Tag Archives: Colorado

Sociologist Jerome Davis Letter about Labor Conditions in Logan County, WV (1923)

25 Tuesday Sep 2018

Posted by in Battle of Blair Mountain, Coal, Logan

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State v. Edgar Combs

Affidavit

Filed in open Court

Oct. 15, 1923

***

The American Sociological Society

Dartmouth College

Hanover, N.H.

August 1, 1923

As a teacher in Dartmouth College I have been called on to make several investigations into conditions in coal mining regions in Colorado and Pennsylvania. One of my studies was published by the Macmillan Company and another by Industrial Management. I have never been connected in any way with a labor union and believe that my testimony is impartial.

I have recently been to West Virginia for the purpose of studying conditions in the coal industry there. I was in the state for a total of about a month during June and July of this year. For the major part of this time I was in Logan County or in the surrounding counties.

I found it extremely difficult to secure affidavits from coal miners and others because they stated they were afraid of Don Chaffin and his Deputy Sheriffs. It seemed to be the general consensus of opinion that any person connected with the United Mine Workers of America would not knowingly be permitted to remain in the county and might be subjected to violence. I counted the names of over two hundred deputy sheriffs in the court records of the county and Don Chaffin informed me that the unions had so far been successfully kept out of the district.

Whether justified or not, operators and officials with whom I talked in Logan seemed to feel especial bitterness against H.W. Houston, Attorney of the United Mine Workers of America. It seems to me probable that necessary witnesses for the defense would be reluctant to testify fully and freely, and that they might actually be afraid to attend court for any considerable time. I know that there are a large number of responsible citizens of Logan County who share this belief, although they may not be willing to testify publicly for the reasons given above.

Jerome Davis

Taken, subscribed and sworn to before me this first day of July, 1923.

My commission expires on the 17th day of Feb 1928.

Edward F. Moore, Notary Public

***

For more about Jerome Davis, follow these links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Davis_(sociologist)

http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv87313

https://fdrlibrary.org/documents/356632/390886/findingaid_davis_jerome.pdf/d0d4b6dd-6e43-4263-8167-789da6b972dc

Jack Dempsey’s Mother (1927)

15 Sunday Apr 2018

Posted by in Boone County, Chapmanville, Holden, Huntington, Logan, Sports, Women's History

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From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this bit of history about champion boxer Jack Dempsey dated September 9, 1927:

Jack Dempsey’s Mother Pays Visit to Logan

Travels from Utah to See Relatives and Old Friends and Neighbors

Maiden Name Cecilia Smoot

Uncle Dyke Garrett Among Welcomers; Dempseys Once Owned Site of Holden.

While Jack Dempsey is fighting to regain the heavyweight championship of the world, his mother Mrs. Hiram Dempsey will be the guest of Logan relatives and friends. She is expected to arrive at any hour for an extended visit to the scenes of her childhood.

Mrs. Dempsey arrived at Huntington Sunday and then planned to come here the next day. Later, word came that she would complete today the last lap of a motor trip from Salt Lake City to Logan.

Interviewed at Huntington Mrs. Dempsey told of her desire to revisit girlhood scenes and inquired about old friends. She spoke of Uncle Dyke Garrett and was pleasantly surprised to learn that he is still living. Uncle Dyke read the interview (his wife is an aunt of Wiatt Smith, the interviewer) and despite the nearness of his 86th birthday, came back up from his home back of Chapmanville to welcome Mrs. Dempsey.

This beloved old mountain minister never knew Jack Dempsey, but he remembers Jack’s mother as a girl, her maiden name being Cecilia Smoot. She was a daughter of Charles Smoot, who came to Logan from Boone county, and who lived and died up on Island Creek. After his death, Mrs. Smoot (Jack Dempsey’s grandmother) married Simpson Ellis, who died but a few years ago, after serving a long period on the county court.

Scott Justice, who divides his time between Huntington and Logan, was among those who greeted Mrs. Dempsey at the Huntington Hotel yesterday. He remembers the marriage of Hiram Dempsey and Cecilia Smoot, and also recalls that the site on which the town of Holden now stands was sold by Hiram Dempsey to Mr. Justice’s father when the family decided to migrate westward.

According to Mr. Justice, the tract of 200 acres changed hands for a consideration of $600.

“Uncle” Enoch Baker was another caller to greet the challenger’s mother. Mr. Baker was engaged in business in Logan county when the Dempseys lived here, being well acquainted with the family.

Mrs. Dempsey was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. J. Kenneth Stolts of Salt Lake City. They made the trip from Utah, where Jack’s mother now has her permanent home, in a large automobile, traveling in easy stages. They arrived in Huntington Sunday evening and are leaving there today.

She called her famous son in Chicago by telephone Sunday night to advise him she had arrived here safely.

While in Logan, Mrs. Dempsey will visit her half-brothers, Don Ellis of Stratton Street, and Joseph and John B. Ellis of Island Creek, and others.

She has never seen Jack in the ring and will probably receive the result of the coming battle from friends in Logan.

The difference in the ages of the champion and challenger will not be an advantage to Tunney, Jack’s mother thinks. “If Tunney will stand up and fight, I expect Jack will give a good account of himself. But if Jack has to chase him all the time, Tunney may turn around and give him a licking in the end. I believe they are pretty evenly matched and lucky may figure in the outcome,” she said.

