Crumpler - Pat Smiths Mccomas WV Website

Of Proud Heritage
CRUMPLER CITIZENS IN ACTION '
24825.
P. O. BOX 95
CRUMPLER, WV
PIpNJudJJerilage
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1996 Homecoming
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Compiled and written through the
contributions ofresidents, former and
present, bringing the past back to today,
this book is respectfully and humbly
dedicated to thefounders ofour
community, Crumpler...
Welcome Home!
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Of Proud Heritage
Contents
";;I;eekend Agenda
5
Ler:er from Diane Bailey,
President, Citizens in Action
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Poem by Carolyn J. Jones
The Homecoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
S~5tOry
of Crumpler
Articlefrom Welch Daily News
Crumpler's Veterans of War
Dedication ofMemorial Window
Articlefrom Bramwell Aristocrat
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I aI es of the Past
School Days
Gladys Adams
A Nostalgic Journey
Alice Bailey
The Whistle Post
Louise Bailey
The Coal Miner
Judy Joyce Crews
Crumpler and Happiness
Loretta Lusk Dieringer
Old History
Thelma Vale Gibson
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My 70 Years
Fred "Chicken" Iddings
Reflections
Ernest "Punch" Joyce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crumpler Days ofYore
Robert 'Bob' Maxwell
Hometown
Clara O. Stokes
The Company Store
Maxine Walker
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Of Proud Heritage
? :'e=~ ~y :Mary Jane (Otey) Fizer
J1emories ofCrumpler
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,'.:C C~TIery
A Passageway Through Time
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? :,e::: ":'}, Eleanor Kemp
Testimony Ofthe Discarded School House
,';.J.:-es:::;; Log
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-\.:·,e:-::sements
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Of Proud Heritage
Agenda
Friday, July 5, 1996
Wiener Roast/Bonfire
Oldies Music
" 6:00pm
Saturday, July 6, 1996
Festivities Begin
10:00 am
Opening Remarks
11:00 am
Hayrides Begin
12:00 noon
Crowning ofthe King and Queen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1:00 pm
Auction
4:00 pm
Fireworks
Dusk
...Throughout the Day.•.
Museum will be openjrom 10:00 am until 6:00 pm, (basement ofMethodist Church)
Entertainment scheduled throughout the day
Car Exhibit -- Don Hicks, Bobby Keys
Concessions and Souvenirs will be availablejrom 10:00 am until dusk
Sunday, July 7, 1996
Departure Service in the Park
Open Podium
10:00 am
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Of Proud Heritage
July 6, 1996
Dear Friends:
WELCOME to everyone!
This reunion has been made possible by the Crumpler Citizens in Action -- a grass roots, non­
politiCal organization whose goal is to make our community a better place to live and create an
environment conducive for everyone!
Countless hours of hard work and dedication have gone into the preparation of this day, as well
as, the ongoing work for our "park. II We, as friends, neighbors and co-workers, are very proud
of the efforts displayed. This project is community wide~ senior citizens. middle-aged families
and our youth have all joined together to see our project come to fruition. And, the drive has
come not only from the community but from everywhere.
Donations have come to us many ways. Whether yours has been time, materials, or financial
support, we greatly appreciate your contributions. Without you our project could not have
become a reality~ you should be proud.
We would like to give a special thanks to Mack Whitt, Fred & Rennie Iddings, Ernest & Blanche
Joyce, Frank & Freddie Kemp, Alfred & Edna Adams, Ameribank, and the Claude Worthington
Benedum Foundation for their very generous financial support.
For all of this I would like to say, "THANK YOU, and congratulations on ajob well done!"
S~~elY,
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I~'LC~)('L~&~-vr
Diane Bailey
President
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Of Proud Heritage
THE HOMECOWNG
By
Carolyn J. Jones
"Homecoming" means just what it says...
A coming 'home' once more,
Where familiar faces gather again
From mountain peaks and sandy shores.
It's a time when hearts are so happy
Just being with friends whom we love,
But a sad note sounds as we look around,
Remembering each one who has gone on "above."
Oh, hasn't God blessed so abundantly!!!
How His goodness and love fill this place!
May we never forget nor fail to recall
That we're here ONLY through His grace.
As we look on past years and remember
All the hard work and the blessings we've had,
We pray in the days and years to come
Our deeds and acts will make God's heart glad.
"Dear Lord, may You always be lifted up
In this precious Church You own;
And may each one here doing his small part
Be held up daily before Your merciful Throne.
This building is only some wood and brick
Unless You, Lord, live within;
Thus, may it be so in each of our lives
That we live daily seeking others to win.
Oh, Lord, we praise and adore You!
In awe we raise up Your Name!
For without Your dying and coming again
This 'Homecoming' would be all in vain."
Today we'll enjoy earthly blessings,
Looking ever toward the sky;
But one day soon Ou'r Lord will return,
Taking us to the 'Homecoming' where we'll never die.
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Of Proud Heritage
Lewis and I have always thanked Godfor the rich heritage which is ours, This
heritage includes two wonderful families, many life-long friends, a church where
Jesus' love andprinciples were readily shared, and a town filled with sensitive and
encouraging individuals. It was here that we learned how to live and work (with a
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positive attitude in the world today. We are so grateful to call Crumpler, WV our
HOME!!!
W Lewis Jones and Carolyn Joyce Jones
Son ofStuart & Ora Bailey Jones
and Daughter ofErnest (punch) & Blanche N. Joyce
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Of Proud Heritage
HISTORY
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Some 61 years ago a minister by the name of JJ:S. Barbery, pastor ofthe
Methodist Church in Crumpler, composed an article for the WELCH DAILY
NEWS. Reverend Barbery had an obvious adoration for the town of
Crumpler and was familiar with its residents and its history. He described
Crumpler as a "picturesque community and thriving coal town." In his
article he relates several interesting short stories to his readers about its
residents, origin, livelihood, the· old Crumpler baseball team, town
name/names, etc. Assembled below is a collection ofexcerpts from his article·
about how Crumpler got its name.
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WELCH DAILY NEWS, September 24,1935
"HOW TOWN GOT NAME"
Crumpler has had three names;first was Burke's Garden
Crwnpler has had three names since its beginning. About a half centwy ago the Hannan
and the Moss families of Tazewell county became interested in this section. These families
resided in what is known as Burke's Garden, one of nature's beauty spots in southwest
Virginia, and after looking over this area they decided to call it Burke's Garden. This was
in honor of James Burke, a member of the Colonel James Patton expedition, as well as in
recognition of their own domain over in the adjoining county of Tazewell.
The origin of this name is quite interesting. Colonel Patton and Dr. James Walker came
to southwest Virginia with an exploring party about the year 1748. Colonel Thomas Preston,
in his "Reminiscences of an Octogenarian," tells the story of Burke's Garden in these words;
"It was late fall, and the next morning, after reaching the Garden in a heavy snow had fallen,
and they determined to suspend their surveying until next year. After cooking their
breakfast, a man named Burke, who was with the party as an axeman or chain-ear-crier,
cleared away the place where their fire had been made, and planted a lot of potato peelings,
covering them lightly with brush. The following spring or summer, Patton and Buchanan,
accompanied by William Ingles, returned to survey lands, and found a large bed of potatoes
where Burke had planted the peelings, and they gave it the name of "Burke's Garden."
Surveys were made in the Garden, and patents issued afterwards to William Ingles and to
William Thompson, a son-in-law of Patton. "
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.This community (Crwnpler) was known as Burke's Garden for several years. A reminder
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Of Proud Heritage
ofthese years is to be seen in the name of the present order of the Knights of Pythias of this
community which is known as Burke's Garden Lodge, K. ofP. NO. 56.
The United States post office established an office at this place, after the name of Burke's
Garden had been dropped, and called it "Lamberts" in honor of the late Thomas Kennerly
Lambert, who was the pioneer citizen of this hill country.
Thomas Kennerly Lambert was a native of Bland county, Virginia. Back in those pioneer
days when a man's gun and his dog were his best companions, he had learned of the hunting
possibilities here and made his way into this mountainous section where he fmally secured
a land grant from the government and located in the upper end of Crumpler. His closest
neighbor is said to have lived at what is now called Lamar, over in the edge of Wyoming
county, a distance of some eight miles away. The Lambert home was said to be one of the
fmest in all this hill country when it was fITst erected.
When Lambert came to this section it was a howling wilderness. Magnificent specimens
of hemlocks, poplars, and oaks, tall and regal in splendor, covered the hillsides and the
hollows on every hand. These mighty giants of the forest no longer wave their leafy arms
toward the heavens for they have long since given way to the onward march of industry and
are forgotten except by those who were native to this section.
The name of Crumpler was given to the town not so many years ago. It received its
present name from that of Ben Crumpler, once a conductor on the N & W railway, and later
promoted toroadmaster on the sanie system.
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Of Proud Heritage
Crumpler's Veterans of War
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The following is a list of the men and women who have faithfully served their country in World
War I, World War IT, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or through their service in the armed forces.
Crumpler feels honored to have had each of these individuals represent not only their country, but
their community. We praise the dedication, loyalty, strength and efforts exemplified through you.
