I loved read about the coal mines, and sitting here in sunny NW Florida, I too can relate to coal mines because both my father, and grand father were coal miners, and both worked for Clinchfield Coal Corp, which was headquartered in Dante, Va until the mid 1970's (I think) then they moved to Lebanon, Va-which by then was Pittston Corp. Anyway, I never worked the mines myself, but did work at the Clinchfield Coal Laboratory in Clinchfield from about 1958-1962 (when I was about to be drafted into the military). I highly suggest anyone who has connections to Southwest Virginia coal mining, get a copy of Kathy Shearers excellent documentary of the life of coal miners, as told by coal miners and their families. Her latest book is "Wilder Days", about a now long gone town that once boomed during the early part of the 20th century. John Parrott Crestview, Fl ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty Lyle" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 4:30 PM Subject: Re: [VARUSSEL] Thoughts on SW Va, coal mining and Bluegrass music. > What part of Va.? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Randy Crouse McNew" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 2:53 PM > Subject: [VARUSSEL] Thoughts on SW Va, coal mining and Bluegrass music. > > >> Sitting here on a Saturday afternoon looking at some videos on YouTube, >> feeling homesick for Southwest Virginia. (Debbie and Hannah are there >> now.) >> I was recording bluegrass off of YouTube to put on my IPOD. I was >> listening >> to Patty Loveless' "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive." A song she wrote >> about >> her grandparents and the hard times in the Eastern Ky coal mines. I came >> across a short video about SW Va and coal mining. >> >> >> >> The story is a glimpse into the life of my father's family and my wife's >> family. Since coal mining began, as an industry in Southwest Virginia >> around >> 1885, men had few choices about employment. You were either a farmer or a >> coal miner or both; or you worked in a job that supported the coal >> industry. >> The video (link below), much to my satisfaction, illustrates the >> closeness >> of family and the pervasiveness of the musical heritage of the area that >> was >> passed down by the original Scots-Irish, German, and English Settlers of >> the >> area from whom I descend. Bluegrass, coal mining, and the Appalachian >> Mountains and "hollers" of SW Virginia are who I am; different, but no >> better than anyone else, anywhere. >> >> >> >> Coal mining is a hard life, and it was much harder 50 years ago. If you >> ask >> any miner today, he will tell you that he is proud, very proud, to be a >> miner. I am very proud that my grandfather and great grandfather, Uncles >> and >> many of my cousins worked in the mines. My Dad told me that when he was a >> boy, his father would leave home before daylight and get home after dark; >> not seeing the sun shine until Saturday. I remember staying with my >> Granny >> and when my Pa (that's my grandfather) would get home, he would be black >> with coal dust on his hands and face and he always had black edges around >> his eyes where the coal dust didn't wash off. Like my father, I left SW >> Va. >> He came back several times and we settled there in 1972, and he stayed >> until >> he died at the age of 52 in 1984. I left to go to college in 1985 and >> took >> a >> job working on missile defense in Alabama in 1989. >> >> >> >> I will never forget, and will always be proud of, my Appalachian roots. >> We >> might talk differently, but we are as smart as anyone anywhere; we know >> and >> love God, we work hard, love our country, love our families, pray every >> day, >> mind our business, and humbly go about living, and know how to have fun. >> Here, a man's word is his bond. We can, and will, take care of ourselves >> anytime we need to. We are the first to step onto the battlefield and >> have >> left our dead on the fields of every war the US has ever fought. Most of >> all, we are Americans. >> >> >> >> >> >> Check this link, hold CTRL key and click on it, or cut and paste it into >> your browser address bar and click on "Go" >> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JArYF8axBVY >> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JArYF8axBVY&feature=related> >> &feature=related >> >> >> >> >> >> Randy Crouse McNew >> >> Huntsville, AL >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG. >> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.2/1387 - Release Date: >> 4/19/2008 >> 11:31 AM >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

How would I go about getting info on a Boyd Stacy was part owner in a saw mill in Biship Virginia . is that russell county or another county any help I thank you for Jalena Peck

