LAWLESS | Franklin County, Virginia: Then & Now

[@squeegeeandcrew8619]

Family has been in Franklin County since they first migrated in 1670’s before it was even known as Franklin County. Family still hasn’t moved off the old farm land. Proud to be from somewhere with such rich history!

[@charliemanis9193]

My grandfather has told me stories of how his family made moonshine up until the 60s and last week he gifted me the family shotgun that they used to protect the stills

[@greggreen6636]

Im Virginia born and raised, the history of moonshine in franklin county is almost legendary. Sadly now you find in most rural areas meth labs. Its funny though the govt then put more into stopping moonshining then they do the meth labs

[@timsoyars1652]

That’s because meth doesn’t take tax money out of the government’s pockets.

[@alanboots1106]

Greg Green THEY need us to buy drugs!

[@joshuadukes652]

That's methed up

[@brendabooher6683]

Greg Green, I agree. Meth is killing so many people, and making the people who are on the poison kill friends and loved ones for no reason. I wish the government would concentrate more on getting the meth labs shut down. It would save so many lives and the world would be so much safer. God Bless.

[@Mike1Lawless]

@@brendabooher6683 You can't shutdown something that has a market of buyers. As long as money can be made there will ALWAYS be someone that'll risk making it. This is called capitlism and that's how it works, legality is irrelevant to a system designed to reward manipulative people who exploit others for their own gain. All you do is open up holes in the market for other people to fill, and by increasing the risk from more harsher punishment you merely drive more violent crime. The higher the risk the more violent the crime gets! This is all driven by money, and what is and isn't a crime is dictated by those most in control of it. So it would save no lives and nothing will ever change, hope is the crutch of the ignorant!

[@thornbird6768]

It looks beautiful there , everyone goes to Florida , California and NY .the tourist industry should be booming here 😮 it reminds me of old America, lots of history . I'd visit for sure .

[@GeoHvl]

A childhood friend of mine's great grandfather sold copper from Montana in the Mountains of NC and Tn in the 1920s. Along with silver solder and brazing supplies out the back of his car. His Dad had the best stories about that. They are from Mitchell County, NC.

[@hairlesscat6458]

I love these stories of guys who sold the supplies to the moonshiners

[@charlieturner1469]

I was raised in Franklin county. Still love it. Hope to get back there at some point

[@TheHunterOfOz]

Born and raised here, and proud of it!!

[@nachopretzel3533]

My great granddaddy had land on Blackwater River. He used tell me lots of stories about moonshine and the prohibition. Miss ya great granddaddy.

[@MrLabrizzle]

Still have family on the blackwater near Grassy Hill.

[@evanabbott2737]

R.I.P.🙏❤️

[@nachopretzel3533]

@@MrLabrizzle yeah

[@hotclubofthemountains3591]

Great video. Great history!! Thanks for producing and publishing this valuable history lesson.

[@montanafreedomhomestead3949]

Just because government makes it illegal does not mean it is.

[@sherrygiusti9053]

Pówér tó thé péóplé

[@seamusmanley4045]

That’s exactly what it means but okay

[@montanafreedomhomestead3949]

@@seamusmanley4045 nope

[@elixtido1448]

Given the different tiers of law enforcement over the last 5 years, it is clear that the law has its priorities and we have ours.

[@PastorDanWhite]

Amen!

[@williampoff3096]

As a Floyd Va Native, (my family has been here since 1782) Franklin County has always been a good neighbor, lol!! My Grandpa made white liquor in Floyd (late 30s early 40s) that ended up being transported out of Franklin. He got out of the "trade" as he got older, but because of his past, I got interested in the heritage part of it. It is our culture here. And I'm proud of it!! All the government is upset about is that their not getting their "taxes" out of it. Plain and simple. And as a southerner, any time we can get back at the "Feds", IM ALL FOR IT!! Nuff said y'all🤠

[@RonnieStanley-tc6vi]

I live across the lake in Moneta. But, my grandmother was a Prilliman that married a Stanley. They lived on Prilliman Mountain in Franklin. She told me stories of Stanleys that were stopping trains on the mountain to smuggle local liquor out of the county. I think thats why the main road through town is called Prilliman Switch...........or it used to be. Years ago, i went to the museum. A lot of the moonshine stuff was given to them by my great uncle, Park Ross. I've always been told that making liquor is an honest living and is better than being a thief.

