Remembering The Men who Lost Their Lives Mining Fluorspar

In the 1930’s and 40’s, Mr. Hollis C. Franklin, a noted Crittenden County businessman and community leader, and also a talented writer, wrote a weekly column in the Crittenden Press titled Two Eyes, Two Ears and A Typewriter. 

After learning of the death of a young man, Eugene Williamson, while working in the fluorspar mine in our county, Mr. Franklin wrote his column about this tragedy. From the archives of The Crittenden Press came the following story.

June 6, 1939. Eugene Williamson, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Williamson of Farmersville and brother of T. W. Williamson, popular superintendent of the Keystone Mines, was instantly killed about one o’clock Saturday morning, June 10, while working underground in the mine which has for the past several years been under his brother’s superintendency, and which up until this time had never had a serious accident of any kind.

Young Williamson and his buddy had been working side by side during the shift. A few minutes before the accident his buddy had gone out to get some timbers. When his buddy returned with the timber few minutes later he found the lifeless body of his friend, near the spot where he had left him only a few minutes before. It is though young Williamson had picked into a loaded dynamite hole. Those who know anything about fluorspar mining know what happens on such occasions. That one act invariably spells “tragedy” where fluorspar is mined.

Funeral services were at White Sulphur Baptist Church near Crider, where he had held church membership. 

This is Mr. Franklin’s column.

Last Friday night, a little after midnight, while most of us were in our beds sound asleep, a fine young man lost his life instantly and accidentally while working underground in one of the county’s best equipped mines. This mine, as well as most of the other fluorspar mines in this section, has always used every safety precaution. It has, too, almost constantly drilled its workmen in safety practices. Even then fluorspar mining is hazardous. It is in many ways a dangerous occupation. Life was sweet to this young man who in a little more than a month would have been twenty-five. Life was sweet to him as it is to other normal, friendly and ambitious young people. He, like most of us looked forward with pleasure to what he intended to do tomorrow, next week, next month, next year.

He was fully cognizant of the fact that his task was hazardous but man that he was, he had no hesitancy in undertaking and doing a man’s work in connection with that job. He was anxious to do his job well as other men in the same work or in other fields of endeavor are anxious to do their jobs well.

I wonder if you and I have ever stopped to think of the part which the man who works in the fluorspar mines plays in our daily life. I wonder if we have ever stopped to consider the obligation which society owes to him for the things which make for better living for us all?

Those who know tell us that spar is absolutely essential to the manufacture of more than 80 per cent of the steel used in the world today. Fluorspar is essential in the manufacture of the metal with which our homes are covered, of the nails which enable us to fashion our homes as we want them, of the cars in which we ride, of the wire with which we fence our fields of the rails on which all the trains run, of the instruments which the doctor uses in his laboratories and in his offices, of the boats which run the rivers and of the ships which sail the seas.

 In a thousand ways, fluorspar as it is mined in Crittenden County, serves in its own district way to make life more comfortable, more pleasant and happier for us all. Nothing else has ever been found that could take its place.

The men who work in fluorspar mines make from day to day a notable and noble contribution to better living for us all.

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Note: I have compiled a list from obituaries and death certificates that total 31 men that lost their lives in mining accidents in Crittenden County from 1900-1948.  This doesn't include the Salem area mines, and I'm sure I've not been able to find all that had died in fluorspar mining accidents in Crittenden.  

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This is a rare photo of a group of underground miners in the Big 4 Mine located near Sheridan.  They were sitting on a vein of purple and white spar.  Left to right: Orville Croft, Dewey Corn, Fred Cooper, Claude Cooper, and Taylor.

Tidbits about James Ford - Innocent or Guilty?

James Ford, was he really the man behind the terrible reputation that has followed him down through the ages?  or was he just used as the cover up for the murderous gang that terrorized the Cave-in-Rock and Fords Ferry area of our county?  Was he as bad as this reputation has built about him.?  After reading dozens of articles and stories about him, it leaves a question mark in my mind as who he really was.

Here is some more information about James and the Ford Gang.

James Ford and the Ford's Ferry Gang

James Ford was the chief villain in this western country in the years between the Revolution and the Civil War. Evidence suggests that many killed by Ford's confederates had booked passage on a ferry he operated on the Ohio between Kentucky and Illinois from 1823 to 1833.

Supposedly, the Kentuckian amassed a small fortune from the gold and valuables his brigands stole from settlers they murdered. Ford's hand in such nefarious activity was, however, kept well hidden. To lend respectability to his activities, Ford even served as a Livingston County magistrate and sheriff for a time (Crittenden County was formed from Livingston in 1842).

While posing as a gentleman farmer, he owned a large plantation near Tolu, KY and ferryman, Ford evidently masterminded a theft ring that was rooted at his ferry landing but had branches in the rugged country around Cave-in-Rock on the Illinois shore.

In pioneer days, that cavern, now an Illinois state park, was a haven for river pirates and other such lawless folk.

"Big Jim" Ford was shot to death on July 5, 1833, and lines buried on his family farm, just off Ky. 135, west of Tolu.  (There is another post on this blog site about the Ford Cemetery)

Ford, according to the most frequently recounted version of his demise, had bought a slave from Vincent Simpson, a member of his gang. The slave, whom Ford had been told was healthy, died in two days.

