Any Coal Miners' Kin Here On The Forum?

My grandfather was a miner in Kentucky before he was gassed during WWI.  Lung damage kept him from going back underground.  He died in 1963.

 

My great grandpa was a "Timberman". He used to haul the timbers down to the cutting face underground, three or four at a time over his shoulders. My Grandpa ran every type of equipment in a strip mine. Both lived in the same town in southern Alberta and both worked in the same general area.

On the other side of my family, my grandpa worked for Pan Canadian, an oil and gas company. My dad worked for them, a few others and then started his own company. I work in the oil and gas industry too...

251 collective years of harvesting from (see: raping and pillaging) the environment.

My dad's dad worked in underground coal mines and my dad worked in the mines and retired and 4 uncle's on my mom's side work in the mines and i worked in the coal mines for 10 years.We all worked in West Virginia. 

My grandfather worked in the mines here in southwestern PA, and later became an inspector for the Bureau of Mines.  He also taught safety classes, and worked out of Fairmont, WV.

 

He also had a brother who worked for a while as a tower operator on the PRR.

My great grandfather on my dad's side owned a small mine in the Paris, AR region.  He used to supply coal for the area dwellings.

 

 

Father, grandfathers and uncles were coal miners in the Pennsylvania anthracite region.  Worked for the Lehigh Navigation Coal Co. until shutdown in 1953.  We lived in Coaldale Pa. situated on the northwestern edge of the southern anthracite field.  Railroads serving the area were the Reading and the L&NE directly, with the CNJ and LV also represented.  Very proud of my heritage.

 

My grandfather was a coal miner in West Virginia. In the early part of the 20^th century he immigrated to the US from Italy and went directly to work at various coal mine locations in West Virginia, Page, Lick Fork, Ingram Branch, and Helen. My dad was born in Page West Virginia and spent his early teenage years in Helen. I heard a lot of stories from him about coal mines, company stores, steam engines, and the people that worked and lived around coal mines. However, in the early 1930s the whole family and friends packed up, quit coal mining, and moved up north to a better life in New YorkState. Who knows, if they did not move, I might have been a coal miner.  

 

Back in the fall of 1988 and 1993 Dad and I took a steam fan trips behind the 765 along the New River Gorge. However the 1993 trip was not pulled by the 765, it broke down on the previous day and the trip was pulled by a substitute diesel locomotive. What a disappointment. We had to take that those trips because his favorite country song was called “I’m Leaving On That New River Train”.    

My Grandfather worked in the mines in Herrin IL.  Naturally, he was from Italy and he died very young.  My Father went into the mine when he was 16.  Later, he was a gold miner in Colorado.  My Uncle also worked in the mines in Herrin until they closed and he had to keep going farther and farther to find an open mine.

 

ChipR

My great grandfather was a deep miner in Shenandoah, PA.  He was a Polish immigrant.

Both my Grandfathers worked in the Anthracite mines in Hazleton, Pa.  It was my MOMs job to wrap my Grandfathers feet everyday with wraps to keep his feet warm and also to listen for the whistle that went off each and every evening to let the miners know if there was work the next day.  One whistle meant there is work, two whistles no work don't report.  Also the next door neighbors were the last two engineers to run the Lokies in Hazleton, Pa.  50 years later I was helping to run one of the Lokies that is still running at the Pioneer Tunnel in Ashland Pa.  Small world huh?

Me and MOM a few years ago.

My Grandfather worked in several of the mines around Elkhorn Bottom and Maybeury, WVa, notably the Angle mine owned by Pocahontas Fuel Company. My Mom's family lived in a company house they rented (and later owned) in Maybeury. It was located about fifty yards from the original Maybeury trestle, site of the famous 1937 wreck of the N&W Y5 2092. In 1952 the new Elkhorn grade was opened right across the hollow from the house. The house still exists today.

 

I remember visiting as a youngster in the late 50's/early 60's and trying to count the hoppers in the coal drags heading to Elkhorn Tunnel and Bluefield. What a sight! My Grandfather passed in 1964, partly due to "black lung".

 

My Grandmother's brother, Roy Jones, was killed the Boissevain, VA mine explosion in 1932. His name is inscribed on the monument at the Memorial Park in Boissevain.

 

Slightly related to the topic, my Dad's father worked for the Railway Express Agency in and around Bridgeton, NJ back in the day.