*Killed in Action
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Danny Adams
Fred Adams
Llama Adams
Maggie Adams
Oscar Adams
Chet Anderson
Jeff Anderson
Calvin Bailey
Wesley Bailey
Calvin Bailey
Emory Bailey
Hurley Bailey
Kenneth Bailey
Robert "Bobby"
Bailey
Wirt Bailey
Melvin Barber
Randolph Barner
Jimmy Barton
Roscoe Bishop
Henry Bradley
Mike Bradley
Tommy Bradley
Willie Bradley
Fitzhugh Brinchfield
Bobby Burks
Ralph 'Tito' Cinconni
George Cockran
Clifford Conner
Harry Conner
Larry Conner
Pinkie Constantino
Coleman Cope
George Cope
Lawrence Cope
Calvin Cornett
Carl Cornett
Claude Cornett
Ashley Crouch
Harvey Crouch
Robbie Crouch
Junior Kemp
Kenny Lambert
Bill Lawless
David Lawless
Gertrude Lawless
Henry Lawless
Mack Lawless
Robert Lawless
Clifford Liddle
Bobby Lindsey
Joe Lukach
Louie Lukach
Robert Lukach
Dewey Lusk
Ernest Lusk
James Lusk
Keith Lusk
Marcus Lusk
Stanford Lusk
Joe Marillo
Bill Maxwell
Jerry Maxwell
Robert "Bobby"
Maxwell
Cletus Mitchem
Harry Mitchem
Ransom Mitchem
Frankie Morris
Clarence Orander
RayOrander
Clifton Otey
Clyde Persianni
Darrel Persianni
Donald Poe
Fred Poe
George Poe
Sissley Powell
Blain Reed
Melvin Reed
Sam Reed
BuddRenn
Preston Dalton
John Delancey
John DeLancy
Bill Evan
Charlie Evans
Jack Evans
"Bucky" Fizer
Beulah Fizer
Charles Fizer
George Fizer
Jimmie Fizer
Robert Ford
David Fry
Joe Garbo
Arron Gentry
Freddie Gentry
Jimmie Gentry
Mickey Gentry
Sherman Gillenwater
Jim Gunter
Alva Handy
Blain Handy
Edward Handy
Jerry Handy
James Harris
Jerry Harris
Algie Hawkins
Basil Hedrick
Luther Honaker
Buddy Hurst
Kenneth Iddings
Maggie Iddings
Warren Iddings
Bill Jones
Bobby Jones
Roger Jones
Steve Jones
Sam Joyce
Walter Joyce
Freddie Kemp
Harry Kemp
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Earl (Bud) Renn
HarryRenn
Howard Robinson
Mosey Rocchetti
Charles Rorrer
David Rorrer
Homer Rorrer
*Billy Schofield
Dennis Setliff
Richard Shwnate
Dewey Stanley
*David Stockey
Jimmie Stockey
Pete Stockey
Raymond Stockey
Donald Sexton
Paul Sexton
Dave Thompson
Bill Tosh
Dickie Watson
Jimmy Watson
Mark Whitt
*Peter Whitt
Bobby Woods
Harry Young
Of Proud Heritage
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A Memorial 5;ervice and I )edicat;on (~r a Memorial Wil1dow! was held 011 Sunday, AU~/st 1.
1948 at the Methodist ('hu1'ch by Rel'etcl1d CH. D;ckenwmjo,. Lieutenant ljg) Billy W.
Scholfield }Jif~F was Io...·t at sea on February 4, /947.
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FAITH
I know not what the future hath
Of Malvel or surprise,
Assured alone that life and death
Elis mercy underlies.
And if my heart and flesh are weak
To bear an untried pain,
The bruised reed He will not break,
But strengthen and sustain.
And so, beside the silent sea
I wait with Illumed oar;
No harm from Him can come to me
On ocean or on shore.
I know not where His islands lift
Their fronted palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care.
-.-- Whittier.
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Ari6tnrrat
'Published in the Historic CapUo! of the Coalfields'
Ilra,m•• n. West Virginia 24715
V.oL 105, l'Io. 8
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21"'
"\U~U!l 1'193
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Northfork Ilollow - Part III
Crumpler - At the E'nd:,ofthe'Lfne
The United Pocahcmlo.• (,'001 Company, 'm.•
anolher Penn.r,yil'oniacompany II'al decided il ",mild
open a mine in Ihe low cool seam oflhe nnrlh./iwk '?(
Elk Creek. /I'sf/rst lea.re was)n an area Iholwould
berome known a,. Worth. 77le minI' Ih£'I' n''''"rd
carried Ihe name "f Indim, Ridge.
Further up Ihe Norlh Fork f{o((o,," ",n.. lite
palenled land o/Ihe Lamberl[mnlfy, "'here rl [o!I'rJllP
from Tazewe(( County hod opened thl' 'R",·f:p',.
Garden' A/in/? 7711s operalion wo.. orq"irerl by
Unlled Pocahofllo.• Coal and"enamed Zenil!" Re,lo'"e
Ihe company hadjinlshed, Ihey had cr"....rd Pinflorle
Creek and were bringing W}'Ofning COUflt." n.nl I"
their new IIpple a/Zenith.
17le CommUl't~v· Ihal grew up m'ound Ihe
Zenith mine, wa.• named G'Umpler and ufllmalely Ihe
enllre Unlled Pocahonlas mining operation 01 Ihe
head o/Norlh Fork f{o((ow was known by Ihol name.
Ajler 75yearsn[mlnlng.lhecnmpany/Jrgofl
10 close :1"1'14'71 Iheir mines and Ihe greal lipple 01
Zenllh wasdismantledand hauled away.
Cl1Impler remains.
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Story Oil Page 8
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UNITED POCAHONTAS Company StOI"l also housed the Supertntendents
office. like the tippl e that stood behInd It, the structura Is gone today, but
lives on in many ratlred miners memorIes, as does the IndIan Ridge, Zenith
and Pinnacle Creek mines.
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Ar'alOwlrdgement
111f' article 01/ A-I t"roug" A-6 IV(/S tnkl'1l
fro11/ tlte Au!:"st 1993 editioll of tire
Bm1llwrTi Aristocmt.
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The United Pocahontas Coal Company was
anothEr Pennsylvania entrepreneurial group who
participated in opening the Pocahontas #3 seam
from the north fork of Elkhorn Creek.
Their
first entry was in an area that would become
known as Worth.
The mine took the name Indian
Ridge from the Flat T0p Mountain ridgeback it
entered.
By the end of 1891, some 30,000 tOllS
of coal had been mi,ned at IndiClII Ridge.
By
1900 the tonnage figure had topped 100,000.
A Tazewell County group, Harman & Moss,
opened a mine further up the North Fork hollow
and called it the Burkes Garden Mine.
They
had acquired land from Thomas Kennerly Lambert
who arrived with 'his wi fe Lottie Stowers in
1860, from Bland County. The Lambert~ found a
vir~~r forest and Blen~y 6f game so they took
patent, all·. the ent;i:i.re,',upper hollow, I building
the first cabin in'·the area.
Over the years the Lamberts had sold off
small acreage's to others who wanted only
small farms.
Raising 12 children on their
land, the I,amberts were probably not prepared
to
deal
with
the
influx
of
land
agents
preceding
the
railroad
tracks
that
would
slowly, but inexorably, creep up the hollow.
The area was
eli fferent
frolIl most
of
the
Pocahontas coalfield,
in t.hat. the railroad
neve r a cqu i red the uppe r hollow a f the No rth
Fork
of
Elkhorn
Creek.
to1any
interests
competed for the mineral rights, including the
Elgoods of Bramwell.
The United Pocahontas Coal Company took
over
the
Virginian's
Burkes
Garden
Mille,
renaming it Zenith and began to expand their
Indian Ridge operation towards Wyoming County,
under Superintendent A.D. Rice.
"My great grandfather sold land for 50­
cents an acre", Kermit Lambert relates.
"If
he had got what it was worth, I would be a
rich man today."
Kermit,
descended
f[o!1I
Lhe
ol'iginal
Lambert' 8, Bon, David, grew up on a mountain
farm that had been deeded to his grandfather.
"My gra.ndfather was k'illed by a train at
Welch", Ker.mi L tells of his fami 1 y hi story.
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"He was on jury duty and during the noon hour
went out to see a cow that was for sale.
He
never saw home i\gain.
Grandmother took in
borders to support the family."
At this time the whole upper hollow area
was generically known as 'Lambert', but in the
face of a gl:owing population resulting from
the mining activity, an application for a Post
Office was rejected because there was already
a Post Office in West Virginia with the name
Lambert.
By 1902 the track crews of the
Norfolk & Western Rai I road had reached the
community and local legend has it that the
engineer on the first train to arrive was a
Mr. Crumpler.
It was decided to lise that name
on the Post Office application, since there
would hardly be another town with that name!
The
application
was
approved,
without
hesitation, and Charles Lambert became the
first Postmaster.
Crumpler would become an incorporated
Town and reached a peak of 1,200 citizens in
1935,
complete with a 1egendar:y Chief of
Police, Silas White, who maintained law and
order in the boomi.ng community.
Blanche Nipper Joyce, who B~rved in the
Crumpler Post Office for some 21 years (15 as
Postmaster) has been working on a community
history and has documented that the Town had
7-stores, a Drug Store, 2-Restaurants and a
Sweet Shop, 2-theaters, 2-barber shops, a pool
room and dance hall, train station, 3-Lodges
(including Odd Fellows, Pythians and Red Men),
3-saloons and a jail; as well as 3-churches.
Mrs.
Joyce
is married to Earnest
'Punch'
Joyce; son of the first Methodist preacher to
come to Crumpler.
The Rev. l,emuel Cooper Joyce was in
Pocahontas in 1890 and followed the railroad
tracks to Kimball, before moving on to hold
the first services in the Lambert Community in
1896.
He stayed on to marry Sam Lambert's
daughter Abbie and establish a home place.
He
still rode the Circuit into Wyoming County,
crossing
through
Beartown
and
down
into
Herndon.
, Punch'
Joyce
remembers
sink
holes
appearing on the family farm, as the' mining
act! vi ty proceeded close to the surface. "We
had a well and they sank that", he recalls,
"we carried water for thirty years, after."
Starting in the mines himself, at age 16, he
worked 41 years ,and four months.
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As Crumpler grew, so did the United
Pocahontas Coal Co. A United States Coal Com­
mission report, dated 1923 reports the company
employed 143 men and had 140 company houses at
Worth, W.Va. The Zenith mine employed 148 and
had 144 company houses in Crumpler; while the
Wyoming
operation
across
Pinnacle
Creek
employed 84 men and had built 74 houses.
A young civil engineer named Harry C.
Faust took over the Superintendent's position
and under his direction United Pocahontas Coal
became a major shipper of Pocahontas coal. In
1926 a record 511,395 tons were mined.
The Indian Ridge operation was linked to
Zenith, where a new tipple and preparation
plant was constructed. This made Crumpler the
Main Office, all though Faust continued to
live in t~e Supe~intendent's house, built for
him at Worth.
Faust reported to company President J.
Kirk Renner, at the United corporate offices
in Connellsville,
Pennsylvania,
but locals
remember little presence of the Corporate
officials.
The UMWA or.ganizers arrived in 1933 and
'Punch' Joyce remembers, "they called all the
employees to a" meeting at the theater.
There
must have been 400 people there.
