Beginning with a story about a man declining to join the Confederate army because he would rather be shot by a gentleman, and ending with an amusing anecdote about an exasperating bull who was not a hard worker, author Jerry West misses nothing in York County’s unusual history, allowing each tale from the outer corners of the community its own significant place in history. Meet Joseph Kerr, a handicapped American spy, whose bravery helped tip the scales for the Patriot cause in the Revolutionary War. Also meet Forks, an eligible bachelor nicknamed because of his missing front teeth, on his dating adventures. Tall Tales of York County: Ghostly Secrets, Daredevil Preachers and Walking on Water is a string of vignettes offering an insider’s look at the captivating history of York County. West stresses the importance of sharing stories to gain understanding of the human experience. He declares: Pity the people who have no stories to share in their living rooms, on the street, under a shade tree near a corn field, a front porch or over the bed of an old pickup truck.
Those people are not from York. West travels through the years as if in a dusty pickup, introducing remarkable characters along the way, telling each of their stories that will delight both York County residents and visitors alike.