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“We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” — Abraham Lincoln
I am the daughter of Kenneth Edmondson. He was one of 12 children raised in Logan County. Is there anyone on this site that new the family or maybe my relatives?
Vicki, on this website go to the Cherry Tree Site. Contact Robert McCormick as he knew your relatives. Several postings on that site from a few years ago regarding your relatives.
My name is Angie Thompson . My mother is Yvette Thompson (I took her name ) her father was lon westly Thompson . His father was lon Cecile Thompson and his father was loranzo Dow Thompson I am working on a tree for myself and my mother. Any info / stories would be great ! This site is awesome! Really hope to visit Logan soon !
Here are some Thompson family links that may help.
https://loganwv.us/joannas-west-virginia-genealogy-page/
https://loganwv.us/old-home-pace-harts-creek-wv/
My grandpa Roy Jones said one morning that he got up and went down to the track where the little engine was getting ready to take a load of lumber out and he said there was two Hager boys and the deputy sheriff and two Mounts boys there. The duputy shot Harv Mounts. Then Grover Mounts came up behind deputy and took his gun and unloaded it in the deputy’s back. One of the Hager boys shot and killed Grover Mounts. Harv Mounts supposedly went home and got a high powered rifle and came back looking for the Hager boys. This was around 1921 or 22.
What you described is the Blue Jay incident. I think it happened sometime after 1922 because, as I recall, my mother’s family didn’t move to Crawley until 1923.
Thanks for refreshing my memory as to the names of the parties involved.
Looking for information for a Linda Porter (maiden name) from Dingess. Linda and my uncle Tommy Aldridge dated till he went to the army and Viet Nam in 1965. We were reminiscing a couple yeara ago and Tommy was saying that he hoped she was doing well.
I’m looking for information on a second cousin. Her name in 1960s was Polly Brewster. She came to Columbis from Logan to watch me and my brothers and get us off to school. Her dad’s name was General Brewster and she had two brothers. One was named Ike.
I
Hello. My name is Rick Johnson. I have been looking into the murder of my grandfather. His name was Lester Johnson, he was kill Sept. 15 1948. While I am researching this through conventional means, I thought that reaching out on this forum might also be helpful. Any and all information about Logan Co. during that time would be much appreciated. Seems to be a hole in the history after Don Chafin. Thank you in advance.
Rick, on the right hand side of this site is the Brandon Kirk Blog. Contact him, he knows Logan County History.
Thank you.
My name used to be Carlene Denise Smith. I lived behind a grocery store, on a hill, across the river from Logan WV. My mother’s name was Barbara Jane Smith (Chapman). Her mom was Addie Chapman. My dad’s name was Carl Douglas Smith and his dad was Foster Walker and his mom was Nina Walker (Brown?). Nina had a sister named Hazel (Able?). I lived with my grandma, Nina, and her sister, Hazel. I can find no information on my mom’s dad or my dad’s mom’s side (Nina). Can someone please help me? I have searched Ancestry and Familysearch and both have not been able to help me on my mom’s dad side or my dad’s mom side. Thanks!
Years of birth and death and where are needed for you to do a online search.
I lived in Earling from 1955-1962 and attended Earling Elementary from 1959-1962. I had Mrs. Jeffries as my first grade teacher and Mrs. Cook in third grade. We lived in the second row of houses behind the Halls and next door to the Fremans. My friends were Randal Robinett, Jerry Dale Robinett, Junior Block and Danny Mullins. We shopped at the local store, Herman’s Market, where they had groceries, clothing, shoes and boots, toys gasoline and general merchandise, as well as served as our local post office.
Ken, go to Site Index, Earlimg has photos and other info.
Anyone have information on the Sammons family?
Tania, lots of info about them online.
I’m in some of the pictures of the Aracoma Story – one the kids dressed like Indians. My first time on the stage – I remember the Logan Centennial as a great celebration. As I recall Chuck Yeager was Grand Marshal of the parade
Hello, Im searching for photos and information on the Pack General Store ran by George and Nancy Pack. Also I am searching for information on Ossie Pack and Marie Baisden Pack.
Name of community where store was located?
Susan, your family members are buried in Pack Cemetery on the findagrave site.
