Appalachias Deadliest Duo  

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When I was a teenager (35 years ago) in Kentucky, my father would tell me stories about the Harpe Bros that he heard from his father. One day he took me and my brother into the woods to a large mossy boulder. As he begin to wipe the moss away we began to see old carvings. Little Harpe and Big Harpe had carved their names into the rock. His father had shown him as a child and it is still there to this day. Covered in moss again, but it's there. I still know the location but never showed anyone else for fear that they would vandalize it. The last time I took the short hike through the woods and found the stone was about 12 years ago.

Thanks for your excellent story. I’m a Harp(e). My grandfather told me as a kid that we dropped the E off of the end of our name as we wanted to distance ourselves. Sure was crazy when about 20 years later when I was asked if I was related to the Harpe brothers, then handed a book to read. Then I was floored. Many thanks for the story telling. The video is really great too.

This is crazy! I watch true crime and this story is the worst I’ve heard! You’re an amazing story teller !!!

Please keep making these you have a wonderful way of telling the stories and I love the voice over that’s speaking it really takes me to the Appalachian mountains u really do have a great channel 👍🏻

Disturbing but great story. American history 101. The narrator is amazing!

I can't join, but I can click like, and let the ads run all the way to the end👍 ❤️ This is an amazing story. Thank you ❤️

This one really grabbed me from the get go. I wasn't about to stop listening to this story as them boys git worse n worse. Superb presentation. 😊❤️

You truly have such a gift of story telling!! I was captivated from the opening lines. I could seriously listen to you read the dictionary. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful, sad, and now even gruesome history of the people of Appalachia.

Stories like this are true pages of history. I like hearing it from here. Good or bad history must be told in its entirety so that people in this generation and generation to come must know, learned and benefits the lessons history.

I'd 'bout reckon that them Harp boys ain't exactly hearing nary a bit of music from an Angel's Harp, if you smell what I'm stepping in. Thanky once again JD for another fascinating, but brutal tale of those no good for nothing Scallywags.🤠

Wow! It’s hard to believe that there are folks like that out there, but I guess there still are folks like out there.😞😞😞

WHEW! This is a brutal and extremely raw account! Different times then! Very beautifully told! Thank you so much!

I just found your channel and I'm hooked. I'm from Michigan and I love learning about the Appalachian history. You have a way of taking us right to that moment in time. Thank you.

That's some bad ass music in the background, pretty cool knowin you wrote that part to, these remind me of a modern version of the old radio programs our grandparents listened to. There just as entertaining to.

This was crazy!!! I couldn't stop listening to this!! To think this happen around my home in Knoxville is just WOW!!!

I live along side the Natchez Trace National Historic Parkway. There have been books written about the goings on along the Trace, including the revolution that Arron Burr tried to start using slaves, and his capture and trial close to the Trace. Each of the books claim that the Harp brothers operated on the Trace as far down as Natchez. Natchez is the second oldest city in the United States and as soon as it became part of the United States a town named Washington, just a five minute ride today from Natchez became the legal capital of the territory. It was there, according to the books that Little Harp came in to identify his brother's head to collect the bounty for positive identification. Back then it was too hard to haul a body the entire way to the distant law office, so heads were cut off, rolled in clay and transported that way. When Little Harp identified his brother there was someone present who could identify Little Harp and he was arrested, hung from a tree on the Trace and left to rot. When there was nothing left except skull and bones, the skull was stuck into a place in the tree and a sign was put up saying something like "This is what is left of Little Harp, this is what we do to murderers. Of course, over the years I have seen books and videos about the Harp story taking place all the way up the Trace to the Cumberland Trail and beyond, so I doubt that even though there are old records from newspapers of the day, that we will ever know where they really roamed and were caught. Of interest, in the Natchez Trace park office in Tupelo, Mississippi, the half way point from Nashville to Natchez, I was allowed to check out the original map made by the Park of the original Trace and where route that the Parkway takes. Along with that I checked put an actual travel guide to the Trace that was put together in the late 1700s. It listed miles between each stand (or inn, hotel, B&B) with a description of what each was like. Some provided travelers with the best and others nothing more than a lean to to sleep under and one even carried the warning, "It is best if you keep going and make your way to the next stand because the owner here is a nasty sort." So we think that since the automobile arrived that such things were invented but truth is, these guides existed long before our great, great, great grandparents were born.

Another excellent story of Old Appalachia! Love to learn about the history of the mountains.

I'm not originally from the Appalachian's. My parents were French and we could trace our genealogy back to the mid 1770's to Normandy France where our ancestors started. Then two brothers sailed to Canada and our families eventually settled across the Saint John River into Maine at Van Buren, Aroostic County. My parents were from there, but after WWII they moved to Los Angeles, California where I was born and raised. But my parents have pasted years ago and to be closer to my own granddaughters I have retired and have settled in the Southwestern Appalachian's of NC. I've been in many countries across the world and this area is quite beautiful. Autumn is my favorite time of year here. I've always enjoyed the histories of places were I have lived, and the Appalachian's are no different. I enjoy hearing the stories from the really older people who remember what it was like. But I'm no spring chicken, I'm one of those old people too. LOL. My own history has been an adventure, but my family here are as redneck as they come. They are just the newer generation of the Appalachian's and they survived these difficult times. But I am blessed as I have gotten to watch my granddaughters grow up here. So I love your tales of the times that are now gone. It wasn't an easy life. But, like people everywhere they made do, survived their own ups and downs, and the children of today learn from the stories you tell and record so others may know. Thank you. It would be fun to sit at a campfire and listen to the stories you tell.

