~ 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