You might find info about the store by contacting those alive who are listed in the obits on the F.G.site.
Hello to who it may concern, Trying to find some info and history of a family member. A great aunt of mine who was an only child and now in assisted living near us. Her father was supposedly a doctor from out of Logan, West Virginia. His name was Frank R. Jamison and worked with many coal miners who had suffered from black lung. If any one has any insight or more info please respond.
Online search shows him in the 1940 census. Also on Facebook.
Dr.Jamison is listed in the 1947 phone book on this website. Go to Site Index.
He also made house calls.
Looking for information about a sawmill that my grandfather called the Crawley Mill near Chapmanville. This was around 1920. Thank you
Gene, do a online search for Crawley Creek Mill
History in Chapmanville.
What was your grandfather’s name? Any idea where the mill was located? Upper Crawley? Lower Crawley?
His name was Joe Jones. He was my great-grandfather. I think it was upper Crawley. My grandfather Roy was only about ten years old when they lived there. My grandfather said he witnessed a shot out somewhere near Chapmanville. I think a deputy sheriff got shot and there was two families involved in the shooting and one of them was killed. My grandfather said he had to appear at the trial and give a testimony to what he saw. He was so young he said the judge won’t let them cross examine him.
The name Jones does not resonate as one of the clans or families that lived on upper Crawley at the turn of the century or early 1920’s. I was born there in the early 1940’s. My father and mother lived there as teenagers in the early 1920’s and I am very familiar with the names of families that lived there then.
Prior to the 1920’s, timber logs from upper Crawley were floated down Crawley by a series of splash-dams. A timberman named Green Farley was involved in this.
In the early-to-mid 1920’s, a large commercial saw mill operated by Blue Jay Lumber Company built and operated a large mill in the very main head of Crawley Creek on a 1,000-acre tract of Island Creek Coal Company property. The mill was steam powered. The lumber and logs from this operation was hoisted by a steam powered hoist up an incline and over the mountain into Buffalo Creek (Chief Logan Park) where it was loaded onto the railroad at Merrill Coal Company’s track.
The Blue Jay Lumber Company was from Raleigh County and they brought crews with them and hired local Crawley Creek workers. There was friction between local and imported workers, mostly agitated by attention to local women by the outsiders.
In the mix of local workers were members of two feuding local families. At some point, this feud broke out into a gun fight in which one or more men died at the Blue Jay Lumber Company operation.
It sounds as if the shooting incident you talk about was the Blue Jay Lumber company incident.
My mother’s family lived a short distance from the shooting. She told me many times how a man fleeing the shooting ran to their house enroute crossing the mountain to Brushy Fork of Crawley Creek.
My Father listed as Emil Ball #14 in the 1937 SHS Football Team picture, he was called Emil back then to differentiate tween him and his Father Nick Ball of Clothier. They’re both in Seng Camp Cemetary 💙, I’ve been up in ‘21 and ‘22 and it appeared as if I was the first visitor in awhile. Love WV
My grandfather worked for Amherst Coal Company at Accoville and Elk Creek. I am trying to find photos of the tipples where he worked, the ones I find do not give the location, just Amherst Coal No. 1, No. 2, etc.. Does anyone know which mine was at what location? Any assistance is appreciated.
Hello! Does anyone know anything about Rebecca Ferrell who married Andrew Jackson Chafin and Moses Chafin? I think it may be two different Rebecca Ferrells who married the brothers. Findagrave.com has her listed as the same woman but the death dates don’t match up and birth dates of all the kids don’t either.
Try to find the record at familysearch. for a match.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone who uses this site. Many thanks to Franklin Thompson for his work through out the year in keeping this site going.
Does anybody have the names and present location of the three very capable lady managers, Ruth?, Loyce?, ??Gale?? Circa 1964-1966. Steve Wantling,, ceratec.steve@gmail.com
I’m looking for historical information on the founding of Kistler, West Virginia. I can’t find any historical information online. Only population type info. Can you point me in any direction? My email is jacykistler@gmail.com
Thank you
My grandparents were Fred and Bertha Hutchinson. My dad was there son, Carlton and I was born in Logan, but we moved to Ohio when I was a baby. I have wonderful memories of visiting them at their home at Ethel until they moved to Whites Addition/Cherry Tree.
