On 2011-05-20, at 8:53 AM, Kelly, Sheryl wrote: > Does anyone have information, or perhaps could direct me to information > concerning the emigration of British coal miners to the United States? > My ancestor, John Eaton seems to have left his wife and children behind > in about 1862 (Coseley area) to mine in the United States. I have read > that when the American Civil War began in 1861, foreign miners were > heavily recruited to fill the abandoned positions in the U.S. mines. > John's wife and children seem to have followed him to US in late 1863. I > am specifically interested in advertisements that may have been posted > for miners, what compelled them to go (better life, money?) and the > events occurring in the Black Country at that time (strikes, disease, > etc.?). > > Thank you, > Sheryl Kelly Yes, The area of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, Lucerne County, probably had enough Staffordshire coal miners emigrate there. Several years ago I was on my way from Ontario to Williamsburg, VA for that year's annual PACE Family reunion. The car needed gas at Wilkes-Barre, PA. just past Scranton about three in the morning.Leaving the gas station, heading back to the I-81 I mentioned to my neighbour, who came with me, that this area of PA. was a coal mining area and I mentioned, wondering if any of the Staffordshire coal mining people had come there, co-workers of my Pace family of the Black Country area of the UK. Presently, the car reached the corner, after the gas station, where a street light illuminated the street sign which I glanced at, then looked again, guess what - it said STAFFORD Street. I said to my neighbour, sitting beside me in the car, "I guess that street sign answers my question". Much the same I observed when visiting Sidney, Nova Scotia, a coal mining area of Cape Breton, Island. Driving around downtown Sidney, two of the main streets were STAFFORD St. another was PITT Street. I was quite amazed. My PACE family was connected a few times with PITT family members and CORBETTs in the Shareshill parish, which is between Wolverhampton and Cannock, in the Black Country. I looked in the local Sidney, NS telephone book, there were many CORBETT names in there some PITTs and PACEs http://www.pacefamilyhistory.info/pitt.htm - have a look at PITT PACE CORBETT in the Shareshill records. Church of St.Mary & St.Luke My grandfather was a coal miner and died at Lethbridge, Alberta in 1926. I have been back there a few times to visit his grave. Driving around Lethbridge, one can notice STAFFORD Street and other names with Stafford in them. I had bought a book about the Frank Slide, about 1908 at Frank, Alberta, a mountain gave way and buried a good part of the town. The book said many Staffordshire coal miners were killed. Where coal mining is concerned, there is always danger. Much can be learned from the Frank Slide Museum near the site. After seeing for myself, three coal mining areas, over here, with STAFFORDSHIRE evidence, there's little doubt that coal miners from Staffordshire migrated to where there was mining going on. No doubt, there are coal mining areas that I don't even know about, where miners from the Black Country have migrated to. In Pennsylvania again, there was the Johnstown Flood disaster http://www.johnstownpa.com/History/hist19.html A ROAR LIKE THUNDER - On June 1 1889 Americans woke to the news that Johnstown, Pennsylvania had been devastated by the worst flood in the Nation's history. Over 2,200 were dead, with many more homeless. Two PACE brothers, miners from Gloucestershire were involved in that disaster. http://www.pacefamilyhistory.info/uk/gls.htm - They went on to mining interests in Colorado after the flood On this list is/was a lady from the Black Country, living in PA. who organized the Black Country Reunion at State College, PA. She may still be on this list. She had a web site about the reunion. No doubt, there are many descendents in Pennsylvania today of miners from the Black Country. GTPace, Ontario