Faust told
us, he didn't care if we went union or not,
but we would either be 100% union, or 100%
non-union. "It was not going to split us up."
"Harry Faust made this a good place to
work and live", Ruby Lambert remembers, "he
just knew what he was doing.
It began to go
down hill after his death."
In 1946, on a Sunday afternoon, Harry
Faust took some family and friends in the mine
to show how it operated.
A piece of slate
fell from the roof and hit him.
No one else
was injured, but Harry Faust died.
Faust's replacement was a Mr. Stone,
from Roanoke and he was succeeded by Roland
Luther.
It was under Luther that the United
Pocahontas
Coal
Company stores
took over
operation of the Ashland and Algoma company
stores.
U.P. operated their own Commissaries at
Worth and Crumpler.
R.A. Tosh ran the Indian
Ridge store and C.B.Otey, the Zenith store.
Maxine Walker remembers when her husband
Emmett was brought from the Pocahontas Fuel
store in Switchback to work at Crumpler in
1936. "I had been to Crumpler before. When we
lived at Tidew<lter, down by Bottom Creek, my
father had a 9" passenger Hudsoll touring car
and he loved to take Sunday dri ves.
But when
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I saw t h ~ h 0 use the y we reg 0 i. 11 9 t- 0 q i v P \l 5 , i t
had hIRc;,; f.l()()t5 "Inc! woodwork, I cried for
days."
E;nunett P. Wal ker would becomE' mallager of
the Crumpler store and she still lives in that
same house, Oil Main Street, though it has been
much changed -In their 57 years of residence.
Of course she is stLll reminded that she was a
late comer DO the community! Emmett passed
away in 1988 and today Maxine husys h"'rself as
organist at. the 'NE'w' Methodist ChllTr:h.
"We
should have left when Emmett retired in 1975,
but we had bought the house and it was still a
'good place to live.
Now, I couldll't sell it!"
The community of Crumpler sits astride
the on] y road int:o Town and that thoroughfare
is referred to as Matn Street.
Main street
climbs up the head of the hollow toward
McDowell Courlty's' h'i\'lTlest"i point on Crumpll?t:
Mountain.
elevation!
'fh", mountain location (at 2,700 ft
provjdes cooler summers and colder
willt.",r:~.
G.lnclys
l\dams
complains
that
"it I s
difficll1.t to dress the kids, when they have to
get on i\ hus at 6 a.m. these days for a long
ride to schools in other parts of the County.
We g~t snows tn Crumpler they don't get down
in Northfork."
Ms. Adams has a good grasp of the school
problems, since she spent 36 years in the
McDowell schools, 20 as Principal.
Her first
year was at Switchback and her second at Rolf;
but the rest were at Crumpler.
"l\t one time they bussed Junior High
students here", she recalls.
The l\dams family came to Crumpler in
1913 and Gladys' father John started out as a
teamster.
When the company built a new brick
lamp hose to replace the old carbides with
battery electrics, John Adams was moved to
that 'lob, where he rE'lnained until his death in
1960. Ms. Adams still lives in the house, her
father purchased from the Company in the 'SOa.
Her
school,
the Crumpler
Elementary
School,
was burned to the ground,
after
standing empty for many years. "We have had a
lot of arson in recent years", she says, "it
is get ting- dangerous to live here anymore.
But it's home, where would I go."
Kermit Lambert bought one of the company
houses when United Pocahontas wanted to get
out of the rental business. The family had
sold off their farm years back, but the last
of the Lamberts says, "I been in Crumpler 76
years. When they closed down in '78, I stayed
on and helped seal up the drifts."
His story
and the story of Crumpler coincide.
A-5
The story may not be over! The four-lane
highway being planned as a replacement for
Route 52 (1-73) .and the Shawnee Parkway that
is projected to extend the New River Parkway,
would meet in' the vicini ty of, •.. ; Crumpler,
and proceed as one route along Indian Ridge.
"1 would like to live to see that",. Lambert
smiles.
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SchoolDays
by Gladys Adams
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Looking back over the' years and trying to figure out when the Crumpler
Elementary school was built is beyond me. This I do know, there has always been a
school here and has always been looked upon with pride as an outstanding institution
of learning.
From the hollowed halls of Crumpler Elementary and Jr. High School came
students that continued their education by attending college. From these efforts on
their part, have emerged teachers, civic engineers, nurses, two medical doctors,
secretaries, ministers, mine foremen, store managers, dentists, pharmacists, office
managers, postal employees, and politicians. These professions are represented by
many, many students. Then there are those that could not attend college, but have
done well in the community and have reared good, law abiding, and moral children.
For a small community, this is an outstanding contribution to society and certainly a
clap ofthe hands for the teachers of Crumpler Elementary.
I cannot recall my first, second, and third grade years too well. The fourth grade
stands out very clearly. My teacher was Ruth Brincefield that lived up Tipple Hollow
-- the home place still stands. She appointed me to lead the singing every morning
and one morning we were singing and I began to feel faint -- I fell into the waste
basket. I survived!
Miss Brincefield became ill and she was confmed for a long time. One of her
brothers substituted for her.' At that time anyone could substitute without a teaching
certificate. One day, one of the boys in the class was whispering and the room was
so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. We had been warned; no talking! The
teacher stood from his desk, walked to the blackboard, picked up the eraser' and
through it at the boy. He missed!
In the early years of school, I remember Leo Lambdin, the principal. Everyone
liked him. He moved to Montcalm where he remained in the school system. He later
moved to Princeton, where he passed on to his heavenly reward. Sixth grade we had
a stove located in what later was the 6th grade room. We had sewing in the front of
the room and cooking in the back. One day we had made scalloped potatoes. The
dish had been cooked and set on top of the stove. I was asked to move it. I picked it
up without hot pads. Since the dish was hot, I stood shifting it fr,om hand to hand.
Someone said "drop it" but I didn't. Finally, I got it back on the stove. My hands
were painfully burned.
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Of Proud Heritage
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The afternoon of that same day, we were having a speech contest. \Vithhands
bandaged, and tears of pain on my cheeks, I gave my speech and came in first place.
Elementary school was completed with the usual good times of picnics and hikes
to the top of the mountain to the Grose farm. Then came Junior High.· The addition
to the elementary school was an auditorium, science room, and home economics
room. The science room had all the smelly odors where we did experiments and had
classes. The auditorium served as a classroom also. There were heavy, movable
. desks, which occupied nearly one half of one side of that long hall. Mr. J.H. Huffwas
.the principal. He was a good looking man, a perfectionist in dressing, single, and one
of the best teachers on the hill.
Remember the little balcony that opened on the front of the principal's office?
Well, Mr. Huff would stand on the balcony with one foot propped up on the rail
smoking his pipe.
Not only was he a good school man, he mingled with the community. We had
tennis courts where the Post Office parking lot now stands. We had some strong
matches on those courts~ ladies singles, doubles and mixed matches. Mr. Huffplayed
tennis with all of us.
My student years at Crumpler Jr. High came to an end and I began school at
Northfork High School. After graduating from Northfork, I enrolled in Concord
College where I received my B.S. Degree in Education.
I came home and began my teaching career. My first year I taught at Switchback
in a little school that was on the hillside across the tracks. The next two years I taught
at Rolfe. I came to Crumpler in August of 1941 and remained here until I retired in
Jlll1e of 1977. During the years that passed by, I had been taking extension classes and
Saturday classes working toward my Masters Degree. After taking all the classes I
could get in extension, I entered Marshall University in Huntington to complete my
course of study. In the summer of 1955, I graduated with my Masters Degree held
tightly in my hands. Returning home and to school with a new assignment, I began
the school years as principal which I fulfilled for 20 years before retiring. I spent a
total of thirty-six years at Crumpler and a total of thirty-nine years in the school
system.
During my service at Crumpler Elementary, I worked under several principals.
T.K. Tandy came here from Welch and lived in the Church parsonage. Later came
Opie Lacy, Merle Morgan, Coy Ramsey, Jo Ruff, Nelle Banks, Harty McComas, and
Wick Atkinson. It was interesting and certainly a unique learning experience.
Crumpler Elementary was the first school in McDowell County that was
integrated. The school the black students attended was across the road near the black
folks church. Miss Ola Hlll1t was the teacher in that one room school with six grades.
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Of Proud Heritage
She did a superb job in that school. Her students were well mannered and had
excellent behavioral attitudes. They studied hard and excelled in many areas of the
school program. The superintendent of schools, Mr. George Bryson, now deceased,
stated, "If the integration of schools goes as well as it has at Crumpler Elementary, I'll
be satisfied." It worked well. The new students studied hard creating a challenge with
the rest of the students. This determination of all students brought about good grades.
This was the most challenging position of my career. The responsibility of all the
students, teachers, and service personnel was overwhelming. The cooperation of the
teachers, students, service personnel, Board of Education, and parents helped to make
a good school. Reverend O.W. Watson, Dr. Allen Ridonour, Reverend Richard
Hanson and many others were very kind and always lent a helping hand. They gave
their support and guidance and this gave me the determination to give and help those
entrusted to me a good education and good values that would help them later in life.
This was my goal. I'm proud of my kids.
The work and effort was worth it. I enjoyed my 39 years in the education field.
There are many opportunities out there; good opportunities just for the asking.
Anything worth having is worth working for. So I say to you young people; Go for
. the goal; God bless all ofyou!
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Of Proud Heritage
A Nostalgic Journey...
...through Crumpler as seen through the eyes ofAlice Bailey
My life in Crumpler began in March of 1946.
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It was then a picturesque
town with roses nmning on the fences, children crawling out of the woodwork, (I
mean BIG families), gardens made in the mountain sides and what hit me the most
was that the cows roamed freely around the town. These were the first things I
noticed and they intrigued me.
The longer I lived here of course, the more attention I paid to all of the things that
were as foreign to me as I was to the people of this town, this town that I have come
to love, and the people I have come to love and admire. My speech was fast and my
dialect was strange. I would catch people looking at me strangely when I said
something and they would answer 'yes' when they should have answered 'no'. It didn't
take a sledge hammer for me to realize I had to conform to their way of speech and
customs. After all, I was the new-comer, interloper, curiosity, whichever way they
saw me. It was hard to say the least. I noticed this with words, such as names, for
instance. I knew a lady named Rilda Dills. It was pronounced Rildy. This was a
curiosity to me; very quaint, and as I saw it, very charming. The music was strange
too. A new kind of music to me. Blue grass for instance. I now have a fondness for
that. It makes my feet tap much like the bagpipes in my country.
