The story of Calahan (Callahan) dates back to 1700 with the Scottish outlaw, a fiddler named Macpherson, hanged for murder. Andrew Kuntz recounts several legends from Virginia and Kentucky. Our setting comes from Williamson Hamblen (1848-1920) transcribed in the Hamblen Collection by his son A. Porter (1875-1958). Under his transcription he recounts the following story with the same degree of credibility as any of the other legends. “Calahan was convicted of murdering a Jewish peddler and legally hanged at Barbourville, Kentucky, May 15, 1835. At the hour of his execution he requested to be allowed to play a farewell on his violin. While seated on his coffin he played this tune which since has borne his name. He then handed the violin to the Sheriff, was loaded onto the gallows and the trap sprung, sending Calahan to his maker.” (Hamblen: 6) &