I knew your grandparents well. Wonderful couple! My Mother, Virginia adored them. She knew them from growing up in the Church at Cherry Tree. I visitied them many times in their home at Ethel. They were like the grandparents that I never had since mine passed away long before I was born. They are buied very near my parents at Highland Memory Gardens. Any time I go back to WV to visit the cemetery I look at their graves and think fond memories. You were blessed to have them.
Are there any records regarding miners who died from black lung disease? I know my grandmother, deceased, did receive compensation when my grandfather died due to black lung.
Do a online search at U.S. Department of Labor, lots of records for you to search.
I am a descendant of Evan Ragland, of Granville County, North Carolina, Branch VII , 5th son of Evan Ragland of New Kent County Virginia and have recently come into possession of a hardcover book with typed pages of Henry Clay Ragland’s Book on Logan County, Chapters 1-25, 178 pages. I have not yet determined which branch Henry Clay Ragland was in but I am interested in the history surrounding this book. There are no dates on this copy or information on who or why it was created. It was professionally bound. All help is appreciated, thanks Jean
Jean, all books have a printing company. On the right hand side of this page go down to Brandon Kirk Blog and you can contact him by e-mail as he might be able to help you. You can also contact Keith Davis at Woodland Press, his address is online, he lives in Logan,WV.
Mr Piros, thanks for the help I am following your suggestions. Have found out of a total of 15 Branches of Raglands, Henry Clay was in Branch 14.
I am 77 years old and was born in Stollings March 29, 1945 in my grandmother and grandfather’s house. My grandfather was pastor at the Stollings First Christian Church for years (approx 1930s-1964). Their names: Elbert Hugh Toler and Laura (Bell–nickname)l Cook Toler. My Dad’s name was Willis Ralph Toler and my Mom from Charleston, Peggy Lorraine Rust Toler. My dad had a radio show on a station in Logan in the mid 1940s. My sister told me that my Mom said I was kidnapped from a restaurant in 1945 in Logan when a man came up to her and said “What a beautiful baby,” then grabbed me out of her arms and took off. My Dad chased him and got me back. Does anyone have a suggestion of how to verify this story? I realize that there may not be a record anywhere, but I’d like to look.
Beverly, call the Logan Banner, phone number online.
Robert (Bob) Stonoff died peacefully at home holding the hand of one of his daughters on December 9, 2019. His wife Anna Mary was with him as was a son-in-law. Another daughter was on the way and arrived shortly after. He was just one month shy of his 90th birthday. Bob was originally from the Logan/Mt. Gay area.
As per his request, his body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered at a farm owned by a daughter in Washington State. Anna Mary died on September 2, 2021. All four of his children, all daughters, are still living, as are numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
Lurinda, his photo and obit which were online, have been added to the Cherry Tree News site.
I just happened to come by this and it really brought back Memories. My buddy and I would take our 22 rifles out to the slate dump, in Carolina, that is in Marion county West Virginia, and shoot rats. And yes there was a small pond not to far from there where us guys would swim. Thanks for the memories.
Jim, You lived in a nice coal mining town. There is a book written about the town of Carolina at Amazon. The town was built in 1915 by Consolidation Coal Company. It was named after James Watson’s daughter Carolina. James was a coal baron. Coal Camp.com shows some of the remaining buildings, photos were taken in 2016 by Mark Phillips.
Is Mae Cox Wilson still alive? If so, what year did she pass.
Look for her at Anywho.com. in Logan,WV.
My dad grew up in Logan, and his Dad was Mayor in 1945. Among my Mom’s things I found a tiny box marked “Peery’s Logan, W. VA. I am curious if anyone knows what kind of store it was? Goiglw was no help!
Lynrn06@gmail.com
Carolyn, look in the 1947 phone book on this website. Call the Logan Banner.
Peery’s was a lady’s boutique with lovely jewelry & clothing. It was situated near the Logan Theater across from courthouse square. It was especially noted, in addition to fine fashions, for beautiful gift wraps during the holidays. My oldest sister shopped there & I went with her as a child, but was too young to shop there when my family lived there. It rivaled any boutique in a larger city.