The courtesy of some of the children when my eldest son Bobby was born. We
were hit by a terrific snow storm. There was a boy named Billy Pearce who came to
my house every day to see if I needed anything from the store and would not take a
dime from me. He knew it was impossible for me to take a new born baby out in such
weather. His thoughtfulness touched me deeply, and as some others have popped into
my life with kindness, they always remind me of Billy. He was the first to show me
how kind children can be to a stranger.
Another boy pops into my mind too. My nephew Lewis Jones came one morning
with a handful of flowers he'd picked before school. What a beautiful way to start a
day -- flowers from a child. Now that is the sort of thing that starts a love in one's
heart that continues to grow as the years roll by. Thank you Lewis.
The Love these people have shown throughout my fifty years of living in
Crumpler, have made a sometimes difficult time more bearable, and, I'll never forget
them -- I could write a book about them.
Near to Christmas -- (A magical time even now) I'd watch the children wrapped
up in jeans, scarves, sweaters and boggans, tramp into the hills on their yearly hunt for
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a Christmas tree, laughing and sometimes singing carols; so happy to be out of school
and anticipating the Christmas holidays.
They also looked fOlWard to the company truck coming round to all the homes
with a Christmas treat for them. Candy and apples...it was wonderful to see their little
faces light up as the truck stopped at their door. These things were as foreign to me
as I was to this country and I cherish those good old days and the wonderful feeling
it left long after the holidays were over.
There are so many good things to remember; some good friends, some who are
gone to their reward; and still sadly missed. some still around with beautiful white hair .
instead of brown, but all the more cherished when we meet them and are greeted with
lovely smiles.
I would be sadly remiss if I didn't mention the most important event of my life.
Here it was that I met my Savior. My brother-in-law Harold prayed with me at the
altar. Those of you who have accepted my Savior know the strength and courage he
gives us when we need it, and the love for our fellow men when they need it.
I could go on and on about what my Lord has done for me through the blackest
hours, but I'll suffice to say:
Thank you Lord for a wonderful husband and family, and for the Love of the great
family I inherited when I married Calvin. Yes folks, through the good times and the
bad, I thank you, I love you all, and above all, I praise my Jesus for allowing me to
remember these precious memories of some of the things I've put down on paper.
There are so many more but not enough time to write of Crumpler, as I have seen it
over my fifty years of residence here.
I am, an old friend in Christ,
Alice M. Bailey
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Of Proud Heritage
" WHISTLE POST"
What was the" Whistle Post?"
by Louise Bailey
T he Whistle Post is a landmark that has been in Crumpler for 75 to 80 years.
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It was a place in Crumpler where, after a days work in the mines you could see men
sitting under a big hickory tree, talking about anything going on at that time, or
catching up on the latest news (or gossip).
For years the Whistle Post was a whistle on two wooden poles which were later
replaced with steel ones and remain there today.
The day would begin with the whistle blowing at 7 o'clock in the morning to let the
miners know that it was time to report to work. At 11 :30 it would ring again for
ltmch. The men at the shop and sand house had 30 minutes before it blew again at 12
noon. Then, at 3 o'clock it rang again signifying the end of work for the day shift and
reminded those who worked on the evening shift that it was nearing time to report to
work by 4 o'clock. This was also suppertime!
For years the one who operated the whistle was John Gillenwater who worked at
the shop. The shop is where the machinery was taken to be fixed when it broke down.
And, Reverend Frank Blevins could be seen faithfully every morning when the whistle
blew; walking along whistling, swinging his dinner bucket, always exchanging a kind
word with those who passed by.
The whistle had another purposes. In the event there was a mine accident the town
was notified by a long blast. Naturally, this gave everyone an eerie feeling; waiting
to find out what happened. It was also a fire alarm. The town was sectioned off with
different codes. According to where the fire was, the whistle blew a certain number
of times to let the people know which part of town the fire was in.
Although the mines are no longer operating, the old hickory tree is gone, and the
whistle is not in use, it still stands today as a reminder of days gone by.
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Of Proud Heritage
The Coal Miner
by Judy Joyce Crews
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T be most grueling job I know of is that of a coal miner. The conditions are so
burdensome that most only stay a short time. The work is back-breaking and life
threatening at every tum. Some, like my Daddy and Brother, have made their living
since they were teenagers on their hands and knees in those old mines.
Across the high bridge to the other side of the mountain, the sound of the three­
foot-high black motor roars. This motor is the machine that carries the men and coal
cars into and out of the endless tunnels under the mountains. Sometimes the ceiling
of the mines is so low the men have to bend over while sit1ing in the moving motor
to keep from 1'.itting the top of their hard hats.
The mouth of the mines appears so ominous few would dare go far inside without
the pressure of a job and salary at stake. Except for the lights on the motor and the
single beam from the carbide lamp on the front of their hard hats, it is pitch dark. The
tunnels go for miles in all directions under the mighty mountains. They resemble
aquatic passageways with spider-like arms reaching out in all directions to reach that
precious seam of hidden treasure-coal.
The blackness of the four-foot-high entrance is foreboding. From only a few steps
inside it is like another world - a world much different from anything one would want
to enter. The heavy, moist, acrid air makes a strong carbon taste touch the tongue.
There is a very cool, musty breeze penetrating the nose and skin like that in a dark,
damp cellar.
As one listens carefully, the slow, constant sound of water dripping is heard. And
although there is water, most of the floor of the mines is covered with a layer of an
extremely fine dust which when breathed year after year causes black lung.
The tree-trunk-size timbers support the sides and top of the mines to keep the
mountain from caving in. Even though men try to make it safe, danger lurks around
every comer. There is unsafe machinery, falling slate, and the rumbling mighty
mountains, crumbling and reclaiming her territory.
To protect himself as much as possible from the temperature and danger, the miner
wears steel-toed boots, heavy bibbed overalls, a long sleeved denim jacket, and a hard .
hat. With mines only being four feet high, the miner must either stoop or work on h~'s
hands and knees in the cold, damp dirt. He c~es his food in a three compartment
bucket, and the only water he has to drink all day is in the bottom of that bucket. At
lunch-time, the men stop where they are to eat their lunches with filthy, black hands
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and sit miles inside the mOlUltain. At the end of the day the men climb on the motor
to ride back to the lamp-house. When they reach daylight and step off the motor, the
only thing that is not entirely black is the whites of their eyes.
My Daddy worked for the same mining company forty-seven years and now
suffers from crippling arthritis, worn-out hip joints from working in a bent over stance
all those years, and black lung. My brother was unlucky enough to be struck by a
three hoodred poood piece of slate that forced him face down in that layer of fine dust.
Had it not been for a man called "Big Tom" lifting it offhim long enough to allow a
breath, he would have died, rather than having only a crushed pelvis and several
broken ribs. What an oppressive sight it was the day the emergency whistle blew and
the motor brought my injured brother out of the mine cradled in my Daddy's anns!
Those old mines have been the only way to survive for some; however, it has also
been the detriment of good health for others, and the death of many.
May 5,1996
lleamed the important lessons 1 needed to survive the ordeals life would throw my
way from growing up in the mountains of West Virginia. My values, beliefs, and
compassion are directly related to the examples 1 saw while growing up in a
community which was the exemplification ofChristian love.
Thank you for truly caring about
every child who grew up here.
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Crumpler and Happiness
Happiness was growing up in Crumpler in the forties and the early fifties. A
time of freedom with no worries, except, those that children are most concerned with;
our friends, our teachers and the games we played. Up the hollow we made our own
baseball field, our own clay basketball court and a football field. We played after
school until it was too dark to hit a baseball, make a basket or catch a pass. We had
bruises, cuts, black eyes and even broken limbs but the games went on. There was
bike riding, sledding in the winter, wiener-roast at the top of the mountain and the
long walk home to end those great summer nights. And, what great actors and
actresses we all were in the school plays and the church plays. But, it took leaving
home, seeing and being a part of the "outside" world to realize just how lucky we
were. This place called Crumpler..., home to us, with loving parents, caring teachers
and life-long friends. This place and these people we will cherish all the days of our
lives. It was a time and a place of innocence that is no more!
Lorreta Lusk Dieringer
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Of Proud Heritage
Old History
by Thelma Vale Gibson, 83 years
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begin, Crumpler was called Burkes Garden from the beautiful flowers that
.grew here when the town began. The name was changed in the early 1900s. Mr. &
Mrs. Duncan ran the Post Office which was located in the home Nancy Craft lived in.
One of my school teachers, Eunice Phillpat, fifth and sixth grade about 1925 - 1926
boarded at that home.
The first school house was the Old Baptist Church. The one before that was on the
back street with the creek running in the back. Mable Carson Gunner and Mary
Brinchfield are the first teachers I can remember.
During the war, the men ofthe town took turns patrolling the tipple and tracks with
the coal cars. One night my father could not get anyone to stay with my brother Dale
and me. He had to take us with him. He left us at the Whistle Post in the dark and we
were so scared the enemy was around in the dark!
I could not wait to finish school so I could get out of the town. In 1934, I made
$1.00 a day~ then I went to $2.50. I saved $15.00 and I thought I was rich.
I went to Northfork High School and we traveled by train twice a day for three
years. The board of education paid for our transportation. The students put up the
first $5.00 in September at the beginning of school. Each month for 9 months of
school the students received a $5.00 check to cover transportation.
I remember one surrnner when gypsies camped on the school grounds in Crumpler.
Word got around they stole children. Every child in town stayed in their own yard!
The Gibson family lived in the first house on the right after leaving the Whistle
Post. That house was built for our father George G. Gibson. He lived there for 51
years. The house is now 84 years old.
George Gibson could do most any occupation; plumber, electrician, carpenter. He
was the first blacksmith Crumpler had. He helped build some of the homes in
Crumpler. I was born on October 24, 1913 and left Crumpler on September of 1934.
I became a surgical nurse and worked 40 years in surgery. Here I am back in
Crumpler. I have made many trips back here. The last time I visited Cnimpler was
in July of '92.
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'Son of Gih'
It seems apparent that this old family name was adopted from the name of GILBERT. A popular
nickname for GILBERT is Gffi and the surname GIBSON literally means, Son of Gib. As you
might have guessed we have traced our genealogy back to the year 1775.
