|
 Beartown,
Barkers Ridge District,
Wyoming County, WV
2nd Residence to Pat & Jim Smith
(Pat is webmaster of McComas
Memories.
Jim (my husband) grew up at Beartown and now owns 28 acres that were once
his parents (now deceased) We return several times a year and stay
in the old family house of my in-laws Mildred and Elmer Smith. We enjoy the visits and the family and
friends we share our time with here. The church is a beautiful place
and now Pastored by Scott Bailey - Scott's (and Jim's) ancestors organized and build
this church. I've taken a drive from McComas to Beartown so my
viewers can get a feel for the location of these two towns. Its
about a 1/2 hour drive. So I get to visit my family at McComas
frequently when I'm here.
|
|
-
Drive from Thomas Coal Camp, McComas to Beartown, WV
October 2007 photos by Pat Smith
-
Beartown Memorial Church This beautiful church
sits high on a ridge at Beartown, Wyoming Co., WV. Pastor Scott
Bailey is the son of Sandra Davis Bailey who was born and raised at
Thomas Coal Camp, McComas. Sandra was the 1st born of
Everett and Margaret Huffman Davis. Sandra is my 1st cousin -
Margaret is the baby sister of my mother Helen Huffman Spicer.
Margaret still lives at McComas. Sandra married Dennis Bailey
and has made her home at Beartown since 1963. She also retired as
a Registered Nurse from St. Lukes Hospital in Bluefield recently.
-
Beartown School/Community Center Once a
two room school this building is now leased by the church and used as a
Community Center.
-
Crumpler, Indian Ridge, Zenith Coal Camp I'm looking to
expand this information if you share photos or stories/memories please
email
Patricia Smith
|
Background about the surrounding
area
From the Beckley Herald
Bicenteniel Edition, 26 Aug 1950
interesting reading about the Beartown -
Barkers Ridge area
|
 Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell Counties join together in a triangular shaped
area near Beartown, Crumpler, and McComas below is a sampling of coal
mining operations within a 50-mile radius of this area. Just looking
at this list gives you a feel for the boom times that existed in this area
for the coal mining industry during the 1st 50/60 years of the 1900s.
Jobs were plentiful.In
1950, McDowell County had a population of about 100,000 people. In 2000
there are 27,000 people.
Number of Physicians in Southern West Virginia Counties,
1881-1909
| County |
1881 |
1890 |
1909 |
| Fayette |
16 |
28 |
92 |
| Logan |
1 |
8 |
32* |
| Mercer |
7 |
8 |
48 |
| McDowell |
1 |
6 |
57 |
| Raleigh |
12 |
11 |
28 |
|
Mercer County sampling of Post Offices |
|
Post Offices |
years in
existence |
Comment |
|
Clark's Gap |
(1874-1888) |
one ridge over from
Beartown |
|
Clarks Gap
|
(1904/1915) |
|
|
Coaldale
|
(1890-1990) |
|
|
Crystal
|
(1910-1970) |
|
|
Giatto |
(1892-1958) |
|
|
Godfrey
|
(1901-1910) |
|
|
Goodwill
|
(1891-1964) |
|
|
Hiawatha
|
(1904-Date) |
|
|
Mannering
|
(1902-1920) |
1st PO at McComas |
|
Matoaka
|
(1904-Date) |
|
|
McComas
|
(1884/1995) |
2nd PO at McComas |
|
Montcalm |
(1901-Date) |
McComas is now a rural
route from Montcalm |
|
Springton
|
(1905-1973) |
|
|
Springton Rur.
Sta. |
(1973-1977) |
|
|
Wyoming County Sampling of Post Offices |
|
Micajah |
(1922-1927) |
one ridge over from
Beartown |
|
Pinnacle
|
(1891-1894) |
|
|
McDowell County Sampling of Post Offices |
|
Ashland
|
(1895-1998) |
|
|
Crumpler
|
(1906-Date) |
|
|
Elkhorn
|
(1888-Date) |
|
|
Jenkinjones
|
(1912-Date) |
|
|
Northfork
|
(1901-Date) |
|
|
Keystone
|
(1892-Date) |
|
|
Kimball
|
(1902-Date) |
|
|
|
ALGONQUIN (Mercer)
Algonquin Coal & Coke Co.
Lamar Colliery Co.
ASHLAND (McDowell)
Ashland Coal & Coke Co.
CRANE CREEK (Mercer)
American Coal Co.
CRUMPLER (McDowell)
United Pocahontas Coal Co.
CRYSTAL (Mercer)
Crystal Coal & Coke Co.
DOTT (Mercer)
Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Co. ELKHORN (McDowell)
Crozer Coal & Coke Co.
Houston Coal & Coke Co.
Upland Coal & Coke Co. ENNIS (McDowell)
Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Co.
GIATTO (Mercer)
Weyanoke Coal & Coke Co.
Thomas Coal Co. GODFREY (Mercer)
Godfrey Coal Co. GOODWILL (Mercer)
Louisville Coal & Coke Co.
Winding Gulf Collieries |
HERNDON (Wyoming)
Flat Top Pocahontas Coal Co.HIAWATHA (Mercer)
Ennis Coal Co.
