For anyone who is interested, Galena does have a Mining Library. It is directly across the street from the Mining Museum in Galena, on 7th St. It has death records, funeral records, cemetery locations & names, bills of sale, all sorts of town records for people who lived in Galena. I found my great-great grandfather's funeral record there. There is also the Gene Russell Library next to the Galena Board of Education, also on 7th St after the intersection with Wood Street. Ronya FM --- Bill & Audrey Baker <wbbakersr@yahoo.com> wrote: > Sorry I can't help you with any photos. > > Have you thought about wrinting your experieces for > your family to read? > I am in a senior writing class, and we write our > memories for our families > who might be interested in reading them some day. > Maybe some of them might be interested, if not , > what can we lose? > You could also use a tape recorder if you don't like > to write. > It would be a loss if noone ever knew your life > story. > Just think... from the horse & buggy, to the space > age! Wonderful history. > Think about it, Please... for your family. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: LBonstein <LBonstein@msn.com> > To: <MOJASPER-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 10:05 PM > Subject: [MOJASPER] re: Rob Roy Ratcliff > > > > After reading your story concerning Picher, > Oklahoma, I wish to tell you > my expiernces there. > > > > My grandfather, Charlie Charboneau, was a lead, > zinc, and jack miner for > the Eagle Picher Mining company. You made mention > of there being photos of > the miners gathered in front of the mine shafts and > was wondering how I > could get some of the photos. > > > > I remember my grandad enjoying playing the violin, > but before playing he > would light a fire outside to scare off the > mosquitoes. After a hard day at > the mines he would come home and this would be the > family entertainment. > > > > My brother and I were orphaned at a very young > age. We went to live with > my grandparents, Charlie and Sarah Charboneau. > > > > My brother and I would climb the chat piles from > the mines and would > gather copper and anything else we could find to > help pay the grocery bill. > I remember a small Mom & Pop grocery store burning > to the ground and and > leaving canned goods which was taken home for us to > eat. Also my brother > had a little steam engine that ran on alcohol and > when we exausted the fuel > for it we hooked it up to a treadle sewing machine. > > > > We lived close to the mine. One day my brother and > I were sent to the > store. On the way home while we were walking across > the slush pond gates > and I fell in. It was a very good feeling when > someone grabbed me by the > hair and pulled me out. Occassionaly they would > open the gates and let the > slush pond drain out into the streets. > > > > My grandmother would on occassion send us over to > the blacksmith shop for > small steel shavings, which she would put in > vinegar, let it soak and then > drink it. Never did know why she did it. > > > > Your letter stirred some of my memories of living > in Picher and wanted to > share some of my boyhood memories in this 91 years > of my life. > > > > Please if anyone has photos of my grandad, Charlie > Charboneau at the mines > I would greatly like to be able to see them. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! http://mail.yahoo.com/