Tallmansville (West Milford: sales, house, school)

[candice]

God bless all the miners and their families. People don't understand the hardships of others until a something like this happens.I'm praying for a miracle.

[casper1963]

May god keep all the families close and to help thru this trying time. My mother is from west virginia and I visited family members several times. We were watching this close and hope someone passes this on that there are prayers for the families of the miners that did not survive and for the one that did. Our prayers are with you and your families.I had a couple of uncles that woeked in the coal mines years ago and remember hearing some stories. My mother as a little girl and her brothers would go to the mines and collect coal for the stove and other things. She talks about wanting to go back there.I know of the hard times thru my mother of the coal miners and there families because my mother was one of them. It seems it always takes a tragedy to bring people together and to understand how one does it. God Bless them all!

[WVBorn]

My dad spent 19yrs in the mines. We left West Milford, WV in 1987 because the mine that he worked at closed. Could this have been a blessing? That would depend on who you asked. All my sympathies go out to all these miners families. But it doesn't stop there. My prayers are even stronger for the families of the ones that will return to the mines. The wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. They are the ones that their fear becomes alittle stronger now because of this recent collapse. My prayers are even stronger for there MINERS that call on even greater courage now, to return to work to provide for their families.

Some people say West Virginia's are just dumb country folk, every West Virginian I'm sure has heard that at least once in thier life. I here it quit often where I leave now. To the people that think that, I say strap on hard hat and gather all your courage and spend one day in the life of a miner. Hero's, yes, I believer miners are. This great nation started on COAL, and will always.

MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!

Donald King Jr
Summerville,SC

[NewSeeker]

I cannot begin to tell you the astonishing amount of courage it must take to be a coal miner. BUT, if you don't want people to think that persons from WV are dumb, perhaps you should look at your own message for its language usage--grammar and spelling. If I were to judge you on no criteria but those, it would be possible to think in the terms of "dumb."

[WVBorn]

Originally Posted by NewSeeker

I cannot begin to tell you the astonishing amount of courage it must take to be a coal miner. BUT, if you don't want people to think that persons from WV are dumb, perhaps you should look at your own message for its language usage--grammar and spelling. If I were to judge you on no criteria but those, it would be possible to think in the terms of "dumb."

You know what? I messed up and started talkin bout being a dumb WV. That took away from the fact at hand, Miners. I'm sorry, that are you could find was a few grammer mistakes. I say forget the mistakes and go sit in your warm house and be thankful that someone is willing to dig that coal that keeps you warm.

[ILUVWVU]

Originally Posted by NewSeeker

I cannot begin to tell you the astonishing amount of courage it must take to be a coal miner. BUT, if you don't want people to think that persons from WV are dumb, perhaps you should look at your own message for its language usage--grammar and spelling. If I were to judge you on no criteria but those, it would be possible to think in the terms of "dumb."

Im sure the other 49 arent bulging at the seams with English majors.I am unsure of the reason for your message.Are you trying to insult West Virginiains? Why? Ive lived in other areas of the country and have shown as hard working and quite intelligent in those environments as have many native West Virginians.Whats the definition of dumb anyway?I believe you would fall into the category of ignorant and if you have nothing civil to add to this discussion I feel that you should remain on the outside.

[rebecka]

Hear hear! I come from a long line if coal miners. Father, uncles, grandfather, great-uncles, etc...and was saddened and appalled by the turn of events that led to the discovering of not all alive but one, but vice versa! Better communication and concern should have you clarifying facts BEFORE stating them. I grew up in a coal mining camp. No all West Virginians aren't dumb just like all Kentuckians aren't inbred nor all Floridians either young, tan, and beautiful or old and retired!

[Darin]

To be honest, I registered myself with this forum solely for the sake of replying. I likely won't return to see any response to this post. I just want to put my heart where it naturally belong.

I'm a telemarketer who sales a very good product. I deal with people in West Virginia often. I don't think of any geographic location as being a breeding ground for intelligence or lack thereof. I logged onto this site because I'm looking for a geographic curiosity that one of my customers told me about today. Finding this site, I was simply curious and decided to read. And what I read from a previous post about "dumb" people shamed me. I have a step mother who was born and raised in West Virginia. Her family where coal miners. Her mother died when she was five and because of life back then, she was forced to not attend school. She had to do the chores and so forth. I'm sure you can imagine the situation. So, no, she did not receive a fine public education as most of us did. She can't read or write. All that we take for granted is beyond her. But she is not dumb. She may say "ain't" and "y'all" and whatnot - but I would never discount her common sense and her ability to solve a problem when it arises.

I want the people of West Virgina to know that not all the people of the rest of this great nation have such an opinion. I've been to West Virginia and it is a beautiful place. It amazes me to think of how tough the people there are. And the closing of mines at this time as a result of the tragedy is one thing that I hope doesn't get buried in our memories today.

The bottom line is that West Virginians aren't all thought of as dumb ignorant hicks, and some of us recognize the strength you all... y'all ... give to our heritage.

And, to be honest, I use a spellchecker which found six mistakes to correct before I chose to send this message. So, nobody's perfect.

[ivorybill]

I know this has been a long time coming, but I wanted to make sure the song would convey the right message to those that mourned the loss of their loved ones.
After the death of the 12 miners in Tallmansville, I spotted a photo of a brown piece of paper on msnbc.com.
The brown piece of paper contained scribblings from the deceased miners, obviously from their dying hours....hoping to send one last message home to their loved ones.
This moved me in a big way. I've written songs for nearly 10 years now, but never before has a melody and a lyric come to me so quickly. Thinking of those hard-working men, sitting alone in the mine waiting for help....wondering what could possibly go through their heads. Anger, frustration, confusion, despair, maybe some moments of transcendant peace.
I hope and pray that their families will listen to this song and find it helpful. I hope and pray that your memories with these American heroes are happy ones and you meet them again, soon, where the sun shines on their feet.

Best,
John Oaks
Cincinnati, OH

Please click link below to hear song:

MySpace.com - Ivory Bill Band - CINCINNATI - Folk Rock / Indie / Blues - www.myspace.com/ivorybillband

[x1x]

Having read all the thoughts of others all i have say is that the miners of West Virginia and other coal producing states played a important role in the building of this USA, Just take a moment and think what you would have without coal and those who slaved and risk their lives daily so you could have the comfort and other things that coal produces. Now that you have taken a moment to think about it? I'm sure your glad we have these courageous people!!!!!!!!