Matthew Baker
My Mountain Granny chronicles the life of the Mountain
Natives through the life story of Evelyn Beck.
The author Matthew Baker moved to Western North
Carolina as a young college student, and soon asked, "Who
are the mountain people?"
He discovered Evelyn Beck, and his question was answered.
The mountain natives are tough, smart, and generous, some
of the finest people the world has ever known.
Coming to the mountains as a young college student, the land fascinated me. I had expected the place to be suspended in time, but I soon found the mountains changed drastically from what I had imagined. I had expected the country store. Instead, I found Wal-Mart. I became curious and wondered what old Appalachia was really like. My desire was to know the mountain people, not as popular culture portrayed them, but for whom they really were.
For some time my curiosity led to nothing. I had begun attending a writing group, and one day I started talking with a lady by the name George-Anna Carter.
“I’m interested in talking to someone about the old times,” I told her. “I know just the person you want to talk to,” she said, and scratched a name and number on a piece of paper. I rushed home and dialed the number. The lady and I spoke, talked for a little while and then arranged to meet the next day.
On December 10th, 1998 my adventure began, for the moment I met Evelyn Howell Beck I knew she was special.
Evelyn and I visited on different occasions. At first it was awkward. I had grown up with MTV and she with square dances. In fact, we had nothing in common except that we were fascinated with each other.
Soon after I began visiting, my questions began to be answered. I had found a mountain woman who had lived Appalachia’s history. I always took a tape recorder to our visits and had lots of questions. If it was winter, we’d sit out on the porch in front of the stove.
When the conversation died, we had the crackle of the fire. On several occasions during the summer we’d take walks around the campground or take short trips together. What started as an awkward meeting became a unique friendship. Neither of us made sense of it until, one day, Evelyn summed it up,“I guess I’m just your Mountain Granny.”
In truth, she was much more than that. An amazing history of fantastic people and places was revealed to me, but most of all I had found a role model. I regret not telling her this while she was living. I was young and could be told nothing. Here I had found someone who didn’t need words, a person who had lived her faith...and I failed to let her know my feelings! In many ways just knowing her changed my attitudes about faith, family and life.
Matthew Baker