The old structure is still up there on Pine Mountain. My Mom was a nurse at the hospital there (where I was born in 66). Ralph was born August 16, 1964 in Harlan to the late Ralph and Delores Moore Osborne. Maybe they never left. I lived through that strike, my dad was in charge of security for Eastover, so I guess that made him the head gun thug to many. Your Great Grandfather John D. and my Grandfather Brack H. were brothers and my Grandmother Geanie and your Great Grandmother Jeanette were sisters. Again, they are excluded because of lack of isolation. I was born in Pike Co. in 1960 and in my 53 yrs. My parents didnt ever say much about their lives or or about my Grandfathers as both of them met violent deaths back then. This was the day that I learned that when we turned the corner at Pineville, my wife changed languages and I needed an translator.. I live in the city now, and raised my daughters here. The obvious beingwe are just like you and every one else. Its bleak. I would sometimes go out and spend a month or two with my grandparents and spend some nights with other family members in Harlan and Bell counties. my growing up years were behind the old telephone company next to Robinette Chevrolet which was across from the old Macks Supper Market and down the street from Hackneys. . Two of my best friends were Steve Farley and Jamie Helton. My mother drove through Brookside to go to work every day, so I also know the strike was real. Once you push too far north, you get out of the mountains, and we have to exclude you. It is a tragedy what Black Jewell Coal company has done to honest, hard working coal My dad grew up in Evarts. There is no Holiday Inn Express in Harlan. (She died in 1995, and I am so glad to have such good and often funny memories of her.) My husband has worked in low coal where one had to crawl to get to your section. We live in McCreary Co now, so still SEKY. Nothing came easy for Dad but he never complained. Who We Are. Im class of 83. E Hudson. He was a clerk there. Jenny Lynn (Saylor) Moore I was born and raised in Wallins ,lived there until I was 28 moved to Florida w/ My husband David Moore from Graysknob, we both graduated from James A. Cawood, My heart is still in the mountains, you can take the girl out of the country but you cant take the country out of the girl, we long to come back some someday Lord willing, I am a Harlan girl to the bone. Some of these folks do leave Harlana lot of them, in fact. Thats righttheyll pretend. Genealogy profile for Basil M. Collins Genealogy for Basil M. Collins (1908 - 1979) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. It's hard to take Basil seriously until he's shooting. I worked with them both at Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital in the late 60s, early 70s. A bazillion of cousins to play with..mountains to explore..farm animals to learn about, a total difference than city life on a quiet street just across from Fort McPherson Army Base. You mustve been a good student, John. Well.. Blue Ridge Funeral & Cremation Service 7626 Highway 213 Mars Hill, NC 28754 Phone: (828) 680-0287 Fax: (828) 680-9965 Email: Most of us pass through this phase at some point. When he grew up, he moved west to Colorado and became a hard rock miner for the next 40 years. A mouthy little man like me finds out the hard way that bad is good, but big is better. We know trash when we see it, and Im not talking about garbage pick up. The vast majority of Harlan Countians are proud to be from Harlan. He said that I was making the county look bad. We didnt all drink Mountain Dew as babies. They may be from such places as Shields, Jones Creek, Smith, Cranks, Punkin Center or Happy Top, although I can name you folks from all those places who have done quite well for themselves. I went to Business College, married my daddys cousin (you had to know that was coming didnt you). I bet I heard them talking about you. The distance a miner had to walk and how time was looked at was in 15-minute increments. The original Mount Aire Motel was on Pine Mountain, and it burned down in the 70s. | Coal Troll's Blog, I stumbled across your blog and enjoyed much. I must say it is a great read. What year, and how did he die (or is he still alive)? And Misty, April and I grew up together. My mother grew up in Cumberland and knew tons of Creeches from up that way. It has been both fascinating and sad as well to learn so much about the history, struggles, strength and resilience of the Harlan countians. These are the folks who stayed in Harlan. Thanks for the great story. Contents 1 County Information 1.1 Description 1.2 County Courthouse 1.3 Harlan County, Kentucky Record Dates 1.4 Record Loss 1.5 Boundary Changes 1.6 Populated Places 1.7 History Timeline Harlan County USAdivides us into two groups: Those that love it and those that hate it. You went up 119 to the Loyall turnoff, and youre absolutely right: Any Harlan Countian who turns the corner at Pineville changes languages! She went back to Harlan as soon as she was discharged. We are our own world. my husband was raised knowing your dad and all your family I love your blog. Many people watch the FX series Justified. My mother taught at Evarts for many years. If its easy, theres nothing better. I live in Northern KY now but all my family still resides in Harlan so I visit a lot. February 23, 2023. Most of my old mean crowd are dead. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. They dont like being from Harlan. Dad used have him mow for us sometimes. Barbara Kopple Reflects on Joys and Dangers of Filming 'Harlan County, USA'. A meeting of the Brookside women's support group. My dad was certainly a bad ass, growing up in a time and place that required that to survive. I made another U turn and started back toward Harlan at a much slower pace and was directed to take the Loyall turn off. Ive really enjoyed reading this article. That I can remember but I cant find my car in the parking lot? he passed away in 2013. his wife, jan, passed back in february of this year. Now 75, Chester has endured his share of losses. Thanks. Bertha was proceeded in death by her mother Eveda Williams and her father George Adams She is survived by her husband Danny D Little, her children Christopher Shawn Little, Rosalie Peral Brown, Chadwick Darrel Little, and Aaron Daniel Little. U can take me out of Ky. but u cant take Ky out of me!!!!!! Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as: names, dates, place of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships. I just said, hey, he was my neighbor. .I didnt think to ask them while they were alive. I had friend in Sunshine growing up. Still consider Harlan County as home. One hell of a nice fellow. We didnt have that problem when I lived there. Its nice to remember, though. Oh, people still get shot occasionally but at much lower rate than wed like you to believe. Love love love Harlan County Kentucky and the people. Collins starts flinging the N-word at a black miner at one point, apparently to make himself come off as that much more evil. | Coal Troll's Blog, https://thetrivialtroll.com/2012/03/10/adventures-in-hitchhiking/, ALL ABOARD THE NERVE GAS TRAIN! I will never be ashamed of where I grew up. Since Ive been gone, Harlanlike all of Eastern Kentuckyhas been devastated by prescription drug abuse. Weve been in the Lexington area since then, but we still say back home when we are talking about Neon and Jenkins. I live in Lee Co,Ky. They lived near Dionne along the river there. I raised my daughter hereBTW she has owned a successful swimming pool and fence company here for 35 yrs. Dont say we are not eastern Kentuckians because we dont speak your slang, or live the life that people from harlin county do. My ancestors settled Smith, hence its name, and Im proud of it being off the grid. I guess Ive waited too many years to ask, but it would be nice if someone knew of him or my other Grandfather Bill Randolph. If you do so, you wont be called a bigot or a phobe of any type. It even had an old balcony whererumor had itblack folks used to be seated. For many years now, Harlan has had a multi-screen cinema. We like people to think wed kill them for some trivial reason. Different, but nice. It still is in some ways, although it has been many years since the United Mine Workers Association held great sway. Howdy, We went to the movies most weekends and to every football and basketball game. Advertisement. I have always considered Harlan my second home. Ann was born to the late Shady and Alkie Saylor Fugate of Molus, KY on February 22, 1943. She would forever remain his Georgia Peach. Ive been gone for 20+ years now. My friends still tell me you can take the girl out of Eastern Kentucky, but you cant take the Eastern Kentucky out of the girl. All my mothers family is from Harlan (Baxter, Big Laurel, Loyall) and my heart is there. Oh, well. of life I have lived in Chicago, IL., Ypsilanti, MI., Charleston, W. Va., so I know all to well about the differences of living in Eastern KY & a big city. I wonder why they went to Harlan to get married. The road to lexington did get better tho. I remember an encounter with the business end of a 38 special at the Smith lake boat ramp late one night. Of course, it doesnt. My dad was a teacher at JACHS from 1962 to 1968. None of my schools still exist. Pingback: ALL ABOARD THE NERVE GAS TRAIN! Box 102, Oswego, New York 13126. When she made this movie, Kopple was one of the bravest filmmakers working. They just inflict harm. I never got a straight story from my parents and possibly they didnt know why or what happened. Maybe they were hoping to see (or experience) some kind of catastrophe. We can be called ignorant, inbred, genetically inferior, toothless, shoelessyou name it. I have been told that he worked harder than 3 men. We know at