West Virginia Pioneers, Tonia's Ancestors

I choose to bring in an obituary and photos to represent my family's history.  Two lines of my family has lived in West Virginia since 1660.  These items represent the oldest family photo, a historic mining photo and an obituary of my great grandfather who was killed by a fall of coal in a coal mine.

The photo is of a couple named Amos and Melissa Welch Bee.  This could be from as early as 1860 as my grandmother was born in 1896 and these are her great, grandparents.  They would be my maternal great, great grandparents.

The obituary is from July 31, 1930. Allen Reed, my maternal great grandfather was killed in Cortwright Coal mines of Clarksburg, West Virginia.  My father, grandfather, great grandfather and more worked the coal mines.  My generation is the first generation to not have anyone working in the coal mines.