Since I originally wrote the Fraterville Mine Disaster webpage, I have learned a great deal more about the disaster. Others such as Barry Thacker and Carol Moore of The Coal Creek Watershed Foundation have done fantastic work to uncover the history of the area. Several readers of my page have contributed additional information and photos. On May 19, 2001, I took a tour of the sites in the area. This tour was sponsored by the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation and satisfied much of my curousity.On May 18 and 19 of 2002, there was a 100th Anniversary Reunion and Memorial Service for the descendants of the miners who died in the mine. Thanks to Barry and Carol, there was much coverage in newspapers all over the area. Even the Gwinnett Daily Post (Gwinnett County, Ga) had an article marking the 100th anniversary.
After I became interested in the Fraterville disaster, I discovered a book "Tennessee's Coal Creek War, another fight for freedom" by Chris Cawood published by Magnolia Hill Press of Kingston, Tn. His book describes the efforts of the coal miners to prevent convicts from taking their jobs around 1890 and mentions the Fraterville explosion at the very end.
I received much information from the Museum Of Appalachia, 2819 Andersonville Hwy, Norris, TN 37828, phone: (865)494-7680 owned by John Rice Irwin.Soon after I started my page a reader sent me a copy of a book by H. B. Humphrey entitled, "Historical Summary of Coal Mine Explosions in the United States, 1810-1958' published by the Bureau of Mines in 1960. This book is availiable from the U. S. Government Printing Office and is catalog number TN23U4 no 586 622.00173.
Here is a good link for persons interested in Anderson County, Tennessee and the history of Norris Dam, the first dam constructed by the Tennessee Valley Authority by President Roosevelt's New Deal from 1933 to 1936.
A reader send me this webpage which has loads of good information about Briceville history and many good links.
If you are interested in finding information about other mining disasters, take a look at this Mine Safety and Health Administration site.
Genene M. Smith contacted me about her grandmother, Laura Wilson Gary's book, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT COAL CREEK. It is a very warm and friendly book that preserves Mrs. Gary's memories of her childhood and adds information about the history of the mines around Coal Creek as well as providing an excellent description of the farming and food preservation methods and life in general in those times.
Drew Justice has an Eagle Scout project concerning the Fraterville Mine Disaster. He has a website with much good information.
My friend, Dr. Bailey Francis, has posted his great-grandfather's autobiography on his webside at SEVENTY YEARS IN THE COAL MINES. I found this to be a fascinating story of how life was in the last last half of the 19th century and early 20th. As it turns out, Philip Francis was the leader of a group who went into the Fraterville and Cross Mountain Mines to remove casualties. You will find his account of this on pages 136-143. Bailey has researched and annotated additional iformation to many of the persons, places and events mentioned in the autobiography. I highly recommend reading the whole work from beginning to end.
The Briceville Public Library has a great site with lots of good information and links to other good sites in both Anderson and Campbell Counties.
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