Personal details. Mrs Abraham was my Home Ec teacher @Hall High. I live in Northern KY now but all my family still resides in Harlan so I visit a lot. Mostly, we just hung out. They go to other parts of the state or country and live as ex-Harlan Countians. THIS is just funny. There has always been tension between those who work and those who dont or wont. Ironically, my daughter found a boyfriend from Loyal(the ones in Georgetown are apparently not her type) so she visits him a lot. Of course you have to wash it all down with whole milk from Chappells Dairy! Youd be surprised how many of us moved here from other places (quite a few from other countries), were welcomed as friends, made our homes here and raised our families here. When I started reading this blog I thought well this is alright, but as I continued I came to realize that you dont know what the hell your talking about. Harlan County, Kentucky By the way, Cumberland had the Novo Theater and the drive-in theater as well. My Mother, Reba Campbell, was born in Liggett. Some are like me. Still have a few family members there and many friends. The other side was the Lounge, a long, narrow open room with a dance floor. Proud to be from Harlan County.. man now im so homesick!! Whats up with that? Coming Down The Cumberland: History of the Maggard Family-- V. N. Bud Phillips 2. Jeanette McKendrick Leonard was my Me-maw and the best lady you to have ever been born! We were just there in July , I love going back to visit. Funny thing is, thats what my kids do, even though they live in a small city with a million things to do. Oh yeah, one last thingI am a coal miners daughter..and damned proud of it. My maternal grandparents grew up in Black Star coal camp and Papaw taught at Hall High. You dont see that every day. And they didnt. Lots of good folks from across the mountain.. Government checks. Yes. No Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc. They had no desire to ever live anywhere else. We are related to at least one coal miner. After hours we would head to the American Legion behind the Post Office. If you were Basils neighbor, then you lived in Rio Vista, right? He said that I was making the county look bad. Im sorry that I didnt do more to keep in closer touch with them both as we grew older. I happened across this blog through a friend. my husband was raised knowing your dad and all your family I love your blog. Webcharity bell guilford county schools; did choi woo shik serve in the military; is impeachment an effective check on the president; joseph moran jr son of thelma ritter. Ive also been criticized for making Eastern Kentucky sound too goodand that came from a guy who lives there! If I go back to Harlan for even a day, even my family cant understand me when I get back. Im class of 83. However, it is likely that the presence of the camera kept the level of murder down during the strike. I lived in Rio Vista until I was 12. They find it hard to believe we had no fast food restaurants. Stalwarts, outlanders, pretenders, loathers you left one group out. She retired in 1982. My Mom moved to Cumberland from Pike County when she was 10. My mom (Joyce Abraham) was a home ec teacher at JACHS at the time of government commodities, and she had students who always offered to sell her their cheese for $5.00 a block. I was born in Pike Co. in 1960 and in my 53 yrs. It has always been home for me. Ruth Ann was my older brothers age. Just curious, if you struggled with the inclusion of Whitley county..what was your rationale for the inclusion of mccreary county? Billy G. Williams. Basil Collins Harlan County I left here when i was 15 came back in my late 20s. For you truly arent a Harlanian, to show such disrespect. Honestly, I laughed out loud, because it was so venomous. 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. I live in Lee Co,Ky. We are made to known about his death on September 16, 2020. It has been both fascinating and sad as well to learn so much about the history, struggles, strength and resilience of the Harlan countians. One person wrote that people visiting here didnt have hotels or anywhere to stay unless they stayed with family. Yes, Big_O,, I remember the man you asked about. Witness strikebreaker Basil Collins as loathsome a screen villain as fiction ever invented targeting her during a drive-by shooting caught on camera. I love being from there. Born and raised as you said in Lynch You pretty much hit the nail on the head.. great write-up. All my mothers family is from Harlan (Baxter, Big Laurel, Loyall) and my heart is there. Harlan Just found your blog while attempting to refresh my memory about the name of the theater, the Margie Grand, in Harlan. Sherry Jones Hall. How do we know they dont live in a ghetto. That is where my husband grew up. Then we moved up on Park Hill in Loyall. She was one of my favorite. We live in McCreary Co now, so still SEKY. I think we also went to RC Bottling Plant at Loyall. Someone told me that the best way to commit suicide was to stand around in Smith and act like youre counting money! One guy said we were like Indians who left the reservation. Rich Montjoy, I am replying to your post because you didnt say anything bad about Harlan, (Harlan County), Ky. Women took over the picket lines. Ruby did you know a family named Clark? To the men that worked at the Highsplint mine, where the majority of filming took place for the documentary, he was the one responsible for making sure Basil and his men got through to work every day. Each letter she wrote me held the news. Pingback: Im Baaaackmaybe | Coal Troll's Blog, Loyall