Of Proud Heritage

CRUMPLER CITIZENS IN ACTION ' P. O. BOX 95 "~

CRUMPLER, WV 24825.

PIpNJudJJerilage lJ"~

1996 Homecoming

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 6

Poem by Carolyn J. Jones

The Homecoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

S~5tOry of Crumpler

Articlefrom Welch Daily News 9 Crumpler's Veterans ofWar 11 Dedication ofMemorial Window 12 Articlefrom Bramwell Aristocrat A-1

I aIes of the Past

School Days Gladys Adams 13

A Nostalgic Journey Alice Bailey 16

The Whistle Post Louise Bailey 18

The Coal Miner Judy Joyce Crews 19

Crumpler and Happiness Loretta Lusk Dieringer 21

Old History Thelma Vale Gibson : 22

My 70 Years Fred "Chicken" Iddings 23

Reflections Ernest "Punch" Joyce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Crumpler Days ofYore Robert 'Bob' Maxwell 32

Hometown Clara O. Stokes 35

The Company Store Maxine Walker 36

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? :'e=~ ~y :Mary Jane (Otey) Fizer

J1emories ofCrumpler 39

,'.:C C~TIery

A Passageway Through Time , B-1

? :,e::: ":'}, Eleanor Kemp

Testimony Ofthe Discarded School House 42

,';.J.:-es:::;; Log 43

-\.:·,e:-::sements C-1

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Agenda

Friday, July 5, 1996

Wiener Roast/Bonfire " 6:00pm Oldies Music

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 10:00 am Open Podium

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July 6, 1996

Dear Friends:

WELCOME to everyone!

This reunion has been made possible by the Crumpler Citizens in Action -- a grass roots, non­politiCal 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 ofthis I would like to say, "THANK YOU, and congratulations on ajob well done!"

S~~elY, ()

I~'LC~)('L~&~-vr Diane Bailey . _) President

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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 ofour 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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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

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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HISTORY

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.

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. " .

.This community (Crwnpler) was known as Burke's Garden for several years. A reminder

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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 ofBland 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 ofBen Crumpler, once a conductor on the N & W railway, and later promoted toroadmaster on the sanie system.

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Crumpler's Veterans of War

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

Danny Adams Fred Adams Llama Adams Maggie Adams Oscar Adams Chet Anderson JeffAnderson 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

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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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

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

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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.

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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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 UnlledPocahofllo.• 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"

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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. UNITED POCAHONTAS Company StOI"l also housed the Supertntendents

Story Oil Page 8 office. like the tippllives on in many ratland Pinnacle Creek

e that stood behInd It,

mines. red miners memorIes,

the structura Is gone today, but as does the IndIan Ridge, Zenith

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~ram1U£U l Ari6tnrrat 'Published in the Historic CapUo! of the Coalfields'

V.oL 105, l'Io. 8 Ilra,m••n. West Virginia 24715 "\U~U!l 1'193 1S~

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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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Northfork Ilollow - Part III

Crumpler - At the E'nd:,ofthe'Lfne The United Pocahcmlo.• (,'001 Company, 'm.•

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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 50­cents 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 Com­mission 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. 'fh", mountain location (at 2,700 ft elevation! provjdes cooler summers and colder willt.",r:~.

G.lnclys l\dams complains that "it sI

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.

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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

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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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 ofone 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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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 ofEducation, 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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A Nostalgic Journey...

... through Crumpler as seen through the eyes ofAlice Bailey

My life in Crumpler began in March of 1946. 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 ofbrown, but all the more cherished when we meet them and are greeted with lovely smiles. I 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

I I 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

I I 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

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I am, an old friend in Christ, Alice M. Bailey

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" WHISTLE POST" What was the" Whistle Post?"

by Louise Bailey

The Whistle Post is a landmark that has been in Crumpler for 75 to 80 years.