The last time I was in Logan, 1996, it was still there, but don’t know if it was still the same because we did not go in – time not permitting.
Is there a way to get information on someone who served jail time in Logan for making moonshine in 1933?
I would call the sheriff’s depart and the courthouse records office. All I can thibk of. Thyen yxou could see if the Logan Banner has their back copies on line.
Thank You!
Larry, there is an online article written by Dwight Williamson on January 20, 2021 that tells the story of Frank Hall a legenday moonshiner in 1933 who lived in Logan County. He spent time in jail but he escaped, then had a shootout with the local police and he got away. He was caught 14 months later in Indiana and taken back to Moundsville.
Does anyone know what years the coal mine at Lyburn was in operation? I have check stubs showing my dad worked for Jewell Eagle in1954 and 1958 and Hutchinson Coal Co. (MacBeth) in 1949. I know he worked in the Lyburn mine but don’t have anything to show the years he worked there.
Elkay Mining was at Lyburn, WV. My dad, Matney Riffe, worked there many years I think it was still in operation in 1970’s. Search for Elkay Mining. Herman’s Company Store was associated with the Coal Company.
My grandmother was a Riffe – Mae Riffe
Elkay No. 1 was operated by Pittston Coal in the ’70’s I worked at the Dehue portal around 74’76, Jeff Burns was there as Superintendent then, a fine man, and many of the men that worked there also were some of Logan’s best coal miners, could name a bunch and I still have fond memories of those days.
Did you know Maggie and Frank Marino (Mariano) They lived in Dehue till they died on the 1990s Frank worked Dehue mine t for 48 years and when he retired he set up people’s cable TV over the phone. Si Mariano.
Magige worked the company store in the 40s and 50s.
I grew up at Monitor Coal’s clubhouse, on Cook’s Hill in Wilkinson, a couple of houses away. As I recall, Mrs. Spears served as a principal near Man, WV. She was a very nice and classy lady.
My dad, Martin L. Gillespie worked for Amhearst in Logan Counth, perhaps as a child or young man. Does anyone know if there are employee archives from the early 1900s? O1happyday@yahoo.com
Online search shows lots of info that you can check out.
Mrs. Elizabeth Spears was my Grandmother married to Edward Bebe Spears, who was a foreman at a local mine. Not sure which mine. She had two sons, Joseph Spears (my father), and John Spears (my uncle), John which took a corporate Job for a coal company and move to Paintsville Ky. What memories.loved coming to Wilkinson as a child for the holidays. I miss them all. All have since passed. Michael Joseph Spears. ms3272000@yahoo.com.
Michael, thanks for the info.
Many thanks to Mark and Rachel Jones for their outstanding videos of Logan County WV. on Facebook. Wild horses in Logan County that is truely remarkable to see, just like the beauty of the deer at the Logan County Park.
Did a man ever live on top of a telephone pole in logan wv
Pole sitting is the practice of sitting on top of a pole for extended lengths of time, generally used as a test of endurance. A small platform is typically placed at the top of the pole for the sitter. Led by the stunt actor and former sailor Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly, flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid-to-late 1920s, but mostly died out after the start of the Great Depression. – Wikipedia
I remember a guy doing it at Deskins Addition in the 50s. I think it was some sort of an advertising gimmick.
One of the sitters at Deskins Addition was named Pinky Pinkerton.
Douglas, familysearch and findagrave sites show Jesse William Pinkerton born April 8,1925 in Hamilton, Ohio and death April 8,2003 in Lanham,Maryland. His nicknames were Pop,Pop or Pinky.
He served in the U.S. Navy in WWII. Maybe he’s the person you are thinking of?
Many years ago Danny Sellers’s climbed to the top of a telephone pole in the alley where he lived in West Logan and put a drawing of John Lennon on it that he had drawn. It stayed there for many years.
Lisa, who was Danny Sellers?What else did he do in Logan history?
Hello, wishing all of you who use
this website to have a
Wonderful Christmas and a
Healthy and Peaceful New Year.
Hope all of you have gotten your
Vaccines.
