The Appalachian Coal Miner  

Right up my alley! I'm from southern WV, My grandpa & dad was in the mines & I followed spending almost 15 years inside & out of them till I wasn't able to do it anymore! I'm only 44 & fighting for my disability from the Gov (but have been disabled by my Dr) Life of a coal miner is a hard one, not as much as it was in the old days but I've never had such thing as a EZ day for sure! But there's nothing like it, a whole different world underground, I've been as far as around 10 miles deep underground & anywhere from 25inches-25 foot+ top!!! Thanks for the video as always!👍

My grandad was a coal miner in Kentucky. The best thing that ever happened to him was he lost is left leg in a coal mine that got him out of being a life long miner. He could no longer work in the mine so he headed west to California in 1927 with his wife and 6 kids. I am still in the town they settled in so many years ago.

From Wayne, County West Virginia! My daddy was a coal miner. Loved hearing this. Never want to forget. How hard the miners had it. Proud to be a Coal Miner’s daughter! Thanks for the video!

My Grandpa Maynard was a coal miner in the hills of Kentucky...he too passed of "miner lung". Coal trains would pass almost every hour by Grandmas home...I would tug my arm to get them to blow their whistles. Grandma called me Tarheel as I would walk the roads barefoot in the heat of the summer, going to the local store to buy candy and get road tar on my feet. She had a willow tree in the backyard that I would have to cut a switch from when "I needed to be put in line".

Rips your heart right out. Makes me ashamed that I ever complained about anything in my life.

This was one rough way of life to put food on the table and a roof over your head. Teddy did help out these miners. This story does make you appreciate what you have now.

My auntie Barbara married a coal miner of Tennessee. They were impoverished. My uncle Chet never learned to read or write but was hard-working. The coal dust was what put him 6' ft under. Thank you for the story of coal mining.

Some of the most hard-working and amazing people I knew were family that worked in the coal mines and sawmills of West Virginia. For a long time those two professions is all they knew in that area.

Enjoyed, JD. God bless coal miners and families past and present

Great story! Makes you really appreciate what you have!!

My great granddad was a coal miner ❤

This should be required listening for young people these days To show them how easy they have it...and to stop playing the Eternal victim.... another brilliant and poignant story brother.. Dee 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✝️

Way to stick up for the miners Teddy Roosevelt!

My grandfather, father, brother and countless other family members were coal miners. When I saw the coin with Carter Coal Company, Coalwood WV, I realized this story took place in my old stomping grounds. Still have family in that area. Thank you for this story.

Such a shame. God bless the coaliners & their families. Thank you for a fine video.

Memories ❤. My uncle married my aunt who had two children from previous marriage. He moved them back to KY. On top of a mntn. He then went back into the mines to support them. Eventually my uncle got permission to teach the boys in high school how to fix the equipment so they never had to work mining. When he passed away. All the boys he helped along my the way came. Even though it was far away from the lil coal mining community. Really warmed my heart to see those boys growing up ❤

Your voice lends itself so beautifully to these stories. I see these hardworking men and boys with the utmost respect and can't imagine their hardships without my heart breaking. Thanks again, JD. 🤗

My genes are rooted in the West Virginia coal mines. These stories really help me understand how my ancestors lived and how precious they are to us now

Another great story told. Thank you, JD.

I was just up in Coal Creek (Rocky Top) Tennessee. This week doing research on the Fraterville Mine Disaster and the Cross Mountain Mine explosion. I can't imagine working in those conditions. Great video 📹 👍 another history lesson..

Such a hard life... I always did like Teddy Roosevelt 👍 Great account of the life of coal miners and I really liked that he took care of his brother... thanks JD 🤗❤️

God bless our coal miners, the strikers of 1902, John Mitchell the miner's advocate and Teddy Roosevelt.

Oh my my! What hard times back then! I’m from Southern Illinois coalmining was a very hard life. I wish more young people would hear these stories and many more so they all understand how easy they have it

Great story, Thank you so much for sharing all these true stories. ❤

My family didn't work in the coal mines but they did work on the old austinville lead mines of wythe county until they closed it down. So I can understand what makes miners that work underground so special. Love your videos and appreciate your keeping the history of Appalachian people alive.

Absolutely love your stories, true glimpse into hard times which we have no concept of. Ty 💛

Loved this story! I just got back from Copperhill Tn last week. My parents live in Blue Ridge Ga, I love it up there!

Thank you my brother. I like you have been ar and done at. We had hard times and enjoyed it at the same time. Brotherhood!!!!!

Really makes you so thankful for what you have. And to be so thankful for all the luxuries that we have compared to what they had. How very little they had to get by on not having a choice on where you work you just did what had to be done

I was bought up on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand which is our primary coal mining area..,thanks for posting.....

My grandfather and his brother were coal miners in southwest Va. My grandpas daddy was a moonshiner

Great story JD as always

Born and raised in Harlan, Kentucky. This is my familys' story.

JD ANOTHER CLASSIC MY MAN JUST SUCH A TOUCHING STORY BRILLIANT JD LOVE FROM NYC

Them miners and their families lived hard rough lives for sure.

Hi JD! A great story of the struggles the coal miners faced just to live day to day. I remember my grandfather telling us stories when I was young about coal miners in Kentucky. My grandfather was a dynamite man, very dangerous job back in those days, just not many safety precautions in place. My grandparents lived in Tennessee and my grandfather would stay in Kentucky most of the time for work while my grandmother worked at a country store she walked to since they only had one vehicle and my grandfather drove it. They definitely had a hard life, but never heard them complain. Have a blessed day!