[@electricslider1091]

I live in Franklin Co Virginia now moved from southern West Virginia 8 yrs ago been here in Franklin Co since then love it here

[@krzykris]

My grandmother was a bootlegger during the depression. She used to run shine from Franklin to Pittsburgh.

[@Mark-sd7fc]

An old guy pointed his shotgun at me and made me drink some of his moonshine , and then he handed me the shotgun and said now you make me take a drink

[@Mark-sd7fc]

Junior Sanchez true story 😏

[@angusm9419]

ROFL

[@darinbarfield8738]

Good ☝️ One

[@Sierralovescharles]

Lol

[@jaredking6826]

What a shame to read the comments about this beautiful part of the world being ravaged by drug's. Dark times ! I have just finished the book " The wettest county in the world " Thank you to Matt Bondurant ! Incredible writing.

[@jim1528]

I lived in Floyd county for 11 years. The culture is wonderful. I'm sorry I had to leave, but I had no choice.

[@sheltdog8463]

Water is definitely the key ingredient for a good shine especially if you have a source of limestone water. I’m sure Domino was surprised because for every gallon of water you need two pounds of sugar! 500 gallon still equals 1000lbs of sugar! That’s one reason making shine is no easy task.

[@sallyhale8473]

We are taking the moonshining legend, William "Dee" Stanley out for his birthday tonight.

[@adorejunk]

The Wettest County in the World is an absolute wonderful read. Book that Lawless was based on.

[@hairlesscat6458]

I moved from Franklin County out to Roanoke when I was still a child and I am, though a limited amount of my time was spent there, very proud to be from Franklin County. My father’s side of the family is from West Virginia and did their fair share of moonshining and, ironically, my maternal grandfather worked for the NC ABC. Hopefully Franklin County cleans up their act so that we can replace druggies with bootleggers.

[@robertdollmanjr2057]

I still have cousins that live there, and they say it’s getting worse. I spent my summers on my grandparents farm in Calloway and a lot of time at Whitey Taylor’s race track. It ain’t like it used to be anymore. I stay away from Franklin Co.

[@loritouma9767]

This was a real good movie... we watched it twice.. interesting based on true story!!!

[@loritouma9767]

@Eduardo Venegas thats so cool

[@loritouma9767]

@Eduardo Venegas are u sure??? Or u kidding? If u send me something to prove u are please.

[@loritouma9767]

@Eduardo Venegas haaaa okay yes!!! Lol

[@paolomarques439]

@Eduardo Venegas and we dont lay down for nobody👌

[@paolomarques439]

@Eduardo Venegas 🤣awesome watched it so many times i couldnt count it👌

[@francesbaldwin5813]

I would like to know what Maggie was gonna tell Forrest when she went back to the station.

[@jonathanlawson4667]

That she was leaving for good and was going to tell him goodbye but instead she found Forrest half dead and his attackers that raped her

[@sherrygiusti9053]

Réàl réàßóñ ßhe left Çhiçàgo

[@PatrickFrerking-u8r]

​@@jonathanlawson4667 wow now that I think about it you're probably right John. I just figured she was coming back to get stretched out....