I have been researching my family and those of whom worked in the mines; in the 1930 census, my great-great grandfather, Henry Howard Cook Sr., was listed as working in the coal mines as a “Bradishman”. I have tried nearly everything on Google with no results. Many of the results are dated obituaries that include the passed’s occupation as a Bradishman. Does anyone more familiar with the mines know this term? I believe it to be dated, at least seen in the 30s.
I use duckduckgo as my search engine. Here’s what i found
What did the Bradish man do in the mines?
A carpenter working in mines; the bradish man was responsible for ensuring a steady flow of clean air is cycled past the working face (especially of coal). He achieved this by closing off old shafts with well-sealed wooden doors. Worked in a brick works. He worked in the kilns, stacking or ‘setting’ the bricks ready for firing. Merry Christmas
Si Mariano born Logan General Hospital Dec 1946 Grandfather father and uncle worked the mine at Dehue.
Thank you so much! Very appreciated.
The term originates from using a type of canvas to seal off worked out sections of mine and divert the air flow into active sections. It was typically nailed or bolted to the rock face as a diverter for the air. Sometimes a more permanent method was used by laying a cement block wall. A Bradishman was a ventilation man.
Is Yolyn West Virginia still there? If so how do you get to it?
east of logan this from google maps
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8290211,-81.8789465,13.95z
James, the father of James and George
was Helery Edison- 1864 to 1923.
He was a coal miner who died
in a coal mine accident.
He is buried in Yolyn Cemetery which
is near Rich Creek. There is a
map of the area online.
My mother was born in Yolyn and my Grandmother die there in about 1921. My grand father was James W Edison. I had a uncle George Edison and so other kin folk there .
My Grand mother on my father side was a Fisher. I am looking for any information I can get of any of them.
James are you related to Audie Ratliff who moved from Logan to California, now deceased?
That as right now I do not know . I am still doing family research. I will be doing research all the time now m. I will let you know if I am .
Thank you .
Autie’s father played softball on the Silver Brand (a men’s clothing store in Logan in the 50s) TEam. Autie worked for the California Youth Authority which I also did but not in the same location. I saw him now and then. I think he died about n15 years ago.
I just saw on the Facebook site that
Nagy’s store in Cherry Tree has
been torn down. Its been closed for
many years.
It was built before WWII.
Wonder if the Nagy family will
be putting in a parking lot?
It would be so great if the Nagy
family would write up a history
of when Alex Nagy Sr. arrived in
the USA and how he got started
in business.
I really enjoy reading Dwight Williamson’s articles. Logan County’s history is rich.
My Grandfather Tom Kent worked at Bengal Coal Mine Company in Kistler,WV. He died of black lung in Jan 1935, His death certificate states he was buried at Bengal Cemetery.Where can I find information on the location of the cemetery and more information on Bengal Coal Company.
Debbie, do an online search for the info.
Debbie,
On this website in the photo gallery under the MAN & TRIADELPHIA DISTRICT topic listed in the SITE INDEX, photo number 25 is an old photograph of the community where Bengal Coal Company was located. The photo is labelled as taken circa 1920. The photo was posted by Bob Piros and donated by Eddie & Yvonne Dean.
As posted on 3-28-18 under the GENERAL COMMENT section of this website, Bob Piros and I had discussions about the photo and the Bengal Coal Company with my comments suggesting that the picture was taken later than the 1910 era.
My comments were:
Bob,
I have seen the large hollow at Kistler shown on some maps as Burgess Branch or as Bingo Hollow. I have seen it on some maps as Bengal Hollow. Today’s 911 mapping shows a Bengall Hollow Road Rte 16/02 branching off a Rte 16/2 “unnamed” road going up the hollow. Current USGS maps show it as Bingo Hollow.
On some old mine mapping of the Kistler area there shows a listing for a Bengal No. 61 mine with Utilities Coal as the owner. There was no definite map of the Bengal No 61 mine.
Apparently, the #61 Mine area is on the left (west) side of the hollow and the #62 Mine area is on the right (east) side. I haven’t seen any mapping listing a Bengal No 62 Mine but on another map of the area there is a label of a Bengal No 62 mine (Utilities Coal also) on the right side of the hollow.
