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SPEAKER BIO:

 

MY FAMILY MOVED TO COSHOCTON OHIO IN SEPTEMBER 1964 FROM GARYS KNOB IN HARLAN COUNTY KENTUCKY.  

 

MY DAD WAS WORKING IN THE UNDERGROUND MINES FOR AROUND 16-18 YEARS BEFORE MOVING TO OHIO.  WE LIVED IN A COAL CAMP OUTSIDE OF GARYS KNOB.  THE COMPANY NAME WAS V & C COAL OWNED & OPERATED BY CLYDE V. BENNET - NO RELATION.  MY DAD WORKED AT OTHER MINES PRIOR TO THIS LIKE CONSOL COAL COMPANY.  DAD LIKED THE IDEA OF WORKING AT THE SIMCO-PEABODY COAL COMPANY & ALL THE COAL THAT CAME OUT WENT DOWN TO THE COLUMBUS & SOUTHERN OHIO ELECTRIC COMPANY’S CONESVILLE POWER PLANT.  MY DAD WAS ACCIDENTLY KILLED IN A HAULAGE ACCIDENT ON MAY 5, 1971.  AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL IN JUNE I STARTED WORKING AT THE MINE ON NOVEMBER 9, 1976 UNTIL THE MINE CLOSED IN OCTOBER 1978.   IN NOVEMBER 1978 I GOT HIRED AT NORTH AMERICAN COAL COMPANY’S POWHATAN 6 MINE & WORKED THERE UNTIL GETTING LAID OFF IN FEBRUARY 1982.  NACCO LAID OFF 250 EMPLOYEES AT THAT TIME.  

 

 BACK IN 2009 OR 2010 I SPOKE TO A MAN THAT SUGGESTED I PUT A MEMORIAL STONE AT THE MINE WHERE MY DAD WAS KILLED.  NOT UNTIL 2011 DID I THINK ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION AGAIN. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I HAD TO TALK TO THE JUDGE TO GET PERMISSION TO PUT THE MEMORIAL STONE ON THE COURTHOUSE LAWN.    ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 19, 2013 THERE WAS A COMMUNITY DEDICATION SERVICE FOR THE MINERS MEMORIAL STONE.