I have lived in Southern WV all my nearly seventy years and I love this old lady West Virginia. Many people don't understand us and some make fun of us but they don't understand our way of life. I grew up poor financialy even though my Dad worked hard every day. But I was never hungry, afraid or sad, thanks to my parents making me rich in a better way. I thank God that he allowed me to grew up and grew old in the greatest state in the United States. I will never leave my beloved mountains and plan to become literally a permanent part of them in the end. Mountaineers are always free.
My great grandfather died in a mine explosion in AmEagle … I don’t even think that’s a town anymore. I have one of his headlamps… I imagine it’s 150yrs old at least. My grandmother was 3 when he died. She’s been gone 23yrs . I’m 54. When my dad passed away last April … he left it to me. Very cool piece of history.
This brought back such good memories. I was born in same hospital in Welch and as a kid saw Dr Vega I think that’s the correct spelling. And like she said we never worried about locking doors and everyone knew everyone for the most part now people don’t even know their neighbors
McDowell County girl!! Like my dad used to say, growing up in the Weyanoke Coal and Coke Camp in Mercer County, WV..."we were poor, but we didn't know it". Between gardens and hunting, we never went hungry. And our parents loved us and raised us in blue collar Christian homes.
I'm a miner I work in tunnels in California, on the west slope Sierra Nevadas near Tahoe, its solid granite and always 4 to 10 inches of water in the piss ditch it's hard work but we have clean air always coal mines are bad places to be thanks man ✌️❤️🇺🇸😎
@@usabadass8775 back in the 1910's - 1950's it was low pay for extremely dangerous work. At least today's miner (like yourself) usual make a very good wage and are much safer...but still in dangerous. As noted above, my great grandfather and grandfather were Above Ground Mine Forman's at Weyanoke. Dad briefly worked in the mines for about a year before WWII began. Dad enlisted in early 1942 and went on to serve in the US Army Air Force in the 20th USAAF, 7TH Army Air Corp, 414th Fighter/ Bomber Group, 413th F/ B Squadron on Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. He was considered a Combat Veteran in the South Pacific Campaign. After returning home, to mom. He had a choice of being a Virginia State Trooper or Class A Transmission Lineman for Appalachian Power Company in Bluefield, WV. He took the later. Mom & dad raised us 7 kids (I'm the youngest) in a Blue Collar Christian home, just like they were raised. All 7 siblings worked our own ways through college and went on to do well. I just turned 60yo in February. All 7 kids are now retired.
Coalwood girl here, I was born in Grace Hospital, too. Coalwood was the nicest, cleanest little town in the county when I was growing up. The mine closing, and the bad floods have obliterated the town I knew. Some people take pride in their homes and try to keep them nice, others not so much. I try not to go back, because every time it looks worse, but every now and then I drive over and take a ride through town (I live in Virginia, near Bristol--I'll always be close to mountains, wherever I live). It's almost unrecognizable now. I would never have gone back there to live, but hate what's happened to Coalwood and all the little towns in McDowell County. 💔 Maybe the ATV trails can help bring things back to some extent. It's beautiful country that deserves to be seen.
It is so good to view another excellent video. Thank you so very much for this informative video. This lady was great. Gosh! She told it was it was. My grandfather was a foreman for a coal company, but he passed away before I came into this world. My grandmother used to share stories about him. Cynthia Rylant, a children's author who lived in WV most of her life, wrote a delightful book, "When I Was Young and Lived in the Mountains" which tells the story of her grandfather coming home from the coal mines. Rlylant goes into some detail about what it's like to live in a coal mining camp to give the children about the company store and so on. She is my very favorite female children's author. Just wanted to say thank you again for this awesome video. By the way, I hope your family had a wonderful Easter and that your little girl like the activity and books which I sent.
Another wonderful, interesting video! My Grandfather worked in the mines in Virginia and passed early from black lung disease! God bless the miners and their families! Thanks Melody and Shane!!! ♥️
Great interview! I grew up in a small town in Va. in the 60s. Everyone knew each other and looked after all of us kids and I can never remember my parents locking the house up.
Great video and story. I hear this last loud and clear. I grew up the same way in the Hurley/Blackey, VA area. My father and older brother worked in the coal mines. Dad had his back brook three times and my older brother had his back brook once. So they decided to move north so the younger kids could find a better way of life. We all made a living but sometimes we talked moving back to Va. But we never did. It would be great if they could find a new trade to make the South Rule again. Coal mines are great but very dangerous. There has to be a better way. God bless everyone in the South. ""Thumbs up to your video and Tammy Gibson.