[@jonathanlawson4667]

@user-xj5xr2xj4c she was leaving because of the fights and drama and she was going back to tell Forrest by

[@blackfootchata86]

😂😂😂​@@PatrickFrerking-u8r

[@RamdyEvans]

My father grew up in a holler in Kentucky in the 30s. My father's great great grand parents were early settlers my dad remembered running moonshine with his grandfather He has told me many stories. How my Grandpa could get things during the depression? That other people couldn't get because he had all that corn whiskey.😂 So my dad who was born in the 1930s and his grandfather had been running moonshine for years. They were all wonderful wholesome God fearing people that all stuck together and were very friendly.I met most of them in Kentucky when I was younger.Everybody was very hospitable and very friendly Long story short, I'm getting old now. We went to the holleror my dad was from when he was still alivepeople actually came out with shotguns aimed down at the grounds. They were all very friendly. Ask who we were as soon as my dad recalled his last name to them They told a few stories of his grandfather. And Talk for a little bit and then we were on our way.They were friendly

[@RamdyEvans]

His home town church is literally 2 different last names at the cemetery.Nobody else but they don't call in a family cemetery.They call it the church cemetery

[@TomCook-jw6ur]

Forrest: “I need you here, Howard, at 2309.”

[@CGCampbellJr]

What I notice in all the old photos of stills are the women. It (liquor production) truly was a family business, a family production, for the betterment and income of the family.

[@thatguitarguy0]

Franklin county raised Danville born, raised learning how to make shine, learning how to live off the land

[@stu82art]

Is this an original piece of music? Does anyone know the title?

[@GawgaCracka]

I miss my Granpa!🇺🇸

[@evanabbott2737]

Me too. I miss both of them...R.I.P.🙏

[@scottbashaw1761]

Just drove thru Virginia, had to listen to Lawless soundtrack

[@jrevan]

It’s not talked about much but moonshine was used as currency to buy and trade with back in the day.

[@barrycorson7498]

Grew up on Smith Mountain Lake ( Moneta ). Ran shine in my boat til I got a drivers license then used the car and the boat. Late 70’s/early80’s. It was still going strong then

[@nachopretzel3533]

Everyone is wanting corn or apple pie, where's that homemade peach brandy

[@treysolomon1941]

Song?

[@dennislockhart5820]

Sum of my best years living in Ferrum and Rocky mount...oh yea, and syndersville.

[@jjthejet69]

awesome mini film

[@DS_portraits]

Whats the name of the song at the beginning?

[@michaelcribb7205]

Fire and brimstone i believe

[@austencox309]

Both sides of my family tree my great great grandparents were moonsiners down in qest Virginia and Wyoming area and the police had no idea that they were selling shine and having people run it across country for big bucks

[@milkcookies6450]

They did they do

[@evanabbott2737]

Nice👍

[@mackgalliher7544]

I’m in Henry county right next to Franklin their moonshine is legendary in these parts still is shewewww don’t tell anybody!

[@francesbaldwin5813]

Does anyone know????

[@jbrown1971]

The word moonshine didn't come from Ireland they called it distilled spirits the word moonshine was born in usa after the mountain ppl made it under the light on the moon .

[@sympathy4thedevil88]

Nope. "Moonshine” (unaged spirits illicitly distilled “by the light of the moon”) is thought to be inspired by “moonrakers,” a name for apocryphal English brandy smugglers who raked up kegs from ponds. When caught, they pretended to be fools attempting to rake cheese from the reflection of the moon.

[@kanaib.942]

Why do you still have the confederate flag up you lost decades ago-

[@thetvbaby83]

@@kanaib.942 They lost a hundred yrs and then some. This is America 🇺🇸. I'm really lost on that nonsense.

[@ronaldwells1805]

Why thumbs down ??

[@Wheelgauge-bt7ox]

Scott’s Irish sweet tea!

[@WLBarton4466]

I lived 1 mile from the Franklin County line in what is?now Cave Spring in southern Roanoke County. In Starkey i had a good many days, mostly Thanksgiving through New Years drinking shine.Was 16 the first time. Starkey racetrack had just closed a few years before. Close to 67 now and in fair health so i say all things in moderation.

[@neeceeboo777]

My grandaddy used to make shine in north Florida and we'd run it up into South Georgia.

