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Coal Mines of Indiana Co., PA MAIN INDEX

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Coal Miners Memorial
Empire "M" Mine
(McKean Mine),
Empire No. 7 Mine,
Empire "P" Mine,
Empire "R" Mine
(Rodkey Mine),

Starford, near Clymer,
Indiana County,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

A Memorial to the Coal Miners that mined the Bituminous Coal seams of the Empire Mines, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Compiled & Edited by
Raymond A. Washlaski

Raymond A. Washlaski, Historian, Editor,
Ryan P. Washlaski, Technical Editor,

Updated Feb. 10, 2010

A Memorial to the Coal Miners that Worked the
Empire Mines


Following is a partial list of the miners, mine employees and company store employees that worked the Empire Mines, Starford, near Clymer, Indiana Co., PA.   The coal miners names have been researched and complied from various sources by Raymond A. Washlaski, Historian: newspaper obits, newspaper articles, Pennsylvania Bureau of Mines Reports, township histories, and names of coal miners submitted by various people, etc..
The Nationalities listed for various miners, are taken directly from "Report of the Department of Mines of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA" as reported for the various years.  Those listed as American, could be either native born or naturalized citizens.
Can you add additional Coal Miner's names to this Coal Miners Memorial Honor Roll? e-mail   "The Old Miner" Editor
Since 1870, Pennsylvania's Annual Report on Mining Activities has recorded 51,483 deaths from mining accidents-- 31,113 deaths in anthracite mines and 20,370 deaths in bituminous mines.

Your help is needed to preserve our coal mining heritage.
Please donate any mine records, mine maps or copies of them, pictures of the mines, pictures of miners, stories about the miners, mine memorabilia, books on mining, or tax deductable monetary donations to:
The Coal & Coke Heritage Center,
Penn State University Fayette Campus,
PA Rt. 119, P.O. Box 519, Uniontown, PA 15401

COAL MINERS MEMORIAL
EMPIRE MINES
[ A ]
Austin, R. W.
(General Superintendent, ca.1917, Empire Coal Mining Company, Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA.);
(General Superintendent, ca.1917, Empire Coal Mining Company, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA.);
(General Superintendent, ca.1917, Empire Coal Mining Company, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co.,  PA.)
[ B ]
Barris, Joseph
(English Miner, Pick Miner ca.1911, Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 34, married.);
(Injured. Leg broken by a fall of rock at the face of his room, in the Empire "M" Mine, April 17, 1911.)
Bartholamew, Merle
(American Miner, ca.1915, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 20, single.);
(Injured. Hand cut and bruised between top of mine car and roof in a room, in the McKean Mine, July 27, 1915.)
Bencosky, Stanley
(Slavonian Miner, ca.1915, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 45, married.);
(Injured. Wrist sprained and bruised by the mining machine kicking back on him at the face of a room, in the McKean Mine, July 27, 1915.)
Borock, Mike
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1911, Empire "P" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 32, single.);
(Killed. Killed by a fall of roof at the face of heading stumps while loading a mine car, in the Empire "P" Mine, Feb.17, 1911.)
[ C ]
Clemenson, Amiel [Emil]
(Superintendent, ca.1912, of the Empire "P" Mine &  Empire "R" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Empire Coal Mining Company, Clearfield, PA.);
(Superintendent, ca.1906, ca.1913, of the Empire "R" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Pioneer Coal Company, Clearfield, PA.);
(Superintendent, ca.1916, ca.1917, of the Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co.,  PA, for Empire Coal Mining Company.);
(Lived in Clymer, PA.)
Crascovich, Andrew
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1912, Empire "R" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 37, single.);
(Injured.  Back and shoulders bruised by a fall of rock at the face of a room, in the Empire "R" Mine, May 6, 1912.)
Cudla, Thomas
(Polish Miner, Pick Miner ca.1912, Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 27, married.);
(Injured. Two ribs broken by being caught between two mine cars on a heading, in the Empire "M" Mine, Sept. 17, 1912.)
[ D ]
[ E ]
[ F ]
Fedoronko, Pete
(Rusyn Miner, ca.1908 - 1926, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co., PA, married, wife Susan Gajdos Fedoronko, 9 Children.);
(Born Feb. 22, 1888, Hrabovcik, Slovakia.);
(Lived on Morris Street, Clymer, Indiana, PA.);
(The family moved to Chicago, IL ca.1926.)
Fedoronko, John
(Rusyn Miner, ca.1900 -1920, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co., PA, married, wife Anna Tkacik Fedoronko, 12 children.);
(Born June 20, 1873.);
(Lived on Morris Street, Clymer, Indiana PA.)
Federinko, Michael
(Miner, ca.1918, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co., PA.);
(Son of John Fedoronko.)
[ G ]
German, John
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 36, married.);
(Injured.  Back, chest and toes injured by a fall of roof at the mouth of a room while examining the roof, in the McKean Mine, Sept. 26, 1916.)
Gojdas, Mike
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co.,  PA, Age 26, single.);
(Injured.  Leg bruised by a fall of coal at the face of a room, in the Rodkey Mine, Sept. 25, 1916.)
Goodlin, Charles T.
(American Miner, Car Dropper ca.1916, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 49, married.);
(Injured.  Ligaments in ankle torn.  In stepping off a moving railroad car he twisted his ankle.  Outside the McKean Mine, May 21, 1916.)
Granots, John
(Polish Miner, Pick Miner ca.1918, Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 32, married.);
(Injured. Heel punctured by a pick at the face of a pillar, in the Empire No. 7 Mine, June 12, 1918.)
[ H ]
Hetrick, F. H.
(Superintendent, ca.1905, of the Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Pioneer Coal Company, Clearfield, PA.)
Hetrick, H. H.
(Superintendent, ca.1906, Empire "P" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Pioneer Coal Company, Clearfield, PA.)
Howanda, Joseph
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1911, Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 36, married, 2 children.);
(Killed. Electrocuted by comining in contact with the trolley wire on the heading near his room, in the Empire "M" Mine, Dec. 29, 1911.)
[ I ]
[ J ]
Jiros, Mathew
(Polish Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 39, married.);
(Injured.  Internally strained while pushing a loaded mine car in a room, in the Empire No. 7 Mine, Sept. 24, 1916.)
[ K ]
Kochesko, Michael
(Slavonian Miner, ca.1912, Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 32, married.);
(Injured. Leg broken by a fall of slate while setting a prop at face of a room, in the Empire "M" Mine, Sept. 5, 1912.)
[ L ]
Laird, James
(Scotch Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 31, married.);
(Injured.  Back sprained while pushing a loaded mine car out of a room, in the McKean Mine, July 14, 1916.)
[ M ]
Moratta, John
(Italian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co.,  PA, Age 22, married.);
(Injured.  Back sprained while lifting a mine car on the track, in the Rodkey Mine, April 10, 1916.)
[ N ]
[ O ]
Oravets, Frank
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 39, married.);
(Injured.  Internally injured while pushing a mine car in a room, in the Empire No. 7 Mine, Sept. 9, 1916.)
[ P ]
Pinkerton, James
(Scotch Miner, ca.1913, Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 59, married.);
(Injured. Hips and back badly bruised by a fall of draw slate at the face of a pillar, in the Empire "M" Mine, June 21, 1913.)
[ Q ]
[ R ]
[ S ]
Shillingford, G. Webb
(General Superintendent, ca.1913, Pioneer Coal Company, Empire "M" Mine, Empire "R" Mine, Indiana Co., PA.);
(General Superintendent, ca.1916, Empire Coal Mining Company, Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA.);
(General Superintendent, ca.1916, Empire Coal Mining Company, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA.);

