JAIRUS COLLINS ( 1857 -
1934 )
Jairus Collins was
born in Clayton, Alabama on December 14, 1857. After
spending some time in Louisville, Kentucky, he moved to
Goodwill, West Virginia in 1887 where he, Isaac T.
Mann, and J. J. Tierney established the Louisville Coal
and Coke Company on the west fork of Flipping Creek. In
1890, Jairus Collins and Isaac T. Mann organized the
Greenbrier Coal and Coke Company in Northfork Hollow in
McDowell County. They bought coal property again in
1896 in the Loop Creek Branch Area of Fayette
County. In 1902, Collins, Mann, and company formed
the Smokeless Fuel Company to sell all of their
coal. In 1903 and 1904 they bought three more coal
mines in McDowell County and formed the Superior
Pocahontas Coal Company. On December 1, 1905 Jairus
Collins and Isaac T. Mann bought the Goodwill Coal and
Coke Company from Philip Goodwill and his brothers,
William F. and Anthony G. In 1909 Collins and Mann
dissolved the Pocahontas Company and merged all of their
coal mines into the Winding Gulf Collieries. It is thought that Jarius and his brother both servered as general manager
of the Greenbrier and Louisville Coal and Coke Companies.
Philip Goodwill was appointed general manager of
Winding Gulf Collieries at Goodwill where he served until
his death in 1916. Then, Emory Jones, and E. V. Bowman
were appointed general managers.
Isaac T. Mann died
in Washington, D. C. in 1932. Jairus Collins died
in Charleston, West Virginia on October 18, 1934.
His brother, Jairus Collins died on May 18, 1932, and is
buried in Woodlawn Cemetery at Bluewell, WV.
The last day of
operation for Winding Gulf Collieries in Goodwill was on
January 4, 1958. At that time the Sprague Family of
Beckley owned the company. They were also the
owners of the New River Company.
Text
furnished by: Ken Bowen, Bluewell , WV.
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