At last week’s St. Mary’s County Historical Society dinner meeting, the after-dinner program featured David and Joe Norris telling stories and playing songs they had written about Southern Maryland. Their songs and stories touched on various people and places in the County such as watermen, moonshiners and growing up on a farm.
One of their songs told the story of Ida Kirk and her mysterious murder which was never solved. Here is an article written in 1987 by John Wharton for an Enterprise series discussing unsolved murders in the County (click here to read entire article.)
In her will Ida specified that a statue of an angel be erected over her grave. I visited Christ Church in Chaptico yesterday and took this photo of Ida’s grave site and statue located directly behind the Church.
The story of Ida and her statue served as the inspiration for David’s song Shadow of Angel Wings which you can listen to at the 58:00 mark in the following video. The entire video of Joe and David’s performance is worth checking out too. Look closely at the 1:00:26 mark where I make a brief appearance and while I don’t think I really was napping, it sure does look like it. Hey, what can I say? It was near the end of the event, I was up way past my bedtime and you know, sleep happens!
The St. Mary’s County Historical Society is a good group to support by becoming a member. Unlike other organizations you may join, the Historical folks don’t bug you to do anything other than attend their events which are always entertaining and very well done. If interested in learning more (click here.)