Marian Parker (I) [Laws F33]

DESCRIPTION: Pretty schoolgirl Marian Parker and her family are preparing for Christmas when the girl is kidnapped from school. "Young Hickman" is arrested and tried after the body is found
AUTHOR: Bill Barrett?
EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (recording, Al Craver [Vernon Dalhart]; also copyrighted in that year, but the Dalhart recording was probably made in 1927; collected by Brown as early as 1930)
KEYWORDS: homicide corpse trial abduction
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
Dec 14, 1927 - Kidnapping and murder of twelve (eleven?)-year-old Marian Parker
Dec 17, 1927 - Discovery by her father of the girl's mutilated body
Oct 19, 1928 - Execution of William Edward Hickman for the murder
FOUND IN: US(MW,SE,So) Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (6 citations):
Laws F33, "Marian Parker"
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore2 254, "Marian Parker" (1 text)
McNeil-SouthernFolkBalladsVol2, pp. 68-70, "Little Marian Parker" (1 text, 1 tune)
Burt-AmericanMurderBallads, pp. 65-66, "(Marion Parker)" (1 text, tune referenced)
Cohen-AmericanFolkSongsARegionalEncyclopedia2, pp. 667-668, "Little Marian Parker" (1 text)
DT 731, MARPARK1
Roud #781
RECORDINGS:
Al Craver [pseud. for Vernon Dalhart] & Charlie Wells [pseud. for Carson Robison], "Little Marian Parker" (Columbia 15218-D. c. 1928)
Helen Dunphy, "Marian Parker" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Marian Parker (II)" (subject)
cf. "Marian Parker (III)" (subject)
cf. "Edward Hickman (Marian Parker IV)" (subject)
NOTES [70 words]: Laws lists a total of four Marian Parker ballads (the others are dF56, dF57, and dE49, "Edward Hickman"). This one, popularized by Vernon Dalhart, begins "Away out in California lived a family bright and gay. They were planning for their Christmas not very far away...."
The 1928 printing, credited to Bill Barrett (though I wonder if Carson Robison may not have been involved), titles the song "Little Marian Parker." - RBW
Last updated in version 4.2
File: LF33

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