It is my understanding that the coal companies did not buy up any land in any of the Eastern Kentucky Counties until several years after the Civil War. By 1890=1900 the coal mines were beginning to operate heavily. But, President Roosevelt (before he became President) was one of the people who came into Eastern Kentucky and bought up land for the coal companies. > [Original Message] > From: <RWa5352802@aol.com> > To: <KYPERRY-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: 4/7/04 3:13:48 PM > Subject: [KYPERRY-L] Post Civil War Mining Companies > > Is anyone aware of a website, book, or whatever, where one could gain an > understanding of how the coal mining companies gained their land in Perry County > after the Civil War? > > Were they the so-called "Carpet Baggers"? Did they steal land and run people > out of the County? > > My gg-grandfather, John "Squirrel Man" Walker and his family, collectively, > owned about 7,000 acres of land along, and off, Troublesome Creek. I have land > deeds showing where this land was sold between 1870 and 1873 for reasonable > money. Yet, when they arrived in Texas in 1873 their first purchase of land was > 40 acres for $12.50 down and two annual note payments of $50.00. That leads me > to believe they left Perry County broke. It is also rather suspect that the > old boy learned to write his name at age 81, with only one deed, out of many, > showing his signature. > > Any ideas or thoughts? > > Regards, Bob Walker > > Personal Genealogy Page: http://members.aol.com/rwa5352802 > > > > ==== KYPERRY Mailing List ==== > PERRY COUNTY STUFF PAGE > http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyperry3/perrycokystuffpage.html > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237