My alphabetical name index accident records cover most of the United States, New Zealand, provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec in Canada, and provinces of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. However, about 283,000 of the mine accident records are the state of Pennsylvania. The mining accident records are from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. I have knowledge of all major mine disasters in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I can provide advice on finding U.S. mine fatalities from the late 1860s and later and in Victoria province Australia. A general listing of the accident records I have is below. However, for a detailed listing of the records and the type of information available, see
http://www.gengathering.com/State_search.php
or http://raogk.wikia.com/wiki/Random_Acts_of_Genealogical_Kindness_Wiki
Another way to contact me is to post a query on the web site
http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.occupations.mining.us/mb.ashx (Log-in, select the state, click Begin New Thread, fill in the form & Post)
or through the website raogk.wiki or gengathering.com whose URLs are above, but put the words "Mining Accident
(state or province)" in the subject. I continue to collect mining accident records.
However the easiest way to contact me is to simply click on CONTACT at the top of this page and fill in the form blanks.
An index to most, but not all, of my mining accident records is available on the web sites:
https://libguides.mines.edu/MiningHistoryArchive
"Arthur Lakes Library Colorado School of Mines" Special Collections, Russell L. & Lyn Wood Mining History Archive (Click A0176 )
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r45_MineAccidentRegisters/r45-14AccidentRegistersInterface.htm 1899-1918 and 1924-1972 "Anthracite Mine Registers" and
1899-1972 "Bituminous Mine Accidents” (Note that an alternate source to the 1869-1918 Pennsylvania mining accident records based on the Annual Reports are not on this web site but are posted on the Arthur Lakes Library web site above).
The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) has a fatality archive database of accident investigation files for the United States mining industry. Most of the fatalities covered are for years 1960 and later.
Go to
https://digitallibrary.msha.gov/#!/s?v=T&a=c&q=RIVER%20SLOPE%20MINE&type=64&criteria=mine_name%3Driver%20slope
When the web site comes up, click search on two occasions. If entering only a date, type it as mm/dd/yyyy, and fill in as few boxes as possible. Try both the “Search” and “Browse” buttons. By clicking on any blue items from the search results, you can get things to come up.
It is best to enter a search term with the last name only to avoid a listing of all accidents with the first name also. Filling in the year and state also narrows the results.
For another approach for 2007 accidents and earlier, go to https://www.msha.gov/digital-materials-collection
Click MSHA Fatality Report Collection, Enter information in blocks, but the date of mo/da/year works best and the fewer blocks you fill in the better the results; then click Accept Cookies and finally click Update Search Filters. If searched by date, click on the report shown. If searched by name, click View Related Information. Sometimes the report shown will not take in which case renter the website.
For 2008 and later accidents, go to
https://www.msha.gov/data-reports/fatality-reports/search
In 1998 (Reprinted 2001), the Mine Safety and Health Administration published a three volume index, Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States (primarily disasters with five or more fatalities):
Volume I - Coal Mines - 1810 - 1958, 280 pages
Volume II - Coal Mines - 1959 - 1998, 137 pages
Volume III - Metal and Nonmetal Mines - 1885 - 1998, 71 pages
These books were initially issued as nine microfiches and are available at large libraries in the Government Publication Reference section under Call Number L 38.2:H 62/SUM./V.1-3.
I regularly check the 17 state mine board postings on
http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.occupations.mining.us/mb.ashx
"Ancestry Mining Boards and Mining Categories - U.S.” . By searching, one may find a helpful
historical query. Any posting more than two years old probably has a bad email
address link.
In your query to me, if possible please include the words Mining Accident in the subject,
name of miner, approximate birth date and date of accident, state and county if
known. Additional information such as mine, nationality, single or married, and number of surviving children under 16 years of age is also helpful. I usually can provide some additional details about the accident.
MY FAVORITE WEB SITES:
https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/Mine_Disasters/state_mining_fatality_resources.htm “Coal and Metal and Nonmetal Mine Accident and Fatality Resources by State”
http://coalcampusa.com/ "Appalachia Coal Fields , mines and towns, with maps for AL, KY, MD, OH, Western PA, TN, VA & WV"
https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/maps/interactive-map-coal-mines-west-virginia “Interactive Mine Maps for the states of CO, IA, IN, KY, MN, ND, PA, UT, VA, WA, & WV and Alberta, Canada"
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL502EFC2179D1AB53
“Coal Mining Songs”.
