Richard Thomas Chase (February 15, 1904 – February 2 1988) was an American folklorist and an authority on English-American folklore.

Biography

Career

Chase compiled and edited several books of folktales and folk games (especially Appalachian), including:

Personal life

Chase was born near Huntsville, Alabama and graduated Antioch College in 1929. He lived in California from 1964 to 1975 and was a regular at the Southern Renaissance Pleasure Faire, created by Ron and Phyllis Patterson, in Ventura, California where is remembered for holding court under a large oak tree. He introduced English Country Dancing to the faire, bringing a group of his students from Claremont College. Chase had one daughter, Ann Gay Chase Applegate.