I personally don’t recall ever seeing any railroad siding tracks on the north side of Buffalo Creek at Kistler. The 1913 USGS topo maps (Logan Quad) show railroad on up Buffalo Creek but no sidings at Kistler, nor do the maps show any “mining” activity at Kistler in 1913. The 1926 USGS maps do show sidings on the north side (and south side) of Buffalo Creek at Kistler and they show “tram road” mine haulage tracks going up both sides of the “Bingo” Hollow at Kistler.
I don’t know anything about the connections between Bengal Coal, Utilities Coal and Amherst Coal
companies.
I note that Dwight Williamson’s article on the town of Man lists Bengall Mining Company as one of four (presumably large) mining companies in the vicinty of Man in the mid-1920’s. I note that Dwight lists separately Bengall and Kistler among Taplin, Mallory and Landville as areas comprising the community of Man at that time.
It would seem that a theatre at Bengall/Kisler would have come some years later than in 1910.
We appreciate your research and documentation. Keep up the good work!
———————————————————————————————————————-
Since my discussions with Bob, I have seen some additional information about the Kistler area that may be pertinent. The 1915 West Virginia Geological Survey report does not mention Bengal Coal Company.
I note that the above photo was donated by Eddie & Yvonne Dean and there is currently listed on the Logan County tax rolls a certain Yvonne Dean at Kistler, WV. You may want to try to contact her for further information she may be able to provide.
Please note that simultaneously today, I am sending a map of portions of the Bengal mine workings to this website for posting in the photo gallery under the MAN & TRIADELPHIA DISTRICT topic listed in the SITE INDEX.
Good luck!
Douglas, thanks for your input.
The photo says taken in 1910.
Family search shows Eddie ( 1939 to 2006 ).
Yvonne ( 1939 to 2008 ).
Both lived in Kistler.
Debbie has the wrong info for
Tom Kent, family search shows
his death being in Becco,WV.
Burial in Browning Cemetery.
Since he was buried in 1935, the
grave probably will never be found.
With the info I did put up a
Memorial for him on the
Find A Grave site.
There are directions on how to find
the cemetery on the site.
It would be so wonderful if Debbie
does find the grave and takes a
photo of it and puts it on the
Find A Grave site.
Bob,
Thanks for calling my attention to the 1920 vs 1910 dating of the photo. (I have been working at dating a photo of bosses houses in the LUNDALE topic and there is some discrepancy in the dating of that photo as “1920”.)
About Bengal,
In the photo gallery of the 1922 MAN HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK topic listed in the SITE INDEX, there is an article titled LOGAN PAST AND PRESENT and image number 59 of 65 in the gallery has a statement of: “….. In the fall of 1912, three small operations began shipping coal on Buffalo Creek, viz.; Avon (now Deegans-Eagle) Amherst and Kohinoor (now Lundale)…”
The Avon Coal Company mine was described in the 1915 WV Geological Report as being located on Right Fork of Buffalo Creek, 0.4 mile southeast of Accoville. It appears that by 1914, the Deegan Coal Company had opened a mine across Buffalo Creek on the hillside opposite the mouth of Bengal Hollow at “Kistler Station”. Apparently, between 1914 and 1922, Deegans acquired the Avon operation.
The Feb-15, 1924 Logan Banner article mentioned by Dwight Williamson lists Bengall Coal Company as being in operation at that time.
Please note that yesterday, I sent a map of portions of the Bengal mine workings to this website for posting in the photo gallery under the MAN & TRIADELPHIA DISTRICT topic listed in the SITE INDEX.
Admin insert – Bengal Mine Workings Map (click to enlarge):
Douglas, thanks for your input.
Hopefully Debbie will see it
since she requested it.
Your info is online for her to
do an online search.
There is a cemetery at Kistler at the coordinates 37.758725, -81.852818 It is accessible with an atv but is very grown over and in rough shape. I haven’t been to it in years but as far as I can remember the last burial there that I could find is from the 50’s. If anyone wants to go there let me know and I can guide you to it. It is a pretty large cemetery but most of the graves are not marked and are only able to be identified by depressions spaced evenly in the ground.
