Family Life at the Cliftonville MineAs shared by Mary McMahon Webster In 1925 my grandfather, John McMahon and his oldest son John Jr. went to Cliftonville to work at the mine, after the reopening after the tragic riot. The attempt to reopen the mine was a failure but the McMahon men were retained on the payroll as caretakers to guard the mining camp and to protect the mine interior from cave-ins and flooding. John Jr. moved his family to Cliftonville, where their house would be the only one occupied in a camp of 50 duplex houses. John Sr., commuted from his home in Wellsburg. Picnics for different family members and their families were held almost every week end. The children had a fully equipped playground, 48-abandoned house to explore, a 20 ton sand pile, a large orchard, a ball field, a swimming "hole", and unlimited woods and fields in which to play. But all things must end in 1929, the McMahons were once again job hunting in the coal mines. John Sr secured a position as a W VA. State Mine Inspector, but in 1933, a change in politics in Wet Virginia meant the loss of the inspector ship. John and John Jr. tried to operate a mine they had leased but the venture failed. Once before they attempted to operate a mine which they christened, "The Drawback" - the perfect name for both mines. John Sr. retired from the coal business in 1938 after 58 years of mining. John and Mary Rooney McMahon had 9 children, each born in a different mining town from Ohio, Penna., and WVa. One of the children was my father, James Bernard McMahon, born Oct 10,m 1912, in Bradley, Ohio, died Oct 6, 1960 in Beech Bottom, WV. Both John McMahons' also worked the LaBelle #4 mine, south of Wellsburg on Route #2. John Sr., as Mine Superintendent for the West Virginia & Pittsburgh Coal Company, John Jr. as electrician serving in various other capacities. It was a nomadic life, the story goes that Mary and children once followed John to a mining camp in the hills of Penna. To establish a new home, but when they descended the train the sight of the ugly village was to much, even for Mary's tolerance, and she immediately ordered the baggage man to replace the baggage, leaving a message for John, moved on to the next town… Hi, My husband's grandfather, Walter Slomsky, was one of the miners killed in the Cliftonville mine war. He was probably one of those burned to death in the tipple. In fact, there is a monument in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Avella bearing his name and the names of three others killed at the time. The monument was erected by the United Mineworkers. Since we don't think our grandfather worked in Cliftonville, he was probably one of those who went from Avella with the union people. The reason we think we was burned at the tipple is that when our grandmother went to identify the body, it was totally black, no doubt burned. We have been told that John L. Lewis visited our grandmother after his death. My husband and his brother were recently in Avella for a family funeral and went to the cemetery where the monument stands. We found your web site by searching "Cliftonville, West Virginia". You have done a great job in recounting th! e events. The story my husband has heard is that the miners who were going to Cliftonville were ambushed by the sheriff and his deputies before they reached the mine and that that is what started the war. My husband recently called Charleston, West Virginia, and was told they started keeping records in 1907. There should, therefore, be a record of how and where the body was disposed of, but we have not yet obtained that information. Thanks again for your interest and efforts. Sincerely, Patty and Ronald Winchek |