UNITED STATES MINING ACCIDENTS:
ALABAMA, 1900-1938, fatal
ALASKA, 1911-1936, fatal & nonfatal
ARIZONA, 1912-1929, nonfatal & fatal and Cochise County, 1892 - 1974, nonfatal & fatal
“Index of Bisbee, Cochise County, AZ miners” see https://www.bisbeeminingandminerals.com/index
Additional Book Reference: 7 Bells: Mine Safety & Accidents at Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona, 436 pages, 1892 - 1974, by Graeme IV, Richard William
ARKANSAS, 1940-1951, fatal "Coal Mining Records"
CALIFORNIA, 1866-1922, nonfatal & fatal
COLORADO, 1883-1902 & 1915-1923 nonfatal; 1870-1982, fatal
IDAHO, 1851-2001, fatal
Additional Book Reference: From Hell to Heaven: Death-Related Mining Accidents in North Idaho, 215 pages, 1851 - 2001, by Hyde, Gene
ILLINOIS, 1885-1925, nonfatal; 1885-1948, fatal
http://hinton-gen.com/ilcoalmines.html “Illinois Coal & Coal Mining History & Genealogy”
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/14777505005958579/ “Explore Coal Miners, Black Diamonds and more!”
INDIANA, 1891-1915, nonfatal & fatal
IOWA, 1886-1922, fatal & nonfatal; 1923-1967 fatal
https://iowaculture.gov/sites/default/files/history-research-collections-statearchives-indexes-mining-fatalities.pdf “Iowa Mining Fatalities Index”
KANSAS, 1884-1933, nonfatal; 1884-1956, fatal
KENTUCKY, 1887-1926, nonfatal & fatal & 1940-2013 fatal, also see
http://sites.rootsweb.com/~kyborn/coalminermemindex.html “Harlan County Coal Miner’s Memorial”
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/562457440934408973/ "Harlan county Coal Miner's Memorial"
http://kycoal.homestead.com/coalpatchtowns.html “Kentucky Coal Patch Towns”
MARYLAND, 1877-1950, nonfatal & fatal
MICHIGAN, Dickinson county 1877-1926 fatal & nonfatal, Gogebic county fatal 1885-1963, Houghton county 1889-1913 fatal & nonfatal and 1908-1913 fatal, Marquette county 1866-1925 fatal & Iron county 1883-1893 fatal & nonfatal
http://www.mifamilyhistory.org/houghton/MiningDefault.aspx "Houghton Co. Accident Report Name Index"
Additional Book References: Mining Fatalities of Gogebic County, Michigan, 105 pages, 1885 - 1963, by Cox, Bruce K. and Some Michigan Fatal Accidents in the Atlantic, Baltic, Champion, Trimountain and Winona Copper Mines, 128 pages, 1892 - 1914, by Monette, Clarence J.
MINNESOTA, 1900-1924, nonfatal; 1889-1990 fatal; 1982-1994 St. Louis county fatal & nonfatal
MISSOURI, 1868-1926, nonfatal & fatal;
for St.Francois county, 1871-1971, see http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mostfran/miners/miners_index.htm
“St.Francois Co., Missouri Lead Mines Death”
Additional Book References: Mine Accidents and Deaths in the Southwestern Area of Jasper County, Missouri, Volume 1, 186 pages, 1868 - 1906, by Dawson, Jack and Mine Accidents and Deaths in the Southwestern Area of Jasper County, Missouri,Volume 2, 245 pages, 1907 - 1923, by Dawson, Jack
MONTANA, 1895-1912, nonfatal & fatal
NEW MEXICO, 1894-1971, nonfatal & fatal
Additional Book Reference: New Mexico Mining Fatalities and Accidents, 32 pages, 1894 - 1925, by Daniel, Karen Stein
NEVADA, 1909-1947, nonfatal & fatal; 1947-1960 fatal
NORTH CAROLINA, 1895-1938, fatal
NORTH DAKOTA, 1919-1968, nonfatal & fatal
OHIO, 1874-1914, nonfatal & fatal
OKLAHOMA, 1885-1962, fatal "Coal Mining Records"; 1915-1961 fatal "Hard Rock Mining Records" with 1913-2000 "Obituaries" ; For more "Hard Rock Lead & Zinc Mining Records", see https://www.maloybooks.com/search
PENNSYLVANIA, 1869-1882 Eastern PA only fatal and nonfatal; 1883-1940 PA fatal & nonfatal; 1941-1972 PA fatal
Contact me to check for an alphabetical name index to these records. However, an alphabetical name index to the Annual Reports 1869-1918 is posted on the Arthur Lakes Library Colorado School of Mines above. An alphabetical name index to the Mine Registers Anthracite 1899-1972 (1917-1923 is not posted) plus Bituminous 1902-1972 are posted at
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r45_MineAccidentRegisters/r45-14AccidentRegistersInterface.htm
http://archive.org/search.php?query=scranton%20mines “Pennsylvania Department of Mines
Inspector Reports” Report years are given in the title. For blank website report images, put browser on the report image and the description comes up.