[@jackieeastom8758]

Freedom slowly became criminal activity 😢

[@Veronica-bc6pp]

Looks so peaceful there

[@irish34csprigg61]

My grandma grow up in the hill of West Virginia Irish family

[@sadflute8639]

Governments hasn't changed has they

[@vernwallen4246]

Undercover"revenoor"too little boy sitting on a fence post.Where does this road take me to?It'll take you to my daddy's still but it won't bring you back!😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@leewatson6599]

vern wallen yep, and the law can't even shut down a meth lab.

[@robertdollmanjr2057]

My grandparents, my mom, aunts and uncles are from Franklin Co., Va. My grandfather and my uncle’s ran moonshine back in the day. They spent a lot of time in jail and prison for it.

[@JohnHildreth-u8m]

Ferrum college grad 1981 still remember a jar of strawberry brandy 5.00 lol at the fold life festival

[@rickyray2794]

Mountain Dew Corn Whiskey?

[@novemberjones84]

Mountain dew was a nickname for moonshine before the soda. And then the soda came around and was actually made to mix with whisky.

[@DrkMynd]

@@novemberjones84 People always look at me weird when I mix Mt Dew in drinks. SoCo and Mt Dew is delicious.

[@BigSteve34]

@@DrkMynd if you're in high school.. that's like drinking alcoholic corn syrup

[@jethrob258]

When I have to drink store bought. I prefer Evens and dew.

[@happyjjlli]

well I was born in Speedwell VA, raised in Wytheville VA, never tasted moonshine like they brewed in the big walker mountain.... before they built the tunnel there was a very small road over the mountain to West Va. if a government man went up there to find a still they was never herd from again. if you go looking in big walker you might not find your way out. I live in SC now I have been here for 33 years & never found anyone to get any shine from. would love to find some.

[@atmako1]

Hello from Giles Co....

[@nachopretzel3533]

Franklin Co was Moonshine capital Then again West Virginia was the drug capital of the world

[@nachopretzel3533]

Who says: DEA

[@boxerboxer4515]

West Virginia was never the drug capital .... don't know where you heard that from but at no time in history is that statement true or accurate

[@2phonebabyjay199]

West Virginia was NEVER the drug capital

[@nachopretzel3533]

@@boxerboxer4515 my bad, it was Oxycontin capital of the world

[@treyferris38]

@@boxerboxer4515 must’ve never been here

[@Jeremy-su3xy]

looks like a beautiful place. KZbin movie clips lead me here. I want to taste the whisky. Send me one.

[@Jeremy-su3xy]

@@sts.556 I don't understand. Send me one. this is very important.

[@mattdamage899]

@@sts.556 the shine in liquer stores is garbage and watered down. nothing compares to real homeade shine and yes its everywhere...just need to talk to people

[@Jeremy-su3xy]

@@sts.556 hey man. we might be friends. Send me one.

[@SFGMOB]

Idk If you’re serious but I’m from fc and i can definitely get my hands on some 200 proof for you 😂😂

[@countryboy3856]

I live in Ferrum Virginia and its well known for moonshine my grandpa made moonshine and his dad made moonshine

[@shanehillbillyledford1167]

I'm over here in pilot va only 12 miles from Floyd

[@JHedrick72]

Im here in ferrum too brother

[@johnirby493]

Been there many times, on the way to Floyd, by way of Shooting Creek Rd.

[@SFGMOB]

You’re from Ferrum??? Must know the Hales lmfaooo

[@michaelcribb7205]

Love to go to Franklin County see where all the bootleggers made their shine Bondurant etc

[@michaelbonner3908]

I grew up with a fella whose family came up north to build verrazano bridge he brought back moonshine back up once after visting family in kentucky we put everclear in a metal cap and his moonshine in a metal cap they were lit on a park bench it went on fire in a millisecond

[@WillBlindYouWithLight]

My paternal grandfather was a shiner. Nicholas County wv.

[@danribeiro8113]

Podiam traduzir pra português brasil

[@Mr.Ut21]

Dan Ribeiro non

[@namithl750]

I'm from india we had people consuming marijuana and also used them for health benefits. Then FDA and WHO made the it illegal. The government doesn't stop drugs like meth cocaine.

