Mine Ancestor’s
The Knoxville News Sentinel has a story this AM (here) about an attempt by the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation to find the ancestor’s of those who lost family in the Cross Mountain (1911 explosion) and the Fatersville (1902 explosion) mine explosions. Over 1000 children were left fatherless by the explosions, and they think there are 1000 of ancestors out there to be found. The foundation is also going to offer tours of the mines, history lessons, etc in a upcoming event on October 15th. Carol Moore, spokeswoman for the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, can be contacted at 865-584-0344 or clmoore@geoe.com for more information.
The Fatersville mine explosion has long been of interest to me and the fact that there is attention coming to it makes me very satisfied. The Fatersville accident was one of the worst mining accidents in the history of the US and the stories that I have read of the people left behind and the notes left by the miners to their families are just utterly humbling and amazing to me. It is hard to imagine a entire community being completely destroyed by one accident. The Fatersville mine accident virtually wiped out all the males in a community. Even Katrina and Rita in all their force and might did not render communities dead. Mine accidents in the early 20th century could and did that regularly.
Fatersville Mine Disaster Link & Coal Creek War Fatersville Mine Site and one of my favorite bluegrass songs is When the Mines Grew Still At Fatersville written by John Rice Irwin and performed by Tony Thompson. There are other good links out there as well, so please look into it more for your own if you are interested.