or https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/PAMinesandMining Penn State University Fletcher L. Byrom Earth & Mineral Sciences Library, go down to "Pennsylvania Annual Reports on Mining Activities - detailed index and links 1870-1979" , go down to the desired report year and click. Then click pdf to view, resize image and print. Note that page numbers do not match exactly book page numbers because front pages are not numbered in the book. Probably the best site for finding Pennsylvania Annual reports.
http://www.coalmininghistorypa.org/historicalpictures/pic038.htm
“Pennsylvania Coal Mining Pictures” Click Next to advance.
http://www.northernfield.info/
“Pennsylvania’s Northern Anthracite Coal Field 1870-1970” (maps, photos & reports)
http://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Coal-Miner-Records.aspx "Pennsylvania Coal Miner, Anthracite and Bituminous Coal Records and other Resources
http://explorepahistory.com/story.php?storyId=1-9-18&chapter=1 “Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Mining Stories”
https://archive.li/patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com “Coal Mining in Western Pennsylvania”
http://mahanoyhistory.org/collieries.html “Collieries in the Mahanoy Valley 1858-1953 – Eastern Middle PA”
"Molly Maguires Northeastern Pennsylvania Members" https://colcohist-gensoc.org/additional-databases/molly-maguires/ and
http://www.angelfire.com/pa4/berksaoh/pdf/mollies.pdf
Many mining accidents required and inquest. If your able to find the name indexed book SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA CORONERS INQUEST RECORDS, 1811-1909 by Jean A. Dellock and Phillip A. Rice, Closson Press, 2010, at a local library; it often lists only the cause of the mining accident and approximate date.
SOUTH DAKOTA, 1891-1926, nonfatal; 1877-1991, fatal
TENNESSEE, 1891-1895, 1898-1914 & 1919-1930 nonfatal & fatal
TEXAS, 1909 & 1914 nonfatal & fatal
UTAH, 1896-1916, nonfatal & fatal
WASHINGTON, 1905-1919, nonfatal & 1892-1960, fatal
VIRGINIA, 1854-1967, fatal
WEST VIRGINIA, 1887-1927, nonfatal & fatal; Raleigh county fatal 1891-2000
http://www.wvgenweb.org/wvcoal/txt.html “West Virginia Coal Mine Site”
Articles on West Virginia Coal Mine Disasters (wvculture.org) "West Virginia Coal Mine Disasters"
Additional Book Reference: Raleigh County West Virginia Mine Deaths, 211 pages, 1891 - 2000, by Wood, Jim
WISCONSIN, Iron county, 1886-1964, fatal; Florence county, 1881 - 1913, fatal & nonfatal
Additional Book Reference: Mining Fatalities in Iron County, Wisconsin, 28 pages, 1886 - 1964, by Cox, Bruce K.
WYOMING, 1897-1898 & 1908-1973, nonfatal & fatal
CANADA MINING ACCIDENTS:
ALBERTA, 1905-1926, nonfatal; 1904-1964, fatal
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1978-1925, nonfatal; 1878-1972 fatal
http://www.nanaimoarchives.ca/online-resources/mine-death-accidents/ "Nanaimo Mining Accidents 1877-1952"
NOVA SCOTIA, 1871-1916, nonfatal & fatal;
for 1838-1992, fatal, see https://archives.novascotia.ca/meninmines/ "Museum of Industry"
ONTARIO, 1893-1914, nonfatal; 1892-1967, fatal
QUEBEC, 1909-1926, nonfatal & fatal; 1927-1936 & 1954-1964 fatal (includes quarry accidents)
AUSTRALIA MINING ACCIDENTS:
NEW SOUTH WALES, 1872-1939, nonfatal & fatal
QUEENSLAND, 1885-1919 & 1939-1941, nonfatal & fatal
VICTORIA, 1850s – 1940s, nonfatal & fatal, see http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/resources/victorian-mining-accident-index
For descriptions of Australian mining fatalities see:
http://www.mineaccidents.com.au/mine-events/all/au
NEW ZEALAND MINING ACCIDENTS, 1886-1929, nonfatal; 1879-1958, fatal
GREAT BRITAIN MINING ACCIDENTS, see
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=9735&geo_a=r&geo_s=uk&geo_t=uk&geo_v=2.0.0&o_iid=41012&o_lid=41012&o_sch=Web+Property
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/disasters/ "Coalmining Accidents and Deaths"
WALES MINING ACCIDENTS, see
http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/DisastersList.htm “Welsh Mining Disasters & Fatalities – primarily 1800s”
SCOTLAND MINING ACCIDENTS,
http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/5.html “Fatal 1817 - 1973 & Nonfatal 1800s to Early 1930s, Mining Accident Indexes – Scottish Mining Website”
WWW.scottishmining.co.uk/Indexes/1960s.html ":Scottish Mining Website- Post 1960 Deaths"