What is a Chinquapin?  

Chinquapin, or "chinkapin," is a cousin of the American chestnut also known as a dwarf chestnut. The name comes from the eastern-dwelling Algonquian Indian language.  There are several varieties, and chinquapin trees are known as far west as Texas. In East Tennessee and Western North Carolina the principal chinquapin tree is the genus Castanea, species pumila. Small and shrublike, and often with several trunks, a chinquapin seldom grows above 20 to 30 feet in height. The wood of chestnuts and chinquapins is extremely rot resistant and has been used in making railroad ties and posts and rails for fences. 

Why would you hunt it? 

Chinquapin husks contain a single kernel that, when ripe in the fall, produces a tasty nut for humans as well as animals. Chinquapin nuts were so plentiful that they were scooped up with shovels and loaded into wagons to be used as livestock feed, to eat, and to sell. According to the Encyclopedia of North Carolina, “...in the early 1950s it was possible to buy a bag of chinquapins at roadside stands in hilly, rural North Carolina counties such as Stokes and Surry. The bag was approximately the same size as a bag of peanuts sold at a ball game and usually cost a nickel.”

I've never seen a Chinquapin tree or nut. What happened? 

The arrival of chestnut blight, a fungal pathogen from Asia which was introduced to the United States on imported chestnut trees during the late 1800’s, caused the steady decline of this species, as well as the disappearance of most all native chestnut family trees. There are many groups currently working on the breeding of blight resistant varieties of the chestnut family trees, including the Chinquapin.

The Tune(s) There are four Chinquapins you should be familiar with. They are all completely different tunes.

Chinquapin Hunting. This is a 3 part tune in the key of A, associated with the playing of Hillsville, Virginia (near Galax) fiddler Norman Edmonds (1889-1976). His version is the one that you will most likely encounter at a jam or Festival. The modern version's B and C parts differ slightly from Edmonds’ original, likely a result of “Festivalization” over the years. Listen to Norman Edmonds play Chinquapin Hunting. Watch Rachel Eddy and friends play the tune at a 2013 Clifftop jam. Bruce Molsky and friends are in the video below.

Chinquapin Hunting. This is a 2 part D tune from the playing of Hiram Stamper (1893-1992), which was passed down to his son, Art Stamper (1933-2005), both from Hindman, Knott County in Eastern Kentucky. There is not much information on the history of the tune, but Hiram Stamper said he thought it was at least as old as the Civil War. Hiram Stamper’s version has a very old/archaic alternate tuning sound to it, with simple A and B parts. Listen to Hiram Stamper’s version. Art Stamper’s “Lost Fiddler” album (1982) has a fast studio version. Listen to Art Stamper’s 1982 recorded version. Modern Festival/jam versions seem to be generally close to Art Stamper’s album version. Watch Art Stamper play at a Clifftop jam (Video also below). Recorded in 2003, it is interesting that this Chinquapin Hunting sounds closer to his father’s version than Art’s 1982 album version. Also interesting- Art Stamper and John Herrmann play a GDGD tuned version .

Chinquapin/ Chinky Pin. This is a two part tune from the playing of West Virginia fiddler Clark Kessinger (1896-1975). He and his brother were successful recording artists for Columbia records in the 1920’s. Clark was rediscovered in the early 1960’s, going on to win fiddle contests and record several albums.  His last album was recorded in 1971 with plans for more, but a stroke robbed him of his ability to play the fiddle for the remainder of his life. The Kessinger melody comes from the British Isles, specifically a traditional fiddle and bagpipe piece, "My Love She's But a Lassie Yet."  Published in 1756, “Miss Farquarson’s Reel,” also has the same melody. Kessinger plays this extremely notey tune at an incredibly fast pace in the key of D in his recorded version. Listen to Kessinger play it here. The title appears as “Chinky Pin” instead of "Chinquapin'' on the record label supposedly due to a Brunswick record clerk’s error. The Festival version popular now is recognizable as a descendant, but more moderately paced, much less notey, and easily settles into a first class Old Time groove. Watch Rhys Jones and friends play it at a 2013 Clifftop jam with fiddles cross tuned in A. (Video also below)

Chinquapin Pie. This is a modal banjo tune from Hobart Smith (1897-1965) of Saltville, Virginia. Smith’s playing at the White Top Folk Festival in Grayson County, VA in 1936 attracted the attention of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who invited him to play at the White House. This led to recognition from folklorists and musicologists, notably Alan Lomax, for whom Smith recorded 40 tracks. He made several albums over the years and enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in the 1960’s folk music revival. Listen to Hobart Smith playing Chinquapin Pie from his 1964 Smithsonian Folkways recording. Also in the mp3 below, it appears to be in an A modal tuning. Watch David Bragger’s instructional video on how to play Chinquapin Pie. David plays it in G modal tuning.

Chinquapin Hunting

Bruce Molsky

3 Parts, Key of A, from the playing of Norman Edmonds