(General Superintendent, ca.1916, Empire Coal Mining Company, Rodkey Mine, Indiana Co.,  P
(Lived in Clearfield, PA.)
Shillingford, R. A.
(General Superintendent, ca.1905, ca.1906, Pioneer Coal Company, Clearfield, PA, Empire No. 7 Mine, Empire "M" Mine, Empire "P" Mine, Empire "R" Mine, Indiana Co., PA.)
Shulensky, Alex
(Polish Miner, ca.1915, McKean Mine, Indiana Co. PA, Age 32, married.);
(Injured. Leg bruised by a mine car on an entry at the mouth of a room, in the McKean Mine, July 16, 1915.)
Smith, David
(American Miner, Motorman ca.1915, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 45, married.);
(Injured. Calf of leg badly bruised by the end of brake rod of the motor dropping down and striking against a tie on the main haulage road, in the McKean Mine, July 21, 1915.)
Sobansky, Steve
(Slavonian Miner, Pick Miner ca.1916, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 37, married.);
(Injured.  Lung smashed by mine cars at the mouth of a room, in the McKean Mine, Nov. 4, 1916.)
St. Clair, James
(Miner, ca.1913, Clymer, Indiana Co., PA.);
(Superintendent, ca.1912, of the Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Empire Coal Mining Company, Clearfield, PA.);
(Passed examinations for Assistant Mine Foreman and Fire Boss. Certificates issued 1913.);
(Superintendent, ca.1906, ca.1913, of the Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Pioneer Coal Company, Clearfield, PA.);
(Superintendent, ca.1916, ca.1917, of the McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Empire Coal Mining Company.)
(Lived in Clymer, PA.)
Steffy, F.G.
(American Miner, Laborer ca.1913, Empire "M" Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 36, married.);
(Injured. Heel squeezed between mine car bumpers. Outside the Empire "M" Mine, March 28, 1913.)
Swisher, Dale
(American Miner, ca.1915, McKean Mine, Indiana Co., PA, Age 32, married.);
(Injured. Hips squeezed by a fall of slate at the face of heading stumps while setting a post, in the McKean Mine, June 29, 1915.)
[ T ]
Thorn, C. M.
(Superintendent, ca.1916, of the Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Empire Coal Mining Company.)
Thornton, C. M.
(Superintendent, ca.1917, of the Empire No. 7 Mine, Indiana Co., PA, for Empire Coal Mining Company.)
[ U ]
[ V ]
[ W ]
[ X ]
[ Y ]
[ Z ]


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A Special Thanks to Nick Puzak, Mining Historian, formerly of Penn State University, for researching and furnishing many additional names of miners at the McKean Mine (Empire "M" Mine) & the Rodkey Mine (Empire "R" Mine), Indiana Co., PA.

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