 

I now reside in NC and try to visit the Bluefield/Pokey District every year to explore the coal and railroad history in the area. 

My wife's Maternal Grandfather was a Coal Miner for the Susquehanna Coal Company, in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.

Besides his regular mining duties, when cave-ins occurred, due to his small stature, he would go into cave-ins for rescue and recovery work.

 

Hi laz1957,

A great photo. to be proud of.

Here we are on a different great forum, of a great hobby.

Is the 'Blue Moon' still serving?!!

 

Ralph

Both my grandfathers worked the mines in Scranton and Wilkes-Barrie, PA.  My uncle was a mule tender in the mines.

Laz1957,

 

Just toured the Pioneer Tunnel and rode behind the lokie with a group of friends. That was one great tour.

 

Thanks,

ChipR

My great grandfather fought in the Civil War, co B, 5th Pennsylvania, upon return was a coal miner in Shamokin Pa.

 

Coal mine dioramas are my favorite.

My dad picked rock at the Boich Mining Company - Steubenville Ohio.

My Grandfather worked in the mines - Colliers WV.

 

I worked in mining for 16 years.

 

Larry

My grandfather was a miner in Clearfield County, Pa.  He lost his right arm to dynamiting accident in 1930s.

hi,mine came from French Canada,,quebec to curtisville pa in the 30's

Maternal grandfather. Died of Black Lung. Never knew him. ROUGH life....!!!

Michael,

My Wife's Grandfather also died of black lung.

I never met him, as my Wife and I married in 1970, long after he passed.

Ralph

I also never knew my maternal grandfather who died of black lung in 1962, when I was only two years old. 

 

Jim

 

 

My paternal grandfather and his brothers worked in the coal mines in SW PA inand around Pittsburgh.   Before coming to the USA they worked in coal mines in SW Germany.

 

But my maternal grandfather worked for the PRR at the Southside shops which is how I got interested in this hobby.

 

Bill

Hi RALPH,

  The Blue Moon diner in Hazleton is closed down.  Darn, it had good food.  Also the Blue Moon bar in Sheppton is also out of business, they had good cold beer.

Let's see.  I had 2 great grandfathers, 1 grandfather, and 4 great uncles that mined coal from the eary 1900s until the mid 1940s.  Most of it was deep shaft, but some worked the strip mines around here (Southeast Kansas). 

 

Probably missed some as about every ablebodied man that lived around here from 1900 to 1950 seemed to have worked in the coal mines at some point.

 

My grandfather drove a mule in the mines. After being trapped for a week after a cave in he never went back under ground. He eventually retired from the Lehigh Valley as a conductor.

My great-grandfathers, grandfathers, Dad, his brothers, Mom and her sister all mined coal at some point. I should have, but chickened out and just wrote books about it instead. Mom's dad died of black lung.

My father mined coal for quite a few years (he went down in the mines around 12 or 13) around McAdoo, PA up to sometime in the late 1940's. He passed away due to black lung in 1976, at the age of 64. My grandfathers on both sides of the family worked in the mines, as well, and so did some of my uncles. My dad said it was a tough life down there.

My great-great grandfather emigrated from Germany around 1855, and settled in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania.  He eventually became a mule boss, looking after the mules who worked the mines.  His son, my great-grandfather, followed in his footsteps a generation later.

 

My great-uncle Phil was a dynamite boss in the mines.  My grandfather, the youngest of nine children, was the first in the family to go on to secondary education (Shamokin Business College).  All of them died before I was born.

 

Mt. Carmel was an important coal supplier back in the day, and was served by the Reading, PRR and Lehigh Valley railroads.

 

This was my great great great Grandfather. Funny thing is that I am employed at a plant that turns the waste coal from the old mines into energy.

 

Francis Schmeltzer son of Jacob was born Oct 12 1824 at St Engbert Bavaria came to America with his parents in boyhood and a few years later commenced work at the mines He was thus employed at Mount Laffee Schuylkill county and for a number of years did different kinds of work picking slate driving mules etc By application to his duties he won the confidence of his employers and when thirty six years old he was made foreman at Locustdale being so engaged for the next fifteen years In company with Charles Frantz Mr Schmeltzer began the operation of a colliery at St Clair and continued thus for many years He was one of the first mine inspectors appointed by the government serving a term of five years during the seventies and when he gave up that work entered the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company for whom he acted as district superintendent He held this position for about fifteen years until his retirement in May 1892 because of ill health and he spent the remainder of his days in enjoyable leisure He died July 28 1904 Mr Schmeltzer was an intelligent and trustworthy man and bore a high reputation for ability and sterling personal qualities which gave him the confidence and esteem of all with whom he came in contact

Yep. Come from a family of miners.  Western PA soft coal miners.

