Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers pertaining to the song "The Wreck of the Old '97", Accession #12671, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was purchased by the Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library from Crown Collectibles, 8238 Hull Street Road, Richmond, Virginia on October 9, 2003.

Biographical/Historical Information

David Graves George, a Pittsylvania songwriter, former railroad worker, tobacco farmer, water tower tender, telegrapher, Deputy U.S. Marshall and later resident of Detroit claimed to have written the famous song "The Wreck of the Old '97". George rose to national fame when he filed a lawsuit in 1928 claiming he was the original author of the time honored railroad ballad. He spent many years of his life in court battles trying to prove authorship and receive compensation for the song that the Victor Talking Machine Company released in 1924. The song became a hit record selling over one million copies. George claimed not to have known that the song had been published until, 1928, when he read a trivia question in the local paper, the News Leader, asking who knew the identity of the author of the popular hit song.

Mr. George claimed to have seen the famous train 'Old 97' speeding down the track from where he worked in Franklin Junction. (Gretna, Virginia). When the train reached Danville, it went out of control and plunged from the curved trestle into the bank killing eleven trainmen, including the engineer. After the wreck which occurred in 1903, George is said to have written the ballad "The Wreck of the Old '97" and given copies to his friends. The Supreme Court ruled in his favor in 1938, stating that the Victor Talking Machine Company pay George $65,295.00. It is not known if George accepted this amount.

Scope and Content

The collection contains ca. 46 items (half of one Hollinger box) less than one linear foot and is chiefly concerned with David George's lawsuit against the Victor Talking Machine Company over authorship and royalties for the song "The Wreck of the Old '97". The song was based on the mail train number ninety-seven that ran daily from Washington D.C. to Atlanta and wrecked near Danville, Virginia in 1903. The legal battles over the song began in 1928 and went on until 1938 with verdicts see-sawing back and forth between the two parties.

Included in the collection which spans from 1903, 1928 to 1966 is a typed sheet of the original seven stanzas of the song purportedly used by George in court; letters written by George to his son during the depositions and trials; other family letters, greeting cards and photographs; a typed manuscript of "Old '97 Rolls Home" written by his son David Gordon George (Jack) giving an account of the events in his father's life related to the song; a letter to Lynn Shelton, editor of the Gazette-Virginian, from Jim Walsh disclaiming George as the author of the song (September, 1966); a letter from George's son to newspaper editor Lynn Shelton defending his father's claim to authorship (October,1966- also includes the original typed letter); a contract between George and his son for the loan of the money to appeal his claim to the Supreme Court. There are also obituaries, and news articles of George's death from the Richmond Times Dispatch, the Norfolk Virginia-Pilot, and the Danville Register as well as a funeral service book and memorandum; two letters from Virginius Dabney to George's son offering condolences for the death of his father, and many newspaper articles about George's lawsuits.

These articles include a newspaper photocopy of the train wreck; Famous 97 Wreck Moved Many Poetic Minds To Activity [ca.1929]; Depositions Are Taken In 97 Song Suit [ca.1929]; More Evidence Is Being Sought Here In Old Song Suit (ca.1929); 'Whistle' In Song Vital Point In Virginian's Royalty Suit [ca.1930]; Virginian Wrote 'Wreck of Old 97'(Richmond News Leader,1933); "Wreck of the Old 97" Crashes Through With Cash for Author (Richmond Times Dispatch, 1933); "The Wreck of the Old 97" Skids Into Front Page Again (Richmond Times Dispatch, 1933); 'Old 97'Author Also Composed G.O.P. Ballad (Richmond Times Dispatch,1933); Rewarded Author of 'Old 97' Turns Out to be Detroiter (Detroit Free Press, 1933- article is incomplete but there is a newspaper photocopy of Mr. and Mrs. David George); another newspaper photocopy of Mr. and Mrs. David George with a Good Fortune caption (1933); Song of 'Old 97'Brings $65,295 to Detroit Poet (1939); 'Old 97'Author Awarded $10,000 In Libel Action (1939); Court Disallows George's Claim On Oldtime Tune (1939).

Other newspaper articles include "Wreck of 'Old 97" Author, David G. George, 82, Dies (Richmond Times Dispatch,1948); Mr. George and 'Old 97' (Norfolk Virginia-Pilot,1948); Current Opinion (Danville Register, 1948); Old and New Music (Fredericksburg Freelance Star,1948), "Old 97" Was Going 90 When It Wrecked Near Danville (Buckingham County Shopper's Guide,1963); Man Given Clue to Fortune By Query in News Leader (n.d.); Wreck Gives Fame to George's Name (n.d.); Group seeks to rebuild 'Old 97' trestle (Danville newspaper- incomplete article but there is a photocopy of the original train wreck taken by Leon N. Taylor); Wreck of Old 97 Recalled (n.d. incomplete article).

There is an obituary of J.J. Dunlap who was a survivor of the 'Old 97'and who died one week before the anniversary of the wreck; an obituary for David George's wife Maria. There is also a letter to the editor of The Daily Advance called "Old 97" from Robert P. Stickley of Lynchburg showing gratitude to the Danville Bi-Centennial Commission, the newspaper, and the author of the ballad for trying to preserve the memory of the train.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in one series, the papers pertaining to the song "The Wreck of the Old '97". The papers which are mostly newspaper articles are organized by date and chronologically within each folder.