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

I 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

I reminded those who worked on the evening shift that it was nearing time to report to

I 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

I blew; walking along whistling, swinging his dinner bucket, always exchanging a kind

I 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

I different codes. According to where the fire was, the whistle blew a certain number

I 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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The Coal Miner

by Judy Joyce Crews

Tbe 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 three­foot-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 offreedom 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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Old History

by Thelma Vale Gibson, 83 years

T0 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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..I··· ':;;; iJ - - -GIBSON- -­

'Son of Gih'

It seems apparent that this old family name was adopted from the name ofGILBERT. 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 ofBristol, 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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-~I My 70 Years

by Fred "Chicken" Iddings

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 ofboys 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 ofMr. 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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Of Proud Heritage

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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Reflections

by Emest "Punch" Joyce

T his history that I, Ernest Joyce, will give of the community of Crumpler is

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 ofmy 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

t 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

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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 theI 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. t, 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 r 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.

I Looney. The line of Pastors for the Methodist Church from 1901 is as follows: Reverend

I 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.

I 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 1< Smearsan.

The pastors who served the southern Methodist church are as follows; H.M. Boyd,

I B.C. Wise, J.F. Benton, G.K. Patty, Z.D. Holbrook, Henry Dearn, McConnell,

I 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

I ran into Crumpler. The train brought mail two times each day. The students going

I 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

1:1

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. r

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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Of Proud Heritage

r 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 L

I , 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

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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

I 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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Crumpler Days ofYore

by Bob Maxwell

I 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) ofyour 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

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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

I 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.

1< 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

I is still standing. Maybe a trip once more to Pinnacle Creek for one last glimpse is in

', .the cards?

I For some of the old miners, let me mention some of the old familiar places. What .'

I, 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.

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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 ifwe kids were playing down in Greenfield hollow,

I up at Two Rocks, or in the flats, we could hear it and be home in record time if need

I· 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 ofbaseball 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 I'·; practically every Sunday. Remember the Crumpler Cardinals?

Weather permitting, there was a wiener roast almost every Friday and/or Saturday I 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?

I· 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

by Maxine Walker

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 offood, 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 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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r~··· for children. 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 ofthe 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) Fizer-

Memories 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.

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.

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We'd stand around and visit And talk with one and all. I

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.

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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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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Jury 1996 • Issue 1

'.96 II

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

I I Amanda Joyce.

The winners were announced on Wednesday, May 22nd and crowned at the Crumpler Homecoming

J Celebration on June 6th at the Park.

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A Passageway Through Time...

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"

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New Methodist Church & First Church of God

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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Lamp/Bath House

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School Days

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Crumpler Baseball Team

'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.

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Crumpler Boy Scouts

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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.

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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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

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Corporation ~..

PO Eox 1517 Bluefield, 'WV 24701

(304) 325-7345 . C-2 The Thoroughbred

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• T Pontiac Buick -'-Jeep Eagle

1015 Bluefield Avenue ,Blu@f/eld, WV 24701

(~04) 327-2411

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Bennett Widner

Funeral Home &

'bulance Services :drthCork & Kimball " West VIrginia

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Tomchin's Furniture Company

Rt. 52 Northfork, wv &

423 Mercer Princeton, wv

KINGS TIRE SERVICE III 52 BLUEWELL, WV BLUEWELL, WV 24701

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BFGoodrich

PHONE , (304; 5"·3756 (304; 5"·3513

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\C & V Service Station

'i"! .. · PO Box 369 t!iNorthfork, WV ~~;. U868 l~c(304) 861-1098 ";iiJ};).:;f:,.;:)::. "

DAVIDSON'S MARKET

RT. 52 '/lDRTHFDRI(, WV

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Napa Auto Parts

2409 Bluefield Avenue Bluefield, WV 14701

(304) 325-9600

We greatly appreciate the

hard work and ef/ort

put /orth ty the

graphie~rt6 ::Department

ofthe me::Dowe!!Count';}

VocationalSchoo! Steve andSta!! ..

Jhankj!!! 'I 'I