GRAND AND GLORIOUS ORDER OF HILLBILLY DEGREE

DEGREE HISTORY

“After discussing side-line degrees with a friend one day back in 1969, 1 decided to see if I could put something down in writing to establish such a new degree. I could only draw upon my own experiences–born and raised in the Hills of West Virginia and now living in the hills of Kentucky. I could recall the outhouse moon; which closely resembled the Crescent, a symbol held in the highest esteem by all Shriners. This somehow reminded me of corn cobs, moonshine, etc. So I sat down and wrote. Slowly the new Degree took substance and form”

~ Jim Harris

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HILLBILLY DAYS

Pictured are Howard ‘Dirty Ear” Stratton and “Shady” Grady Kinney, the founders of “Hillbilly Days” at Pikeville in 1977. It has been one of the events that has helped the Hillbilly Clans grow and raised a lot of money for Shrine Hospitals. Howard was on the Hillbilly News Staff and has written many interesting articles about the Hillbilly Clans and Hillbilly Days.

Following is part of an article written for the Sixth Annual Hillbilly Days…

Dear Hillbilly Bob:

Mountain Dew Outhouse #2 of Clan #1 here in Pikeville, Ky. wants to invite all clans to the 6th Annual Hillbilly Days here on April 15, 16 & 17 in Pikeville, Ky. Come all of you including Jack Grace from California and Paul McCutcheen from New Mexico. Meet some genuine mountain people here deep in the Appalachian mountains. We were born and bred hillbillies before we ever heard of a Shriner or Mason. We are civilized, good common help your neighbor kind of people. We will feed you, talk good to you, show you the old mountain good hospitality that all of you have beard of about us.

This annual event is not all for show this was the way we lived 30 years ago and I am proud of it. Hillbilly Days has something for all ages. Our old people love it as do our young and others. Come on down and meet some genuine Hillbillies. This is the home of the Hatfield-McCoy feud right here in Pikeville. Our old people still talk of it.

This will be an experience you will never forget.

Come on down and be with us. It is only 5 months away. We have a genuine Hillbilly Sheriff William [Bill] Deskins, high sheriff and a genuine Hillbilly Judge Wayne T. Rutherford. The town is ours for three days and nights. Some good old mountain music from our local people all three days. Plenty of good CORN. We had a good harvest this year.

Bring your campers and sleeping bags. You won’t need much sleep anyway. We have plenty of camper parking. We will set you up an outhouse and you can bath when you go back home. Anybody can go 3 days without a bath. Come on down to the hills and meet us and when this is over let’s all plan to make the trip to Cincinnati, Ohio for the first big national Hillbilly Convention. Me and Betty and youngins (ant wait. Cincinnati will never he the same after we get there. Looking forward to meeting ever one on Hillbilly Days.

Korn News from Pikeville.

Howard “Dirty Ear” Stratton

Dear Hillbilly Bob:

Mountain Dew Outhouse #2 of Clan #1 here in Pikeville, Ky. wants to invite all clans to the 6th Annual Hillbilly Days here on April 15, 16 & 17 in Pikeville, Ky. Come all of you including Jack Grace from California and Paul McCutcheen from New Mexico. Meet some genuine mountain people here deep in the Appalachian mountains. We were born and bred hillbillies before we ever heard of a Shriner or Mason. We are civilized, good common help your neighbor kind of people. We will feed you, talk good to you, show you the old mountain good hospitality that all of you have beard of about us.

This annual event is not all for show this was the way we lived 30 years ago and I am proud of it. Hillbilly Days has something for all ages. Our old people love it as do our young and others. Come on down and meet some genuine Hillbillies. This is the home of the Hatfield-McCoy feud right here in Pikeville. Our old people still talk of it.

This will be an experience you will never forget.

Come on down and be with us. It is only 5 months away. We have a genuine Hillbilly Sheriff William [Bill] Deskins, high sheriff and a genuine Hillbilly Judge Wayne T. Rutherford. The town is ours for three days and nights. Some good old mountain music from our local people all three days. Plenty of good CORN. We had a good harvest this year.

Bring your campers and sleeping bags. You won’t need much sleep anyway. We have plenty of camper parking. We will set you up an outhouse and you can bath when you go back home. Anybody can go 3 days without a bath. Come on down to the hills and meet us and when this is over let’s all plan to make the trip to Cincinnati, Ohio for the first big national Hillbilly Convention. Me and Betty and youngins (ant wait. Cincinnati will never he the same after we get there. Looking forward to meeting ever one on Hillbilly Days.

Korn News from Pikeville.

Howard “Dirty Ear” Stratton

INTERNATIONAL HILLBILLY CONVENTION

The first two International Hillbilly Conventions were hosted by Clan #5 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Hundreds of Hillbillies from all over the country converged on the Queen City for a weekend of fun and fellowship.  Imperial Raban Jim Harris even held a meeting with a large gathering of Hillbillies at Cincinnati’s famous Fountain Square!

2nd Hillbilly Convention Program