least one person whose mother was really their grandmother, and sister was their mother. I grew up in the town of Harlan, at the bottom of Ivy Hill. He used to go visit with Norman during the strike. Grew up in Loyall. Harlan County, Kentucky: UMWA on a 13-month strike at Brookside mines and on the pick line at Highsplint mine. Still have a few family members there and many friends. Raised with his brother Dale and cousins. https://thetrivialtroll.com/2012/03/10/adventures-in-hitchhiking/. I have a heavy heavy accent. Spent a lot of time at the top of the hill up Watts Creek. I loved it AFTER the mob left that came to my door the day I moved in, demanding to know Who are you and what are you doing here? The previous mentioned Clarence E. Leonard is my Uncle. Debbie Elaine Absher February 23, 2023 (72 years old) View obituary. Stumbled across your post. Youve made me think about Harlan all day today and its been a good day. He evidently hasnt been to Harlan lately. Required fields are marked *. They go to other parts of the state or country and live as ex-Harlan Countians. Good memories there. You dont see that every day. Been back very few times. Any of that sound familiar, Pingback: SoWhere Are You From? Hart Perry as Director of Photography. Welcome to Harlan County! In the summer a friends Dad (The Blantons) would take us up the river in his pickup and wed spend the day floating back in rafts in the summer or wed spend all day at the city pool. My dad taught there from 66 96. People may had been living on Government cheese when you grew up and the first may had been like a amusement park, but all that has changed. A miner was killed by a company foreman. Im pretty sure I remember Lance. You do remember he is my step-daddy?? Ring any bells? As for accent and all that, I never noticed having any problems understanding anything anybody said, strange utterances, etc. Maybe they just didnt have much else to do. Love your response, I live in central ky for a lot of years now, but when I can go home I stay at the Comfort Inn Hotel, it is a Blessing to us out of towners, I think this page is right on, and I dont like the way most people think of Harlan, we are just like anyone else, even if we have a little accent, awesome page, and I lived in Loyall a few years also, my mother died there, thanks for letting people know that its not all justified, although I have never watched a full episode, they are awful. I just tried a case in Illinois. Take care! I knew no one married to his own sister and just a handful married to their cousins. Bloody Harlan is just badass. I graduated in 71 from JACHS. She used it for many recipes, everything from casseroles to sauces. Sometimes you hear gun fire in the distance, but thats in the woods. I LOVE where i am from and am harlan county proud even when i dont have much to be proud of.lol. I was born and raised in Harlan County, from Jones Creek, graduated from Evarts High. That is perhaps because I hail from off the grid (Smith). First, much of what I wrote is tongue in cheek. It captured the essence of Jimmy. Im from Loyall. Its nice to read good thoughts of Harlan County. You hit the nail on the head. Pat your name seems familiar. Women took over the picket lines. I KNOW A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AT CAWOOD AND SMITH, KY. Harlan is quiet, unless you grew up near the railroad tracks like I did. I respect ALL coal miners. So if you have a iota of respect for you mom and dad, grandma and grandpa you will correct this mess and actually write something that isnt from fifty years ago. Our Location. She was 30 (now 76) years old. Used to go to Cumblin every Fride and satdy nite. There arent any hotels to speak of, really. Thats when people get their checks. A spokesman for the Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital said Mr. Bruner, who was shot with a . Harlan County, USA is a 1976 American documentary film covering the "Brookside Strike", [1] a 1973 effort of 180 coal miners and their wives against the Duke Power Company -owned Eastover Coal Company's Brookside Mine and Prep Plant in Harlan County, southeast Kentucky. IM RETIRED AND LIVE IN TN NOW BUT I GO BACK TO HARLAN ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. I remember Alafair. I rarely saw Janice after I left the hospital, And so do I. I know all those places. . If so, let me know so I can fill any dates, places, names and information you may furnish to me. I thought Harlan was great as a kid but my wife told me if I ever wanted a divorce all I had to do was move here to Harlan. He is easygoing for a security guard and handsome in a salt-of-the-earth way. We mourn with the family of Basil Collins for this great loss. Most of them have never even been to Ky let alone Harlan. I worked as a car hop from Denny rays rite out of high school. My uncle Clarence still lives in Ky. 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