From the Bannatyne book:
"The Scottish-Irish and German Influences in Appalachia
The Scottish-Irish formed a large group of frontiersmen who in the early 1800's pushed from the eastern seaboard into the wilderness west of the Allegheny Mountains. There they met up with German Protestants, carving a similar path from their original settlements in Pennsylvania and New York State. Mountain folklore was influenced by these settlers, and theirs was a particularly hearty cultural stew.
In the mountainous backwoods, remnants of old world Halloween could be found in the prevailing general superstitions... But the most vivid element of Halloween mythology in this region was witchcraft: the Scots' heritage of spirit lore in tandem with the German witch mythology produced an especially potent combination.
Witches in 19th-century Appalachia were as important to folk life as they had been to the fearful colonials. Other parts of the world may have entered the Age of Reason, but this region of America held fast to its occult beliefs and kept active a netherworld inhabited by mountain witches. The witch was to become an important symbol of modern Halloween, and her folk life in the backwoods of Appalachia is an interesting chapter in her evolution."
More on Appalachian witches tomorrow!
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