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Cross Mountain Mine Disaster, Briceville,TN

84 men and boys lost their lives inside the mine after an explosion occurred on Dec 9, 1911.

 

On the morning of December 9, 1911, a roof fall occurred near one of the entrances at Cross Mountain Mine, which released methane gas into the air. The gas and coal dust probably ignited when a miner approached the roof fall with an open light. The explosion killed or trapped the 89 miners who had gone into the mine that morning.

Despite a well-organized rescue effort led by the newly created Bureau of Mines, 84 miners died. At least 22 of the miners killed in the Cross Mountain Mine disaster were buried in a circular memorial known as the Cross Mountain Miners' Circle, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This circle is located at the south end of Briceville on the steep western slope of Walden Ridge. Shortly after the disaster, the United Mine Workers of America placed a marble obelisk in the middle of the Cross Mountain Miners' Circle containing the names of all 84 miners killed in the Cross Mountain Mine disaster. Others were buried at the Briceville Community Church cemetery, among them Eugene Ault, whose monument is inscribed with the "farewell message" he wrote on the wall of the mine as he lay dying.

Among the 84 dead were 14 sets of brothers. The victims ranged in age from 16 to 61.

List of Deceased

The names below come from a list published in the The Knoxville Independent, May 19, 1917, page 4, on the 15th anniversary of the Fraterville Mine explosion.

Legend:
bur: Name of cemetery

Names

Allen, Jno. Jr., bur: New Circle
Ault, Eugene, bur: Briceville
Ault, Taylor, bur: Briceville
Burton, Henry, bur: New Circle
Cannon, Harry, bur: Briceville
Carden, James, bur: New Circle
Cooper, J. K., bur: Indian Creek
Duff, John, bur: Maryville
Duff, F. A., bur: Maryville
Duncan, Aaron, bur: New Circle
Duncan, E. F., bur: New Circle
Duncan, Isaac, bur: Briceville
Elliott, Ernest, bur: Blowing Springs
Euins, Robbins, bur: New Circle
Farmer, Joe, bur: Robbins
Farmer, W. A., bur: Robbins
Foust, Jas., bur: Foust
Gallagher, Ben, bur: New Circle
Gammon, W. A., bur: New Circle
Gaylor, Reuben, bur: New Circle
Gilbreath, Jas., bur: Marlow
Harmon, Conda, bur: Longfield
Hatmaker, P. A., bur: Briceville
Haynes, A. L., bur: Briceville
Haynes, J. F., bur: Briceville
Hill, Chas., bur: Pleasant Hill
Hunter, Robert, bur: New Circle
Hutson, Sill, bur: New Circle
Irick, Will, bur: New Circle
Irish, H. A., bur: Leach
Johnson, Andrew, bur: Briceville
Kesterson, Chas., bur: Jr. Cemetery
Leatherwood, T. A., bur:Jr. Cemetery
Leinart, French, bur: Leinarts
Lester, R. J., bur: New Circle
Long, E. J., bur: Marlow
Marlin, Chas., bur: New Circle
Marlin, Jas. A., bur: New Circle
Marlow, Mark, bur: New Circle
Marlow, Thomas, bur: New Circle
Marshall, John, bur: New Circle
Martin, Alonzo, bur: Pleasant Hill
Martin, Dan, bur: Pemberton
Martin, Harvey, bur: Pemberton
Martin, Thomas, bur: Leach
McKamey, Melvin, bur: New Circle
McQueen, Richard, bur: Briceville
McQueen, Joe, bur: Briceville
Miller, Sam, bur: New Circle
Olvey, C. E., bur: New Circle
Olvey, Oscar, bur: New Circle
Payne, Coster, bur: Dayton
Peters, Eugene, bur: Briceville
Peters, Roy, bur: Briceville
Peterson, J. S., bur: Jacksboro
Phillips, Dan, bur: New Circle
Polston, Lee, bur: Briceville
Pryor, Durvin, bur: Leach
Ridenour, Francis, bur: Sharps
Risden, Edd., bur: New Circle
Robbins, Dave, bur: New Circle
Robbins, Jas., bur: New Circle
Rolland, W. P., bur: New Circle
Rolland, Albert, bur: New Circle
Sharp, Robert, bur: Sharps
Sharp, Herman, bur: Sharps
Slover, Geo., bur: Leach
Smith, Arthur, bur: New Circle
Teno, Lewis, bur: Briceville
Thomas, Thomas, bur: Briceville
Vallalay, Pat, bur: Wiley
Vallalay, Tate, bur: Wiley
Vandergriff, Monroe, bur: Leach
White, Chas., bur: Briceville
White, James A., bur: New Circle
White, John, bur: Briceville
White, Noah, bur: Briceville
Whitted, Chas., bur: New Circle
Wood, Alonzo, bur: Briceville
Wood, Lynn, bur: White Pine
Wood, Luther, bur: New Circle