the slaves, who were But Harrison was more than; nf fnonds and neishbors caused bv this time nuite frichtened No Rest for 'Grancer i a playboy of the 1800s, for even him t0 build a large dance hall1 with the whole ordeal, that upon today tales still circulate among! wnose fioors he nad njs slaves, his death he was to be dressed the rural population of Coffee fimsn to a fjneiy waxec surface. in his dancing clothes and shoes County about the huge crops of and piaced atop his feather bed.

Calt0 nfsnT to Illv Thai "cSr" ijojed i ra self He was then to be placed in i Ltomymiin dancing in the hall, and the the tomb, bed and all" and the people would c7t slaves became accustomed to slave were to seal the tomb to buy it for replanting in their tapping Mund rf his WO0(lRn with tne remaining bricks, leav- own i tieias. dancing clogs ringing out across ing him in his final great resting rS lr! il lt 'ds and valley. place near the dance hall 0n weekends he -uld holdlovedsowell. 2 Hfrrknnbig dances where he taught! As the time drew near for 3 ee t0 dance. and his a legend has it that FLmI hnrlnn PPa Rivpr u'pre! along with the horse racing and "Grancer" somehow knew that fields bordering Pea yer were, hg had on, a short tjme eft You'll find it easy to discuss your finances with the friendly people at our bonk.

We will be happy to explain the advantages ond benefits of saving or to discuss with you the various loan plans that we offer. And we'll help you select a plan tailored to your budget needs. For courteous, competent service bank on us! OFFICERS DIRECTORS CALVIN POOLE C. H. BEELANO Chairman ol th Roard C.

B. BLACKWELL A. C. SMITH WILLIAM HAMILTON PrMW.ni WILLIAM B. HOPKINS C.

B. BLACKWELL WM. B. McGEHEE Vlre-rrenMent and Trail Offlcw CALVIN POOLE C. R.

THOMPSON ELISHA C. POOLE Vlrt-rrMlilent and Cashltr JAMES J. RYAN C. R. THOMPSON, JR.

A. C. SMITH Aistant Cashier C. R. THOMPSON Cash and Due Fmm Bank 939 791 ('.

S. Government Swuntiea $'mSMl U. s. Government Asency Securities 599,781 25 Stale awl Municipal Securities 3 42'o76 19 All Other Secur.tiea J7 J00 00 Iians ami Discounts 67 Bank Building UJ33 5S Furniture and FixtuTes and Equipment 17,449 OS Other Assets 7,311.88 TOTAL ASSETS UJ9.ma MABILITTKS Deposits $15,470,100 Reserve fVr Taxes. Interest, Etc 153,046 47 Dividends Declared Tayable Jan.

1969 25,000 00 Capital Stock JS0.000 00 Surplus 250,000.00 Undivided Profits 560,985.20 Reserve for Contingencies 10,000.00 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL $16,719,132.52 MEMBER F.D.I.C. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK GREENVILLE, ALABAMA Arrow points to sole of William "Grancer" Harrison's famous dancing shoes revealed for the first time in more than 100 years after treasure hunters dynamited the tomb in 1964. His tomb has been violated more than a half-dozen times in recent history by thieves looking for treasure Harrison was said to have probably buried in or near his tomb. hpam0 thp ntpr nnlv H.vs hpfnre hls death in jui lowing in ii i it oionuo 'i a reel to the playing fiddles. of a half-dozen house servants, rjcni green COm.

They say he iiounsning nign sidnos After all it's only the ghost he and Mrs. Harrison would sit for this entire secton of the about 1860 he was said to have state. been seen carrying a box and never turned away anyone in need. of old "Grancer" Harrison, dead in the warmth of late af-; now for some 100 years, still ternoon sun and survey the cot-i As the years passed, though, 'shovel away from his plantation 1 the famous dancing shoes of (home. nature tells of now ne enjoying what he liked most in ton fields and rich green of the good Aiu that would allow his slaves to enjoy themselves after the crops were IJIdllLC' ndlMAUEl uegai IU toico uno vii" slow, and, realizing that he, too, the box was filled with money must someday die, "Grancer" that "Grancer" buried it life, dancing.

Pea River valley stretcning out William Harrison, orM miles below them. "Grancer" as he was called But sitting was a pastime back in the mid-1800s, was was not too fond of, a fellow. He hailed from the for by nature he was a all "laid-by .11 thoi be8an to make preparations. beneath his tomb. Others say They say that after ail of the, 5.,1.

Lu th ZW to bk Ul. i. thtolne.rby.perh.p.underU.d.nce state of Virginia, moving to Cof-gregarious man and he enjoyed.the plantation he would allow ui Yiibiiiin, i Tf I he part of the country then, iui suine reason VOU n. iu. ism.

i. nan. At any rate the legend has lived to haunt "Grancer" even to A I aha fi In tr-AA fKft.r nniiM flW An tUn his ev Mppen Dy ine oia Harrison or m0s rtL itfrfftl uirve vi twite a iicc uicj vwuiu imu imi inc rAnfir UnmA Imnnth the homesite was filled Pea River valley. Often the ui .7 1 great wealth with him ouiire mgm, uun ue aidrmea, Pnlks that ho fiHrfiL SU 0 (largest slave owner in Coffee ineighbors gathered at a big'and have the tree soaking in fiddling. County, and he set himself up barbecue and horse race at the the river.

I And don't run, at least not vet. The slaves would then fetch 2xmi-: ii.vi;v a plantation empire along the flat land and towering ridge If as you draw nearer you hear the staccato beat of dancing the tree to the plantation, where they were allowed to build a plantation. Legend has it that "Grancer" would have his slaves fell several large oak trees which plateau that borders the junction of Cripple Creek and Pea River. ciug isnoesj mumping 1 rhythm on a polished oak floor. Atnn the lOO-foot rinVe that.

they would burn for days, QUALITY CONSTRUCTION fire under it and celebrate until the tree was burned up. Often this was said to have taken days. But "Grancer's" favorite na try hard not to faint whenljuts up abruptly from the flat creating an enormous pile of If you want a High Quality Home a ueep oass voice rings out nver bottom he built a mansion, glowing coals. Over the coals across the moonlit fields calling land here, under the thev would Dlace a whole side fonqhaiuLaiioRL ONI STOP mvici HkLUk OV! 11 MODUS vJ -i low cash Mier IMMIDIATI CONSTRUCTION 11 30' 1 1 i rmn-T I a i wuj Ell lai II mint I i I 1 1 I A a ML A 9 1 10W MONTHU PAYMENT CJI 4UUlf VA'feluaj' ULUltI J0n 1 iwmo 28 Union Camp 11 SHORT YEARS 10 PAY With all the talk of inflation and rising costs, you may not think it's possible to build a low priced, high quality home. But it is at Jim Walter Homes.

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You decide how much. The more you do, the more you save. Even materials you'll need for inside finishing can be supplied and financed with your new home. TOP OUAUTT MATERIALS 1Z IS DELIGHTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SALUTE THE STATE OF ALABAMA ON I 150th ANNIVERSARY AND TO SAY THANKS TO ALABAMIANS FOR MAKING OUR FIRST TWO YEARS IN ALABAMA SO PLEASANT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF GROWTH AND PROSPERITY, ALONG WITH OTHER THRIVING INDUSTRIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

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