Smokeless Coal & Coke Co.
Weyanoke Coal & Coke Co. JENKINJONES (McDowell)
Pocahontas Fuel Co. KEYSTONE (McDowell)
Keystone Coal & Coke Co. KIMBALL (McDowell)
Houston Collieries Co.
King Coal Co.
Tidewater Coal & Coke Co. LAMAR (Mercer)
Lamar Colliery Co. LANDGRAFF (McDowell)
Empire Coal & Coke Co.
Vera Pocahontas Coal Co. MABEN (Wyoming)
West Gulf Coal Co.
Gulf Mining Company West MATOAKA (Mercer)
Pawama Coal & Coke Co. MAYBEURY (McDowell)
Elkhorn Coal & Coke Co.
Elkhorn Colliery |
McCOMAS (Mercer)
American Coal Co.
Thomas Coal Co.
MICAJAH (Wyoming)
Micajah Pocahontas Coal Co. MULLENS (Wyoming)
Mead-Pocahontas Coal Co.
Mullens Smokeless Coal Co.
Porterfield Coal Co. NORTH FORK (McDowell)
Greenbrier Coal & Coke Co. PIEDMONT (Mercer)
American Coal Co. PINNACLE (Mercer)
American Coal Co. TRALEE (Wyoming)
Barkers Creek Coal Co.
Harty Coal Co.
Mead Pocahontas Coal Co.
Tommy Creek Coal Co. WENONAH (Mercer)
Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Co. WIDEMOUTH (Mercer)
American Coal Co. |
http://www.state.wv.us/mhst/results.cfm
Sampling of Coal Tonnage Reports before WWII and then after the war
note: some of these mines combined or else separated their mining
operations during this timeframe as shows in their Mine name descriptionss
in the reportsCompany Mine 1940
| American C. Co. of
Alleghany Co. |
Crane Creek Nos.1,2,6,9 |
572,826 |
| American C. Co. of
Alleghany Co. |
Piedmont No. 1 & 5 |
292,116 |
| American C. Co. of
Alleghany Co. |
Pinnacle north & south |
409,945 |
| Lamar Colliery Co |
Lamar |
202,691 |
| Pocahontas Fuel Co.,Inc |
Sagamore 1,2 & Cherokee |
793,173 |
| United Pocahontas C. Co |
Indian Ridge |
93,027 |
| United Pocahontas C. Co |
Zenith 1&2 |
37,503 |
| United Pocahontas C. Co |
No. 1,2,3,4 (Wyoming) |
183,190 |
Company Mine 1946
| Algoma Coal & Coke Co. |
Ashland No. 6,9, &
McDowell No. 6 |
275,992 |
| American C. Co |
Deerfield |
118,307 |
| American Coal Co. |
Pinnacle |
399,199 |
| American Coal Co |
Crane Creek |
242,352 |
| Pocahontas Fuel Co.,Inc |
Sagamore |
366,351 |
| United Pocahontas C. Co |
Indian Ridge Nos. 3 & 6, Wyoming,
Zenith |
406,328 |
|
|
ORIGINS OF NAMES |
|
BEARTOWN CREEK AND RIDGE - John Bailey a
pioneer found bears hibernating in dens on this ridge. |
|
PINNACLE CREEK: Takes its name from some high pinnacles of rock on top
of a ridge near head of the stream; located 5 miles southeast of Lamar |
|
MICAJAH RIDGE: Micajah Bailey, a brother to James Bailey and a pioneer
settler from Mercer County had a hunting camp on this ridge and later moved
his family to upper end of this ridge and became its first settler. -
location from Beartown Church - next ridge over to the east |
|
BARKERS CREEK AND RIDGE: A man named Barker raised cattle in this area
for some stock raisers of Tazewell County. |
|
INDIAN RIDGE proper: The ridge along which the Indian trail led from
Tug Fork of Sandy River to the Indian village on Indian Creek. The
dividing ridge between Guyandotte and Sandy Rivers is now called Indian
Ridge. |
|
CLARK'S GAP: This is the low Gap at head of Beartown Creek between
Wyoming and Mercer counties under which the Virginian Railroad tunnel was
constructed. Altitude 2,495 feet |
|
MERCER COUNTY: It was named in honor of General Hugh Mercer of
Fredericksburg, who died at the Battle of Princeon, NJ, during the
Revolutionary War. |
|
MCDOWELL COUNTY: for James McDowell, Virginia Governor, 1842-44 |
|
WYOMING COUNTY: for the Delaware Indian word meaning "large plain" |
|
KIMBELL: for Frederick J. Kimball, railroad operator |
|
MATOAKA: is another name for Pocahontas, the Indian princess |
|
NORTHFORK: because of its location on the north fork of Elkhorn River at its
junction with the south fork |
|
WELCH: for Isaiah A. Welch, a captain in the Confederate army |
|
|
Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell Counties join together in a triangular shaped
area near Beartown, Crumpler, and McComas below is a sampling of coal
mining operations within a 50-mile radius of this area. Just looking
at this list gives you a feel for the boom times that existed in this area
for the coal mining industry during the 1st 50/60 years of the 1900s.
Jobs were plentiful.