29TH ANNUAL HARRISON COAL & RECLAMATION HISTORICAL PARK DINNER-AUCTION

MAY 13, 2023

HOPEDALE VFD SOCIAL HALL

103 FIREHOUSE LANE

HOPEDALE, OHIO

DOORS OPEN AT 4:00PM DINNER AT 5:00PM

AUCTION AROUND 7:00PM

SPEAKER: SAM BENNETT, JR COSHOCTON COUNTY COAL MINERS MEMORIAL

AUCTIONEER: RICK KEEFER AUCTIONS

TICKETS: $20.00. INCLUDES BUFFET STYLE DINNER, DRINKS, & MORE. LIVE & CHINESE AUCTIONS.

DINNER INCLUDES CHICKEN, SWISS STEAK, MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY, NOODLES, GREEN BEANS, DESERT, AND DRINKS.

FOR RESERVATIONS, INFORMATION, OR DONATE ITEMS FOR AUCTION CONTACT 740-391-4135, 330-401-9881, or E-MAIL INFO@HCRHP.ORG

MAIL RESERVATIONS TO HCRHP 143 SOUTH MAIN ST, CADIZ, OH 43907.

IF YOU ARE IN THE CADIZ AREA TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE HARRISON COUNTY VISITORS CENTER 143 SOUTH MAIN STREET CADIZ MONDAY-FRIDAY 8AM-3PM.

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO HCRHP.

VISIT WWW.HCRHP.ORG, WWW.COALPARK.ORG, AND WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HCRHP

SPEAKER BIO:

MY FAMILY MOVED TO OHIO IN SEPTEMBER 1964 FROM GARYS KNOB IN HARLAN COUNTY KENTUCKY.

MY DAD WAS WORKING IN THE UNDERGROUND MINES FOR AROUND 16-18 YEARS BEFORE MOVING TO OHIO. WE LIVED IN A COAL CAMP OUTSIDE OF GARYS KNOB. THE COMPANY NAME WAS V & C COAL OWNED & OPERATED BY CLYDE V. BENNET – NO RELATION. MY DAD WORKED AT OTHER MINES PRIOR TO THIS LIKE CONSOL COAL COMPANY. DAD LIKED THE IDEA OF WORKING AT THE SIMCO-PEABODY COAL COMPANY & ALL THE COAL THAT CAME OUT WENT DOWN TO THE COLUMBUS & SOUTHERN OHIO ELECTRIC COMPANY’S CONESVILLE POWER PLANT. MY DAD WAS ACCIDENTLY KILLED IN A HAULAGE ACCIDENT ON MAY 5, 1971. AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL IN JUNE I STARTED WORKING AT THE MINE ON NOVEMBER 9, 1976 UNTIL THE MINE CLOSED IN OCTOBER 1978. IN NOVEMBER 1978 I GOT HIRED AT NORTH AMERICAN COAL COMPANY’S POWHATAN 6 MINE & WORKED THERE UNTIL GETTING LAID OFF IN FEBRUARY 1982. NACCO LAID OFF 250 EMPLOYEES AT THAT TIME.

 BACK IN 2009 OR 2010 I SPOKE TO A MAN THAT SUGGESTED I PUT A MEMORIAL STONE AT THE MINE WHERE MY DAD WAS KILLED. NOT UNTIL 2011 DID I THINK ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION AGAIN. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I HAD TO TALK TO THE JUDGE TO GET PERMISSION TO PUT THE MEMORIAL STONE ON THE COURTHOUSE LAWN. ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 19, 2013 THERE WAS A COMMUNITY DEDICATION SERVICE FOR THE MINERS MEMORIAL STONE.