Our father GEORGE GOSE GffiSON (1879 - 1957) was born and raised close to Lebanon, VA
which is not far north of Bristol, VA. His parents are buried in Bristol. As a young man he visited
his uncle Henry Gibson of Rocky Gap, VA just over East River Mountain. Uncle Henry had a
contract with the mine at Springton, just up from Matoka, WV and thus our father was introduced
to the coal mines. From that day forward our father spent his life in the coal mines at Crumpler,
WV. He was married twice; first to Carrie F. Bailey of Springton Mountain near Matoka. The
couple bore and raised four children, Avron, Gaines, Vale & Dale, until Carrie died in 1917; an
early death due to the flu epidemic. Secondly, our father met Maude Bell Cable who was visiting
relatives in Worth, WV from Claypool Hill, southwest of Bluefield, VA. They were married in
1920. The couple bore and raised an added family of seven more kids; George Jr., Helen Louise,
Randolph, Roland, Elizabeth Ann, Thomas Henry, and Sarah Jane. Carrie, our dads first wife and
mother of four children is buried on top of Gross Mountain above Crumpler. He and Maude, his
second wife and mother ofthe other seven children, are buried in the Bluewell Woodlawn cemetery.
We children have always felt and acted as one family even though we knew of the half situation.
In 1912 the coal company built our father a house across the dirt street from the Will Lambert
house, later known as the Handy house and the then the Crouch house. Our family would occupy
this residence as home until our fathers death in 1957 (1912-1957). Our father continued to work
in the coal mines until he was forced to retire in 1953 at age 73. He is the only man I know of that
.worked full time and drew social security at the same time.
The Whistle Post was a favorite hang out for the kids as we grew up. The whistle would blow
every day for a start time, lunch time, and quitting time. The paved road through the town made a
great place to ride wagons or skates. The dirt road up to the Bailey mountain (Beartown) made a
great snow sled ride. We all had the experience of traveling through the mines to Pinnacle Creek,
where the boy scout swimming pool was to go swimming.
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My 70 Years
by Fred "Chicken" Iddings
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W ben I moved to Crumpler from Arlington, (McDowell) at about the age of
six, there were not many houses; just a few on the main road. A log cabin was the
only house in Whistle Post Hollow. I can remember the road up through town was a
dirt road and it would get big ruts in it. They would haul muck from the tipple to fill
them up. Later they had convicts that were in prison to haul rock in to town and they
would beat up the road. Later on it was black-topped. The school I attended was in
the same location as the most recent one, but it was only a 3 room school house. A
lady by the name of Mrs. Johnson was the teacher.
The first store was located in the space where the mine office was later situated.
It was operated by Mr. Joyce. T.T. Iddings' store was right beside of it. Mr. Iddings
store was a theater in the beginning. Mr. Cornett owned another store right beside of
that one. All three stores caught on fire and were lost. There was a building beside
of the Post Office and after the fire they re-located the theater in there. The theater
stood for many years. I won $100.00 one night when they had bank night. Bank night
was an event held once a week where the theater drew a ticket and if you had the
winning number you won $100.00.
There were tennis courts situated beside of the theater. I remember Mr. Butch
Walker, Mr. A.B. Pierce, and Mr. B.F. Wood playing tennis there.
Another big building was in the middle of town. There were several different
stores in it and Mr. Preston and Mr. Lambert both operated it at different times.
Beside of this store Mr. Irvin Renn had a store. He operated it until he retired and his
son Bud took over at that time. Later, both of these buildings were tom down.
Just as you came into town there was a store owned by Mr. Particell and a store
owned by Mr. Tito. Mr. Tito's store was eventually turned into a restaurant. It is still
standing but is not in use.
Mr. W.W. Bailey had a drug store where the Union Hall now stands. There was
also a pool room below the drug store and a barber shop in back of there. Mr. Obe
Tabor ran it for a many years. A cinder block building was later put up for the Union
Hall.
The Company Store was built on the opposite side of the road from these
buildings. This was a big help for the miners. They would let us have script instead
of money to buy our groceries. I wish I had saved some of the metal script for a
souvenir. Charlie Tosh ran the store wagon and delivered people's groceries to them.
He had a team of horses for the wagon. They dept the horses in a bam up where the
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ball-ground was. In later years the company got a truck to deliver groceries.
The Post Office was first in Nannie Lawless' house. Trinkle Jones lived there at
that time. It was run by Mr. Shorty Tolbert. Later, it was moved up to its present
location.
The train station was beside the tracks where Nannie Lawless now lives. All of the
mail was brought to Cnnnpler on the train. Then, the mailman would come down and
gather it up and take it up to the Post Office.
The train used to run 2 times a day from Crumpler to Northfork. The young people
rode it to Northfork High School everyday. At that time they did not have a bus
route. The train left at 7:00 in the morning and came back at 5:00 in the evening.
Sometimes the train did not make it back to Crumpler until 6:00. Some of the young
people quit school after 9th grade because if you lived up on the mountain like my
wife Rennie did, it was dark when you left and dark when you got back. It was a long
walk back up on the mountain after dark. When they did start running buses into
Crumpler, Mr. Dick Orander had the bus route for many years from Crumpler to
Northfork.
The school house was up on the hill above it. I remember they had long steps up
the hill for the children to get to the school house. Every Halloween the boys would
tear them out and they would have to build them back. I remember one Halloween a
gang of boys got a big wagon that belonged to Mr. Young~ one that he used to deliver
groceries They put it on top of the station! When work was dull several of us men
would go over to the school house and visit the kids. My wife was a young girl at that
time and she said she thought I was the hatefulest thing. In the year of 1935, on
January 19th, I married her. She was Rennie L. Bailey. She lived on top of the
mountain and I would go up there to see her. The wind would nearly blow me away!
We would go around the mountain to Roby Groses and have square dances. We had
lots of fun. The day of January 19th there was so much ice on the road we couldn't
get back on the mountain. So, we spent the first night at Wirt Bailey's house, her
brother, in town. Reverend Willard Barbery married us in Paul Grose's home along
with her sister Minnie and Frank Otey. We didn't have money to go on a honeymoon.
I had to borrow money to buy the marriage license and pay the minister. Besides, I
didn't own a car and had no way of going any place. I borrowed $10.00 from Vergil
Grose. I have been married to the same woman for 61 years.
There was also a jail house in back of the Walker's yard. Minnis White was the
deputy at that time but I don't remember anyone ever being put in jail. Also, Nannie
Duncan lived in the house.occupied by Arthur Bailey now. She ran a hat shop in the
back in the living quarters. Rennie can remember buying a very pretty hat there.
There were 2 Methodist churches in town. The southern Methodist church stood
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at the lower end of Crumpler and the northern Methodist church stood where the
present church stands. In later years the 2 churches came together and the lower
church was tom down. Everyone always called the southern church the Democrat
church and the northern church the Republican church. There was a Baptist church
on main street that is still in use. The church the black folks went to was located on
the hill where most of the black people lived. There are not but a few houses left on
that hill now.
There was a doctor's office in part of the house that Jack Bailey lives in now. Dr.
Tabor was the doctor for many years. Several other doctors worked there along with
a nurse, Mrs. Ech. Dr. Taragrose was the last doctor. They were all hired by the
Company and the men paid doctor bills out of their payroll.
There used to be a tipple that was tom down when a new one was built in 1930.
There were 2 mines on the Crumpler side; No.1 & NO.2. You went through No.1
to get to Pinnacle. There were 6 mines on the Pinnacle side. A long bridge connected
them. The bridge has been tom down. During World War I a man by the name of Mr.
Tolbert guarded the bridge. They were afraid it would be sabotaged to keep them
from hauling coal across it.
The tipple mine office and the shop have both been demolished. The Whistle Post
.. is still there but it is not in use. They would blow it every morning at 6:00 and 7:00
for the men to come to work. It would blow again at 12:00 and 1:00 for lunch and
3:00 for work to stop.
There was a ballpark up Baptist Hollow. It was later put down where the shop
was. Crumpler had a good team; Clifton Otey, Shirty· Cope, Mr. Frey, Tight Young,
and others. I can't remember who all played on it but they were so good they played
several other teams.
All in all there were about 10 stores in town. The stores were just called by the
name of the person who owned and operated them. Only 1 is use now. There used
to be 5 churches and only 2 are in use now.
The first car in Crumpler was owned by Mr. Irvin Renn. It was a Vealie. After the
War ended a gang of men got in it and rode up and down the road celebrating the end
of the War.
There used to be baptizing on Pinnacle Creek. You could take a man trip through
the mines so people could go to it. Also, a company truck would take a crowd of
people to Beartown for Declaration Day. There would be all day preaching and dinner
on the ground.
I remember during the depression the Company store allowed all married men
$3.00 per week to live on. The mines.only worked 3 or 4 days a month and they made
around $3.60 a day. But most everyone had gardens and cows. They lived on this.
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When the mines did work good the company would hold the $3.00 out of our pay
check until it was all paid back. Sometimes you could see cows roaming all over
town, getting into people's gardens.
I can remember when the carnival used to come to town. They would set up their
stands where the ball park used to be. The Company put a stop to the carnivals
because they were taking too much money out of the town.
I lived in 3 different houses in Crumpler before I got married and Rennie and me
livedin 5 different houses in Crumpler. Then, we moved to Bluewell on March 29,
1989. We have enjoyed our new home ever since. We were both getting along in
years and thought it best to get nearer to town, the doctor, and hospital. We attended
the Methodist Church while we lived in Crumpler.
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T his history that I, Ernest Joyce, will give of the community of Crumpler is
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written in the year 1996.
Approximately 1860, Thomas Kennerly Lambert, my great-grandfather, was the
first settler in this area and he built the frrst house in Crumpler. A land company
discovered there was coal in this area and had surveyors to come from Tazewell
County and survey the land which at that time was called Burkes Garden. Later it was
changed to Lambert, after the first settler. He gave the land where our first Methodist
church was built by my father, Lemuel Cooper Joyce in 1988.
Wheeler Bailey, Madison Bailey, T.K. Lambert and others sawed lumber for the
project and it was left for my dad to build the church. He came to Cmmpler for his
first appointment in 1898. His charge consisted of Crumpler, Upland, Micojah's
Ridge, Barkers Creek and Kimball. The salary was a little more than $300 for a year.
