Employee Record Cards, Part II
December 21, 2011 5 Comments
In our last blog post we talked about the employee records cards that we encountered this summer. Here is a blog post from University of Maryland anthropology major Katie Chen, who has been working on this difficult project all semester. I asked Katie to talk about her working process:
Hi! My name is Katie Chen and I am a sophomore at the University of Maryland, College Park. I am currently studying Anthropology, but recently got interested in archaeology. During my freshman fall semester I studied abroad in London and took a course called Social Anthropology of Britain. During this semester, I started some ethnographic research on the London black cabs, learning about the cab business and the changing geography of London through interviews with the drivers. This experience confirmed my interest in ethnographic research and anthropology. Someday I hope to return to London to continue what I started.
Recently, having become interested in archaeology, I decided to help Mike on his research on the Lattimer Massacre. I am currently making a database of miner employee records cards. My strategy has been to go through the cards and make an initial attempt at deciphering the handwriting. After a couple days, I will go back to the cards and read them again. This method has worked almost every time, but some cards need more review time.
On several occasions, I’ve tried to look online to see if there is a name for the type of script used then. I have not been successful yet, but I’ve been able to look at specific examples, and get an idea of what the letter could be. Inputting data is rather tedious and can be frustrating, as I have spent more than 30 minutes looking at one card because I can’t read the names or locations. When entering data on locations, I will sometimes look up on Google if my spelling version comes up with any additional spellings. This has worked a couple times, which has been exciting. Otherwise, I will have to go back to taking a break for a couple of days and coming back to the cards.
In addition to this project, I am researching what religious or spiritual beliefs miners might hold across the globe. After reading articles about conditions in the mines and hearing stories, I wondered if there was any belief that propelled the miners to endure such harsh conditions. The mines are extremely dangerous and miners risk their lives and health every time they go down. With this side project, I would like to find out if the conditions of mining are similar worldwide and if there are any religious, spiritual, superstitious attitudes consistent across them.
About LM Project
The reason these miners endured the harsh condtions is relatively simple.
There wasnt any “safety net social programs”.
They came here seeking better but obviously many were duped into working for the mines.
Once herethey basically were stuck,however that did not change the fact that they had obligiations to fullfill and were also repsonsible to provide for their families needs.
No big spiritual thing or superstitious boogie men…lol.
Hardworkers they were.
Sign me, Coal Miners granddaughter
Helen A. (Cheslock) Hilmer
Helen,
Thanks for the great comment! You make an interesting point that some things were different then, but some things are also the same. Immigrants still come here looking for a better life. What is different and what is the same? We think teasing out those little details and recording them is important for us to understand how we got to where we are today. And it will be increasingly difficult for future generations. It is really important to record those family stories!
BTW, there are a few Cheslocks in the Lattimer Company records. Did your grandfather work for Lattimer? Any relation to the martyred Cheslock?
Thanks again!,
Mike
Hi Mike,
Mike my Father(Michael Cheslock) often spoke of “the Michael Cheslock” the lattimer miner.
I recall him saying he was related, how I am unsure. Uncle, Cousin….perhaps.
So last year I began researching my genealogy. Hopefully I will find info that will verify the relationship.
Its a tedious task, and if you have any information that you are able to share with me, I would greatly appreciate it.
My grandfather was John Cheslock. I have his naturalization papers stating he was Russian living in Czechslovakia.
I believe he migrated here about 1900 or so.
Continuing…
My grandfather was a miner and he resided in Mahanoy City, However I have yet to find his immigration records on the ellis islands website.
I do however have other proof that puts him in Mahanoy City about 1900 give or take a few yrs.
My Paternal and Maternal Grandfathers were miners. My dad also has a small bootleg mine and had worked for Blaschok Coal company when he was very young. Eventually he left the mines.
I do know that these men were very religious men.
For the most part their “faith” did provide them with the strength to endure. They attended church every Sunday and also they held the customs of the “old country” especially the relgious practices dear and near to their heart.
In my other commented I stated that these many miners were “duped” into taking these jobs.
I know from family stories on my moms side that her father came here worked the mines but left to buy a farm in Massachuesetts. Apparently he worked the farm until he lost it apparently for “taxes”.
I imagine he was hard pressed for a livelihood and he made his way back to PA coal regions.
Where he was conned into taking work at a coal mine in West Virginia. When he arrived there they took his steamer trunk and all his possessions! The mine bosses literally stoled the clothing off his back!
He was however able to ‘rescue” his Polish To English dictionary. Apparently he was teaching himself how to read the English Language.
Basically he was enslavened until one night he escaped and made his way into the coal regions of PA. He had worked in the coal mines in Morea PA until he died at age 41 from Tuberculosis.
Although my grandfather had not endured the “identical” conditions as the black slaves, many of the European Miners were denied many Freedoms.
Much like the black folks these Europeans miners were victims of ethnic intimidation.
Quiet a few people in this region still refer to the slovaks and Russians as “Hunkies”!
Apologize for the “drfiting”…lol! I am as equally fascinated by the strength they portrayed.
Also
They also were very ‘proud’ people.
Thanks for your stories, Helen. Amazing! I have heard stories about immigrants being brought in from New York on trains in the early days to work the mines, probably unaware of what they were in for.
There are quite a few Cheslocks’ in Hazleton. The martyred Michael probably lived to the south of town, maybe in Harwood. I only have records for Lattimer Coal Company, where there are a few of them. Once our records are entered I will post them on line. Katie will be working hard on them this semester at school.
I also have some old Hazleton city directories. There may be census records from Mahanoy city. They might be interesting to look at. So much work to do! Keep in touch. Mike