Ken Mine-50 Years.

Ken Coal Company.
Ken Mine - 50 Years.

Photos From Ray McClain Collection.
And From Danny Southard.

Some Information and details
used in this presentation
compliments of Ray McClain
And Gary Durham. Thanks all.
A jrd stat on 6/16/07.

Click to play music.

In the fall of 1946 Ken Coal Company, Ken Mine, and the United Mine Workers of America, L. U. #8941, agreed to a binding contract where the union would represent the miners and the miners would dig the coal for the company. In 1996, L. U. #8941 and Ken Mine, Peabody Coal Company celebrated a continuous affiliation of 50 years. A fiftieth year anniversary celebration, at the Ken Mine Office grounds, was held and attended by a large crowd of company personnel, past and present, and past and present union members. Over the years, the local union remained the same, and the Ken Mine name never changed, but the mine had several different owners, including but not limited to: Ken Bixby, Sinclair Coal Company, Kennecott Copper Corporation, PCC Holding Corporation, Hanson PLC, The Energy Corporation, Peabody Energy and others. Whenever the mine changed ownership, the new companies continued to sign the binding union contracts. Although several strikes occurred over this period of time, generally a good working situation developed between the union and the companies. Fifty years of working together in a partnership between a company and a union. Way to go you two. Some of the following pictures were taken at that celebration.

In 1946, Ken Coal Company miners working at Ken Mine became union miners and the long fought battle at Ken Mine ended. Now the company and the union miners decided it was time to start digging some coal and shipping it out to the buyers. Now, at long last the miners would receive a paycheck and the company could see some income for the coal shipment leaving for other parts of the country. Now, the company personnel and the miners could work in peace and together to produce quality coal. For the next fifty plus years, the digging coal and shipping it out became the mainstay idea of the Ken Mine. Very few strip mines have or will stay in business for over 50 years. This one did.

Fifty years after Ken became a union mine, a "Fiftieth Year Celebration" event was held at the Ken Mine Office compound. All employees and past employees were invited and a big turnout was seen. Union representatives and company employees were also in attendance. A good meal was provided, but the seeing and meeting of old work buddies was the prime time of the celebration.

Peabody's Ken Mine Office. Photo from Danny Southard.
Picture was probably taken in 1996. Superintendent Kenny Allen is on left and Local union #8941 President, James Rowe is on the right..

Any time that I see a picture of Ken Mine Office, the first thing that comes to my mind is W. A. Chancellor. W. A. may not have been the first of the workers that were hired at Ken and may not have been the last to leave, but he is probably remembered by more miners than anyone else. I worked at Ken mine from 1962 until 1963 and W. A. welcomed me that first day and continued to watch over me until I was able to fend for myself. The Ken Mine Office was unique and there is not another office quite like it. Actually, it was a house that was converted to an office. It set alone and away from the mine traffic and up the hill from the garage. Upon entering the office and a small hallway, a person would enter a large room. W. A.'s desk sat in the middle of this room and fanned out from him was the Superintendent office as well as the other offices. To a young man just discharged from the Air Force, I was impressed by this office complex. Some memorabilia and decorations were scattered at the entry and around the open room of W. A.'s desk. Maps of all types seemed to be everywhere. A few cabinets completed the decor. W. A.'s desk seemed huge to me and it held the necessary "In-Out" type paper work as well as phones and a two-way radio mike and receiver. Add all of this to the kind heart of a seasoned company man trying to help a young miner and I was in awe. Thanks W. A.

Some Ken Mine Miners at the fiftieth year anniversary of Ken Mine and of LU #8941.
From Left to Right-Tommy Southard, Frank McClain, George Devine, Pat Patterson, Dick Thomas and Ed Whitehead...

Ken Mine 50th Anniversary Celebration. Photo by Danny Southard.

The above picture was taken at the Ken Mine Office in 1996 during the celebration of the mine and the union Fiftieth Year Anniversary. Fifty years is a long time for a strip mine to be in operation. Ken is one of just a few mines that have accomplished this feat and it had more than a year left until the last coal run was made on 11/28/97. Shut down and clean-up type operations extended this period for a few more years.

The Supervisors-Past Ken Mine Superintendents.

Photo furnished by Danny Southard.

During the 50th Year Anniversary Celebration, four previous Ken Mine Superintendents were able to make the celebration. They are pictured Left To Right: Kenny Allen, Tom Cornette, Bill Johnson, and Gene Wilson.

As you can see, I have covered most of the facets of the Ken Mine Operation. In doing so, a lot of the material and information has come from aged memory cells and these cells just are not that good. If some of you miners, or others that are familiar with Ken Mine, would look this information over and point out any mistakes or errors, I would certainly owe you a favor. I have not intentionally typed any material that I know to be false, nor have I tried to misrepresent anyone. I used the pictures that I had and I know that I have not mentioned hundreds of miners that help make this mine what it turned out to be. I have seen a large picture of the miners in a group picture at the Rail Tipple and also at the Garage and I would like to add both of these pictures to this web page. I just can not take such a large picture and resize it so that any of the miners would be recognizable. I can add a few more pictures to this web page though and if you feel that a certain group of miners should be added or a particular miner, feel free to send me the picture and some information on the subject. I will see what I can do.

See you......
jrd

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jrd