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Jesus Christ 1891 I was born 100 years later! And we’re still hearing about the generations of families affected by the mines 💔💔

Excellent video! Thanks for sharing!

These precious people were used and abused by the greed of the corrupted government. Makes my blood boil to hear the struggles these folks had to endure just to survive.

Teddy Roosevelt is one of the most underrated President...

One rough way of life Thank you for sharing this. Kids today just don't understand this

Coal miners are hero's. There's 3 facts that made this country great. 1. All branches of our military 2. The distribution system getting goods to market, and 3. Coal miners who gave everything including their lives so that industry had fuel their operations...

Much respect.

Yay for T.R. And thank God for unions!

This is my Father's story per se. Early 1930s he n his brother only Survivors of a Mine Collapse. Eastern Kentucky. His said "I'll never go underground again!" Thus he, Ma n my 2 oldest siblings hitched a ride to N.Michigan. To Antrim County becoming farmers. (Oh ,,Ma was expecting my 3rd sibling. Me? I'm the last born son . )

Wow, this is so interesting!

Amen!!!

Power to the People.... UNIONS FIRST UNIONS FOREVER ✊

Well Put.

Sad that corporations would be doing the same thing today if not for the union’s! They have no idea how the working poor live and don’t care either.

Excellent account of life as a miner.

Perfect tone to wake up to. Great story, I love the first-person narrative. Good morning, JD

What book or books would you recommend that accurately depicts the lives and challenges that Appalachian Coal Miners faced?

Hey Storyteller my brother and friend

No sir. We don't send our brothers and sisters away. It's just not done. Then or now. Thank you.

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Wyoming & Raleigh County family history goes back 1700s for my ancestors..

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Also that newspaper article ablout the mine explosion is about 30 minutes from where I live... I worked that same seam of coal on this side of the mountain about 20 years ago(different mine same coal seam) it was very gas & lots of bad top! AST I should still do a video on what was calles the (coal wars) like your video you had about a similar one in Tenn...I emailed you info on it long while back, where after the 'war' with the Gov. & Pinkertons the sheriff was shot dead on the courthouse steps(it was all during same time frame/situation)Interesting story!

My father and his grew up in the logging and timber towns of east Texas. Different industries, same poverty, danger, debt and despair. Timber barons like John Kirby stole timber from thousands of people then held many thousands more in near slavery conditions while becoming very wealthy and having towns named after him and building fine churches and mansions. No matter how hard you worked, by the end of the month you were always slightly more in debt than the month before. Payment was never made in US currency but instead workers were given company scrit that could only be traded to businesses owned by the company in the town that was built by the company that was full of houses owned by the company. The workers were cheated at every turn and no businesses that would charge a fair price were allowed space within the town limits. Those tried to set up close by were run off because the company had bought all the land within easy walking or riding distance. The company ran and charged for the electricity, charged a ransom for it and it was only enough to power a couple of light bulbs and possibly a radio for those fortune enough to have been given one by a relative. Even that was turned off every night at 9:30. The mill needed for its workers to be well rested enough to work the next day. No land was allowed to be farmed. That kept the workers totally dependent upon the company store to meet all of their needs. They could have gone hunting but who had the time or a way to store the meat assuming that the hunt was successful? No hunting on company land and they owned most of it. It was govt endorsed slavery. Unions were a Godsend for workers when they first started. But, like every thing else, they grew corrupt and greedy. They wanted ever more $ for ever decreasing labor. They forced all the workers to pay dues whether or not they wanted to belong to the union. The union bosses lived fat on the dues of the workers while pocketing fortunes and raiding retirement funds. Ever has been and always will be that the powerful will subject the weak. It's a pathetic indictment of mankind that so very few good men weild power and genuinely care for those over whom they hold sway.

Always join an Union if possible.

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What bad condones !! God Bless The coal miner ❤

Gm TAS😁

16 tons of number 9 coal....

1:19 about the saddest thing I've seen in a while...a man in his prime, gone in an instant. 😥

The only time I’ve been pro union was with the UMW

The bosses were criminal

Coal trains come through WSS back and forth 24/7 so I guess coal is still king in West Virginia

My daddy hoped a train at 13 he did not wanna work in the mines

Get a moonpie and an RC cola. Thanks coal miners

JD great history lesson as always. Todays kids have it so easy compared to the real heros that built this nation. Like the coal miners, farmers etc. I wasn't raised in coal mining but I was raised farming. But moved to Southern Illinois around those coal mines and learned a lot of the history of those mines. I knew a few of the old timer miners that lived through that and I could just sit at their feet and listen to them tell the stories of their lives and what they went through. History like this brother needs to continue to be told so that it is remembered. The snow flakes of today are mad when they don't get their ipads or new games when these kids were just glad to be able to get a meal or even a glass of milk, when they could afford it. Thanks for sharing this sir.

That's messed up... But that's corporate Amerikkka....GREEDY!

I often wonder, what if a man was claustrophobic?

This is why the Natives were kicked off the land, so the rich could exploit the land and exploit the labor. The American Dream.

The people of appalachia has had their land stolen and forced to work for pennies on the dollar talk about an injustice

1902 coal strike had nothing to do with West Virginia it was a Pennsylvania Anthracite miner strike

Yeah guess not much has changed in 120 years

Were american citizens we dont go to no hospital

Dang that was a hard life!!! Much respect to the coal miner's and their families!!!! And to hell with all the people that want something for free!!!! Especially when you have the ability to work!!!!