Mingo County, West Virginia    Biography of Harvey G. VAN HOOSE

**************************************************************************
USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, 
as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is 
obtained from the contributor of the file.

These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation 
by other organizations.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this 
material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of 
the contributor.

Submitted by Valerie Crook, <vfcrook@trellis.net>, March 1999
**************************************************************************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 16-17

HARVEY G. VAN HOOSE is a practical mining man, oper-
ator and executive, with wide experience in the coal fields
of East Kentucky as well as West Virginia. For some
years past he has been president of the Winifrede-Thacker
Coal Company, whose mine is located one mile west of
Nolan, on the Norfolk & Western Railroad in Mingo County.
Mr. Van Hoose resides at the mining property. This mine
was opened in 1916, and he was organizer of the company 

Mr. Van Hoose was born in Ironton, Ohio, June 25, 1875, 
son of Moses D. and Mary (Adkins) Van Hoose. His
father, a native of Lawrence County, Kentucky, was a
pioneer in the coal developments of Eastern Kentucky. For
many years, beginning in early manhood, he was associated,
with Big Sandy coal fields. He opened the Peach Orchard,
one of the first mines opened in Eastern Kentucky, long
before railroads were built through that section and when
the coal was shipped in barges on the Big Sandy and Ohio
rivers. The Peach Orchard Mine was opened by the Great
Western Mining Company. After many years with the
Peach Orchard property Moses D. Van Hoose removed to
Knox County, Kentucky, and was with the North Jellico
Coal Company, at first as mine foreman and then superin-
tendent of mines. From Jellico he removed in 1906 to
Herrin, Illinois, where until his recent retirement he con-
tinued to be associated with mining operations. He is now
living at Herrin, at the age of seventy-two. His wife was
born in Elliott County, Kentucky, and died in 1919, at
age of sixty-six. Both were active Methodists. Moses
Van Hoose represented Lawrence and Boyd counties in
Kentucky Legislature in 1889 90, and was chairman of
committee on mines and mining and geological survey. He
has been active in democratic polities and served as chair-
man of the county committee. He is a member of the
Masons and Odd Fellows. Their six children, four sons and
two daughters, are all associated in some way with the
mines and mining industry. William, the oldest child, is
mine manager at Christopher, Illinois; Harvey G. is the
second child; Jeff is mine manager at Herrin, Illinois; R.
Lee is an operator at Cartersville, Illinois; Jennie is the
wife of B. A. Bowling, commissary manager at Harlan,
Kentucky; and Ruth is the wife of Earl Connor, mine elec-
trician of Herrin.

Harvey G. Van Hoose acquired his early education in
Lawrence County, Kentucky. He has been a constant
student, his reading covering a wide range of technical,
mining and general subjects. In 1912-13 he was a member
of the first examining board of mine inspectors in the State
of Kentucky for applicants for positions for mine foremen.
This board was under the auspices of the University of
Kentucky, which had established courses in mining. Mr.
Van Hoose took these courses himself, and to his reading
and studying he has added years of practical experience.
He is a recognized authority on coal mines. At the age of
ten years he began work in mines as a trapper boy, and has
held every position in and outside of mines up to president
of mining companies. He was for a number of years, until
1915, general manager and treasurer of the Peach Orchard
Mine. In the latter year he was made superintendent of
Majestic Collieries Company, Majestic, Kentucky, where he
remained five years. He then took over the active manage-
ment of the Winifrede-Thacker Coal Company's mine in
Mingo County.

In 1896 Mr. Van Hoose married Bessie Frank, daughter
of Conrad Frank, of Ashland, Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs.
Van Hoose kept their home at Ashland for many years.
Their only son, Harold, acquired his early education in the
schools of Ashland, was a member of the Students' Army
Training Corps, and is now in the class of 1923 at Bush
Medical College, Chicago. Mr. Van Hoose is a member of
the Methodist Church at Nolan, is independent in politics,
and is affiliated with the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commandery
and Mystic Shrine, Ashland, Kentucky.