Raine, James Watt, 1869-1949

James Watt Raine was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 12 years old. He attended Oberlin College (Ohio) and Union Seminary (New York) and was an ordained minister, holding pastorates in Ohio and New York before coming to Berea. Raine's interest in documenting regional culture extended beyond music. His influential 1924 book, The Land of the Saddle-Bags included eyewitness accounts of mountain speech, education, religion, politics, and farming. Also in his book Raine dispelled the negative stereotype of the drunken, slothful, gun-toting hillbilly prone to violence. Raine, an actor and playwright, directed Berea's speech and drama activities and was much in demand as a lecturer for cultural entertainment programs. He died on February 12,1949, in Berea, Kentucky.