He would ride the train when going to Northfork and Kimball but most places he rode
. on horseback. Crumpler church prospered during this year. My dad was Pastor and
he loved the people of Crumpler so well that he decided to make his home here.
Before coming to Crumpler he lived in Bassett, VA. In 1890 he came to
Pocahontas, VA. He had heard there were two saloons and so much drinking that if
you were going to get along with people you had to have a gun. So, he bought two
guns and put them on each hip. But after arriving he found out in two days you didn't
need the guns. So, he sold them and never owned another one. He stayed in
Pocahontas two years before going to Kimball where he lived for six years.
From Kimball he came to Crumpler. Abbie Lilly Lambert came here to visit her
grandfather, T.K. Lambert and she met Lemuel Cooper Joyce and they were married
. in 1901. Seven children, five boys and two girls were born to them~ Alvah, Murlie,
Clarence (Sam), Lewis (Abe) Martha, Ernest (Punch) and Walter. The first five
children were born on top of Crumpler Mountain. Walter and I were born in an.
apartment on second floor of my dads store building. This was located on Main Street
just across from where the Post Office is located today. In.1919, my Dad bought an
eight-room house on Tipple Road where we moved when I was five years old. He
stayed here and he died in April of 1922. My mother told me a story that took place
approximately 1906 about a couple from Wyoming County that contacted my Dad.
This couple wanted to get married on a Sunday ·afternoon. He had to preach that
morning and he didn't have a license to marry out of McDowell County. So, he met
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them on top of Crumpler Mountain. He remained on the McDowell County side and
they were in Wyoming County. He married them on horseback! Fifty-five years later
. Blanche and I were over in Beartown. We stopped at Seymore Roberts house and
they told us they were the ones my dad married 55 years ago on top of the mountain.
There were two Methodist Churches in Crumpler; the northern Methodist Church
and the southern Methodist Church. ill 1946, the southern Methodist Church united
with the northern Methodist Church. ill March of 1916, several of the members of the
upper church pulled out and met at the School House until they got a church built in
the lower section of Crumpler. The Company carpenters built the church and the
parsonage. Mr. Faust, the Company superintendent, had this done and the church paid
him as they could. When the church was town down, the parsonage went back to the
company.
In 1946, the upper Methodist Church was tom down. The ground was broken for
the new church on April 29,1947, under the pastorate of Reverend N.W. Looney.
The building was finished in the summer of 1948, during the ministry of pastor C.B.
Dickenson. The first service was conducted in the church on August 1, 1948. The
dedication service of the Crumpler Methodist Church was on August 28, 1949. The
. officiating minister was Reverend R.H. Daugherty and the sermon was by N.W.
Looney.
The line of Pastors for the Methodist Church from 1901 is as follows: Reverend
L.C. Joyce, Hickman, R.C. Bramlett, Sumner, Ellington, Hampton, J.B. Rupert, J.L.
Dotson, E.P. Frye, Stephan, C.A. Powers, Clark, J.L. Thompson, Perry Johnson, John
Shorden, Kiger, Percy, Lambert, Oliver Hatfield, J.L. Marquess, W.A. Grogg, A.F.
Clendenin, N.W. Looney, C.B. Dickenson, O.W. Watson, Andy Roe, Jim Hyndrick,
Charles. J.Wilfong, Allen Ridenour, Richard Hanson, William Holmes, Joseph
Farruggia, Ralph Malcomb, Ira Hill, Bill Crawford, Glen Winprey, and Mark
Smearsan.
The pastors who served the southern Methodist church are as follows; H.M. Boyd,
B.C. Wise, J.F. Benton, G.K. Patty, Z.D. Holbrook, Henry Dearn, McConnell,
Fogleman, Davis, Bourne, Holbrook, W.S. Barbery and L.W. Rhudy.
This area has had three different names. I have already named Burkes Garden and
Lambert. When the first train came into Cnunpler in 1902, the engineer was Mr.
Cnunpler and the town was renamed for him. There were three passenger trains that
ran into Crumpler. The train brought mail two times each day. The students going
to Northfork High School went by train. They were given a thirty day pass and the
conductor would punch the pass each time they rode the train.
The first mines was opened here in Crumpler approximately 1901 as Burkes
Garden Mines. It later changed to Zenith Coal Company and finally Pocahontas Coal
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Company. You have probably heard that today coal is brought out of the mines on
belts and hauled to the tipple on trucks. Before this, the coal was pulled out on cars
by a motor to the tipple. Before motors, they took mules into the mines and pulled the
coal with them. They used about thiry or forty mules here in the Crumpler Mines.
When I was a small boy I would go around to the mines and watch them bring the
mules out of the mines to feed them. They had a stable where the big metal building
stands today, (this was actually at one time the ballground) They had a fence around
the stable so they could turn the mules outside.
I went to work for United Pocahontas Coal Company in 1929 building piers for the
new Tipple. This was the third Tipple built here. The Tipple was finished in 1930.
I worked two years at the Tipple and then I went into the mines and worked until
February 1977. I worked 47 years and 4 months for United Pocahontas Coal
Company.
I worked four of those years non-union. Before we had a union, some bosses were
good to you and some were very tough on you. If you lived in a Company House and
you got hurt or died, they would give the family two weeks to move, if you didn't they
would move your furniture out in the road. The Company was responsible for the
fumithure twenty-four hours. You had no protection, the bosses could say what they
wanted to say to you, but, if you said anything back to them they could fire you. My
pay started out at $2.50 a day for an eight hour day. Then, in 1933 the Union was
organized. They would give you a new contract every two years. After the Union
was organized men were treated much better.
The first road into Crumpler from Northfork was a dirt road. When people didn't
ride on the train, they had horses they road. Approximately 1921, by convict labor,
there was a hard top put on the road but it took a very long time to finish the road to
Crumpler. It was very slow work back then. There was no machinery, they used
horses and a scoop, and, a pick and shovel. They had a steam roller that rolled the .
rock down.
The first cars in Cnunpler were owned by I.S. Renn, A.W. Hall, John Grander and
J.C. Cornett. My dad, Lemuel Joyce, had a truck that he used at the store.
When I was a very small boy, Crumpler had seven stores, a Lodge Building,
doctor's offices, two resturaunts, (one called Ruby's and one called Bradley's) Post
Office, Sweet Shop, two theaters, two barber shops, poolroom, dance hall, jail house,
three saloons, three churches and a train station. We also had a fire truck. Mr. I.S.
Renn was. mayor and also Mr. Cope. We had our own police department. When we
had the stores people would come for miles on horseback and bring another one to put
all of the groceries on. Before company houses were built, the land off of the main
road had hitching posts where people could hitch their horses. I have seen 30 or.40
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horses there at one time. The hitching posts were located where the- play ground
stands today.
During the depression when we didn't work very much, someone would give a
square dance at their home almost every night through the week except for Sunday.
Lots of the times they would have the dance at a school house either at Beartown,
Ashland, Northfork, Worth or Crumpler. Charlie East was the figure caller. The band
consisted ofMr. William Bradley, Henry Bradley, Buck Stallard, Clarence Dalton and
Ernest Joyce. In 1940 we were having a dance at the Crumpler School house and this
is where I met Blanche. She was visiting her cousin, Mae Baker from Richlands, VA.
I asked her to dance and she told me she couldn't square dance. I told her that I would
teach her. But, when you leave your partner she didn't know what to do so she sat
down. When the time came to get your partner I was left standing in the middle of the
floor! I then saw her sitting in the choir.
When I was twelve years old I joined the Boy Scouts and stayed in the scouts for
five years. Our Motto was "Be Prepared." Mr. John Brown was the Scout Master.
The Scout hall was on second floor of the theater and we met every Friday night.
They taught us a lot of good things. We learned first aid, how to send messages with
. flags, and how to take care of yourself~ especially out in the woods. We would have
a Jamboree get-together of all the troops in the County once a year. It was usually at
Welch ballfield. Each troop would be put through tests, cooking, first aid, marching
and folding the flag. Each troop would get so many points for each thing they did and
the troop with most points won a big cup. Our troop won the cup every year. By
learning first aid I have saved about three men's lives. One man was with me hunting
and he was leaning on his gun and some way hit the trigger and shot his arm almost
off. I got a toumaquet on him and would release it every fifteen or twenty minutes
until we carried him out of the mountains to the doctors office. The doctor told me
if I hadn't known first aid he wouldn't have lived but about a minute or minute and a
half.
Something I remember us having a big laugh from happened at Mrs. Louise
Maxwell's house. I was at Louise's house and the kitchen door opened and Jonah
Iddings came in. He said, "Ma, I want you to cook a chicken for me." Mrs. Maxwell
said, "Jonah you're drunk; go on back, you don't have any chicken." He said, "Yes I
do!" He had a top coat on and he lifted his arm up and down.fell a chicken. When the
chicken hit the floor she made a sound like I --- walk, I --- walk. Jonah said, "Thats
what she said when I took her off of the roost pole and I said, "I'll be damn if you are,
I'm going to carry you!" Mrs. Maxwell told him to take the chicken back to Mrs.
Smith's chicken house that this was Mrs. Smith's pet hen. So, he left with the chicken.
When my dad had his store there was a cat that would come in and and get on the
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counter and sleep. If you would run it out it would just come right back in. Alvah,
my oldest brother, was about fourteen years old. There wasn't anyone in the store at
,the time, so he climbed up on the counter, took the light bulb out of the light socket,
took a metal poker and put the tom-eat's tail through the handle of the poker and then
wrapped it around and stuck the poker up into the light socket. This knocked him and
, the cat across the floor! He was lucky it didn't kill him. The cat ran around the store
and out the door into the middle of the road. The cat never did come back into the
store. This blew every light bulb in the building out; even in the apartment upstairs.
I feel like the reason we ave stayed in Crumpler, is that we are still very happy
here. We love the people and we love our church. The surroundings have changed
and this hurts. But, our family loves to come back home real often and friends that
live in different cities love to come here to visit. It is so quiet and peacful.
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Of Proud Heritage
Crumpler Days of Yore
by Bob Maxwell
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grew up in Crumpler, went to Northfork (Big Orange) High School, worked
in the coal mines, and really put down some roots here. I moved away from home in
1959, but never really left, as I have visited my family here at least once or twice a
year for every year that I have been away.
