By Elicia Drummond Kuhl
Great Granddaughter of
Daniel Kenneth Drummond
It’s been 80 years since the Katherine Mine #4 Explosion. I didn’t realize as we
planned this trip to Shinnston that it would be in the midst of a monumental year of that
tragedy but here we are my sister Becky, my husband Gary and me. Our journey
started with a plan to travel to Shinnston and bring our Great Grandmother and Great
Great Grandmother’s dresses to be displayed at the Bice Ferguson Memorial Museum.
Actually this journey started when my Great Aunt Mary (Mary McGinnis Milligan) gave
me my grandmothers dresses when I was 20 years old. They were both homemade,
one with a lace kerchief around the neck of the dress and a black pin carved intricately
into a bird sitting on a tree branch pinned at the neckline. The other one was different
but still homemade with buttons and a jeweled pin but there’s more to these dresses
than the material. They were worn by two women that were connected, mother and
daughter (Florence Ash Drummond and Savilla Swiger Ash). Both shared an
experience that changed their lives as well as many others.
Our great grandmother married into the Drummond family becoming Florence
Ash Drummond. We have an old photograph of the Drummond family taken, which I
believe was the last picture that captured my grandfather, Daniel Kenneth Drummond.
He was standing in the back row along with his brothers, the other siblings in front of
them and on a couch. The photo included our Great Great Grandmother Savilla Swiger
Ash (Florence Drummond’s mother) sitting on one end of the couch. She was wearing
the exact dress that was donated to the Museum. This is the thing, at that time neither
one knew that after that picture was taken their life would change. I’m not really sure of
the date of the picture but after March 1944, his face (Daniel Kenneth) would no longer
be part of a family photograph.
Over the last forty six years, these two dresses mostly sat in a box in my cedar
chest with only a few opportunites to be shown to family or friends. Actually
Grandmother Ash’s dress was highlighted at several of my church functions as part of a
display. The years prior to my ownership I can only imagine the milestones that came.
Were these “Sunday go to meeting” dresses, worn to visit friends, only for really special
occasions or did tears fall on the hem as they mourned the death of a son and
grandson, Daniel Kenneth Drummond. I’m not sure but I was honored to care for them
and thankful that they are now back in their hometown to be seen and maybe even
bring comfort to others that look upon them.
I have pondered what life would have been like for my dad (Daniel Thomas) had
his dad (Daniel Kenneth) lived instead of dying in the Katherine #4 Coal Mine explosion.
For my dad it would have been a different life. Probably one that would have allowed
him to grow up in West Virginia, find a wife and have children, but I think that those
children would not have included me. But in truth my Grandfather Drummond did die in
that mine explosion and was no longer part of my dad’s, Daniel Thomas Drummond,
life. I have to say this, my grandfather willingly became part of a fire team to put the
flames out so he went back inside not to save lives but to save the mine. I believe that
tells you my grandfathers character; dedicated, which describes all of the men that lost
their lives that day.
My grandmother, Kathleen Mona McGinnis Drummond, later picked up the
pieces of her loss, and remarried ending up in Florida where our dad met Jo Ann Pope
Drummond, our mom. Four children out of five (Elicia Ann, Teresa Jo [deceased],
Lyneese Daneen, Daniel Thomas II, and Rebecca Jolene) were raised by amazing
parents. I believe our Grandfather Drummond (Daniel Kenneth) would have been proud
of the man our dad became not without imperfections but one that loved his family, a
jokester like his dad, a carpenter who built homes that dazzled the best of them and
lived a life that cared about people. Many times I remember him picking up people on
the side of the road hitchhiking (complete strangers), delivering them to their
destination. Even taking in family and friends to help them get on their feet. I would call
that being a servant. So we as his children have fallen into his footsteps by serving
people through our ministries, our work opportunties and our gifts.
We didn’t have a lot of contact with our Drummond family in West Virginia but I
do have a letter a letter Grandmother Drummond wrote to my mom in 1958 that showed
she wanted to see us but in reality the distance kept that from happening. As an older
child one trip I remember is my sister Dannen and I went to see Great Grandmother
Drummond. We sat on the stairs at her house (41 Main Street) and ate hotdogs. Funny I
remember looking back up the stairs and her gazing down at us. I wonder what she
was thinking? Did we resemble her son (Daniel Kenneth) or just remind her of the loss?
Well, we never asked and she never shared her thoughts.
I wrote a poem to commemorate and honor our dad and grandfather. I also want
to remember the others that gave their life that day. Grandfather Drummond will always
be remembered and our dad continues to be loved and cherished.
Elicia Drummond Kuhl
July 21, 2024
Forever a Coal Miner
I’m a coal miners granddaughter
And still feel the sting of loss
It’s only through pictures we see
And a moment I came across
The explosion was at Katherine Mine
His brother knew where Dan would be
But the mine was sealed, no way out
All hope lost, oh such a travesty
That explosion took his life
Our daddy was the only heir
Grandma’s pain cut like a knife
All they knew now was despair
A tornado struck, more lives taken
So opening the mine was not to be
Even with a little boy wanting his dad
Nor a fragile wife loosing her sanity
Months passed from this tragedy
Then finally the time had come
Death came where his brother said
Now all they could feel was numb
He was laid to rest in 1944
But remembered beyond that year
We heard he was a jokester at heart
A memory from grandma made clear
Grandpa stopped on top of the bridge
Pulling her from the car they began to dance
I wonder about the song that played
But I’m just glad they had the chance
Grandpa, Daniel Kenneth Drummond
A jokester will always be your legacy
You have generations of sons
That make people laugh most certainly