“'Twas on the Napanee”

Description

A young man leaves his parents' home to become a raftsman; he is drowned while rafting saw logs. His parents and friends mourn

Notes

In the mid-nineteenth century, a young man named Anthony Barrett was killed on the Napanee river.

Beck states that this song seems to have been composed in Canada around 1860; it was collected from a Mrs. Barrett, of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan -- possibly a relative of the deceased? - PJS

As "'Twas on the Napene," this song is item dC36 in Laws's Appendix II. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Jam on Gerry's Rock" [Laws C1] (plot)
• cf. "The Death of Harry Bradford" [Laws C12] (plot, tune)

References

1. Beck 54, "'Twas on the Napanee" (1 text)
2. Roud #4057
3. BI, Be054