January 2021: Hat tip to Maria whonotes that the collection of Benjamin Hawkinss letters has now been digitized and can be read at this link. Its not a recent change. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. This phrase enjoyed national exposure in 1988 after Texas Governor Ann Richards remarked: When we pay billions for planes that wont fly, billions for tanks that wont fire, and billions for systems that wont workthat old dog wont hunt.. Andrew Jackson sent a request for reinforcements before the Battle Of New Orleans. Theres two or three creeks, he said. False folk etymology. You gonna do nothing?". Someone kicked in with we say cricks. With a colorful cast of characters and a flair for the Southern Gothic, If the Creek Don't Rise is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. Oh, how I loved this story - I simply didnt want it to end! Hawkins served under George Washington as General Superintendent for Indian Affairs (17961818) and had responsibility for the Native American tribes south of the Ohio River, and was principal Indian agent to the Creek Indians. "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. It is a paraphrase of a popular biblical saying from James 4:15, and while there are scores of citations to the phrase in the sense of the waters rising, in the US and Europe, there is not one shred of evidence of a reference to the Creek nation. A Quite certainly not. Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes Showing 1-14 of 14 "Times like these I wonder if I ever been happy. And even if it did, the initial capital letter would mean nothing, as at the time it was still common practice to capitalise all nouns. Runnin around like a chicken with it's head . This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. Wow! All rights reserved.This page URL: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-god1.htmLast modified: 25 February 2012. A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. We didnt. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. Eventually, you became a singular pronoun, and we lost the plural pronouns. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Weiss has a unique voice. A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). Speaking ofI declare, this now old-fashioned phrase acts as flustered response to an insult or an unbelievable story about someone who sadly made it into the rumor mill. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation, Lawsuit filed against Summit Utilities over price gouging, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: EPC boys fall to Marshall in Quarterfinals, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Bay boys fall to Bigelow in Quarterfinals, Arkansas State womens basketball falls to Southern Miss in SBC Quarterfinals, Arkansas women's basketball falls to #1 South Carolina in SEC Tournament, Fast Break Friday Night (3/3/23): Jonesboro boys advance to 6A state semifinals. If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. Affixes dictionary. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. This phrase isn't about physical appearance. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. purchase. If you answered soda, you probably hail from either coast or some patches around St. Louis or Milwaukee.Pop lovers congregate mostly in the Midwest and western states. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. Wheres my blasted phone?. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. It has been noted that the phrase should be correctly written as God willing and the Creek dont rise. Johnny Cash had a hit with the song If The Good Lords Willing, and Hank Williams Jr. titled his song If the Good Lords Willin (And The Creeks Dont Rise).. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. If the creek dont rise was a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. Your email address will not be published. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. Whatscatawampus? Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. And yes, I have heard the music of this culture and watched the dancing. I first heard of the notion of creek meaning Creek on a camping trip a couple of years ago at Barkcamp State Park in the area of Wheeling, WV. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? Eli is the backbone of the community; all he wants is a better life for the people of Baines Creek evidenced by the succession of teachers he has procured.and been scared off, and his scheming troublemaking spinster of a sister Prudence who "don't like nobody" doesn't help matters any, but when the giant 6' 2" Kate Shaw arrives, wellthat's another story. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. Your email address will not be published. That book was a 1908 publication and leans toward the thought of Creek Indian, even if not capitalized, because of the word fire (as in shooting guns). The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. Positive thinking, Southern style. We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. Often said as Lord willing and the creek dont rise, this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. QFrom Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression God willing and the creek dont rise referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. Learn how your comment data is processed. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. The doin hasnt been done yet. But despite its gentle execution, this story delivers some of the heaviest of punches and invites the reader to step outside of the book for a spell Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. Historically, Southerners in the Appalachian mountains pronounced eternal as tarnal. That pronunciation suggests a clever word-smoosh between tarnal and damnation, so the savvy Appalachians could euphemistically express their anger without wasting an extra breath. This article about the English language is a stub. "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that." 04 Mar 2023 03:30:05 Let me love you again, give me one more try. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins, Follow Thoughts and Ponderances on WordPress.com. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. "Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." It mentions Benjamin Hawkins of the late 18th century, who was asked by the US president to go back to Washington. It can also be the opening to striking a bargain, sharing a strongly held opinion, or offering a piece of advice you may or may not want to hear. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. Over yonder toward the water tower. For instance if someone invites you to church on Sunday, you would respond "I'll be there with bells on God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.". The expression is incorrectly attributed on modern social media[citation needed] to an Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins, in the late 18th century in a rumored letter not found in any archive to the U.S. President. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. After eating a big, delicious Southern dinner Granny just made, you have to finish up with a slice of sweet potato pie, right? However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. These skies can darken at a moment's notice, and summer afternoons often see winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer heat. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. Nor is grammar an argument in favor the the subject being plural. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. Paperback, 305 pages. The English language is forever changing. I'm a sucker for the well turned phrase and I was highlighting sentences here, one after another. Change). 132 Copy quote. Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems. Get help and learn more about the design. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. That argues for a more mundane origin: the old-time difficulties of travelling on dirt roads that forded rivers and streams; a sudden storm could cause water levels to rise without warning and render the route impassable. It must surely be the creation of a fertile modern mind desiring to put the flesh of evidence on the dry bones of outright invention. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. You may still hear it if you stop into a country store. The researchers went on to cite two different publications in the 1800s in which the authors did not capitalize the word creek, leading one to believe they did not mean the people proper. Other words sites Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. From the present day of the story in 1970 to flashbacks of the past and dreams, these various points of view give us a vivid picture of this place and the people who live there. In alternating first person narratives from a cast of characters that will be hard to forget, Leah Weiss took me to the mountain community called Baines Creek in the Appalachian Mountains in NC. Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. The saying has been attributed to Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson among others, on the usual principle that attaching a famous name to a story validates it. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. Charles Wilson said the flood waters are something he has to live with to enjoy residing on the river. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. Used in a sentence - If the creek don't rise and God's willing, you should be able to see this video. The first big battles in the Creek War were, indeed, attacks on white settlements, but it was not a matter of an uprising that threatened settlers, rather it was an outbreak of war between two armed groups in which whites and Indians sought each other out.