The Death of Andy Sexton (1881 – 1923)

Coal mining has always been dangerous. Andrew “Andy” Jackson Sexton died due to a mining accident at age 42.  The “Kentucky Certificate of Death” cites a physician from Ashland KY, John L Cox, indicating Andy died from “injuries received from falling slate in mine” on 10 June 1923.  Andy had been attended for these injuries by John L Cox from 18 June 1923 until his death 22 days later on 10 July.

Here is a xerox type copy of an image of Andy Sexton.  I wish I had been able to locate the original photograph.  Andy is quite striking with his oil mining lamp, bibbed overalls, and pocket watch chain.  This type of miners lamp, using oil as a fuel, preceded the far brighter carbide lamps that ran on acetylene, and later battery powered mining lamps.

Andy was employed by the American Rolling Mill Company, later called ARMCO, when he was mortally injured.  American Rolling Mill was the relatively new owner of these mining operations, having purchased them from Ashland Iron and Mining (AI&M), along with iron and steel production facilities in Ashland, at the end of 1921.  Previous to AI&M owning the mines and steel production facilities in the area, they had been owned by the Ashland Coal and Iron Railway (AC&I).

The informant on the death certificate was Samuel Seaton (1867 – 1927) the longtime mining superintendent for the Rush KY area coal mines for the AC&I, later the superintendent for AI&M, and for American Rolling Mill after their purchase.

In 1923 there were 137 coal mine deaths in Kentucky, of this total 71 were due to falling slate.  So slate falls, at 51%, was by far the most common mining accident causing death.^{KY, Annual Report of Mines, 1923, p7} 

The following transcribed short article appeared on the front page of the Ashland Daily Independent on 11 July 1923:
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Andrew Sexton Dies From Mine Injuries

The body of Andrew J. Sexton, 42, who was injured in a mine accident at Grant, near Rush, three weeks ago and who died at 2 p. m. yesterday at King’s Daughters Hospital here, was taken to his residence at Grant today.

Funeral services will be held at the residence at 11:30 a. m tomorrow and burial will be in the Jimmie Hill cemetery .  Mr. Sexton is survived by the widow, Mrs. Ida Sexton, and nine children.

Mr. Sexton was a miner and was employed at Grant, a few miles from Rush, in this county.  He received internal injuries three weeks ago when a portion of the mine roof fell on him.

A short family history document, prepared by Andy Sexton’s descendants, granddaughter Helen Davis Gambill (1934 – 2018), niece Ival E Sexton Evans (1929 – 2002), and great-granddaughter Ginger Daniel Swenson details some interesting facts about Andy Sexton and his death.  I have also spoken at length with Charlotte Davis Queen, Andy’s Granddaughter, regarding this death.

The large family (actually 7 children, not 9 as indicated in the news article) somehow survived on a 10 year, $40.00 a month stipend from American Rolling Mill and a $1,000 payment just after the death.

Andy was a gifted gospel singer and musician, playing several different instruments. He was also an evangelist.

Andy’s daughter, Merle Sexton Davis (1912 – 1981), and Charlotte Davis Queen’s Mother, recounted visiting her Father at King’s Daughters Hospital shortly before his death with family friend Myrtle “Mert” Williams Conley (1883 – 1956).  Merle and Mert rode the train from Grant to Ashland and walked to King’s Daughters from the railroad station via Ashland’s Central Park.  Merle was only 11 years old.  While passing through Central Park, Merle heard her Father “crying in pain” from the nearby hospital.  Remember, Andy died on 10 July, so the pre air conditioned hospital would have had all windows open to fight what was likely sweltering July heat allowing Merle to hear her Father “crying in pain”.

Grant KY, as named in the newspaper article, is likely not the place of the mining accident.   Charlotte Davis Queen, Merle Sexton Davis’ daughter, had distinct memories of many family discussions regarding the death of her Grandfather, Andy Sexton.  In these family interchanges the mine where the accident occurred was on Four Mile Creek in Boyd County (Grant is in Carter County).  This Four Mile Creek location is consistent with the “Annual Report of the State Department of Mines of Kentucky For the Year Ending December, 1923”.  There is an American Rolling Mill Company mine in Boyd County where one death occurred in 1923.  There were no American Rolling Mill Company mines in Carter County at that time and no deaths in any mines in Carter County in 1923.  Also, the informant on Andy’s death certificate was Samuel Seaton, the Superintendent of the American Rolling Mill mines in Boyd County.

Shortly before his death Andy had purchased a new car, a black 1923 Maxwell with a cloth roof.  This was one of the few autos in the general area.  Andy continued walking to work at the coal mines after this car purchase.  The roads in the Grant / Swanson area where Andy lived would have been absolutely and unbelievably atrocious in 1923, so limiting driving in that area would have been necessary to avoid serious damage to his new car.

To walk to work at a mine on Four Mile, Andy would have taken a well known and often used due east path about 1 mile long over the hill from the Swanson / Grant area in Carter County to very near the head of Rush Creek in Boyd County.  At the head of Rush he would have traveled through the hill in the American Rolling Mill #12 Mine shaft, likely with other miners, in a electric propelled mine engine or hand pump cart, to the mines being worked at Four Mile.

My friend from Rush, Teddy Davis (1944 – 2020), conveyed a story a few years back of his family using this same Swanson / Grant over the hill path to the Head of Rush. This was to accomplish a household move in the early 1950’s from their home at Twin Lick (near Grant) to what is now called Davis Road at the head of Rush Creek. The youthful Teddy rode a cow from Twin Lick to his new residence at Rush.

The Swanson / Grant area had previously been the location of a large mining operation for the #7 Mine of Ashland Iron and Mining. There were likely other miners in this same area walking from Grant with Andy Sexton to the newer mining operations at the Head of Rush using this same over the hill path. My own Great Grandfather, John C Coleman (1851 – ????), and Grandfather, Richard “Dick” Coleman (1878 – 1959), were coal miners and lived in the Swanson / Grant area for a few years.

Image of 1923 Maxwell

Andy Sexton was buried in what is now a remote cemetery on private property, Jimmy Hill Cemetery. Jimmy Hill is located on a high ridge between the long valleys (hollows) formed by Williams Creek (along KY SR 1654) and Rush Creek (along KY SR 854). Jimmy Hill Cemetery is at the red teardrop marker at the following Google Maps link, just click on this link.

A big thanks to Andy’s granddaughter Charlotte Davis Queen and Jim Kettel at the Boyd County Public Library for locating the 1923 Ashland Daily Independent article on Andy Sexton’s death.

Enjoy! Lon

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