kid hereloved finding this. Wayne brought u shea and ur mom n I think he took pictures. Then, they can come back and pay admission to see where they used to live. I am also thankful for the brief time that I knew my grandmother on Turner Hill who taught me how to grow strawberries, to make jelly, string shuck beans, quilt, crochet. Rarely is an Eastern Kentucky county a destination. I raised my daughter hereBTW she has owned a successful swimming pool and fence company here for 35 yrs. You say that you came here now and then, but if you did you would know that we have many amenities and hotels such as a holiday inn express and a comfort inn. Everything is right on! The county is big, about 50 miles across, but sparsely populated. The coal industry known for its boom and bust cycles was in a slump. We like that its called Bloody Harlanby some folks even though that name is based upon events which occurred 70 years ago. That is perhaps because I hail from off the grid (Smith). I wonder why they went to Harlan to get married. Greenup is east of Harlan, Ashland is east of Whitesburg, and if Catlettsburg gets any more east it`s going to be West Virginia, are you seriously arguing with the lat/ and longitude? I suspect its mostly because they didnt care much for Hustler, at least not publicly. Construction on the house beat the power company by a few years. As you know we lived near Evarts. cheese. Maybe its the camo/orange. We lived in Yancey when I was born, moved to Brookside, then moved to Evarts (Woods Mine Area) before moving to Walker County, AL. I grew up in Browning Acres, just down the street from both the hospital and Cawood High School. The truth, of course, probably lies somewhere in the middle. We are our own world. I have enjoyed these old memories!!! The general store, a thriving Coal community. No one should have to make a livin working between 2 rocks. I remember it seemed like every time my high school played Cawood there was a knife fight. My parents were stalwarts. I was in her class the day JFK was shot in Dallas. Dad was a good friend of Norman Yarboroughs. The school closed. Never making any differences in us. BTW until barrack obama declared war on our coal mines,a fact, there were more millionaires in Harlan, Pike,Perry Counties, per capita than in our largest cities. Really enjoyed the article. We were poor and I will say very poor. Yes I remember you, vaguely, it has been a long time. I, too, am from Harlan an outlander like yourself, and I was left laughing and shaking my head at all the things only people like us would know to be true I would love to include a link to this in my own blog, but I dont yet know how to do it, lol. One of the women told her story about him telling her about the gun he had on the seat next to him, under a rag and that if she brought that stick down on his car, he would use it. Norman was good to my dad, especially during my dads troubles with alcohol yet another commonality of that age. My name is Julie Crowder-Ward. That is certainly true, but I must say that those unfortunates (if thats what they are) are the in minority.. I believe they graduated for there on 83. I am origionally from Atlanta. I was looking for the turnoff to Loll. My Mom graduated from Cumberland High School. My cousin posted the link on Facebook and I have not been able to move till finishing the read. Have a cousin who lives in Evarts and cousins in middle KY. Dont say we are not eastern Kentuckians because we dont speak your slang, or live the life that people from harlin county do. Oh, and that knife fight deal down there: I saw a big one at Hall once, in the yard in front of the school crazy watching the teachers try to break that one up. Mountains. Myself, Im from Loyall which is three miles from the town of Harlan. | Coal Troll's Blog, https://thetrivialtroll.com/2012/03/10/adventures-in-hitchhiking/, ALL ABOARD THE NERVE GAS TRAIN! Most OUTSIDE THE COUNTY shopping, doctors visits, etc were in Tennessee I dont know. .I didnt think to ask them while they were alive. We mine coal and have for over 100 years. Rest assured that no one in my family considers me a disgrace or embarrassment, but your concern is noted. Above all else, it covers the 1930s strikes at the coal mine, which resulted in 11 deaths and earned the area the name Bloody Harlan. But what probably haunts the I have been told that he worked harder than 3 men. Our client was suing the City of Sandy Hook. My brother actually had a knife pulled on him at Cawood. My children are fascinated and perhaps slightly horrified that I grew up in Harlan. And to the ones that moved away (say to the north) or wherever, it shows very little respect and class to put down the place you came from. You nailed it. Harlan County, Kentucky: Basil Collins miner foreman and leader/manager of the scabs confronts picketers with a 45 in his right pocket. Honestly, it took me years to adapt. I am an outlander. We visited my grandparents every summer. They were both sweet, kind, honest, decent people. Basil Collins - Wikipedia Just kiddingabout the hate part. Many never leave it. There she met my father and I was born in 1952. It was gray and you had to add the coloring to it. I really hacked off one guy about the government cheese. Pat your name seems familiar. My grandfolks, originally from Johnson Ct. lived up at the end of a holler. I was born and raised in Harlan, KY a lil place called Sunshine. We hung out at Denny Rays, Kens and I cant remember the drive in on the road to Loyall?? If someone tells you that he or she is from Harlan, they could mean any town from Pathforkto