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Richard
E. Kirklin (Rich) and Vina Mayberry grew up in Middle Tennessee. Both sets
of ancestors
came from Ireland and Scotland. Their first
home was in the Cookville-Boma area. It was there that they started their
family. Their children were Samantha, Luther, Isabell, Dona, Ella and Clyde.
Rich and Vina came to Bon Jellico in the early 1900’s.
Samantha, their oldest daughter, stayed in Tennessee for she had just married
Sylvester
Stewart.
Rich got a job working at the coal scales, a job he held until the mine closed
in 1937. Luther, the oldest son, was a machine operator. He also worked at Bon
until it closed in 1937. Clyde, their youngest son, worked in the mine briefly.
Rich Vina’s children and spouses were:
Samantha—married Sylvester Stewart and remained in Tennessee
Luther—married Mable Fritts, daughter of W. T. and Alice Fritts of Bon
Jellico
Isabell—married Scott west, son of John West of Bon Jellico
Dona—married Everett Richardson of Upper Briar Creek
Ella—became postmistress of Bonnie Blue, Virginia Post Office
Clyde—married Rose Richey of Insull, Ky.
Rich
and Vina had 33 grandchildren; however, only two became miners. One of
these,
Ken West, lost his life in a mining accident in Pound,
Virginia.
Rich
was industrious and thrifty. He utilized every inch of their “company” ground.
A cowshed, pigpen, and a chicken house were a part of their mini-farm,
along with a garden that held a variety of vegetables. The also had a small
grape arbor,
peach and apple trees. A nearby new-ground provided corn for the animals
and cornbread for their table. The cornmeal was ground at a mill on the
Cumberland
River at Williamsburg, Ky., which was two miles away. The corn for grinding
was transported on the back of a neighbor’s mule.
When
the mine was not in operation, Rich and Luther cut timber for the mine.
The
mine timber had to be straight, strong and of a particular
wood. Each
timber had to measure a certain length. They also cut wood that was
called caps. These
were placed on top of the timber to even out the support for the roof
of the mine. This work was done with a crosscut saw, a broadax, and
a variety
of wedges.
Sometimes I was allowed to help them stack the wood.
The
corn was gathered from the new-ground on clear moonlight nights in October.
It was hauled to the corncrib in a big sled pulled by
a mule.
Vina tended
the cow, milked the cow and made the butter for the family. She pieced
and quilted
many beautiful quilts. Rich lived for 68 years and Vina died six
months short of 100 years.
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