Updated email address for submitter, Bob Moore: bobmoore49@cfl.rr.com Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 22:34:19 -0500 From: Bob Moore To: hcpd.lewisco@westvirginia.com Subject: Newburg Coal Mine Disaster The 1886 Preston County Coal Mine Disaster by Robert M. Moore On 21 January 1886, 39 coal miners lost their lives at the Orrel Coal Company in Newburg, Preston Co. WV. At 2:45 that Thursday afternoon an explosion of a gas called fire damp, resulted in the worst disaster in Preston County history. The following is an extraction of the names of the victims as well as other useful genealogical information taken from the Preston County Journal of January 28, February 4 and 11 of 1886. Clinton ALBRIGHT of Newburg, age 23. Son of David ALBRIGHT and grandson of John ALBRIGHT who lives near Kingwood. Clinton was married 24 December 1885 and is buried at Newburg. Nicholas BIRTLEY see Richard BIRTLEY. Richard BIRTLEY of Newburg, age 52. Father of Nicholas BIRTLEY, stepfather of Joseph, Harry and Thomas GUY, and stepfather-in-law of John BYER, Jr. The family came from the County Durham, England, some five years earlier and resided in Fairmont until about two months earlier, when they moved to Newburg. Richard leaves a wife and three small children. Nicholas, his son, was 15 years on age in November. Harry GUY , stepson, was 29 years old, and leaves a wife and child in England. Joseph GUY, a brother of Harry, leaves a wife and was 25 years of age in October last. Thomas GUY, another brother, was 19 years old and unmarried. John BYER, Jr. was 24 on the 29th of last October, and leaves a widow, sister of the GUY brothers. They were all buried at one time at Fairmont on 25 January, 1886. John BYER, Jr. see Richard BIRTLEY. John CARROLL of Newburg, married. Buried at Newburg. Michael CLARK of Newburg, not married. Had been in this country for two or three years, and was the only support of an aged father and six children still in Ireland. Buried at Newburg. John CONAWAY, Jr. of Newburg, age 21. Brother-in-law of Morgan FREEMAN. Buried at Barracksville, Marion County John EDWARDS of Newburg, not married. Son of Thomas EDWARDS and brother of Edward EDWARDS who drown in the mine shaft in February, 1884. A. E. FORTNEY of Newburg, not married. Brother of the wife of Arther OGDEN and of Mrs. Fred BOONE, of Palatine. Buried at Union Church on 27 January, 1886. His parents reside near Shinnston. Morgan FREEMAN of Irontown, leaves a wife and one child. Buried at Newburg. Harry GUY see Richard BIRTLEY. Joseph GUY see Richard BIRTLEY. Thomas GUY see Richard BIRTLEY. Peter HANLEY of Newburg, not married. Brother of Miss Ella HANLEY, a teacher in the Newburg public schools, and the support for his widowed mother. Buried at the Catholic Cemetery, in Grafton, on 27 January, 1886. John HORNBY of Newburg, not married. Has no relatives in this country. Buried at Newburg. Joseph JOHNSON of Newburg, was married. Besides his own family, he supported his mother and two small brothers. Buried at Union. Joseph Ross KELLY of Newburg, leaves a wife and three children in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, from where he came to Newburg. He said he left his wife and decided to stay away until she got a divorce. Buried at Newburg. Michael J. KENNY of Newburg, not married. He was sole support for his widowed mother and sister. He was the brother of Timothy KENNY, proprietor of the Kenny House at Piedmont, and of Thomas F. KENNY, bookseller and stationer at piedmont. Buried at Grafton, Taylor Co. in the Catholic cemetery on 27 January, 1886. Henry LAMBERT of Newburg, brother of John, leaves a wife and one child. Henry and his brother were the only support for their widowed mother. Buried at Newburg. John LAMBERT of Newburg, leaves a wife and one child. Brother of Henry. Buried at Newburg. Frank LAYMIRE see William LAYMIRE. William LAYMIRE Of near Independence. He and Frank were twin brothers and started work at the mine on the Monday before the explosion. Had brother who cut his throat in the Asylum at Weston. James McGOWAN of Newburg, not married. Buried at Newburg. Albert McWILLIAMS of Newburg, leaves a wife and four children. He was a laborer in the mine. Buried at Newburg. Daniel MILLER of Newburg, leaves wife and four children. Cageman at bottom of mine shaft. Buried in Newburg cemetery. J. Bird MILLER of Newburg, age 15, and the son of Daniel MILLER . He was a driver of the mules. Buried at Newburg. Frank MOON of Newburg, not married. The only support of his old widowed mother. Buried at Newburg. Newton MOORE of Newburg, leaves a wife, the sister of Frank MOON. Buried near Evansville. Arthur OGDEN of Newburg, leaves a wife and two children. Buried at Union Church on 27 January, 1886. Parents reside near Shinnston. George RIGGINS of Scotch Hill, leaves a wife and two children. Buried on Scotch Hill. William SANSBURY of Independence, age 30. Leaves a wife and three children. Buried at Grafton on 27 January, 1886, in the Bluemont Cemetery. Andrew SCOTT of Scotch Hill, not married. Buried on Scotch Hill. C. Wilber SPENCER of Newburg, not married. Buried near Evansville. Isaiah TIMMONS of Newburg, age 47. Fire and pit boss. Leaves wife and four children. Wife is soon to give birth to another child. Buried in Newburg cemetery William TIMMONS of Newburg, age 14. He was the door keeper in the shaft. His job was to open and close the doors for the driver of the mules. He was the son of Isaiah. Buried at Newburg. Charles TUNLEY of Newburg, age 20. Leaves wife and infant son. Driver in the mine. Son of James TUNLEY of Lyon District. Buried at Newburg. Jacob H. WEAVER of Independence, age 36. He leaves a wife and five children. Buried at Independence. John Alvis WEAVER of Independence, age 30. Not married and is the brother of Jacob above. Buried at Independence. Adolph WEIN of Newburg, age 24. Married 24 December, 1885. -- * Robert M. Moore bobmoore@earthlink.net * * 11224 57th Rd. North Home Phone 407-795-4100 * * Royal Palm Bch. FL 33411 Fax Number 407-790-0435 Note: This file may be freely distributed but not sold.