• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
North Carolina Folklife Institute
  • About
    • Mission & Values
    • People
    • History
    • Funders
    • Contact
    • NCFI in the News
  • Our Work
    • NC Folklife Apprenticeships
    • Legends & Lore Marker Program
    • Fiscal Sponsorship
    • Partners
    • Archives
    • Reports & Publications
  • Events
  • Carolina Life & Lore
  • Support
The Ballad of Frankie Silver

The Ballad of Frankie Silver

April 4, 2013

frankie_silvers2[wpshopcart_add_to_cart id=”4″]
In 1833 Mrs. Frances Silver was hanged in Morganton, North Carolina, for the ax murder of her husband Charles. For a century and a half the case has lived on in newspapers, pamphlets, memoirs, petition, folksong, and legends. Bobby McMillon, a member of the Silver family, learned stories about Frankie as he grew up in the community where the murder took place. (50 mins.) Directed by Tom Davenport.

Also featured on DVD:
Mutzmag: An Appalachian Tale (53 min., ages 10-adult)
Making Grimm Movies (60 min.)

[wpshopcart_add_to_cart id=”4″]

Related

  • Being a Joines: A Life in the Brushy Mountains

     [wpshopcart_add_to_cart id=”8″] John E. “Frail” Joines was a master tale teller from Wilkes County, North Carolina, on the…

  • When My Work is Over

    [wpshopcart_add_to_cart id=”5″] Louise Anderson (1921-1994), the gifted African American storyteller who played Dark Sally in Tom Davenport’s children’s…

  • Pecan Pickin’

    Text and photos by Ray Linville A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, our thoughts often begin to shift…

Filed Under: Movies, Uncategorized Tagged With: Folktales, Mountain region/Western NC

Contact

North Carolina Folklife Institute
P.O. Box 61222
Durham, NC 27715
(336) 223-5956
staff@ncfolk.org

Connect

© 2026 North Carolina Folklife Institute · All rights reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design
Search North Carolina Folklife Institute