Interview with Edgel Adkins, May 16, 1988

Partial Transcript: What I'd like for to do would be to tell me what you remember when your dad was killed?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins discusses the circumstances behind his father's death (his father was killed by the sheriff of the Henry Clay mine).

Keywords: Ambulances; Aunts; Clothes; Doctors; Henry Clay mine; Hitlists; Lookout (Ky.); Murders; Neighbors; Perry Adkins; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Sheriffs

Subjects: Boots; Coal miners--Labor unions; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Cold; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities; Corduroy; Death; Fathers; Pike County (Ky.); Pikeville (Ky.); Protest movements; Shooting; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Tell about Mamaw Brooks and...

Segment Synopsis: A relative of Adkins talks of how Adkins' mother reacted to the death of her husband. Another relative also briefly discusses the hitlist that Adkins' father was placed on following his involvement in union activities. Adkins then describes his father's funeral.

Keywords: Emotional; Fired; Funerals; Henry Clay mine; Hitlists; Murders; Neighbors; Newspapers; Perry Adkins; Troublemakers; Union

Subjects: Coal miners; Coal miners--Labor unions; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities; Death; Fathers; Mothers; People; Pike County (Ky.); Protest movements; Siblings; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; United Mine Workers of America; West Virginia

Partial Transcript: Was Perry born around here?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins reflects upon his father's life and career spent as a coal miner.

Keywords: Caskets; Cemetery; Foot injury; Funerals; Henry Clay mine; Houses; Lookout (Ky.); Lookout mine; Marrowbone Creek (Ky.); Perry Adkins; Schoolhouses

Subjects: Coal miners; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Death; Fathers; Life; Pictures; Pike County (Ky.); United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: And so, now, when did you start working in the mines?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins discusses his career as a coal miner.

Keywords: Allegheny Mining Company; Coal banks; Cousins; Customers; Dinner; Hellier (Ky.); Henry Clay mine; House coal; Lookout (Ky.); Pay; Superintendents; Union; World War II

Subjects: Coal miners; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Elkhorn City (Ky.); Pike County (Ky.); Schools; United Mine Workers of America; West Virginia; Work; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: So what was that company, Semet-Solvay, what was it like--what were the--what was that company like to work for?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins briefly recalls the conditions at the Semet-Solvay mine. Adkins also explains what happened to his childhood home after his father's death.

Keywords: Coal mining; Houses; Owners; Perry Adkins; Sold

Subjects: Brothers; Childhood; Coal miners; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Death; Fathers; Fires; Mothers; Pictures; Property; Solvay Process Company; West Virginia

Partial Transcript: Well, was, was, your dad, um--do you know where he went to school? Was he educated?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins details the life of his uncle, and the consequences of his father's union activity for his uncle.

Keywords: Lookout (Ky.); Lookout School; Perry Adkins; Principals; Salesman; Uncles

Subjects: Blacklisting, Labor; Brothers; Coal miners; Coal miners--Labor unions; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities; Education; Fathers; Pike County (Ky.); Protest movements; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; Teachers; United Mine Workers of America; Virginia

Partial Transcript: So, do you remember the day of the funeral?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins reiterates his memories of his father's funeral. Adkins also details the reactions of other miners to the possibility of a union (during his father's involvement with the union).

Keywords: Funerals; Great Depression; Henry Clay mine; Mines; Perry Adkins; Sam Caddy; Shutdown; Trouble; Unionized; Unsupportive

Subjects: Coal miners--Labor unions; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities; Death; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Fathers; Mothers; People; Pike County (Ky.); Protest movements; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; United Mine Workers of America; Work

Partial Transcript: Lonzo Johnson.

Segment Synopsis: Adkins and his relatives list some possible interviewees for this project.

Keywords: Boarding houses; Company man; Jake Easterling; Lonzo Johnson; Shot; Tough; Unions

Subjects: Coal miners; Death; Fathers; Interviews; Pike County (Ky.); United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: So what--when you were working as a miner in the forties, what, what were the conditions like that you worked under?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins illustrates the conditions that he experienced working in various mines throughout Pike County, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Keywords: Bad; Family reunion; Henry Clay mine; Sensitive; Support; Unions

Subjects: Coal miners; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Safety measures.; Money; Mothers; Photographs; Pike County (Ky.); Protection; United Mine Workers of America; West Virginia

Partial Transcript: Was Perry related to Avery Hill?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins articulates the connection between Avery Hill and his father. The interviewer then shares her family's experience with the strike.

Keywords: Avery Hill; Connections; Family; Interviewers; Machinists; Nephews; Perry Adkins; Superintendents

Subjects: Coal miners--Labor unions; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities; Death; Fathers; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; Harlan County (Ky.); Meeting; Mothers; People; Pike County (Ky.); Protest movements; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Work

Partial Transcript: So, after Perry was killed, did you all work to help your mother?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins recalls what his life was like after his father died, including the need to work to support his mother and siblings. Adkins also describes his father and his personality.

Keywords: Canning; Drinking; Farming; Gardens; Inheritance; Land; Perry Adkins; Rowdy; Sell; Trade; Union; Vice presidents

Subjects: Death; Farms; Fathers; Grandmothers; Leadership; Mothers; Pike County (Ky.); Siblings; United Mine Workers of America; Women

Partial Transcript: Well, did it change your life very much when your dad was killed?

Segment Synopsis: Adkins describes the circumstances that led to him to work in a mine, and explains why he did not unionize the small mines that he operated.

Keywords: Equipment; Living; Owners; Pay; Perry Adkins; Price; Thomas Ratliff; Union

Subjects: Coal; Coal miners; Coal miners--Labor unions; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities; Death; Fathers; Money; Mothers; Pike County (Ky.); Protest movements; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; United Mine Workers of America; Work