When Peter Evans sank the Cumnock Mine Shaft in the 1850s, and the proprietors dug the Farmville Slope, it would be impossible to know that the Deep River Coalfield would take over 130 lives in the century following. The following pages are dedicated to shining a light on those who died in the region’s mining accident 1857 – 1929.
In reporting this information, I must make editorial choices that allow the reader to understand not just who but why the systems in place allowed certain men to labor in risky situations more than others.
To reflect the nuanced racial underpinnings of the past, the Race/Nationality Column uses terminology recorded in public records – either vital records or newspapers. Whiteness is ascribed to citizens, and ethnic origin is used to differentiate between White men and those born elsewhere. Additionally, due to the dynamic nature of colorism in American History, I have chosen to report racial descriptions as they are written in the papers. This may mean that individuals are listed in an extant vernacular – “Colored” or “Negro” below. I have included footnotes for any papers referenced. For individuals killed after 1910, the information is taken directly from the North Carolina Vital Record and Death Certificates.
1857 marks the first year of the Deep River Coalfield’s deadly century. Two mining disasters (February 20 and April 6) claimed nearly a dozen lives.
In the midst of a national war, the deaths in 1863 are few in comparison to other lives lost throughout the state. However, questions about forced labor raise concerns about this accident.
The first of the “big three.” The 1895 disaster sparked a regional identity crisis after the death of 35 men.
Smaller than 1895, this disaster is still shrouded in great mystery. The explosion of the firedamp killed 22 men, many from the surrounding community.
Still the largest industrial accident in North Carolina State History, the 1925 Coal Glen explosion is documented as killing 53 men, however, the exact number is still debated.
The only accident on the list to not be caused by firedamp, this moment in Coal Glen’s history is of special note. During a period of state-enforced Convict Leasing, the four men killed were all prisoners of the state.
In its tenure, the Deep River Coalfield killed nearly 150 men, left nearly as many women widowed, and even more children orphaned. The Coalfield did not kill based on color lines or age but rather took indiscriminately. To learn more about the scenarios leading to the explosions, please visit the reading lists included below. Additionally, should you wish to visit any of the locations, please see the visit guide.
