Barbara, Not a stupid question! I'm surprised that it isn't a regular topic of conversation here. <g> I wouldn't be surprised if many of us have ancestors that were involved in the Coal Mining industry in Jefferson County. I have done a little research into coal mining in Jefferson County because my ancestors were involved in Coal Mining in Steubenville. I only have a few pages copied from the following book, not the entire book. This is a list from about 1910, so it is a little later than you were asking about, but it may be a starting point. >From the book "20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens," (Doyle,Joseph B., 1910) Chapter XVI, Natural Resources and Development, Page 259: The leading coal mines of the county, as given in the state mine inspectors report, are as follows: American Sewer Pipe Company, Blyth Coal Company, Bergholz Coal & Electric Light Company, Dexter Coal Company, Eastern Ohio Coal Company, East Ohio Sewer Pipe Company, Glens Run Coal Company, Jefferson Coal Company, Kaul-Oberkirch Company, Labelle Iron Works, La Grange Coal Company, Magyar Coal Company, Morris-Poston Coal Company, Ohio & Pennsylvania Coal Company, Roby Coal Company, Russell Coal & Mining Company, Steubenville Coal & Mining Company, W. E. Smith, James Speaks, Shannon Coal Company, Toronto Fire Clay Company, United States Coal Company, Wayne Coal Company, Witch Hazel Coal Company, M.L. Williams Coal & Coke Company, Wolf Run Coal Company W. & L. E. Coal & Mining Company, Youghiogheny & Ohio Coal Company Regards, Kay Schaney e-mail: kstarr@rochester.rr.com web: http://i.am/kstarr Researching in Jefferson County: Smurthwaite, Thorn, Robertson > -----Original Message----- > From: Barbara [mailto:barbarar@swain.main.nc.us] > Sent: Monday, January 04, 1999 1:35 PM > To: OHJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: coal mines > > > Hi, I have the feeling this is a "stupid question" - hopefully it will be > seen as naive instead :-). > It seems most, if not all, of my Jefferson Co. CAMPBELL, MOORE (& > affiliated families) ancestors were coal miners, and there were > several who > died in mine related accidents. > Can anyone give me an estimate of how many coal mines were > operating in the > mid to late 1800's in Jefferson Co, especially around > Bergholz?... How many > are active today? ...And can anyone recommend a book I could get via > interlibrary loan (or a web site/article!) that discusses the mines in the > area? > > Thank you, > Barbara Richardson > > ______________________________