Eugene “Gene” Garlitz and his wife, Margaret Ann “Maggie” (Seckman) Garlitz always considered Westernport, MD to be their home. 1894 proved to be an eventful year for the young family. Their daughter, Ida Mae, became a big sister to their newborn son Floyd Garlitz in August. The violent coal miner’s strike in the George’s Creek
Joseph Mills was born at Handsworth, Staffordshire, England, on March 24th, 1837. He immigrated to America and married Mount Savage native Catherine Dean in 1861. By 1890, Joseph and Catherine were the parents of seven daughters and five sons. Joseph supported his family by working as a coal miner. Joseph and Catherine’s son, Joseph Thomas
Over the past two hundred years, the Fairgrieve family has carried it’s coal mining heritage far and wide: from their ancestral home in Scotland, to the coal fields of western Allegany County, Maryland, to the mountains of Montana. Fairgrieve became one of the most common surnames in the Georges Creek Region of Western Maryland. William
We hear no more of the proposed hospital for miners. Several months ago the papers said that some influential citizens of Cumberland would try to get an appropriation from the legislature at this session to build a hospital in Lonaconing or Midland. Such a hospital is much needed, for men are being injured in the
From The Sun Magazine, Sunday, January 7, 1968 “THE CHANGE IS IN THE PEOPLE AND NOT IN THE LAND, DESPITE ALL THE DIGGING AND GOUGING” By F. De Sales Meyers Mr. Meyers, the son of a coal miner, grew up in George’s Creek Valley, in Lonaconing, where his mother still resides. “I have many friends
Many pre-adolescent boys were required to garner employment in underground mines to supplement the family coffers. Trapper boys were usually the youngest of the young. Their job was to open and close the heavy wooden doors which blocked the gangways and tunnels in the mine. When closed, the doors directed airflow, allowing fresh air to
St. Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow, Scotland. A story is told that St. Mungo saved the life of Queen Languoreth of Strathclyde who was suspected of infidelity by her husband. King Riderch demanded to see a ring, which he claimed she had given to her lover. In reality the King had thrown it
