Fern Rollyson
1904-1988

There are a very few folks that I have encountered on my life’s path that I would call the spirit of Appalachia. Two come to mind immediately. The first was Fern Rollyson who lived in Glenville and the second was Buck Harper of Seneca Rocks.

Will explain Buck’s story in the next blog. Where do I start with Fern?

Fern was the President of the WV State Folk Festival for many years until her death in 1988. She was the originator of the Country Store Museum that is associated closely with the Folk Festival. The store was originally the Ruddell General Store. The store sits on a 40X66 foot lot at 6 Court Street, Glenville, and is a showcase of late 19th century commercial designs with its decorative tin ceiling still in tact. Fern was also responsible for the preservation of the Little Kanawha Valley Bank. This structure was constructed circa 1900, and served as the LKVB from 1901 to 1906 and as the Kanawha Union Bank until 1916. The bank was then used for office and storage space until donated to the WV State Folk Festival by the Kanawha Union Bank. The bank building was moved from the original location on Main Street in Glenville to 5 Howard Street, thanks to the 99-year lease for the 50 by 50 foot lot provided by Fern. The rectangular shaped building has a well-preserved, classically detailed, pressed-metal facade, and is still only one block from its original location.

We met Fern in the late sixties and were good friends until her death at age 84. Fern was a tall lady whose long, silver hair was always piled high on her head. Fern was passionate when it came to the Folk Festival. Her energy was contagious and she ran the festival with charm and dignity. She was a very strong, gracious lady whose presence always made one feel comfortable. Fern was a people person who shared the festival’s responsibilities by making each and every volunteer feel important. In the seventies, Judy and I volunteered in the Country Store and I emceed the nightly Folk Festival concerts at Glenville State College.

Fern and her husband, Rolly, lived behind Picken’s Hall of GSC. Their two story, white, frame house was a museum of wonderful things! Fern was a collector and had not just antiques, but wonderful rare and strange treasures. Unique examples of pottery, flat iron collections, musical instruments, and framed preserved funeral flowers are some of the memories of items that graced her dwelling. During a visit, Fern would always make tea and serve candied orange peels or cookies. The good wife and I surprised Fern and Rolly on a cool winter evening by playing the courting dulcimer on their porch. We were, of course, rewarded with hot-spiced apple cider.

The stories of Fern are so many. Memories of her directing the Folk Festival activities in her antique dresses and umbrellas are vivid. It was one of those times when Fern was bustling around and she came up to me and said, “Is the concert tonight in fine shape?” I assured her that all was well. In those days the concerts consisted of musicians and singers signing up the evening of the concert. It was always very spontaneous and one never knew who would show up at concert time. Fern was dressed on that day in a long, white, lace dress that one of her relatives made in the late 1800’s. As we were talking, I did not realize that I was stepping on the edge of her dress! Off she went at her usual fast pace and I heard a RIP. Yes, my foot had successfully taken off a good six inches of the lace. It is an understatement to say that Fern was upset! We stapled the bottom of the dress together and off she was off toward her next mission. I believe it was that same dress that she was wearing when she ran the man with the organ grinder and his monkey out of town. You know, cannot have monkeys at an Appalachian festival!

Fern was a hard worker and she loved the Country Store. The Country Store provided at that time the majority of the funds necessary to run the festival. In the store, we sold WV hand blown glass items, books, and crafts. After the festival was concluded, Fern and her ladies would pack up the books and other items and haul them after the Folk Festival to Ripley. They would then set up a Country Store at the WV Arts and Crafts Fair and sell wares throughout each day of the fair. This was no small task even for folks many years younger. The WV Arts and Crafts Fair is held the first of July at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center. Cedar Lakes is an area that includes ponds, conference facilities, and instructional craft areas. It was always hot and humid and you could always count on a couple of violent thunderstorms during the fair. We should know since we were selling our Appalachian lap dulcimers during this period and our craft tent would sometimes lose the battle against the strong winds.

One evening at the Arts and Crafts Fair, Fern was closing up the WV State Folk Festival’s Country Store booth when old time friends showed up. “Fern, we are staying in a motel. Why don’t you come and stay with us this evening and we can visit?” Fern responded, “Well, guess that will be fine.” Off Fern went with her friends for an evening of socializing. PROBLEM! Fern did not think of telling her lady friends who were helping her and staying with her at the Cedar Lakes facility that she would not be staying at the fair facilities.

That night a violent storm hit the area toppling the tents. Fern came flowing into the exhibit area in the morning. She noticed that fire trucks abounded and there was quite a stir around the lakes. She asked someone, “What happened?” They said “Some old lady did not return from her exhibit area after last evening’s storm. They are dragging the ponds for her body! It was not until she say the faces of her Country Store ladies did she realize that SHE was the old lady!

Fern was one of the last of the dying breed of Appalachian women- strong, feisty, independent - yet compassionate and passionate in her beliefs. We are blessed to have known her.