By Amanda Johnson (intern, Bowling Green State University, 2017)
Development of the Massillon Coal Industry
When fur traders and merchants moved into the Ohio territory in the mid-1700s, they discovered rich deposits of coal in the area that would later become Massillon. It was not until 100 years later that these deposits were utilized. As the country industrialized, the demand for coal grew. The Massillon coal vein, also known as the Sharon Seam, covers much of Stark County and runs into Tuscarawas, Holmes, Wayne, Medina and Summit Counties. It was found to be some of the highest quality coal in the Eastern United States, and was sought after for domestic and industrial use. Russell and Co., of Massillon and the Republic Steel Corporation made use of coal from the Massillon vein.
Pigeon Run Road Coal Mine, c.1900 Collection Massillon Museum (75.55.1)
The Massillon vein was mined as early as 1820 and shipped by canal; however, the industry took off after the Pennsylvania Railroad arrived in Massillon in 1852. Mines began to appear in larger numbers in Massillon and the surrounding area. According to the Stark County Historical Society’s publication The Stark County Story, by 1867, a thousand tons of desirable Massillon coal was shipped out daily. The growth of the railroad industry increased the demand for coal, as it powered steam engines, and allowed for the growth of coal mining and shipping operations in Massillon. Massillon coal was shipped by railroad to the Great Lakes, where it was used to power steam ships. It also fueled railroad equipment and plants which manufactured weapons and equipment during the Civil War.
Due to the quality of Massillon coal and the rising demand for fuel of such quality, in the late 19th century, many large coal mining and shipping companies were established in the Massillon area. Along with these large companies, small farms and businesses often produced coal as well, with many small mines operating during the winter months when farm families were unable to produce crops. At this time, the majority of coal mines were dug underground. By 1898, there were over 1,155 underground coal mines in Ohio. The potential for employment in the coal industry increased Massillon’s population and the purchase of land for mining increased the city’s area. Many men emigrating from Wales found work in Massillon vein coal mines. At its height, the coal industry in Massillon employed between 2,000-4,000 men. By 1902, over one million tons of coal was produced from the Massillon vein yearly. Many Massillonians made their fortune in the coal industry and went on to political careers in Ohio – most notably J.P. Burton, Anthony Howells, J.F. Pocock, and John G. Warwick.
Life of a Coal Miner
Pigeon Run Road Coal Mine, c.1905 Collection Massillon Museum (75.55.2)
Approximately 2,000-4,000 men in the Massillon area were employed in coal manufacturing at the industry’s peak. Primarily of Scottish and Welsh descent, these miners would have cut tons of coal from underground mines and loaded it by hand onto carts to be shipped on Ohio’s canal and railway systems. Animals such as mules, horses, oxen, and goats hauled coal from the mines to their shipping location. Miners and their families would have lived near the mine, often in housing controlled by the mining company. Miners were oftentimes paid in credits that could only be used at company-owned stores.
Working in mines was not a safe job, as there was very little regulation of working conditions or worker’s rights in the 19th century. In the mine, spaces were dark and cramped, with little fresh air and great risk of injury from falling rock. Strikes, though often organized, rarely had effect in improving the working conditions or wages for miners. Following the First World War, above ground strip mining became more prevalent, and more regulations for workers were instituted, making coal mining a safer and more profitable profession.
Conflict and Eventual Decline of Coal
Massillon Oak Hill Coal Co., c.1900 Collection Massillon Museum (91.34.3)
The growth of the coal industry did not come without issue. Strikes and accidents occurred frequently on the small scale, but in 1875, the Massillon coal industry faced total collapse. After the panic of 1873, miner’s pay was reduced from $1.00 per ton to just 65 cents per ton. Thousands of union coal miners working in mines on the Massillon vein staged a walk-out after the wage cuts. When strike breakers were brought in, miners protesting at the Warmington Mine in North Lawrence grew into an angry mob. The mob of workers attacked the Warmington Mine president and nearly beat him to death. The governor sent in the Ohio National Guard to break up the riot. The miners were brought to trial and defended in the court room by future president William McKinley. They were acquitted, and McKinley won support from the large population of miners, which helped his political career.
Large mining ventures in Massillon faded after the turn of the century, as the seam was depleted. The difficulty in finding coal to mine, along with World War I and the Great Depression, led to the steep decline of the coal industry in the Massillon area during the 1920s and 30s. While some mining remained, much of it was done at above ground strip mines rather than in the underground shaft mines of the earlier coal boom. Though coal mining no longer plays a large part in the economy of Massillon, during the late 19th century it was responsible for the growth of the city and the economic success of many. Mining continues in Stark County today producing about 338,000 tons of coal annually according to the Ohio Coal Association.