When I was asked if I could contribute some interesting stories about Crumpler to
provide for the homecoming event, immediate thoughts were of the old people, places,
and things that mean so much to me, and are no longer here. It would be reasonable
to assume that many who would come back to Crumpler for this reunion would feel
as I do, and could probably add to the list. So come along and share my reminiscence,
and maybe something that you hadn't thought of in years will surface and trigger your
own thought process about an event(s) of your past in Crumpler.
Going back to my preschool years in the late 30's, I can recall going to Sunday
school at the old Methodist church down in the lower end of town just below the
railroad crossing. I also remember going down to T.T. Idding's grocery store (later
Woodie Craft's and currently Rorrer's) to buy candy. T.T. had a showcase in the
middle of the store with an assortment of goodies that you could pick from, and
believe it or not, you could but a little "poke" for a penny. Another memory, which
I am sure only the folks my age and/or older can recall, is the glass-house hotbed
nursery operated by my neighbor, Mr. Gibson. Back then, almost everyone had a
backyard garden, and some even had a garden plot or field on the mountainside also.
Consequently, having the Gibson hothouse in the neighborhood was a real bonus.
We all have to go to school and my time came all too soon. I am sure that
everyone knows where the old school was located, but I bet not all knew that a
passenger train station was at the foot of the hill below the school, and we did have
passenger service, and mail delivery to and from Northfork twice a day. And while
on the subject of passenger service, let us be reminded of Dick Orander's bus line
which also ran to and from Northfork.
Now, back to the grade school and task of getting through the 1st and 2nd grades.
The 1st and 2nd grades were on the school's lower level and you weren't somebody
until you graduated to the 3rd grade and got to go upstairs with the big kids. And
what about the annual dentist visit to the school. You would not only get a checkup,
but you might even get some teeth pulled. I can testify to that, with missing teeth to
prove it. The old school is gone now, it's ruins lying a bed of ashes, apparently at the
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hands of some misguided firebug.
Thinking back to those days of walking to and from school, I am reminded of the
old mining office that was located beside the old church which occupied the site
where the existing Methodist church now stands. I came home from school
sometimes for lunch and would stop in the office on the way back to school to get
some candy money from my dad, who usually was there, if not at home when I left.
The old mine office was torn down when the "new" office was built across the tracks
near the Whistle Post. And as you all may very well know by now, the "new" office
building is also gone.
Certainly we can't talk about our coal mining without mentioning the Tipple,
Pinnacle bridge and the mines. All are gone now, except I believe some of the bridge
is still standing. Maybe a trip once more to Pinnacle Creek for one last glimpse is in
.the cards?
For some of the old miners, let me mention some of the old familiar places. What
about Indian Ridge, Old Baseball, Virginia Entry, Milwaukee, Main Channeler, Road
Branch, Number 1, Number 6, and many others that I am sure can be recalled.
Speaking about the Whistle Post, if there was ever a bona fide landmark,
Crumpler's Whistle Post was it. And even today, people give directions relative to it.
But the Whistle Post was certainly more than a landmark, you could accurately set
your watch with it blowing every morning, noon, and evening. Blowing of the whistle
could be heard for miles, and even if we kids were playing down in Greenfield hollow,
up at Two Rocks, or in the flats, we could hear it and be home in record time if need
be. I would love to hear that old whistle blow again. Boy, that would really bring
back memories.
Buried in these school years were the good times had at summer break. There was
plenty of baseball played on our baseball diamond. The diamond was okay except for
the creek nmning just out of the infield behind 1st and 2nd bases, and oh, the prop pile
in right field. But that was okay - we made out just fine. In addition to our playing
baseball almost every day, we could enjoy some pretty good adult baseball games
practically every Sunday. Remember the Crumpler Cardinals?
Weather permitting, there was a wiener roast almost every Friday and/or Saturday
night up at the top of Crumpler Mountain, or at the Scout pond on Pinnacle Creek.
And certainly, there were many outings down at Greenfield just below Tito's beer
joint. Tito's was just below Particelli's (later to become Swipey's Place), don't you
remember?
Not all of the Crumpler entertainment was confined to the summers. The Crumpler
Theater, operated by Mr. Pierce, ran almost every night, year-round, except Tuesday,
if I remember right, and remembering does get harder each year.' But I do remember
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many good horseshoe games played across the street in front of the theater, prior to
the movies starting. I also remember Scout meetings being held upstairs over the
theater.
While we are downtown, let's visit a couple of other sites. Everyone surely
remembers the company store and the company office next door where you, if you had
a script card, could get script (green company money) which would spend anywhere
in town as well as cash. Anywhere in town included the theater, of course, as well as
at the company pool-hall (operated by Doc Hedrick), the barber shop (Obe Tabor),
Renn's Store, and maybe in the old soda shop next door to Renn's. I remember the old
establishment, but it's operation was actually before my time.
Thinking about the pool-hall and barber shop reminds me of another couple of
landmarks in that area. Just behind the pool-hall was a tennis court, and on the comer
below the pool-hall and across the street from the train station, was the Crumpler
boarding house. We didn't have many borders, but I can remember a few.
How many remember the company doctor? We had it made back then with open
clinic hours every morning and evening, and house calls in between. Most medicines
required to treat the nonnal cold, flu, etc. were dispensed free by the doctor. Maybe
there is something to be said about socialized medicine.
And for some of the not-so-old folks, I will throw out some food for thought.
What about Hazel's Beauty Shop, the Dew Drop Inn, Milam's Grocery, the Crumpler
Skeet Grounds, and the Prop Pile Boys (musical group). Did I strike a nerve?
Living in the coalfields was lis not the most advantageous for young people, but
the quality of life we were afforded in the early years of Crumpler far exceeded that
of any that I can think of, at least here in southern West by gosh Virginia. And even
though Crumpler has fallen on hard times due to the demise of the mining industry,
and can no longer offer what it once did, the young adults living here now are to be
commended for their contributions of hard work and resources to make their
community playground. This is one thing that the old Crumpler did not offer.
And last, let us not forget to thank those who worked so hard to make this
homecoming a reality. Thank you.
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Hometown
by Clara O. Stokes
I was born in Crumpler October 5, 1928. The home is still there; stucco house
across from the Company store and 2 doors from the Post Office. My father, Dick
Orander, had a small bus line from Crumpler to Northfork and as a child I rode with
him to Northfork to go to the drugstore for a chocolate nut sundae and to the show.
My brothers Kermit, now deceased, and Don, who lives in Bluefield, drove the bus
at times. My mother, Ethel, was a faithful member of the Methodist Church and I was
active in the church and youth work. I remember fondly our Halloween parties,
scavenger hunts, and "Tacky" parties. I helped with Bible Schools at Beartown and
Prosperity. Reverend N.W. Looney, one of the Pastors, was a great influence in my
life and encouraged me to go to Asbury College in Wilmore, KY. I finished there in
1950. My days in Crumpler were busy with being a girl scout, (during World War II
we had practice black-outs and served as messengers), attending movies, (the theater
was next door to the present PostOffice), visiting my cousins up the "hollow", hiking
with my best friend Evelyn Wood and visiting Peggy Hedrick Kormondy, Evelyn
Helms Rhodes, Betty Lee Jones Charles and many others.
Crumpler was a great place to grow up in and I could go on and on with many
wonderful memories.
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rile Company Store
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by Maxine Walker
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Emmet and I came to Crumpler on a dark dreary day in the Fall of 1936. Our
first stop was at the very house we have lived in until present. It was depressing to see
our future home. The floors and wood work were painted black. However, the
carpenter crew soon had the floors stripped and varnished and the walls painted and
it was ready to move into.
Then we went to Crumpler Company Store to talk to Mr. Clyde Otey, the manager,
about a butcher's job for Mr. Walker. The Company Store was a 2-story building.
When you stepped in the door, you stepped onto an oiled wooden floor. The butchers
shop and grocery department were on the left. There were 2 radiators between the
counters in the aisle. These provided places for the men to lean and sit during their
visits to the store which were usually after work. Mr. Otey's office was in the very
back of the store. The back room housed an elevator that was operated by hand, a
flour and meal room, hardware, and the kerosene pump.
The meat shop had a big walk in freezer where they hung sides of beef, pork, etc.
The meat shop also served as a gathering place for the office crew who came in for a
coke and some conversation. Adjoining the store was the mine office where the work
records were kept and where the men would pick up their checks every two weeks.
At the end of the grocery department was a door leading to the basement. This is
where we stored the cases of food, tubs, buckets, and tools. The basement also housed
a large furnace with which the building was heated. Oh! I almost forgot! The back
of the store had a big back porch half as long as the building. Here the service trucks
unloaded their wares and Mr. Charlie Tosh loaded his truck with the groceries that
were to be delivered. Since I was the first lady clerk to be employed by the company
and it being my first job, I was horrified to see that across from the porch there was
a chicken house! When a customer came and told me they wanted a chicken, they
could either pick their own or a clerk had to do it. My first attempt at catching a
chicken was almost a disaster. I finally caught the chicken but almost let all of them
out in my haste to get out of the building.
Opposite Mr. Otey's office was the shoe department. You could get shoes for the
entire family. Across from the shoe department was an open staircase leading to the
2nd floor. The upstairs had work shoes, rubber boots, bibbed overalls, jackets, mining
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belts, mining hats, gloves, etc. It also had odds and ends and furniture.
The weekend after Thanksgiving the 2nd floor was transformed into a fairy land
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Of Proud Heritage
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Tables were laden with toys and gifts for all ages. There were Christmas
lights, decorations and artificial trees. And then, the Monday after Thanksgiving was
the grand opening of the Toy Departmentl The showcases downstairs were decorated
with gifts for the grown-ups. Everything from jewelry to fancy clothing.
After Mr. Gtey's retirement Emmett became store manager. This was when
everyone began to think we were millionaires! Of course, this was far from true.
Actually he was one of the lower paid employees in town. Yet, we never wanted for
anything.
We lived in our new home for 2 years before any of the town ladies visited and
then I think it was a white glove occasion. There seemed to be a "class distinction"
in Crumpler; one between company men and union men. There was an obvious
difference made when referring to each.
