Smugglers, moonshine and the King

The most famous moonshiner ever is probably Popcorn Sutton. The true king of moonshine however was a man named Alvin Sawyer from North Carolina. He escaped arrest too many times to count. Once caught red handed operating a still in the Dismal Swamp agents arrested Alvin but got lost for hours and could not find their way out of the swamp. Alvin said he could guide them out but that he needed to drive the boat. The agents figured he was doing this to try and get a lighter sentence. Once Alvin got behind the wheel and rammed the boat into the shore and hopped out disappearing into the thick cypress woods giggling. Another time agents found that Alvin was making whiskey under his house. Alvin jumped out the window and ran off, he was tracked to the swamp where he hid underwater beneath a hollow log. After an hour they agents figured he drowned or had escaped.

forever the thorn in the side of the law Alvin Sawyer has a nemesis named officer Benny Halstead. Both men were from Elizabeth City and ended up in a nursing home together as old men and became friends.

Alvin has a stripping still named after at Buffalo City Distillery in Currituck NC today.