I’m searching Google to reminisce of my mawmaw, and saw this comment from a few months ago. Yvonne Dean (maiden Sargent) was my grandmother, and she passed this morning, so the record you had of 2008 is very incorrect. Eddie dean did pass in 2006, though. She would’ve absolutely loved to chat old history like this thread. My eldest brother (Ricky Dean Jr) is still a miner in the kistler area, my father (r. Dean Sr) and my remaining family in that lineage does still live in Kistler, Man, & Bruno. Most all of them could likely have a conversation, as my family were told info and background on every picture in my grandparents albums.
Christopher, my Condolences to you and
your family about the error I made
about your Mawmaw. Sorry to hear
of her passing.
I looked at her record on the familysearch.org
site, born July 2, 1939 and residence
March 25,2008, Kistler, WV. Thought
she had died in 2008.
I was so excited when I read this history about John and Gracie frye from logan West Virginia and my great grandparents. My grandpa was thier son Earl Eugene frye and one of the greatest men to have lived in my heart. Im Roxie ann frye and i am daughter of barbara jean frye who is earl eugenes and mary magdaline easley fryes daughter Barbara Jean Frye and id love to know more of my wv family history would like to know more..memorys
My father, David Wright, grew up in Wilkinson and then moved to Roanoke for high school. He was killed in Vietnam when I was little so I never had the opportunity to ask him about his childhood. My great grandfather was Arthur Downing who was a manager at Monitor and my grandfather was Irvin Wright, who may have been a bookkeeper.
West Virginia was a big part of my dad and I would like to visit the area. Any suggestions for how I could learn more about Monitor, Logan and the area?
Thank you,
Sharon Wright Mester
Sharon, click on Site Index and
folllow list down to Monitor.
Lots of stories about Logan.
You can also do research at
familysearch.org which might
show your relative’s census records.
Hello All:
Reviewing this page and looking at all the pictures makes me think I was born a couple decades late. After the passing of my Mother recently, I am researching my Grand & Great Grandparents on her side. Not much information was ever spoken about them or talk about their life growing up. My grandmothers name is Freda Curry-Jackson and she was born in Logan (Mud Fork or Verdunville) is all we were able to tell. Her parents were Anna Roberts and Wayne Curry who according the 1940 census worked at the Island Creek Coal Co as a motorman and lived at 401 Whitman Creek (Which looks to be a baseball diamond at this time) during this time. Are there any pictures of this area at that particular time or information I could review? The other side is my grandfather who went by the name of Robert Jackson. The story we hear is he would always brag he killed a man and took his name. I was able to find his marriage license from 1948, to my grandmother which list his parents names (Thomas and Gladys Davis-Jackson) and them being from Peach Creek. I assume this is close to the same area where my grandmother lived but I seem to hit a dead end when trying to get further back. If anyone recalls a story where a man named Elmer went missing on a fishing trip and later was assumed dead. I’d love to hear from you. My family say he was a very evil mean who finally met their maker in 1965 while confined in the State Hospital in Huntington. I was in contact years ago with a lady and thought it was promising but with family illnesses and technology, have lost their contact information. I’d just like to complete the pieces of my puzzle.
Try familysearch.org.
Hello Everyone,
my Grandpaw William H. Howell Sr died in the coal mines in Ethel, West Virginia when my mommy was 4 and a half years old and it left my grandmother with 3 kids to raise. I was always told that a big slate of Coal fell on him and crushed him I believe with 2 other miner’s he was carrying his bible in the left pocket of his shirt because he was a Freewill Baptist Church Preacher. If anyone has any information on this would you please email me. I would love to here from you. My grandmother was Nancy Louise Akers Howell and my mommy’s name was Jean Louise Howell married to Donald Henry. My name is Teresa Henry
Try familysearch.org to look for
his death record. This will give you
the facts.
Teresa, would you consider posting his
photo and his story that you posted on
the Find A Grave site on this Logan
website?
Do you have anymore Logan County
photos you can share with this website?
trying to locate a Mary Lou Diamond maiden name. From Holden circa 1950s went to catholic school in Paintsville KY with me. Probably 75 years old or thereabouts.
Silas, you need to go to Anywho.com
& put in her name & click on All States.
You can also go to Facebook & look for her.
You can go to familysearch.org & put in her
name in KY. This might turn up a
married name for her.
If she never got married there might
be records for her.
Hope you are able to find her.
