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William Joseph Holmes

by Highway 80 Stories

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about

This is the tale of two uncles.

Belinda Barnes (1880-1902) was a little different from the other girls of her country, something of a tomboy. But she was a pretty girl nonetheless. Her uncle William Joseph "Billy Joe" Holmes (1866-1893), her mother's younger brother, at first showed her attention in a good way: taking her fishing, giving her little gifts, and in general making her feel special. Until that day when he took her riding in his fancy buggy out on the lonely roads and raped her.

The sent Belinda inward, quiet, and sullen. She worked even harder to tamp down her good looks, and told no one about what had happened.

But it did not go unnoticed by her other uncle, her father's older brother, Campall "Camp" Barnes (1862-1943). He had told her that she should be herself no matter if that meant being different. He told her she was fine just as she was, but he also began to worry about her when she got so quiet and stand-offish. Because she had always felt close to him, she finally told him about what had happened. Camp was angered by the actions of Billy Joe Holmes, whom he knew from around the way.

The Raney family were well-known whiskey producers, and Billy Joe was often found hanging around the still, getting drunk and cutting up. Billy Joe Holmes was an unsavory character, not well-liked, and in fact considered "off" even for these parts. Camp Barnes knew what had to be done.

North Georgia, which was part of the Appalachian culture, had not much official law. People policed themselves, and meted out justice according to an age-old code of behavior. There was an idea that some men just needed killing.

lyrics

Was livin' in Opelika, Alabama;
Billy Joe Holmes was born in the Georgia hills.
Younger brother of Belinda Barnes's mama;
Each year he'd come home; see to his bills.

Somethin' bout him didn't seem right;
Folks round here always said so.
He was wound a little too tight;
Had watch your back around Billy Joe.

It happened when his niece was twelve,
He drug her innocence through the mud.
Uncle Billy warned Belinda not to tell;
A rusty stain on the buggy seat was her blood.

That's when she began dressing down,
Didn't want to be a pretty girl no more.
Would sulk off when Billy Joe came around;
Wouldn't take the candy he brought from the store.

Rougher than a corn cob.
Darker than a depot stove.
Wilder than a mad dog.
Louder than a murder of crows.

William Joseph Holmes;
William Joseph Holmes.
His grave's unknown;
There's no tombstone,
For William Joseph Holmes.

Belinda's favorite uncle was on her daddy's side;
"Nothin' wrong with being different," he taught her.
When Belinda was ten her daddy died;
Camp Barnes treated Belinda like a daughter.

He asked her why she'd been so quiet,
That's when she told him about uncle Billy.
Belinda looked at Campall and cried,
"Uncle Camp he made me feel so filthy."

Everybody knew what Billy Joe liked;
He'd be found at either of two spots.
Campall made sure his fish knife,
Was in the bottom of his tackle box.

Sure enough Billy was at the Raney still site;
There he was, a-laughin' and braggin'.
Billy Joe disappeared after that Sairdy night;
Sunday morning Camp washed out his wagon.

Rougher than a corn cob.
Darker than a depot stove.
Wilder than a mad dog.
Louder than a murder of crows.

William Joseph Holmes;
William Joseph Holmes.
His grave's unknown;
There's no tombstone,
For William Joseph Holmes.

© 2024 Frank David Leone, Jr./Highway 80 Music (ASCAP). The songs and stories on the Highway 80 Stories website are works of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

credits

released February 19, 2024
David Leone: guitar, vocal

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Highway 80 Stories Whitleyville, Tennessee

Frank David Leone was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and has lived in the South his entire life with the exception of eight years in NYC.  Leone has also lived and worked at music in Dallas and Nashville.  He currently resides in rural Tennessee with his wife and three cats.
His songs have been recorded by Lee Ann Womack, Chris Knight, Rebecca Lynn Howard, and Joy Lynn White, among others. ... more

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