In this project, Lori Cramer began the project investigating Falton Gay, a slave owner who lived in Shawsville, Virginia. Mr. Gay is reported to have been buried standing up so he could keep watch over his slaves and insure they were working. During an interview Ms. Cramer was given a tour of the house that Falton Gay lived in, and that tour included seeing original furniture and photographs, and hearing about the history of the house and property. Additional interviews provided much different information than did not agree with the local legends, and Ms. Cramer tells them in this project. This is among projects created by students enrolled in English 446 (initially English 452), “Appalachian Folklore,” 1981-2019, and in graduate level counterparts English 548 and 648 “Appalachian Folk Culture(s)” offered 17 fall semesters between 1987 and 2009. Minimally contain collector’s introduction and analysis, transcribed informant interviews, and excerpted and labeled examples of oral, customary, and/or material folklore/folklife collected primarily within the Appalachian region. Most include also tables of contents, informant information, indexes (outlines) of interviews, photographs, miscellaneous paper items, and indexes of informants, genres, and geographic locations. Accompanying audio recordings (several minutes to 2+ hours). Transferred to McConnell Library Archives & Special Collections from Appalachian Regional and Rural Studies Center, Fall 2013.