Thia kept me on the edge of my seat! It is no wonder why these brothers are not still talked about. Thanks for researching this and sharing with us.

I love your stories and the history! Your voice reminds me of one of my uncle's sittin around tellin a story. Keep up the great stories Sir.

I’m amazed that they remembered all the names of the people they murdered.

As a Danish boy from 1959, when I was a child I learned about America from the TV, and most of our outdoor playtime was spend playing cowboys and indians. (We vere alvays playing around) Later I watched Sergio Leones movies and Soldier Blue, and found out, that the word isn't black and white. Now in an age of 64, I found your channel. I must say: You are an incredible good storyteller. There are a lot of stories to be told, and you do it incredible good. Thanks. :-)

That was really diffrent.... What an amazing way to tell the horrific story of the two killer- brothers!

Factual inconsistencies aside, and there were a few. This story I had never heard before and I thank you for telling it so well. Keep up the good work. Because history needs you.

The book American Nations by Colin Woodard devotes a lot of the story of different groups to those who came to America from the Borderlands of Scotland and Ireland due to poverty. These people were independent and many as mean as could be but their story makes up a huge part of what our country is today.

I don't doubt the truth of this story, but how did the Harp brother have a revolver in 1799, when it was invented in 1831?

Wonderfully told!! Like the use of first person pov. Excellent!

Ok, that was creepy. It made me giggle. Keep 'em coming!

You made the sickest story I ever heard sound interesting.

Thank you for ALL that you do! You are appreciated. ☮🤍

I've heard of these brothers before but I didn't know all the details! I don't think many people realize just how brutal the Revolution was, especially in the back country.

Wow! What a crazy pair! Thanks for another great story! I much appreciate every story. Even the bad ones. God bless and Happy Holidays to you and yours.

This story was really good. It kept you involved in the storytelling. These brothers were pretty gruesome on the people they killed and the way they did it. I've heard other stories about the cave in the wall. Have a great weekend.

I'm very thankful for the story thank you. I love anything like this or about civil war are native Americans or mtn ppl Appalachian ur very Awesome story teller thank you

I love hearing about the stories of the Scots-Irish settlers in the Northern Appalachian American Colonies. So much history that is documented, but not nearly as known of but instead spoken of between townsfolk and passed down generations.

16:48 Certainly there were very rare (and very heavy) prototype flintlock revolvers in Europe in 1799 owned by a few very rich people, but I don't think revolvers were in common usage in America until Sam Colt came along in the 1830s with his percussion cap revolver.

Great Story!!! & gruesome as hell smh 💯🍻👍🏻... I love your channel as it is very informative & yet Educational for anyone interested in more about "Our" ancestors. We're all different & each has a unique story of they're own. Too bad Soo much has been lost in my family, It's going to take a lot of work tracking down. I've Soo far managed to find somethings out & still better than nothing. I think my family came right before the Civil War & they fought for the South, as most of my family over here are from The South - Maryland, Carolina's, Virginia, Tennessee, & Texas. Keep up with the outstanding research & awesome stories. I just love the American Wild West 💯🍻.

J.D, I don't know how you can top this story but I have a feeling you will. My daughter lives close to Cave in the Rock and we camped there back in August and we heard the Illinois version of this story but yours is the best. Stay safe out there my friend 🙏

Excellent history! This all happened right around where I am.. crazy to think about I've passed by some of these spots hundreds of times. Would definitely make a good trip finding all these places following their steps. Maybe one day! Thanks for sharing

What a wonderful story. You have the voice for it. They were mean dudes.

Keep bringing these stories to the next generation!

WOW.....! JUST GOT FINISHED CHECKING OUT THIS UPLOAD.... AWESOME BROTHER TRULY AWESOME! SICK DUDES... GREAT STORY...!. THANKS AGAIN..

New subscriber here… great videos! I’ve learned so much already. Can’t believe I had never heard of these two delightful young men, thanks so much

This was a very interesting story I thoroughly enjoyed hearing it. Unbelievable how crewel people were in those days. I'm not saying they aren't today just different 🙏💕

Fascinating story. I have never heard of them before. Keep up the great videos.

Dang! Their cornbread was still doughy in the middle! They were literally monsters. Why have I never heard of this before?

WOW! What a story J. D. I love your work, keep it up.

This story needs to be made into a movie! Thank you for the history lesson.

Great Story & Narration!!! You are 1 hell of a storyteller Sir!!! 👍

I'm not sure about revolvers being around in 1799?. I'm gonna fact check that.

Wow! Graphic narration!! Great True Crime stories!

Superb storytelling!