That angered Ford who sent Henry Shouse, another of his lieutenants, to kill Simpson and Shouse succeeded. But a group of men formed a posse bent on avenging Simpson's death with Ford's life. They rode to Ford's plantation at Tolu on July 5 and took him into custody. Their destination was Ford's ferry house, a double-pen log cabin that sat beside the Ohio River landing, some seven miles upstream.

During the night, Ford, was seated in the "dogtrot" or breezeway of the ferryhouse. While sitting there a slave was sent to ask Ford to eat supper with the other men, but Ford knew his escape was impossible. "No," he replied to the slave, "I guess I'll eat my supper in hell tonight." Later that night he was shot by a man concealed in underbrush close by.

A second version of his death, claims Ford was shot in the back by Simpson's son. The youth was hidden inside a cabin room of which one wall was behind Ford's chair. The chair had been placed in front of a hole in the wall. The muzzle of a shotgun was slipped through the opening and Simpson's son was given the honor of pulling the trigger. The blast stuck Ford in the back at point-blank range, killing him instantly.

History of Bennett-Jackson County School

In February of the year 1917, our county schools were winding up their school year. This was an important day for the students, parents, and the community, as it was a day of gathering together and having an enjoyable day with friends and family. This article shares some information about Jackson School's end of year activities.

Many of the rural schools were named after the owner of the land that the building was located.

Some of our early one-room schools are more difficult to find information on than others. One of these schools was Jackson School, which was located near the entrance of Pond Road, which is off the Jackson School Road. 

Jackson School Road is located a short distance from the community of Mexico.

Mrs. Virginia "Tatty" Garnett Higgins recently shared some history of this area with me. She said the road known today as Pond Road used to continue on and come out on S.R. 902 close to Livingston Creek. This first old school was located approximated halfway between this area.

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When this school first came into existence it was called Bennett School, as the land was deeded to the district by W. B. and Susan Bennett in March of 1878, but was listed as the Jackson School District, as C. M. Jackson was also listed on the deed, and his children attended school there. 

At the time the school district consisted of parts of Crittenden, Caldwell and Lyon Counties and the deed was made in consideration of the advantages arising of having a school in or near the farm of the late J. F. Bennett, it consisted of three fourths of an acre lying between Dycusburg and Fredonia Road and C. M. Jackson Lane and West of where said Jackson's Lane intersects of said Road.

In some interesting old school information dated June 30, 1891 taken from the Teacher's Register and Report book shows that the Bennett school had a total enrollment of 46 students, 23 males and 23 females. The teacher was S.J. Koon.

The schoolhouse was a frame building, built in 1876. Condition was common, the value about $100.00. The dimensions were 30 feet long, 20 feet wide and 10 feet high. It had 1 door and 10 windows. Seating capacity was 60. It had no maps but did have blackboards, and it wasn't properly ventilated or properly heated. Also had no proper outbuildings. 

Sometime after this period of time the school was just known as Jackson School.

The Jackson school closed in the mid 1950's along with other small schools that were being consolidated.  The students at Jackson were sent to the Frances school.

A Look Back At The Community Of Bells Mines

The once busy coal-mining tow of Bells Mines has many memories for many people.  It is rich in history of earlier and harsh times in our county.

In 1842 John Bell, a politician from Nashville, Tennessee, purchased thirty-one acres of land from John Lamb and John Rourk. This land was located in Crittenden County next to the Tradewater River.

This was the starting of the coal-mining town called Bell Mines. By the late 1840's and early 1850's European immigrants had learned about the mines and came there for employment. In the 1850 Crittenden census it lists people with names of Hina and Green from Germany, Mangin and Piper from France, Church and Wheatcroft from England, just to name a few.

The boarding house had miners with home places listed as Bavaria, Prussia, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, along with names from New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Illinois.

An October 1922 article in The Crittenden Press states, A few months ago, the Bell Coal and Navigation Company purchased 5000 acres of land in the vicinity of the old Bells Mines, located in the northeastern part of Crittenden County.

This is one of the oldest mining cities in the county, the mines being founded and first operated by John Bell the Tennessee statesman and politician, about a century ago.

For about seventy years prior to the purchase by the Bell Coal and Navigation Company, all mining operations thee have been suspended.

The company is not operating one shaft, but has in contemplation, the sinking of three or four other shafts. The coal produced has the reputation of being of the best quality and is unexcelled by the product of any other mine in the state. The coal is being hauled by wagons to Sturgis and put on the market, but a branch railroad is being constructed from the mines to Sturgis to facilitate the marketing of the coal.

The company is also building a power plant of 500-housepower to furnish electricity to run the machinery and for lighting purposes. A washer is being constructed to wash the output of the mines and nothing but clean coal will be sent out. A grinder will also be put in and the company will furnish coke for the market. A number of residences have been built and others are under construction.

A handsome clubhouse of thirteen rooms, supplied with bathtubs, toilet, washbowls and all modern conveniences is under construction. The building will be heated by a large furnace in the basement. Mr. William Herbert, a Welshman, by birth, is general Superintendent."

A rare picture of the old  Bells Mines train track that ran through the mining town to the Tradewater River.

This once coal-mining and farming community of Bells Mines is mostly remembered by descendants of families that lived there.  I've never been able to locate any old photos of the area or community.   Without the old articles found the archives of The Crittenden Press, we wouldn't know as much history as we do.