MOUNT VERNON - Roseanna McCoy met Johnson "Johnse" Hatfield on election day 1880, in Pike Co., KY; in those times election days were huge events where the whole community turned out, not just for politics but for socialization. Roseanna was smitten with the handsome Johnse, but was ordered by her father to stay away from him, due to the longstanding feud between the Hatfields and McCoys that went all the way back to the mid-1860's. Young love apparently won out, as she snuck to be with him that day, and was left behind by her family at the end of the day. Not knowing what else to do, and being flattered by the professions of love from Johnse, she went home with him where she stayed for some time with Johnse and his entire family. Both her father and Johnse's father refused to allow them to marry,
For those who have always been interested in the feud between the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s, this coming Thursday, July 28, join us for a discussion of the feud through the eyes of Roseanna McCoy, who dared marry a Hatfield. It feels like a real version of Romeo and Juliet, but was it? Julia Geiger, a wonderfully talented writer and actor will make her Chautauqua debut as Roseanna McCoy and present her in first person, living history style.
The program will be held at ThePlace@TheWoodward, 120 S. Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon.
[NOTE: this will be the final performance at this location as the Chautauqua’s will be moving to their new home 101 S. Main Street starting at the Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival – Thursday August 11].
The doors open at this first floor facility at 6 PM and the program starts at 7 PM with Joe Rollin Porter playing music of the era, then Julia will take the stage at 7:45 and there will be a question and answer period immediately after the performance.
These programs are brought to you by the members of Elixir and supported in part by a grant from the Ariel Foundation. The presentations are on a donation basis with the actors receiving all moneys taken in from donations. For information on this and upcoming programs, visit www.elixirpresnts.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-6102.
For a friendly reminder email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.