To answer Betty Lyle..."What part of Va?" My Dad's parents lived in Amonate when he was born. This is a coal camp on the Va/WVa state line (Tazewell Co., Va/McDowell Co., WVa.) My Grandfather, Claude McNew worked underground, and his father, Lee Grant McNew ran the tipple. My Grandmother was born at Carbo. She was d/o of Lowney Patton Childress and Eulabelle Brooks. The Brooks family lived on Hazel Mountain. Later my grandparents lived at Wilder and my great grandmother, Eulabelle Brooks Childress, and her family are pictured on p. 120 of Kathy Shearer's "Wilder Days". Some of my dad's Russell County people were Brooks, Childress, Kiser, Counts, Jesse, Stiltner, and Boyd. They came from around where Russell, Dickenson, and Buchanan County meet. After WWII, most of my Childress and Brooks families moved to Tazewell Co. and most of the men went in the mines at Bishop or Boissevain. A lot of them also went north to Ohio and Michigan to get jobs and stayed. I lived in Baptist Valley (Tazewell County between Richlands and Tazewell) near the schoolhouse and my Grandparents, Great Aunt and Uncle, and great-grandparents lived on Lick Branch just up the road. I married Debbie Reynolds d/o Charlie Reynolds, Jr. Debbie's parents were both from the Kent's Ridge/Sword's Creek area of the New Garden section of NE Russell County near the Tazewell County line. Debbie's daddy and one brother worked at the Seaboard No. 2 mines at Big Creek near Richlands. Some of Debbie's parents' Russell County families are Reynolds, Rose, Vance, Slate, Taylor, Jackson, Robbins, Dennison, Jones, and Gross. Debbie and I both attended Richlands High School, that's where we met over 30 years ago. Before college, I worked for S&S Corporation as a blueprint clerk and later as a draftsman. S&S manufactured coal mining equipment like scoops, and feeder crushers, and man-trips. I went to college and now I work for the Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, Alabama. Randy Crouse McNew Huntsville, AL

I live in Dickenson Co. but was born and reared in Buchanan Co. Have family ties in Russell Co. Redoing an old family farm on Little River in Honaker. Betty Combs Lyle ----- Original Message ----- From: "Randy Crouse McNew" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 8:03 PM Subject: [VARUSSEL] "What part of Va?" RE: Thoughts on SW Va,coal mining and Bluegrass music. > To answer Betty Lyle..."What part of Va?" > > My Dad's parents lived in Amonate when he was born. This is a coal camp on > the Va/WVa state line (Tazewell Co., Va/McDowell Co., WVa.) My > Grandfather, > Claude McNew worked underground, and his father, Lee Grant McNew ran the > tipple. My Grandmother was born at Carbo. She was d/o of Lowney Patton > Childress and Eulabelle Brooks. The Brooks family lived on Hazel Mountain. > > Later my grandparents lived at Wilder and my great grandmother, Eulabelle > Brooks Childress, and her family are pictured on p. 120 of Kathy Shearer's > "Wilder Days". Some of my dad's Russell County people were Brooks, > Childress, Kiser, Counts, Jesse, Stiltner, and Boyd. They came from around > where Russell, Dickenson, and Buchanan County meet. > > After WWII, most of my Childress and Brooks families moved to Tazewell Co. > and most of the men went in the mines at Bishop or Boissevain. A lot of > them > also went north to Ohio and Michigan to get jobs and stayed. > > I lived in Baptist Valley (Tazewell County between Richlands and Tazewell) > near the schoolhouse and my Grandparents, Great Aunt and Uncle, and > great-grandparents lived on Lick Branch just up the road. > > I married Debbie Reynolds d/o Charlie Reynolds, Jr. Debbie's parents were > both from the Kent's Ridge/Sword's Creek area of the New Garden section of > NE Russell County near the Tazewell County line. Debbie's daddy and one > brother worked at the Seaboard No. 2 mines at Big Creek near Richlands. > Some > of Debbie's parents' Russell County families are Reynolds, Rose, Vance, > Slate, Taylor, Jackson, Robbins, Dennison, Jones, and Gross. > > Debbie and I both attended Richlands High School, that's where we met over > 30 years ago. > > Before college, I worked for S&S Corporation as a blueprint clerk and > later > as a draftsman. S&S manufactured coal mining equipment like scoops, and > feeder crushers, and man-trips. > > I went to college and now I work for the Missile Defense Agency in > Huntsville, Alabama. > > Randy Crouse McNew > Huntsville, AL > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.2/1387 - Release Date: 4/19/2008 > 11:31 AM > >