Great video once again y’all. I so miss the time this lady was talking about when you did not lock your doors. It was like that all over America at one time in The small towns anyway. It’s so sad to think we will never go back to those seemingly innocent times. 😢 Anyway, sure hope that baby is doing well.
Anything is possible, especially if God wills it. That said it is not very likely. More likely is a division of the country into two or more different ones. Perhaps in one of those you won’t need to lock your doors like the olden days. 😊
Isn't that where the Rocket Boys were from? I live in (central) Ohio, but I'm considering retirement in W. VA. I'm just not sure about the taxes on retirement, social security, and such. All the Best! 73 DE W8LV BILL
My Mom was Raised in Wilco. My Grand Parents had a house way down there I remember going under a bridge to get to her house it was a low bridge and there house was right there. My Grand Father worked for the Railroad. His name was Charles Clark. I ❤Going down there for two weeks in the summer and then had to come back home in Massachusetts. What a big difference but the people down there are so so much nicer. 52 was the way to get there. Much nicer people down South than living in Massachusetts. I can say that. Awesome people down Home I still call it. ❤
I worked in Dudley Massachusetts for about six months in a cotton mill teaching people how to work on machines. I’m from North Carolina and it was a complete culture shock. People had attitude for no reason and the way they drive was crazy. Krispy Kreme doughnuts we’re not the same there as they are here believe it or not. There were so many differences I couldn’t wait to get back home and not go back.
@@larrybuckner8619 I don’t blame you it is way different up north than down south you people are so much nicer it hurts my heart to know how much of a difference there is between Dudley mass than the south. You folks have a much bigger heart ♥️ and they are crazy I was brought up in Dudley I moved and now living in a way better place. I am glad you wrote this.
I have lived in Southern WV all my nearly seventy years and I love this old lady West Virginia. Many people don't understand us and some make fun of us but they don't understand our way of life. I grew up poor financialy even though my Dad worked hard every day. But I was never hungry, afraid or sad, thanks to my parents making me rich in a better way. I thank God that he allowed me to grew up and grew old in the greatest state in the United States. I will never leave my beloved mountains and plan to become literally a permanent part of them in the end. Mountaineers are always free.
I grew up in Welch my dad worked in the coal mine they men do work hard for there families miss my home place love West Virginia
My great grandfather died in a mine explosion in AmEagle … I don’t even think that’s a town anymore. I have one of his headlamps… I imagine it’s 150yrs old at least. My grandmother was 3 when he died. She’s been gone 23yrs . I’m 54. When my dad passed away last April … he left it to me. Very cool piece of history.
This brought back such good memories. I was born in same hospital in Welch and as a kid saw Dr Vega I think that’s the correct spelling. And like she said we never worried about locking doors and everyone knew everyone for the most part now people don’t even know their neighbors
Great video Shane and Melody thanks for sharing 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you 🙏
McDowell County girl!!
Like my dad used to say, growing up in the Weyanoke Coal and Coke Camp in Mercer County, WV..."we were poor, but we didn't know it". Between gardens and hunting, we never went hungry. And our parents loved us and raised us in blue collar Christian homes.
I'm a miner I work in tunnels in California, on the west slope Sierra Nevadas near Tahoe, its solid granite and always 4 to 10 inches of water in the piss ditch it's hard work but we have clean air always coal mines are bad places to be thanks man ✌️❤️🇺🇸😎
@@usabadass8775 back in the 1910's - 1950's it was low pay for extremely dangerous work. At least today's miner (like yourself) usual make a very good wage and are much safer...but still in dangerous.
As noted above, my great grandfather and grandfather were Above Ground Mine Forman's at Weyanoke. Dad briefly worked in the mines for about a year before WWII began. Dad enlisted in early 1942 and went on to serve in the US Army Air Force in the 20th USAAF, 7TH Army Air Corp, 414th Fighter/ Bomber Group, 413th F/ B Squadron on Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. He was considered a Combat Veteran in the South Pacific Campaign. After returning home, to mom. He had a choice of being a Virginia State Trooper or Class A Transmission Lineman for Appalachian Power Company in Bluefield, WV. He took the later. Mom & dad raised us 7 kids (I'm the youngest) in a Blue Collar Christian home, just like they were raised. All 7 siblings worked our own ways through college and went on to do well. I just turned 60yo in February. All 7 kids are now retired.
