Thursday, June 22, 2023
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Cousin, Lisa Grimmett and I interviewed Ulbert Morgan on 01-29-2018 at the Cliffside Restaurant in Man. He gave us the names of his sister (forgot the brothers), his wife's names, parents and his four children's names and spouses.
He explained that his wife, Ella, was a cook for the coal companies most of her life (Guyan Eagle Co., Co) at Elk Creek. They called it the Elk Ck Grill (Grill Hollow) AKA Old House Branch (on the map).
He spoke of the Passenger train coming from Peach Ck and old phones where one dialed "LUC" (583) - "short for Lucinda" he said.
He mentioned his dad worked on the wall around the Triadelphia Golf Course at Bruno and that they drilled and dyaminted to get the rocks that were used.
He told of a swinging bridge at Bruno, and how they used "crank" phones at the mines, then later walkie talkies.
They lived in portable logging houses, which they could bolt additional rooms to if one had a larger family. Later the mines built coal house, called "slab houses."
Transportation was by "Hoofs and Legs" (Horses or walk.)
He said for Christmas Tree decorations, they used crepe paper chains, popcorn and cranberries. They put apples and oranges in your stocking.
His dad and friend James Vance were the only ones who had a car. (T-Model Ford). They would go to Logan and bring back a stock of commodities for everyone during the depression.
He attended a 2 room grade school at Emmett (Elk Creek) until May of 1942, then he went to work at 17 years old and worked for 45 Years.
He attends Big Spicy Baptist church at Mallory. His wife passed and when we ask him to tell us how he met his wife. He smiled and said he met her on the railroad tracks. She and some other girls were walking on the tracks and he walked with her for awhile and tears filled his eyes as he spoke softly about her pretty "blue eyes."
Mr. Morgan only eats 2 meals a day, but he's very prompt about those two meals. Before we ordered his daily 4pm "sharp" dinner which consisted of beans, cornbread and fried potatoes, he told us he wouldn't do anything different about his life than what he had lived.
I am so thankful to have met this gentleman and his interview was so sweet. May God Bless his family and I hope someone in his family gets to read this. What a sweet jewel he was. You have my and my cousin, Lisa Grimmett’s deepest condolences.