I was one of the boys that went to Our Lady of the Mountains in Paintsville, KY from Logan in 1959.
We left the school Christmas break Dec, 1958 and headed out to Cal. I was in touch with John Cahill for a years but lost track of Mary Lou Diamond and Jo Ann Evans 7th graders. We were the last of our class who signed up as first graders. John had a sister and brother Michael in the HS class there when he was in 7th grade. They were from Drift Ky. Don’t know where Jo Ann was from.
Happy July 4th to all of you who use
this Logan,WV. site.
Hope all of you have a Wonderful Safe Day.
My wife and I live in Northeast Georgia and we drove up to Logan, WV this last Saturday and then drove from Logan to Beckley on Sunday and then back home.
We loved the area, even though we got lost going up to Blair Mountain and around back to the hotel.
I would recommend more signs to tell visitors where they were. We travel backroads and visit small towns frequently and know many people who do the same. We like to eat at local restaurants, like your drive-in, where we stopped.
Also it might be nice to know that once you go past Man, to go East, you have to go on a gravel bumpy up hill and down hill road. We were worried because of no cell phone nor signage.
Otherwise, a very enjoyable trip. Please continue with the History of the area. Would love to hear more about the past local governments.
John Stevenson
Clayton, GA
I THINK DELTA ELECTRIC INC WAS PICK’S PLUMBING BUT IN THE LATE 50’S OR 60’S AND MOTOR CAR SUPPLY WAS NEXT TO IT I LIVED UP STARS
You have a picture of Brig. Gen Reuben Lindsey Walker and the comment in the picture says he was born here in Logan. As much as I wish this were true, unfortunately he was born in Logan Village of Albemarle County, VA.
Does anyone here know of jerry vance he was related to my father im trying to get in contact with him my father is Glenn Adam’s all I know about Jerry is he owns cattle can anyone help please
John, you’ll find Jerry at Anywho.com.
Just put in Logan,WV.
Let us know if he still has those
cattle and post a photo to
this website.
The Logan High School that I attended — I graduated in 1945 — was right across the tracks from Wilson mine. The mine was active and noisy! The coal got down to the tipple by way of a conveyor of some kind and the screech of metal on metal was loud, almost as bad as fingernails on a blackboard. After a while, though, I suppose we all tuned it out.
Robert,
There is a little write-up of the H.T. Wilson Mine in George T. Swain’s 1916 book: “History of The City of Logan, W.Va.” I don’t know if Swain mentioned it in his other book.
The mine(s) were in the Alma seam. Mine #1 was started in 1907 and it’s opening was behind the old Logan High School as you described. It mined down to Stratton Hollow and up to Bill Ellis Hollow across from Midelburg Bridge area. Mine # 2 opened in 1917 about a quarter mile above Bill Ellis Branch and mined the area between Bill Ellis Branch up to about Morrison Drive Inn where it was constrained by the Dingess Rum properties. A few of the houses across the railroad from Morrison Drive Inn were on Wilson property. Indications are that there were 10-or- so houses in Bill Ellis Hollow at one time but I seem to recall a “slate dump” being there later on.
At some time later, the H.T Wilson mine property became the property of J.T. Fish. (probably after all mining had stopped).
It is always good to hear from you.
I have several old photos I could add to the Blair WV section if It were put on here as an album, but not if I would have to E-MAIL to someone in order to do so. Administrator could always delete any they felt a need to do so. Some are my own and some I have permission from the owner. I do not use my E-mail, so I will not be responding through it.
I am very interesting in your Blair photos but adding a 2nd Blair album wouldn’t be feasible. If you are on Facebook, you could post them to our group or on your timeline and I’ll pull copies from there. You will be credited for the photos you share with our site. Thank you!
Does anyone have any info about
the H.T. Nelson Coal Company
located in Logan County WV.
Name was found on a 1918 Draft card.
Bob,
You are probably meaning the H.T. Wilson Mine in the upper end of Logan. You can see the location on some of the Sanford fire insurance maps. The area is now known as “Wilson Camp”
Douglas, thanks for your input.
You might be right, as the N could
be a W as it was written not printed.
It says Logan city, Logan county, WV.
I’ll use it in the article I’m writing.