 

I still have my Dad's mining papers somewhere along with his first-aid certificate and other things from the state or the coal company.

 

I want to put his "Bituminous shot-firers certificate" up on the wall.

 

Unfortunately my Grandfather's UMW membership certificate got destroyed.  It was a classic from the early 1900's, with elaborate artwork of all of the phases of mining. 

 

And my dad ended up boss of a track gang so he taught me how to lay track the right way! 

Hi laz57,

Sad to read that the Blue Moon Diner and the Blue Moon Bar are both closed.

My wife and I went only to the Blue Moon Diner and yes the food was good, plentiful, priced right and the service was also good.

Take care,

Ralph

Jim,

It is a shame never knowing a close relative, or an in-law Grandfather, as in our cases.

They, did what they could do to support their families and putting up with danger, even out of the mines and years later.

Take care,

RalphT

 

Very interesting stories from all of you.  I hadn't thought of Kansas as a coal producer, although well aware of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. and the coal mines out of Pueblo.

Not coal but natural gas, was what my aunt's husband supplied by drilling, for the small town of which he was mayor.  Although there were coal mines around, and my mother bought her coal direct from the mine until she put in natural gas, too.  My mine interest is mostly precious metal, but I will sure take a good look at an abandoned coal mine, such as those in Kentucky's Great South Fork, if given the

chance.  It took coal to run a stamp mill.

My maternal grandfather worked in the anthracite mines in Larksville, PA (across the river from Wilkes-Barre, PA).  My paternal grandfather was much luckier...he worked above ground as a fireman/engineer on the Jersey Central, moving the mined/processed coal out of the Wyoming Valley.

My grandfather, the engineer, died at 58 (when I was two), so I never got to know him.  My grandfather, the underground miner, lived to about 80, so I had a good 25 years with him.  Go figure.

my grandfather was a miner as well. Some of the issue equipment such as his gas mask and canteen is still in my parents basement. On a side note, I caught this on facebook this morning.  It looks as if part of coal mining history in Schuylkill County,PA is being torn down. 

 

http://wnep.com/2013/09/23/his...ker-being-torn-down/

Both of my grandfathers worked in the coal mines here in Western Pennsylvania.  I am sure that it was Westmoreland Coal.  An uncle also worked in the mines.  My Dad's father was injured in the mines and eventually lost both of his legs.  I remember him sitting in his wheelchair.

Norm

My G Grandfather mined coal in Wales before coming to the USofA at age 9......he had 3 years experience as a 9 year old (breaker boy). He crawled into the mine face carrying his dinner pail in his teeth. He and several uncles dug coal near Johnstown, PA. My g uncles all tried to get work at Bethlehem Steel or on the railroad (PRR), but the mine seemed to be the one place to get work.

 

Mt G Grandfather was drafted into railway service during WWI. He was a breakman on the PRR for a while, but went back to the mines. He and his family had to move from Johnstown to Derry, PA. because our country needed experienced men to keed the war machine running. 

 

The USRA played a big role in this era of history.

 

 

My one grandfather lost a finger to a bite from the car wheels.   My other grandfather was a breaker boy in Old Forge Pa.   My Great  grandfather was an engineer for the Erie and was swept from the platform and killed on way to work.  My great uncle saw it and still worked from 1912 to 1980 on the road.  He pushed box cars and gondolas into the Knox mine desaster hole that killed deep mine coal in the NE Pa coal fields.  Men robbed the pillers under the Susquehanna River and it broke through.  Filling the mines from Hazelton all the way up to Archabald.  Another great uncle lost his arm helping recouple coal cars and was pulled to safty by his dog. The dog ran along the train to Scranton and died from exhaustion chasing his master.  My third great uncle fell from a coal car as it was bumped in the yards in Scranton and was killed.

20 years underground & 20 years Plant Operator surface