Coalwood girl here, I was born in Grace Hospital, too. Coalwood was the nicest, cleanest little town in the county when I was growing up. The mine closing, and the bad floods have obliterated the town I knew. Some people take pride in their homes and try to keep them nice, others not so much. I try not to go back, because every time it looks worse, but every now and then I drive over and take a ride through town (I live in Virginia, near Bristol--I'll always be close to mountains, wherever I live). It's almost unrecognizable now. I would never have gone back there to live, but hate what's happened to Coalwood and all the little towns in McDowell County. 💔 Maybe the ATV trails can help bring things back to some extent. It's beautiful country that deserves to be seen.
Great video! I loved the interview. I love to hear stories about the coal miners. They worked so hard!! ♥️♥️
Interesting and nice interview. Thanks.
2 of my favorite CZcamsrs! I wish I had a side kick to travel around with. Thanks for all your videos.
It is so good to view another excellent video. Thank you so very much for this informative video. This lady was great. Gosh! She told it was it was. My grandfather was a foreman for a coal company, but he passed away before I came into this world. My grandmother used to share stories about him. Cynthia Rylant, a children's author who lived in WV most of her life, wrote a delightful book, "When I Was Young and Lived in the Mountains" which tells the story of her grandfather coming home from the coal mines. Rlylant goes into some detail about what it's like to live in a coal mining camp to give the children about the company store and so on. She is my very favorite female children's author. Just wanted to say thank you again for this awesome video. By the way, I hope your family had a wonderful Easter and that your little girl like the activity and books which I sent.
Another wonderful, interesting video! My Grandfather worked in the mines in Virginia and passed early from black lung disease! God bless the miners and their families! Thanks Melody and Shane!!! ♥️
Happy Wednesday 😊!Awesome video! My dad and I were WV coal miners. Thanks for sharing and safe travels!
Thank you so much, Michael. God bless the coal miners
Thank you for another amazing video!!
Great interview! I grew up in a small town in Va. in the 60s. Everyone knew each other and looked after all of us kids and I can never remember my parents locking the house up.
Great video and story. I hear this last loud and clear. I grew up the same way in the Hurley/Blackey, VA area. My father and older brother worked in the coal mines. Dad had his back brook three times and my older brother had his back brook once. So they decided to move north so the younger kids could find a better way of life. We all made a living but sometimes we talked moving back to Va. But we never did. It would be great if they could find a new trade to make the South Rule again. Coal mines are great but very dangerous. There has to be a better way. God bless everyone in the South. ""Thumbs up to your video and Tammy Gibson.
Great interview
Thank you Shane and Melody for another great video; we appreciate you!
Great video! WV proud! Thank you!
Beautiful
Thanks for sharing!
Great video once again y’all. I so miss the time this lady was talking about when you did not lock your doors. It was like that all over America at one time in The small towns anyway. It’s so sad to think we will never go back to those seemingly innocent times. 😢
Anyway, sure hope that baby is doing well.
Anything is possible, especially if God wills it. That said it is not very likely. More likely is a division of the country into two or more different ones. Perhaps in one of those you won’t need to lock your doors like the olden days. 😊
Isn't that where the Rocket Boys were from? I live in (central) Ohio, but I'm considering retirement in W. VA. I'm just not sure about the taxes on retirement, social security, and such. All the Best! 73 DE W8LV BILL
They do tax pensions there, some. But the cost of living is soooo much less than Columbus. A lot of the housing is half what you pay in Columbus.
Caretta still mines coal
Man y'all look tired whats up with that?
My Mom was Raised in Wilco. My Grand Parents had a house way down there I remember going under a bridge to get to her house it was a low bridge and there house was right there. My Grand Father worked for the Railroad. His name was Charles Clark. I ❤Going down there for two weeks in the summer and then had to come back home in Massachusetts. What a big difference but the people down there are so so much nicer. 52 was the way to get there. Much nicer people down South than living in Massachusetts. I can say that. Awesome people down Home I still call it. ❤
I worked in Dudley Massachusetts for about six months in a cotton mill teaching people how to work on machines. I’m from North Carolina and it was a complete culture shock. People had attitude for no reason and the way they drive was crazy. Krispy Kreme doughnuts we’re not the same there as they are here believe it or not. There were so many differences I couldn’t wait to get back home and not go back.
@@larrybuckner8619 I don’t blame you it is way different up north than down south you people are so much nicer it hurts my heart to know how much of a difference there is between Dudley mass than the south. You folks have a much bigger heart ♥️ and they are crazy I was brought up in Dudley I moved and now living in a way better place. I am glad you wrote this.
West Virginia folks are amazing 👍🏻👍🏻