Will Chappell, Mountain Fiddler

Born on December 25, 1849 in Pickens, SC, William Martin
Chappell was a longtime resident of the “Auger Hole” area of Transylvania
county near the upper portion of what is now Lake Jocassee. Will married Evelyn
Patterson and had nine children. Will owned property in Oconee, Pickens, and
Transylvania counties, but chose to live and raise a family in Transylvania
County. He was a farmer, growing corn, beans, squash, and pumpkins in the rich
bottomland along the Horsepasture and Toxaway rivers that spans the North
Carolina and South Carolina border.

Like many families at the time, the Chappells found multiple
ways to sustain themselves and create income, such as maintaining bee gums for
honey, milling molasses, raising hogs, and producing corn liquor. Eking out a
living was already hard enough when the 1916 flood that broke the Toxaway dam
hit the Chappell family land, causing severe damage to their crops, fields, and
fishing access. Will Chappell successfully sued the Toxaway Company for damages
and received $500, which would be equivalent to over $12,000 today.

Known to friends as “Fiddler Bill”, Will was an accomplished
fiddle player and often won competitions. He was in great demand to play dances
and, according to sources, could play all night without ever repeating a song. He
started out playing a gourd fiddle, but eventually bought himself a
Stradivarius.

As the Chappell children grew, they moved away to live on
farms of their own. Much of what was once their land was put under water with
the creation of Lake Jocassee or has become part of Gorges State Park. Will
Chappell died shortly after reaching 99 years of age on January 23, 1949 and is
buried in the Old Toxaway Baptist Church Cemetery.

Photographs and information for this column are
provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.
This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more
information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at [email protected] or 828-884-1820.