My father was born in 1917 in the Weyanoke Coal and Coke Camp in Mercer County, West Virginia. Mom was born (1923) and raised in Hillsville, Carroll County, Virginia. After dad served as a Combat Veteran with the US Army Air Force in the South Pacific Campaign on Guam, Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima, they settled initially in Princeton, WV. Dad going to to work as a Class A Transmission Lineman for Appalachian Power Company. 5 kids followed in Mercer County, then dad was transferred to Charleston, Kanawha County, WV, where I and another brother were born (me being the baby). Both parents lived through the great depression. We were raised in a Blue Collar Christian home and all 7 children worked our own way through college. Dad & Mom raised a Elementary school Teacher, Legal Secretary, Chemical Safety Engineer, Medical Sales Representative, WV State Trooper ( and USSS Secret Service Agent), Paralegal and Insurance Special Investigator (and Firefighter/ EMS Medical First Responder). We're all retired now. 3 still in WV, 1 in NC, 1 in Virginia, 1 in OH and 1 in Stockholm Sweden. The values of hard work, determination, strength and faith in God were taught by our West Virginia parents. Couldnt have been raised anywhere, any better. I absolutely love my West Virginia roots, as do all my older siblings!!
the picture of the mother with the baby on her lap sitting on a porch next to the empty chair impacted me the most. the incongruence between the poverty and store windows alluding to success in business stands out to me. the images remind me of a song by 16 horsepower, titled 'Splinters'. thanks to who's ever behind this channel. as i bring my comment to a close a phrase from Scripture comes to mind.. "the poor you'll always have with you"
My grandmother was born in Terra Alta in 1929, dad was buried alive in a coal mine sometime in the late-30's. She's told a lot of interesting stories of those days, how they kept sourdough starter going year round, how her uncle used to capture swarms of bees in the woods and put them in his own boxes to raise for honey, and how simple and slow things were. I guess you would wear the same clothes everyday and you might wash them once a week, but for whatever reason she didn't remember anyone smelling all that bad. There were mountain people who had mixed with people of color up there. They had a name but it wasn't especially derogatory if I remember correctly - they tended to refer to themselves in such a way. If you can believe it she's still kicking, her brothers lived to be around 94 and 95 also. something in the water maybe? Hearty stock
