Thomas Harley Williams (1831 - 1869)

Born 1831 in Wales, United Kingdom

Died 6 Sep 1869 at about age 38 in Avondale, Plymouth Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Thomas Williams was killed in the Avondale Coal Mine Fire on 6-Sep-1869

Thomas was born in 1831. He passed away in 1869.^[1][2]

Avondale Mine Disaster Victim

Victims

Preparations were immediately made for bringing up the bodies to their stricken friends.

They were brought out as follows:

• Palmer Steele, stable boss, Plymouth
• Dennis Slocum, driver, Plymouth
• John Bowen, formerly of Providence. He leaves a wife and one child.
• William Powell. Eyes both open; head turned to one side. Wife and seven children in the old country; one daughter lives in Plymouth, and one son was in the mine.
• Wm. Williams, Hyde Park, 14 years of age, who had only worked there one day.
• Matthew Evans, of Steuben Colliery. He appeared to have died in great agony, with hands clenched.
• Willie Phillips, His hands were also clenched.
• Evan Hughes, inside boss, was found sitting down, head resting upon his knees.
• Jacob Mosier, Plymouth, leaves wife and child
• John Clark, Jersey Hill, Plymouth; leaves wife and seven children.
• Wm. J. Evans, Turkey Hill, leaves a wife and two or three children.
• George Stackhouse, Avondale, driver, aged 17, un-married.
• Edwin Jones, Hanover. Leaves a wife.
• Peter Conklin, of Plymouth, has a wife and three children in England.
• Morgan Watkins, Plymouth, unmarried.
• Andrew Frothingham, Avondale, leaves a wife.
• Wm. Allen, Hanover, leaves a wife soon to be a mother.
• T. E. Jones, formerly of Providence, leaves a wife and widowed mother.
• Peter Johnson, Plymouth, unmarried
• Evan Hughes, inside boss, Plymouth, brother of Benjamin Hughes, of Scranton, leaves a wife and three children.
• Wm. Bowen, Avondale, wife and one child.
• James Powell, son of Wm. Powell, unmarried
• Thomas Hughes, Welch Hill, Plymouth.
• Wm. Reece, Cold Street, Plymouth, wife in the old country. His step-father and brother were both in the mine.
• Wm. Porfit, Plymouth; wife and two children.
• W. N. Williams, Plymouth, wife and three children.
• Wm. Lewis, Plymouth, wife and child.
• John Hughes, Plymouth, wife and child.
• Thos. Morris, Plymouth, wife and four children.
• Elijah Bryant, Avondale, wife and child.
• Thomas Roberts, Plymouth, single.
• Wm. Sink, Avondale, single.
• Daniel Jones, Plymouth, family in England.
• David Thomas, cousin to the two who were brought out; Plymouth; unmarried; parents in old country.
• David (Daniel) Givens, aged seventeen, car driver, parents at Kingston.
• Evan Rees, Plymouth. Wife and child in Wales.
• E W. Edwards, Plymouth. Wife and child.
• Henry Morris, Plymouth.
• W. T. Williams, 39, Hyde Park; Wife and child
• D. S. Reese, Plymouth. Wife and four children. Two sons in mine.
• Richard J Woolley, Plymouth; single.
• John R. Davis, formerly of Pittston.
• David James, Kingston; wife and child.
• Lewis Evans, son of Wm. E. Evans, in mine; has a mother and sister.
• Wm. Williams (shoemaker), Plymouth, aged about 40, wife.
• Richard Owens, Avondale, wife.
• Willie Hatton, about 10 years old, Plymouth.
• Wm. Evans, Avondale. uncle of Wm. E Davis, aged 51: driver boss; wife.
• James Powell, Plymouth; single.
• Thos. Hatton, father of the boy Willie, Plymouth; wife and two living children.
• Edward Owen, Baltimore, Md.; wife and family in Baltimore.
• Man and son in his arms. Both looked as if sleeping. The saddest of all the sad sights; left arm clasped around his boy. John Burtch and John jr. aged about 12, Plymouth, formerly of Providence. Wife and three children.