My grandfather did fight in the revolutionary war and so did two of his sons. One of them fought at kings mountain as well. My grandfather helped keep the British from coming around in a counter move from the British. My grandfather was out of the wheeling fort area when this was the wild open west. You can find him when you goggle. Moses Williamson. He actually knew Lew Wetzel.

I really enjoy the storytelling. I’m from Russellville and enjoy the history of my Ole Kentucky home.

I found out a few years ago these evil brothers killed my 6G grandfather in 1799. Edit: After watching the video that is him at 16:25

This is the best documentary style story ever. I wonder they should do a mini series about Appalachian history. I'm from the Caribbean but my ancestors came from Spain. But like you guys I'm always looking for the family history. Congratulations on your accomplishments and successful story narratives. Love it !!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, sir, and I appreciate you tellin' it. Thank you...

Wow 😳 I was watching Tucker the other day and he had James Wood, the actor on his program. James said he was going to be inducted into the Sons of the Revolution..bc his ancestors was in that war. When I saw the James Wood in your story I was wondering if that was who he was talking about. It could be! Thanks JD for another great story! 🖐😃

Finally, a story that is new. A story about a new outlaw. Not Jesse James, Bonnie & Clyde, Billie the Kid, they place some of these stories to death

WOW ! These brothers were maniac's . I'm glad they were eventually caught and killed . Great story telling that's why I have been a subscriber for some time now . Looking forward to more.

Hey JD hope you and your family are well.. That was amazing story.. phew....the tomahawk special Dee 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✝️

Damn!!! Those two make every other story of cowboy killer's tame. Come on Netflix it'll be a major hit.

Don't know when last I heard a real story. Great job.

Thanks for sharing this great story. Merry Christmas 🎅

Wow they were truly brutal! I wonder what became of their wives and children

Very cool video. Awesome job.

Great story thanks for posting it.

“Take a big tall tree and a short piece of rope. Hang em up high and let em swing til the sun goes down.” Charlie Daniels- “Simple Man” *** Great story. 👍

Sounds like a fun family!

Another great story from a gifted storyteller!

Some people deserve the Tomahawk special and the Rock Treatment. 🤘 I know a few.

Never heard of these two. Thanks for the story!

Sounds like some of my neighbors.

I went too school with big Harp. We went on to serve together in the loyalist militia. We had some right laughs together.

Amazing story! Again!

Really an awesome story. I enjoyed the history. How horrible. I am Appalachian and I traced my ancestors to 1785 Scotland and Cherokee Virginia. I am so sorry for what your parents went through.

Never heard of these brothers thank you for the history

My heritage is traced from Scotland and back to the vikings I'm from wva yes a true hillbilly I'm 70 and still going strong love 2 all

SEE THIS IS WHAT I"M SCREAMIN ABOUT...! AWESOME STORYTELLING....! GREAT STUFF! KEEP ROLLIN & I'LL KEEP LISTIN...! STEVE, CHARLOTTE, N.C. P.S. I'M HITTIN THE LIKE BUTTON.. TWICE! IF I CAN... GOOD LUCK....

Cutting a man's head off while he's still alive enough to insult you during the process is truly hard core.😳 Then putting the head on a stick in the road! 🤯 I can't believe that someone hasn't made this story into a movie yet.

Good tale...unfortunately Chattanooga didn't exist in the 1780s, nor did Tennessee as a name of a State. Originally part of western North Carolina and then the SW Territory until 1796. Chattanooga was a small town in 1819 and then a trading post after Chief John Ross established it near Moccasin Bend in 1838.

Wow, first time hearing about them, thanks

All the best from Glasgow. 🇬🇧🇺🇸

That was insane! Those men were damaged at a young age. Mind blowing!

Yeah I remember reading about these guys. I read that one of them bashed one of their own newborn babies against a tree when it wouldn't stop crying...

New subscriber....started watching 👀 then 4 hrs later, I subscribed!

love the sound effects!

I am a Harp don’t hold it against us.

A fun listen but a few anachronism. Mostly in the video portion. I don't believe they had revolvers or lever action rifles at that time. I could be wrong though.

This has been the hardest one to listen to but I still enjoyed the history

That picture of two mountain men that is on your Wanted poster is a cartoon by Frederic Remington who put the caption as the man without the feather in his cap says to the man with the feather in his cap saying, "I almost mistook you fer and Injun."

Lever action rifles in the American Revolution? South Carolina must have been way more advanced than my ancestors in the upper Ohio Valley where all they had flintlock Pennsylvania Rifles during the Revolution!

What links do you have for the validity of this telling?

This is a dope story they should do a movie on these two furreal!!!

Those boys were created Monster's! The heart ache and violence they witnessed... perfect combo for psychosis 😈👿 the brothers grim

Geez... that's nightmare material for me! Being 30% Scots, I never thought about how bad it could have been for new settlers back then... Thanks JD for the history 🤗❤️

Really well done. Those brothers were truly disgusting men (even by the standards of the time) but definitely fascinating.

Great video!

I'd heard about the Harpe brothers before, but, I'd never heard the story from their perspective before 👍👍👍👍