First
stop was Longfield Cemetery where folks gathered around the headstone of
Jacob Vowell who was buried in the same grave as his son Elbert. Jacob
wrote one of the poignant farewell messages
that was read around the world.
Greg
Gaylor, descendant of Jacob Vowell, read Jacob's message over his and
Elbert's headstone. It was a very special moment for the crowd.
Tour
guide and President of CCWF, Barry Thacker, PE, explained the Coal Creek
history at each stop.
Musicians
entertained us with their special songs at the cemeteries.
Mary
Davies, (second from left) is the granddaughter of
Jacob Vowell. Her mother was
Jacob's daughter Lilly. She is surrounded by more descendants of
Jacob's.
Gale
Jones (R) and Mossie Taylor at the monument of George Adkins and son Condy
Adkins who were killed in Fraterville. George was the foreman of the
Fraterville Mine. Gale and Mossie had never seen this monument to
their family members.
Descendants
of brothers Edward and Joseph Smiddy who were killed in the mine.
Descendant
Libby Smiddy shared a photo of Edward's and Joseph's uncle Lewis Smiddy.
Descendants
of miners David, Lewis and Andrew Stansberry gather around their headstones
at Longfield Cemetery.
Boy
Scout Andy Harness discusses his new kiosk that he built honoring the miners
buried at Longfield Cemetery as part of
his Eagle Scout project.
Jacob
Vowell's granddaughter Mary Davies reads the historic information on Andy's
kiosk.
Andy
with his parents Don and Debbie Harness.
Attendees
explore Longfield Cemetery headstones.
Second
stop was Leach Cemetery where 89 of the Fraterville miners are buried.
The
musicians played more music for us.
DeZern
family descendants gather around family headstones. DeZern was spelled several different ways.
Five brothers and two of their brothers-in-law perished that day.
Attendees
made rubbings of their family names listed on the monument to the miners
that is located in the center of the concentric circles of the miners'
graves.
Jeannie
and Henry Pitts at the headstone of ancestor Charley Brooks. There
were four Brooks killed in the mine.
The
Pitts shared a photo of Maggie Brooks when she was maybe 8-10 years old.
Maggie was the daughter of miner Charley Brooks. She was two months
old when her daddy died in the mine.
Third
stop was the Itinerant Miners Cemetery located in the back yard of Owen and
Zenith Bailey. Note the fieldstone at the base of the tree marking the
grave of one of the unknown miners who were buried
at the site where their bodies were brought out of the mine by train.
Barry
talking about the history of the mine disaster.
Owen
Bailey (center) discusses his family's history in mining. His father
walked from North Carolina to find work as a blacksmith in the Fraterville
Mine.
The
group hiked into the woods to the spot where the entrance of the Fraterville
Mine was located and imagined what that scene must have been like 102 years
ago at the time of the mine explosion.
The
mine entrance was located on the bank to the far right of the crowd.
Views
of crowd gathering
at mine site...
Walking
the trail the miners took back then. They must have been very lean and
muscular from all the walking they did to get to their jobs and then
working in the mines.
Crowd
gathers in Fraterville at end of tour.Special thanks to:
 | Tony Thomas and his friends known as The Mystery Mountain Boys who graced us with their beautiful music during the cemetery stops. Their new CD, "The Mystery Mountain Boys, Reunited" was just released. |
| Boy Scout Andy Harness, who attended the tour and showed off his new kiosk built in honor of the miners buried at Longfield Cemetery. Andy took on this project for his Eagle Scout ranking requirement. |
| Eagle Scout Drew Justice, who unveiled his kiosk at Leach Cemetery at the 100th anniversary tour in 2002, attended today's tour and discussed his kiosk and provided bottled water to the thirsty crowd. |
| Owen and Zenith Bailey, who allowed us to gather in their back yard at the site where the itinerant miners are buried. |
| Mrs. Arthorine Wilson and Ms. Nancy Montgomery, who allowed us to cross their property to gain access to the Fraterville Mine site. |
| Rev. Roy and Della Daugherty for ringing the historic Briceville Church bell at the beginning of the tour. The bell was rung at the original memorial service in honor of each miner who perished in the mine. |
| Clear Branch Baptist Church for allowing us access to their church for our mid-tour restroom break. |
| Principal Tom Braden of Briceville School for allowing us to gather at the school to catch the buses for the tour. |
| Wally Pressley for assisting with getting everyone signed in and on the buses. |