Holmes Mill to Cumberland to Cranks. WebBasil Collins Harlan County Obituary | Death | Basil Collins Dead | Died | Funeral Plans - We heard about the great loss, that Basil Collins is no more and has reportedly passed away. Charles Leonard Birmingham, AL. I can relate to alot of it. You mustve been a good student, John. I have more memories of the younger Brittons that are closer to my age. Bad-ass wasnt the first word to come to mind, but I sure didnt want to mess with those folk! It is funny how people from all over the Country know where you are talking about when you say you are from Harlan Co. and many of them visibly tense on that statement. Edit. Before we started, I told the court reporter that Ive been told I have an accent of some kind. Im from Loyall. We have exchanged information over the years. the Ackley Hotel in Harlan until he retired and moved back to Cumberland. My brother and I thought we had died and gone to Heaven. I have three amazing great-grandbabies. Okay, now Im homesick! I called some place the other day, got an automated machine.your name, address, (Im sorryI didnt get that could you repeat that again. Took the jury about 5 minutes to find against us, lol. Looking at Appalachia | Robert Gumpert | Walk your Sudie Crusenberry. Crow Drums 70 (CHS). Small town life can be hard or easy. One side was a roller rink. His hair was infamous! I dont think I have an accent but get me out of Pike County and they all say I do. I live in Texas but will always be a Harlan Co Ky girl. I JUST RAN ACROSS YOUR CONVERSATION AND THOUGHT I WOULD COMMENT ON HARLAN KY. I still have family in Cawood and Baxter but I dont get up there much.. Jennifer, I moved to the Tampa Bay area when I was four and a half. Great article!! Its boring. For roughly a century after the railroad came in, Harlan flourished or suffered according to coals cycle of boom and bust; the countys population expanded or I absolutely LOVE this! Clarence had one brother Howard P. Leonard and Howard P and his wife Lucille had a son named Clarence Edwin Leonard. I just know that by writing all this misinformation as if it were this day in time, you have disgraced and embarrassed your people, an you should be ashamed of yourself. Knew a few Edsels which I never met outside Harlan! I have lived here all my life and even tho at times i feel like due to work i may have to leave, i doubt i ever could. Stumbled across your post. I aint convinced about mccounty We have corresponded back and forth for several years about our Leonard connections. Interview with Lois Scott, August 27, 1986 SPOKEdb Fun read. I found a place to turn around and get back down the road and get my act together. That brings back fond memories. WebWives leader, short black hair. Whatever happened to Basil Collins Wiki User 2009-04-27 11:24:22 Study now See answer (1) Best Answer Copy Basil is currently burning eternally within the 7th I do not claim to be from there so I am not in any of your groups. These are small town people just like in every small town. Basil Collins is recorded in slow motion firing a gun at the camera while members of the strikebreakers beat Ms. Kopple and her crew. Singing man in the beginning. We got segregation in those years, and I never knew the difference, we all got along. No as in stop, do not, negative, etc and nothin slang for nothing not anything; no single thing; having no prospect of progress; of no value; not at all. Im not sure where you found this, but most folks realize that some of it is tongue-in-cheek. We also had to carry our water from a water-pump in buckets, so the new bathroom was a good conversation subject with its only use was the bathtub that we would heat water to bathe in. After 8 weeks or so the letter came with I found your Harlan countian!! I was rather disappointed to read all about my competition Garys Lounge. Background to the 1931-32 Strike - University of Kentucky I was born in Pineville, Ky but grew up in Pathfork. They know whats best for Harlan, though, and wont hesitate to tell you. For many years now, Harlan has had a multi-screen cinema. Basil Noel My parents (James Depew & Thelma Randolph) grew up in Harlan in the late 20s-30s My Grandfather was Bill Randolph, one time police chief, Constable and apparently gun thug for the man. I graduated in 71 from JACHS. I was raised over the mountain at Little Laurel. Then it was quiet except when the trains ran, which seemed like every 15 minutes or so. Scott describes the murder of Lawrence Jones by Billy Bruner. I knew no one married to his own sister and just a handful married to their cousins. Regardless, they came back. Our football coach , Ed Miracle, was shot in the foot playing golf three weeks later . Me, my brother and sister went to church every Sundaywe werent allowed to even go to the toilet until after church. . Grew up in Sunny Acres, now across from the mall. My grandfather was the engineer that laid out most of the old County roads, was one of the 10 founders of the Harlan Country Club, and my dad owned the Tway Tipple for yearsyes, coal will always run in my veins! Maybe they were hoping to see (or experience) some kind of catastrophe. So much that even some locals have a hard time understanding me. Now, sadly, its a way of life in the mountains. Great description. If you live in Harlan, I cant say that I blame you. My Aunt Pauline is 95 now and still lives there. WebOfficial Summary of the film Harlan County harlan county summary harlan county is documentary that tells the story of the brookside miners in harlan county, that he would ensure better safety programs for the miners.