Four States #20 mine survivors make it to another reunion

The most remarkable thing about the 9^th reunion of former Four States Mine #20 miners is that so many are still alive. After all, coal mining has been the most dangerous occupation in America, with statistics to prove it, for a century.

Everyone knows that more than 500 died in the twin Monongah mines explosions in 1907. Nearly 4,000 coal miners died in America that year.

This year’s reunion took place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Parrish Run Park on Four States Road. Only former Four States miners and their survivors attended.

Jim Davis, Class of 1964, provided the photo on his Facebook page. Jim, who lives in Monongah, has been a mechanic/electrician at Four States Mine #20, Purglove #15 and Robinson Run #95. He also has Fairmont State and West Virginia University in his resume.

Jim is big on reunions. He strived mightily and successfully to get his Class of 1964 to attend the 2014 Monongah High Alumni Reunion, which was the 50^th anniversary of their graduation from Lionsville. Among those who showed up were Sandra Ashcraft, Donald Bragg, Monongah High Alumni Association board member Jim Gandy, Raymond Greynolds, Shockey Mayle, Fred Moorehead, Michael Mudry, Patricia Beccaloni Murphy, Larry Myers, Gary Myers, Harriet Kovacevich Nelon, Bob Nichols, George Postlethwait, Carolyn Caffee Roach, Margaret Stottlemire, Irene Vozniak Stroud, Rocky Tetrick, George Leroy Thompson, Jerry Thompson, Stan Vance, Linda Willis and, of course, Jim Davis.

Four States – the mine and the town – began in 1911 as Annabelle, named  after Annabelle Jones, daughter of Pittsburg-Buffalo Annabelle Coal Company co-owner Thomas Jones. Four States operated the Annabelle No. 1 mine continuously until 1932. It was reopened in 1938 as the Four States. Later, both the mine and the town names changed to Four States.

The next reunion with be Aug. 16, 2016.

Hopefully, everyone in this photo will be around for that one, too.