[@sarmstrong5549]

It was about survival in hard economic times, period.

[@cbryant9078]

MY GRANDMOTHERS LINE ON MY MOMS SIDE IS A SAUNDERS AND PRICE AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY INTERTWINED IT MAKES IT SO HARD TO DETERMINED AFTER 1800 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF ANCESTRY IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS, BEDFORD COUNTY AND INDIAN VALLEY FORK I BELIEVE ITS CALLED AND SO ON. THE HOWELL FAMILY IS STRONGLY CONNECTED WITH US AS WELL

[@AutoWorldzz]

"Nice and creative Videos，I can see A lot of thought has been put into the content and editing of the video， This is really my favorite channel.:) .🌴🌴🌴excellent 👍👌👍👌👍 🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴 " , Floris Smithfield Virginia 2021

[@Bow-j6c]

RIP POPCORN SUTTON ❤

[@imageadvisorsinternational7935]

Gills Creek, Boones Mill...Greens, Taylors...

[@republicofjusta7777]

POV you look up your county on the internet

[@performanceprofitsofknoxvi3379]

46 thumbs down? 46 teetotalers

[@Hollcall]

When I DRANK.............................I LOVED IT. hahahahahaha coming up on 24 yrs.

[@paolomarques439]

25 years congrats my man

[@Heathershusbandbear]

Keep it up man good work

[@gagep9768]

Nothing but meth now

[@electricslider1091]

White lighting is still being made

[@werty9331]

Вот бы в те года телепортироватся

[@jeffreylockhart8292]

You gotta survive

[@carsonestes2763]

Just the taste of it lol😂😜👍👍

[@judahtribe7]

Do the dew

[@zacharypayne4080]

Popcorn Sutton

[@Secretservice709]

My grandpappy was biggest moonshiner in the Kentucky once upon a time he was also heavyweight champion of America

[@LoriFoster]

Grand Paws on both sides of my family tree were from THe South and spent a little time in local jail for Moonshining. That was basically they only cash crop. Farming, Mining, Lumberjacking and Shining were the only ways to make it. THe both lived by Rocky Top. HaHa.

[@feralmale1517]

Folks did what they had to do. Simple as that.

[@jec1ny]

Honestly I don't understand the attraction to that stuff. Back when I was in the Navy I had a buddy who was a good ol boy from Alabama. He once came back from leave and gave me a smallish mason jar of the real thing. White lightning. I took a sip and just about gagged. I have never tasted turpentine but I cannot imagine it would have tasted any worse than the moonshine. Nastiest thing I have ever had in my mouth. I will stick to my Scotch and Bourbon thank you very much.

[@lonesoldier2485]

I'm from Alabama, and White Lighting is still bootlegged in this state to this day, because it's so easy to make. And it's generally 115 proof, hence to why it's such a strong taste, and you're never to drink the first amount of it to come out of the still, because it's know to have methanol in it, and if you do consume it, you'll potentially go blind.

[@jayboschibig]

Mix a little water in it

[@Outdoorsguy1212]

Man up. Oh never mind I forgot you were in the navy.

[@calebdowling8651]

LoneSoldier24 lived in south Alabama all of my life. We’ve got an old guy that always sits in his truck down by an old bridge and he’ll sell you a jar for 10 bucks

[@0331longrifle]

I’m sure you put worse things in your mouth if you were in the Navy

[@mikeymathis3]

My aunt's family..

[@kspringer5096]

Do you have any address of the bridge where the actual shooting took place or the address of the old Blackwater Filling Station?

[@angusgow1887]

The Irish word for moonshine is poitin

[@michaelshanahan4042]

I have a Irish family tryid that that poitin on several occasions last time I went back in the nineties you could still get it and I am shore you still can you need to be careful though it's evil 😈 😉

[@thomasmitchell-p3i]

My Kin Folks people laughed

[@cliffordwatson637]

Do not have a clue..do not ack when u dont have a clue