Major Leaders of the Massillon Coal Industry
J.P. Burton, c.1880, Collection Massillon Museum (76.68.1.1)
J.P. Burton
Businessman J.P. Burton made his fortune in part working in the Massillon coal industry– raised a Quaker in eastern Pennsylvania, after the Civil War, he moved to Massillon and opened the Burton Furnace Company, later known as the Massillon Furnace. He began manufacturing pig iron. Burton later founded the Ridgeway Burton Company in partnership with Thomas Ridgeway, and opened a number of coal mines in the Massillon area, primarily in North Lawrence. Later moving operations to Cleveland, Burton continued to mine, process and ship coal from the Massillon vein for a number of years, shipping it along the Massillon & Cleveland Railroad to be distributed throughout the region via shipment on the Great Lakes.
Anthony Howells, engraved by Western Biographical Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio - (1904) Old Landmarks of Canton and Stark County, Ohio, Logansport, Indiana: B F Brown, p. 396 OCLC: 79257924.
Anthony Howells (1832-1915)
Perhaps more widely known for his political career, eventual Ohio State Treasurer and Senator Anthony Howells was responsible for much of the growth of the Massillon coal industry. After coming to Ohio from Wales, Howells worked as a coal miner and eventually saved enough to open a dry goods store. Following his success in the mercantile business, Howells invested in Massillon coal mines, opening 12 across four decades. The Howells Coal Co. in Massillon eventually employed over 600 men.
For more information on Anthony Howells, click here.
John G. Warwick, engraved by Chapman Brothers - (1892) Portrait and Biographical Record of Stark County, Ohio, Chicago: Chapman Brothers, p. 116
John G. Warwick (1830-1892)
Having already become a prominent Massillon businessman through his work in the mercantile, flour milling, and railroad businesses, Irishman John G. Warwick developed several coal mining operations in the 1870s. Some of Warwick’s mines turned out upwards of 500 tons of coal per day. He is noted for continuing to allow his mine employees to use credit in his stores even when they were on strike. Warwick later ran for political office, and was elected lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 1883 – many assert his victory came from the support of his workers.
For more information on John G. Warwick, click here.
Massillon Coal Company Highlights
Blaine Mine & Taggart Coal Co.
The Blaine mine, named after James G. Blaine, was the site of one of the earliest commercial mining operations in Massillon. It was established in 1869 by Benjamin Fulton of Canal Fulton. His son-in-law, I.M. Taggart, inherited his father-in-law’s coal interests, including the Blaine Mine, and from them established the Taggart Coal Company.
Image above: Taggart Mine #2, collection Massillon Museum
Burton Coal Company/ Ridgeway-Burton Company
JP Burton was responsible for the operation of a number of coal mines as President of the Ridgeway-Burton Company, which used the coal it mined to operate blast furnaces and smelt iron. The company primarily mined Massillon vein coal from underground mines in North Lawrence. The company eventually moved to Cleveland, where easy access to Lake Erie allowed for the shipment of coal and other products.
Massillon Coal and Iron Company
The Massillon Coal and Iron Company was one of the earliest coal operators in the state. Formed in 1873 with a capital investment of $50,000. With 10 furnaces, the company output 425 tons of iron and coal per month by 1880 and employed 120 men.
Massillon City Coal Company
Organized in 1873, the Massillon City Coal Company was managed by J.F. Pocock of Massillon, who operated several mines in the surrounding area in conjunction with his father-in-law, Henry Foltz.
M.A Hanna Company
Mark Hanna of Cleveland married into the Rhodes family, who owned and operated a number of mines along the Massillon coal vein. His company become one of the largest coal mining companies in the state of Ohio. The M.A Hanna Company also had mining operations in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. At the turn of the century, many of the larger coal operations in Ohio, including those owned by J.G. Warwick, were sold to Hanna.
Audio Interviews Regarding Coal Mining in Massillon
Click here to visit our oral history archive, for hours of interviews with coal miners, researchers, and coal dealers.
Maps of Coal Mines
Gallery of coal mine maps and railroad maps with coal information (coming soon)
Google Map of all coal mines in the Massillon area
Sources:
Heald, E.T., The Stark County Story, Vol. 1-3, Canton, Ohio: Stark County Historical Society. 1940s-1950s.
Perrin, William Henry, History of Stark County, 1881
Vogt, Margy, Towpath to Towpath, 2002
Lists of Coal Mines by Mine Name and Owner Name
Below is a list of other coal organizations in the Massillon vein, alphabetized by mine name, and by owner.
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