Bullpush Hollow

A Story of Miners and Their Families in the Coal Camps of West Virginia and the Mine Wars of the Early 1900’s.

A Struggle for Freedom

Bullpush Hollow

Bullpush Hollow

A Story of Miners and Their Families in the Coal Camps of West Virginia and the Mine Wars of the Early 1900’s.

A Struggle for Freedom

Bulllpush Hollow–An Online Graphic History

updating with new strips Mondays & Thursdays

Eskdale WV 1894  (Near Cabin Creek)

(Keeney [Union Man], and others)

Everyone Starts Out as a Trapper Boy  #7A

CC, Booker T. Washington, and Fred Mooney were far from the only child miners in West Virginia.  Another fatherless young miner was Frank Keeney who started mining at the age of twelve.

Fred meets mule.

Soundtrack–My Sweetheart’s the Mule in the Mines by Joe Glazer: Spotify

  Extra story, history, news articles, and pictures are on Patreon!

Frank’s great grandson, relates that as a young trapper boy Frank was almost crushed to death by a frightened mule.  He only escaped by…well you’ll have to wait for the next illustration to find that out.

The title ‘Everyone Starts out as a Trapper Boy’ is mostly correct for miners who started as children in the bituminous coal mines of WV. Those who started a little older might be assigned as mule drivers or perhaps even pickers.  In other areas of the world mining anthracite coal, boys might start as breaker boys before moving on to work as trappers.

Miners and their Mules 1900 Cabin Creek WV
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