Wednesday, August 5, 2009

~ A Great Coal Miner ~



Hi friends~

I hope everyone is having a great week! I wanted to share a new treasure with you. My Great Grandfather was a coal miner & I just received his certificate to serve as foreman of the coal mines. It's in rough condition but I straightened it out as much as possible and framed it. If anyone has any tips on how to preserve this better or make it less crinkly~ please let me know.

{ click to enlarge }


This is dated the 22nd day of March 1948.

Yes, my great grandfather was a coal miner and later became a true southern baptist minister. My great grandparents married in 1933 on Halloween. They didn't get married that day because it was Halloween in fact they claimed they didn't realize it was Halloween until later on that day. It was the first day after he proposed that the coal mining whistle didn't blow. Can you imagine getting proposed to and not knowing what 'day' you will be married? They had to have their marriage license for a minimum of 30 days and grandpa couldn't afford to take a day off work so he told her that the first day the coal mine whistle doesn't blow he would be by to pick her up. True to his word the bell didn't ring that morning of October 31, 1933 and she was ready when he arrived. Isn't that something? True love indeed.

Unfortunately, I don't remember my great grandmother; she passed away when I was a 1 1/2 years old { breast cancer }. Granddaddy passed when I was 12 from 'black lung'.....from working in the coal mines. I remember going golfing with him ~ we would eat doughnuts and he even taught me to drive the golf cart. One time I caught a lizard and gave to him as a 'present' and he thought it was the BEST gift ever. :)

I am proud that Mammaw gave me this certificate...she must have known that I would treasure it always.... and I will.

Thank you for letting me share.

Big hugs~ J


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Jessica! What a true treasure! You know, you could lay a thin paper or a piece of a thin fabric (white) over this certificate and iron it on the dry setting at not too hot a temp and it may help. I've done this before.
Wonderful love story about your ggparents! I love it that you care so much about your ancestry! So many young ones, like you, don't! What treasures to pass on down to your Genius someday.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

onlymehere said...

This is a wonderful story! I love how they picked the day they were to be married. It sounds actually romantic! With my love of geneology I'd love to have something like this. My aunt actually gave me an original copy of my parents engagement picture and I treasure it. They didn't have wedding pictures. They were supposed to get married in December but my dad's mother died so they put it off two weeks and got married in January. No fanfare, just simple wedding like so many were during World War II. I'm glad your mammaw gave you this. I'm sure she knows you'll treasure it! Nicholas is still holding steady today. That's a very good thing. Me

nikkicrumpet said...

It's so cool you have a treasure from your great grandfather. What a special gift. I hope someone has the secret to making it smooth and straight again. It's good to see your smiling face again! I missed my visits here.

Queenie's Vintage Finds said...

How sweet! I loved hearing the story of how your great grandparents became married. This document a treasure...I can only imagine how hard it was and is to coal mine. I have always loved that movie "A Coal Miners Daughter" the story of Loretta Lynn. I know you are so proud to have this family treasure now framed, and I bet Mawmaw is so proud to pass it down to you...
Thanks for stopping by...I'm glad to be back to blogging more too! By the way...What color are you thinking of painting your bedroom? I would love to paint ours too, but I can't even begin to imagine moving the heavy furniture from around the walls to paint! LOL! Maybe one day I will! I'd love to have it painted.
I hope you have a great day!
Big Hugs,
Queenie

Lindsay-ann said...

Hi Jessica
Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of your family history with us. I am sure it will be treasured in your family forever.
Lindsay
x

~♥~ Monica S said...

What a great gift! And what a treasure... AND what a wonderful story!! :-)
lamination is what will keep it "fresh" forever!!

Hugs!
Monica