This is the second of a two-part series about the life of Joyce Birchfield Stover.
Joyce Birchfield graduated from Andrews High School in 1959 and married her high school sweetheart, James (Jimmy) Stover.
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Joyce Stover was raised at the bottom of Tatham Gap Road in Andrews, which was part of the “Trail of Tears,” and she explained how those who lived in that area was frightened by some unwanted visitors.
“From Stewart Road just beyond Polly McGuire’s house to the foot of Robbinsville Mountain and over near Beaver Creek there were two black panthers that traveled around together usually during hog killing time in the Fall, but other seasons as well. When the large cats were near, the dogs would crawl way up under the house, and soon the panthers would let out a scream that would turn your blood cold,” said Joyce.
“I used to play the guitar for the school plays in Andrews High School and our practice would sometimes be until dark. So, Bob Gibson would always drop me off after the play practice down where Fred Haney used to live on Stewart Road, and I would walk up through the edge of Hamilton’s field to our house on Tatham Gap Road.
Just as I cut over to the “pine thickets” one evening, where all the kids played below the house, the panthers screamed. I started running with that guitar slung across my back and my Mama said they could hear me coming banging the guitar on the trees, and she hollered and said, “Don’t be afraid, your Dad and Jimmy Wayne are out here with guns.
But I was afraid the panthers would cut me off before I got there, because I could hear them coming in on my right from the field across from Piles Creek, where later Mr. Newell Owenby built his house. When the panthers were on the move, they made a loud panting growl like noise that was absolutely terrifying,” Joyce said. “We had some close calls but thank the Lord, they never got us!
“My Daddy and my brothers tried to set traps for the panthers, but never succeeded, they were too smart, but would let out a scream after they went to the house.”
Other neighbors along Stewart Road had heard the panthers screaming as well. Dallas Adams and Elick Postell were going to work just at daylight one morning and they saw the black panthers out in a field that belonged to Mrs. Evelyn “Jake” Nicholson, just across the creek from the Parker & Reichman chicken house, a place they visited often.
“My uncle, Alfred Grindstaff, worked at the chicken house and he said the panthers would catch chickens and then bury them in a mound out in the fields with the feet sticking up. My Grandpa, Jessie Clay Birchfield showed us some of the brush mounds and explained they did this so when they were running by, they could just snatch them up with their teeth without breaking their stride.”
Joyce married her high school sweetheart, James Stover, May 2, 1959, and they reside in Red Marble near Topton. The couple had three sons, Kenny, Russell and Allen.
At age 82, Joyce is still going strong and although she has had a lot of heartaches, with the loss of two sons, she remains steadfast in her faith and the love for her family.
“I have lived a good life,” Joyce said. “We have a lot of great memories growing up in a large family. We were poor but didn’t know it, because we were rich in love for one another, and we still are. I was the oldest of 11 children and thank the Lord we are all still living today!”
Author’s note: My daughter and I were driving out of Big Choga on Nantahala Lake before dark several years ago, and saw a panther come up the bank onto the road. He crouched down at the centerline and leaped across the other lane up on the bank and disappeared into the forest. The panther was huge and beautiful, tawny brown with black on the face and highlights of white. I called the wildlife office just so they would know and the man told me, “I want to be perfectly clear, there are no panthers in western North Carolina.”
Then about a week later, a man from Bryson City was featured on WLOS News as he had hit one when it jumped in front of his vehicle. Yes, I did – I called back to the wildlife office and told the rude man to check out the panther story on WLOS.
Kandy Barnard is a columnist for the Cherokee Scout. To talk about the Andrews Valley, call her at 361-3268 or email kandybarnard@gmail.com.