The Dempseys left Logan in 1887 and William Harrison (Jack) was born in Manassa, Colo., in June ’95. While he was a mere child they returned to Logan county. Jack remained here until a young man, having been employed by the Gay Coal and Coke Company as late as 1913, and then went west alone to seek pugilistic fortune. He met Jack Kearns on the Pacific coast, from which point his spectacular climb to the pinnacle of the heavyweight division furnished the sport with one of its most romantic episodes.

In view of the fact that Dempsey is said to have lived in this county and because of the interest in the approaching fight, the foll

Jack Dempsey: Champion Boxer (1927)

31 Saturday Mar 2018

Posted by in Logan, Sports

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From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this bit of history about champion boxer Jack Dempsey dated September 9, 1927:

Manassa, Colorado, Dempsey’s Old Home

In view of the fact that Dempsey is said to have lived in this county and because of the interest in the approaching fight, the following story concerning the early life of Dempsey is printed here:

While the little town of Manassa, in the San Luis valley of South Central Colorado, is not even a pin point on the larger state maps, its 750 inhabitants, more or less, view their community at this time as about the most important place in the United States.

There it was that William Harrison “Jack” Dempsey was born and spent his early boyhood days. Incidentally that is the origin of the scrapper’s pseudonym “The Manassa Mauler.”

Despite the pride the native Manassans display in pointing out an old-fashioned frame and adobe house near the edge of the town as Dempsey’s birthplace, they are not of one accord in their estimates of his general ability. Some are “pulling” hard for Dempsey to win back his lost laurels, while others are hoping Tunney whips him.

According to the official record of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a branch of the Mormon religion which Dempsey’s parents, Hiram D. and Mary P. Dempsey, have long been affiliated as active workers. William Harrison was born June 24, 1895, the ninth child. A brother and sister were born at later dates. In all, the former champion has had five brothers and sisters born in the following order: Don Bernard, Effie, Lavlet Florence, Estella, Mary Alice, Joseph H., Robert, John, Elsie and Bruce, the former champion arriving between John and Elsie. All were baptized in the Mormon faith, according to the church archives in the keeping of G. Wayne Rogers, of Manassa, secretary of the local organization.

Dempsey’s birthplace being 7,600 feet above sea level, he enjoyed the benefits of rarified air during his “growing days” as a boy. The San Luis valley, of which Manassa is a rich agricultural and live stock center, has an area equal to that of Massachusetts and is surrounded by Rocky mountain ranges, so the future world champion had an ample playground to develop his muscle. According to the old inhabitants, he put in all of his spare time from school “climbing around the mountains like a goat,” which may account for his sturdy legs of today.

In Search of Ed Haley 1

24 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by in Ed Haley, John Hartford, Music

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In 1981, roughly thirty years after Ed Haley’s death, my search to know everything about his life and music began at a second hand music store in Boulder, Colorado. While thumbing through a box of records by early radio stars and bluegrass artists with such familiar names as The Skillet Lickers, Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs I saw this certain green and yellow album cover. On its front was a picture of a blind fiddler buttoned up in an overcoat. On its back was a drawing of a steamboat landed at a wharf. Nearby the drawing was a brief note: “This album consists of home recordings made in 1946 by Ed Haley, a blind Kentucky fiddler who never made a commercial record. The original discs were prepared by his family in order to preserve some of their father’s music and were never intended for public use.”

The album was titled Parkersburg Landing, an apparent geographical reference to the small city by that name on the Ohio River. “Even twenty-five years after his death, anyone researching fiddle music in West Virginia or eastern Kentucky is certain to learn of Ed Haley,” the album cover proclaimed. I had never heard of anyone named Ed Haley, but I bought the album and mailed it home to Nashville anyway. I knew that part of the country was a traditional hotbed of great musicians.

Some time later (I forget exactly when – it’s difficult to recall now), I rediscovered Parkersburg Landing filed away on one of the crowded shelves in my office. I put it on the record player and as soon as the title track started, I thought, “Uh oh. This is pretty good.” I turned up the volume knob and slumped down in my chair. I sat there stunned for the next twenty or so minutes listening to Haley plow through tunes with names like “Humphrey’s Jig”, “Cherokee Polka” and “Cherry River Rag”. By the time I reached out to flip the album to Side 2, my fingers were trembling and I was almost breathless. I tried to focus on every nuance as Haley played “Flower of the Morning”, “Man of Constant Sorrow” and “Dunbar”. Then, when he took off on “Forked Deer”, I almost fell out of my chair. It was a profound experience…the kind that pulls you away from everything you’ve done up to that moment and sends you off into another direction. I don’t even remember listening to the rest of the album, although I’m sure I did.

Where did these recordings come from?

“The present recordings were made by Ralph Haley, who also plays guitar on several selections,” I read in the album liner notes. “Ralph had served in the Signal Corps during the war and used a home disc-cutting machine of the Wilcox-Gay type. After Ralph’s death in the late forties, the collection of discs were evenly divided among the five remaining children. It is estimated that the 106 sides presently accounted for represent approximately one third of the original total. Most of these records were preserved by Lawrence Haley of Ashland, who kindly gave us permission to issue them here. The discs were transferred at the Library of Congress under the supervision of Larry Haley and Alan Jabbour and were remastered at Intermedia Studios in Boston.”

I spent the next several years glued to Parkersburg Landing. I talked about Haley constantly. Every now and then I would call up friends and play some of the album, saying, “Now, that’s how it’s supposed to go.” No one had a clue who Ed Haley was; most seemed unimpressed. But to me, the scratchy recordings were like old faded photographs and I was so excited by what I heard that the imperfections in recording technique quickly disappeared to my ear.