WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Besseges, France to Western Pennsylvania
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Pierre and Marie with their son Emile and two daughters Mary and Fernanda welcomed Clovis' invitation to join him in a small coal mining town called Margan Allegheny County in Pennsylvania. Pierre was offered a job at the local Coal Company. Pierre and Marie were blessed with two more children, a son Roger and daughter Jennie. All of the children attended schooling in Western Pennsylvania The family then moved to another small mining town called Cross Creek. Pierre worked at different Coal Co. in the area, One called Panova and the other with the Duquesne Coal Company. Pierre was well known in the Avella area for his Homemade Wine. Comments were made that this was the best Wine for miles around.
Clovis worked in the coal mines around the Western Pennsylvania Area with his wife Leontine son Louis, Roaul, and daughters Dolores and Yvonne in South Fayette, Allegheny Township. Shortly after 1910 Clovis moved his family to Warren Jefferson Ohio area (Information taken from the 1920 U.S. Census) Census show children as Evon and Ohall. The 1930 Census notes home as Warren Jefferson, Ohio with no children as Household Members Please if anyone can correct and add to this info on Clovis please contact me at djmarcel@mchsi.com I would like all information that is possible of the descendants up to todays date.
Emile was born in Besseges, France on the 7th of December 1898. Emile was 4 years old when his family came to America and was able to learn the English language and attend school through the eight grade. Growing up in Morgan, Pennsylvania He started working in the Coal Mines at the age of 16 working as a helper attending the Mules that were used to pull the cars of coal from the mines. He then started driving the Mules telling stories of how stubborn some of them were. There were quite a few French families in the area, one of them by the name of Volle. There were 3 Volle boys Louis, Antoine, and Leon that came from France and mentioned to Emile that their Mom and Sister were coming to visit from Besseges, France. Emile thought this was going to be a short visit when introduced to them. He kind of had a twinkle in his eye for Antoinette. Antoinette completed high school in France and decided to stay in America and help with the upkeep of the Volle home. Antoinette's Mother, Leone wanted her to go back to France and continue her education and attend collage. But I think there was a twinkle in her eye as well as in Emile's because she decided to stay here. Emile and Antoinette dated and were married on March 19th 1921 and moved to the Cross Creek Pennsylvania area. The Children started to arrive. Daughter Bertha, Son Emile, Son Raymond, The family then moved to the Avell, Pennaylvania area and the ramainder of the family was added, Daughter Dorothy and a Son Marcel. Then the Depression years came, Emile worked with the WPA a government program that help give a small wage to unemployed miners in these hard times. The work mainly was on the Road Crews, clearing right away and maintenance of the highways. Back to the coal mines after the depression and in a few years automation began and the Mules were replaced with electric trolley driven cars. (These were called Motors) Emile advanced to an Operator of the Motors. He said that "I sure liked driving the Motors, this gave me a chance to get to the outside and fresh air". Driving the Motors gave him a chance to pulla load of coal to the outside tipple (An incline that ran over train hopper cars) the mine cars were unloaded then pulled back into the mines for reloading. His next job was as a Pump man and Ventilation Maintainer. As a Pump man he maintained the pipeline and pumps that were used to eject water from inside the mines. As kids we use to watch the water as it came from the mines and ran into the nearby streams. It was very orange colored water because of all the sulfur that was underground. This water ran in the local creeks and eventually into our Rivers (Would you say POLLUTION?) His Ventilation jab was to install and maintain large exhaust fans sending air from the entrances into the mines and circulated fresh air throughout. Emile next advanced to Electrician. This job was to install the trolley lines that operated the Motors and to install Electric to the main working area for the large machinery that cut and loaded the coal (this machine was called a Joy). Emile was Union President of the Duquesne Coal Company. Emile's enjoyments of life beside his wife Antoinette and their children was looking for Mushrooms and bringing home fresh Watercress. He enjoyed remodeling of their homes, Visiting with friends and family, Going out on Saturday nights to the local French, Italian, Polish clubs and dancing the night away with his wife, And taking care of his automobiles. There was never a spot of dust to be found on any of Emile's cars. Playing the Violin. he was GREAT! In his younger days he played with a local orchestras. (Later a link will appear giving you a sample of his playing) Moving from Avella because of the Coal Mine closing the family moved to Westland, Pennsylvania. All of the duplex-homes in Westland belong to the Coal Company. The Pittsburgh Coal Company put the houses up for sale and the occupants had first chance to buy their half of the house. Emile had a chance to purchase both halves and went to remodeling. We had the first indoor bathroom in Westland, I remember him digging the hole and ditches for the septic tank with a Pick and Shovel. Most occupants bought half of the home and it was kind of funny how the remodeled. You would see some of the houses painted on one side and the other with some sort of siding. or left as is just unpainted weathered wood. With Bertha working in Pittsburgh, Emile in the Coast Guard and Raymond in the Merchant Marines the family moved to Houston, Pennsylvania. Another remodeling job and A PLACE WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER AS HOME. During the WWII years Dorothy and Bertha worked assembling Hand Grenades and later at the Continental Can Company in Canonsburg. Ending of WWII Emile and Raymond returned, married and started there family. Bertha and Dorothy also married and moved to Ohio. That only left the Baby of the family Marcel at home until the start of the Korean War when Marcel enlisted in the United States Air Force. Emile took over the Electrical and Communication instillations at the Pittsburgh Coal Company in Westland, Pa.until his retirement in 1959. As the Family ventured out to live lives of their own, Emile and Antoinette enjoyed there life to the fullest at 244 North Mail Street, Houston, Pennsylvania always inviting the children and there family for Sunday Dinners. Oh what great food Mom made and plenty of it!
ANTOINETTE FIALON DUBOIS (Wife of Emile to follow)
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