Although I did not work long at the Company store, the employees who were there
at that time were Jim Gunter, Charlie Tosh, and Susie Denny, who cleaned the office.
The office employees were the president of the company, Mr. Harry Faust and the
office manager, B.F. Wood. Bill Kulm and A.B. Pierce got lots of laughs from
embarrassing things that happened to me. For instance there was the day they sent me
.to Kimball Hardware to buy a counter stretcher. They also sent me to buy female
plugs. Again, I didn't know what I was going for. Then, there was the day a miner
came in and asked me for a "bastard file." I was so indignant that I bewildered the
man by telling him to keep a civil tongue in his mouth. Jim Gunter overheard me and
took me to the wareroom and there on one of the shelves he showed me boxes of
bastard files.
Then there was the day that I screamed so loud that all the men in the store and
office came running to see what was wrong. While cleaning the shelf where we kept
the gloves, a big rat had run across my hand.
Children who waited at the store to catch the school bus brought me everything
from a flower picked out of someone's garden to a match-box filled with a tiny snake!
The ladies came during the day to do their shopping. After the 3:00 whistle blew
the men went home to bathe and eat and they would come back to the store to talk.
There were many happy days spent at the store. But, there were bad days as well;
such as the day there was a man killed on the steps of the company store. The store
was robbed numerous times. I remember the time 2 state police officers stayed in the
store overnight hoping to catch a thief. Luckily no one was ever hurt nor was anyone
caught.
I'm sure that some of the former employees could tell you many stories. If I leave
anyone out, I apologize. Many years have gone by since the days of the "Company
Store." Some of those that I remember are Gladys Young, Inez East from Prosperity,
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Of Proud Heritage
Edward "Tight" Young, Alfred Tosh, June and Lillian Poole, Susan Kemp, Phyllis
. Thomason, Paul Combs, Bobby Byrd, Glenda Wilfong, and Richard Bailey.
-From the time we moved to Crumpler we attended the Southern Methodist Church,
across the tracks. There was also a Northern Methodist Church in the upper end. In
later years, the northern and southern churches became one. A new church was built
on the original site of the northern church and a parsonage was built by the company.
Emmett attended the Methodist Church until his death. He was a trustee and chairman
of the board for many years. I have spent my life here and in this church. We raised
two children, Ronald and Tissie, and sent them through school. Tissie went to
Marshall and Ronald went to WVU. Both were married in our Methodist Church. I
have played the organ for weddings and ftmerals. I also fonned the first choir in the
church; a youth choir.
The first thing I learned when I accepted the job as dry-goods saleslady at the
Company Store was "the customer is always right!" That was a bitter lesson to learn.
I look back over the years - they were a good ones. As I sit here in the twilight of my
years, looking back through the people I have served and met, I know that many good
mends came to me from that experience and I join in the day of Homecoming with
great pleasure and expectations. Welcome Home Friends and Loved Ones!
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Of Proud Heritage
Memories -- by Mary Jane (Gtey) FizerMemories of Crumpler,
Where can I start?
It's a town that will always be
Special in my heart.
Crumpler was such a pretty town.
Everyone seemed to have so much pride
In making it a beautiful place
For everyone to reside.
I always' felt so safe there.
We didn't have to lock our doors.
Everyone knew everyone else.
I hear it's like that no more.
I have wonderful memories
Of the time I spent there in school.
It was the most terrific place.
We learned a lot - we followed every rule.
I remember all my teachers there ­
Mrs. Hannah, Mrs. Wilburn, Mrs. Banks
Miss Bower, Miss Oliver, Miss Adams, Mrs. Ruff ­
To all of them lowe thanks.
They encouraged me to do my best.
They inspired me all the way.
Because of the great examples they set
I am a teacher today.
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Mr. Delancey's garden was a special place.
We buried our pets and dead birds there.
Rev. Looney led us in singing
And ended each funeral with a prayer.
The Post Office was the meeting place
Everyday without fail.
Many of us gathered there
To await the arrival of the mail.
39
Of Proud Heritage
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We'd stand around and visit
And talk with one and all.
For then we had no telephones
No one could we call!
We'd often get together
On Saturday nights with our friends.
We danced, we talked, we laughed a lot.
We didn't want the fun to end.
The church was a special place.
I remember every Sunday morn
We sang hymns, we prayed, heard sermons,
And rejoiced when souls were reborn.
Sunday School meant a lot to me.
We had wonderful teachers,
And Rev. Dickenson, Rev. Looney, Rev. Watson,
There couldn't be better preachers.
I still can feel the power
That their messages gave
When Mrs. Cornett testified
And Ruby Lambert prayed.
Nora Fizer was the teacher
Of our Teenage Sunday School Class,
What wonderful lessons we learned there.
Those memories will always last.
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One special memory of that class
Was the Womanless Wedding skit.
Nora laughed until she cried!
I won't say what else she did!
At the altar of the church
On Saturday, August third,
Before all our friends and family
Our wedding vows were heard.
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Of Proud Heritage
On summer Sundays, we'd often walk
Through the mines to Pinnacle Creek.
We'd play ball and have picnics.
It was the highlight of the week.
It's been fun to share these memories,
To reminisce awhile,
I hope that some of them
Will bring to you a smile!
To all the citizens of Crumpler,
All those who had a part
In making this reunion possible
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
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'.96
Jury 1996 • Issue 1
II
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.~~!;~:!;~;~;S~;~;~:;:;:;!~:O:;:;:;~~5:;·;~;:;5"S:;~;:;Y ~",.;0
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IN THE NEWS
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The
Crumpler
Citizens in Action are
proud to announce that
the "Homecoming 1996"
King and Queen are
Bradley Wishnevski and
Natalie Dalton. other
Members
of
the
Homecoming court are:
Teresa Stanley, Austin
Glover, Ashley Joyce,
Brittney Rorrer, and
Amanda Joyce.
The winners were
announced
on
Wednesday,
May 22nd
and crowned at the
Crumpler
Homecoming
Celebration on June
6th at the Park.
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King Bradley Wishnevsk i. and Queen Natalie Dahon
"~~""'06'.:'%*:::"~~';:·"'''-=-~
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A Passageway
Through Time...
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B-2
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B-3
B-4
B-5
B-6
B-7
B-8
B-9
B-10
B-11
B-12
. B-13
B-14
B-15
The Homecoming
Aerial View ofCrumpler
Old.Crumpler Methodist Church
New Methodist Church & First Church ofGod
Tipple & Picture from Bramwell Aristocrat
LamplBathHouse
Company Store
Post Office & The "Whistle" Post
School House
School Days
Crumpler Baseball Team
Town Band, Picture from Bramwell Aristocrat
Crumpler Boy Scouts
The Infamous "Tacky Party"
B-1
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United Pocahontas Coal Co.
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CRUMPLER TIPPLE was built by United Pocahontas Coal, Co. to handle the output of both the Indian Ridge and Zenith
mines. Pinnacle Creek was bridged and the Wyoming coal was also brought into the facility.
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'The Crumpler Community'
TOWN BAND provided music for important occasions, as well as socials. The band included L to R., back row) L8mue
Honaker, Edgar Sutliff, Dennis Sutliff, Chester Sutliff, Jack Holloway, John Brown, Hezlckle Fizer. (Front row), Houstol
Honaker, Willie Bradley, Claude Harris, Clyde Powers, Alvah Handy, Johnny Reed and Homer Wheeler.
B-13
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Of Proud Heritage
Te.,;timony Ofthe Discarded School House
by
Eleanor Kemp
For many years I have stood in Crumpler, there up on the hill,
Through sunshine and rain, wind, snow, hail and sleet.
Not very elaborate, but I had sturdy, wooden walls
Behind which the learned and the un-learned could meet.
I have been so proud of the good teachers that passed through my door,
Bent on shaping young minds and instilling that which would last.
Oh! It's all recorded in my thoughts of the past!
Now,they say that I'm finished, it's allover and done with...
Changes were made and things won't be the same anymore.
Some say that wooden hearts can't ache, but mine is surely aching!
For no longer will the "youngsters" be coming through my door.
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But I'm going to try to "stand tall" through the memory of it all
Of those bright, shining faces that were constantly passing through
Hoping I have given them something which won't let them forget me,
Regardless of where they shall go, or whatever they do.
May they always remember
That it was within my four walls that so many truly good works were wrought. ..
For respect for GOD, nation and flag, themselves and others was taught.
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~hltfulb g1nUD
Idigraph
C'oal
Photo courtesy of Grubb Photq
; of Laredo? Not quite
'
20th century view of Crumpler shows the type of settlements that existed throughout the Pocahontas Coalfields in McDowell County. Crumpler!
Jrk Hollow past Ashland and just shy of the Wyoming County border at Pinnacle Creek, was a United Pocahontas Coal Company town. The com,
3 is the building at the right. and Renn's Store is the first storefront on the left side of the street looking into town. Crumpler celebrp.ted "Wes1
)mecoming '96" this weekend.
'
NATIONWIDE
Insurance
COl11pany
Route 52 BluelNell
(304) 589·332&
SaRI Baker, O""ner - Agent
Pocahontas Land Corporation
Pocahontas .Development
Corporation
PO Eox 1517
Bluefield, 'WV 24 701
(304) 325-7345 .
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Tomchin's
Furniture
Company
1015 Bluefield Avenue
,Blu@f/eld, WV 24701
(~04)
327-2411
Rt. 52 Northfork,
&
423 Mercer
Princeton,
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Bennett
Widner
Funeral Home
KINGS TIRE SERVICE
III 52 BLUEWELL, WV
BLUEWELL, WV 24701
&
'bulance Services
:drthCork & Kimball
" West VIrginia
TyrFH
•••••••••••••
BFGoodrich
PHONE
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(304; 5"·3756
(304; 5"·3513
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\C & V Service
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Napa Auto Parts
Station
PO Box 369
t!iNorthfork, WV
2409 Bluefield Avenue
Bluefield, WV 14701
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l~c(304) 861-1098
(304) 325-9600
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We greatly appreciate the
DAVIDSON'S
MARKET
RT. 52
'/lDRTHFDRI(, WV
hard work and ef/ort
put /orth ty the
graphie~rt6 ::Department
ofthe me::Dowe!!Count';}
VocationalSchoo!
Steve and Sta!! ..
Jhankj!!!
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