• John Jenkins, inside boss.
• Wm. R. Evans, second son of Mr. Evans brought out.
• Daniel Wood, Plymouth ; wife and two children.
• Wm. Nauss, Plymouth, aged about 14.
• David Reese, jr., Plymouth; father and brother brought out dead.
• Griffith Roberts, Plymouth; lived with parents.
• Man, name unknown.
• Joseph Morris, Plymouth; wife
• John Ruth, Hanover; wife and child.
• Patrick McGurick; wife and three children.
• Henry Smith, Avondale; wife and three children.
• Shem Howells, Welsh Hill, Plymouth; wife and four small children.
• Thos. Davis, Plymouth; family in Wales.
• Wm. Dowdle, Avondale; single.
• John Roherty; single.
• Thos. Ryan, Avondale; mother at Grand Tunnel.
• Hugh Gilroy, son of Patrick Gilroy, who recognized him, as did also a brother; married and one child; did not live with wife.
• John Maher, Avondale, aged 40; wife and one child.
• Wm. T. Morgan, Plymouth.
• James Murray, Avondale; wife and two children.
• Michael Daly, Avondale; wife and four children.
• D. P. Pryor, Avondale; wife and two children.
• Patrick Burke, Plymouth; has a sister in Scranton.
• James Williams, Plymouth; wife and two children.
• John D. Evans, Plymouth; wife and five children.
• Wm. Harding, Plymouth; came from Hyde Park; wife.
• Samuel R. Morgan, Plymouth; wife and four children, three of whom, - boys, were in the mine and brought out dead.
• Wm. Wildrich, Hanover; wife and four children.
• Reese Lunday, of Turkey Hill; wife and three children.
• Thos Lewellyn, Plymouth; single.
• Reese Lewellyn, brother to preceding: single.
• Wm. Davis, Plymouth; wife and children in old country.
• John Thomas, Plymouth; wife and one child.
• John Davis, Plymouth; formerly of Pittston.
• William T. Williams, Plymouth; wife and four children.
• Wm. D. Johns; wife and four children in Aberdare, South Wales.
• Darrius Guyter, Avondale; wife and three children.
• Wm. Rees; wife and children in Neath, South Wales.
• Wm. Spick, Plymouth; wife and one child.
• John Harris, Avondale; wife and children.
• Thomas Jones, Plymouth; wife and children. Buried one child last Sunday.
• Thos. Phillips, Plymouth; single.
• Lewis Davis; boarded with Evan Hughes; single man.
• Charles Fear, Plymouth.
• John Thomas, Plymouth; aged 17.
• Dave Johnson, Plymouth; leaves a wife and one child
• James Mallon, Plymouth; single.
• James Haskins, Plymouth; wife and three children.
• Wm. D. Jones; wife in Merthyr Tydvil.
• Edward Taylor, Avondale; single.
• Roland Jones, Turkey Hill; wife and two children
• Addison Allibach, Plymouth; wife and three children.
• Daniel Edwards, Avondale; wife and one child.
• John Powell, Avondale, formerly of Tenn.; wife and two children.

The bringing of the bodies out of the mines took until noon of Thursday. Several relays of men searched the mines in every chamber and recess, but no more bodies were discovered, and it is believed that all of the victims of this most terrible disaster have been found. The total number is ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT, besides the two who perished in attempting to rescue their fellows. The scene, as each body was recognized and delivered to its loved ones, was heartrending to witness.^[3]

Besides these, Thomas Williams and David Jones were suffocated Monday evening in attempting to enter the mines.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #184090514
2. ↑ "Pennsylvania Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZMN9-48T2 : 18 April 2020), Thomas Williams, 1869.
3. ↑ Pittston Gazette; Pittston, Pennsylvania; 16 Sep 1869