East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614
E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338
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Title: |
Charles C. Tiller Photographs |
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Collection Number: |
Accession No. 106 |
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Physical Description: |
1 Flat Box |
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Creator: |
Charles C. Tiller |
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Repository: |
Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University |
Provenance: The Charles C. Tiller Photographs were donated by Charles C. Tiller, Kingsport, Tennessee, on May 29, 1981. Processing of the collection was completed in August 1989.
Access: The collection is open for research.
Processing Information: M. Tedesco and T. Fisher completed processing, and opened for research in 1989.
The Tiller Photographs depict logging operations and camp life at William M. Ritter Lumber Company, a logging and lumber operation incorporated in 1901 in West Virginia. Ritter began his career in lumber in 1890 when he established a sawmill at Oakdale, Mercer County, West Virginia. He quickly expanded his operations into McDowell and Mingo Counties, West Virginia, Buchanan County, Virginia, and Pike County, Kentucky. After incorporation, Ritter vastly expanded his operations by moving into Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as additional counties in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Ritter's operation focused on hardwood timber, which in the 1920s Ritter realized would be depleted in the near future. He, therefore, expanded his business interests into the coal fields of the Appalachian Mountains, acquiring a number of coal and coke companies. Ritter's coal operations were quite successful, so that by the early 1950s Ritter's coal production averaged five million tons annually. In 1957, however, the coal stores were sold, and coal leased to Island Creek Coal Company. Ritter Lumber Company as a separate company ceased to exist on October 1, 1960 when it was taken over by Georgia-Pacific Corporation.
The Charles C. Tiller Photographs include 84 5 x 7 black and white prints, 46 black and white slides (taken from the 84 above) and 84 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 black and white negatives of Ritter Lumber Company operations, camp and company town life and conditions, 1924-38.
Important subjects covered in the collection include:
Company stores--Virginia--Dickenson County
Horses
Locomotives
Logging
Logging--Machinery
Logging railroads
Lumber camps--Virginia--Dickenson County
Railroads
Railroads, Narrow-gage
Shay locomotive
W. M. Ritter Lumber Company
Following is a list of the items in the Tiller Collection. Each image has both an Appalachian Photographic Archives (APA) number and a Charles C. Tiller (CT) number. The list also indicates whether the image is found in print (P), negative (N) or transparency (T) format. The description and date of the image also is provided. ND indicates "no date." For camp locations, see list which follows this listing of prints and negatives.
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APA No.
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CT No.
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Format
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Description and Date
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842
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1
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PN
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Tiller Boys at Sand Lick Camp, 1931. |
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843
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2
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PN
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Noah and Charles Tiller on push cart, 1931. |
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844
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3
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PN
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Asa Tiller on Noah's saddle horse with which he road to and from camp, 1928. |
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845
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4
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PN
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Earl Tiller and 1936 Chevy with which Noah Tiller commuted to the camps (ND). |
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846
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5
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PN
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Teachers at Evertington High School, 1936. |
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847
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6
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PN
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Railroad from Frying Pan Camp up into Mountain, narrow gauge, 1928. |
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848
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7
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PN
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Noah and Rosey B. Tiller looking over some log land 1928-1929. |
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849
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8
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PNT
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Robby Fletcher and friend on log landing at Frying Pan Camp, 1927. |
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850
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9
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PN
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Checking a log landing at Big Branch Camp, 1931. |
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851
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10
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PN
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Logs hauled from the breaks of the Cumberland Mountains to Fremont (From Elkorn City, Kentucky), 1940. |
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852
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11
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PNT
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Burt Patton, loader man with part of his family at Frying Pan Camp, 1926. |
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853
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12
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PN
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Noah Tiller and camp manager in front of store building on Frying Pan Camp, 1925. |
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854
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13
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PNT
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Noah Tiller (Center), in front of church on Frying Pan Camp, 1927. |
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855
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14
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PNT
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Bridge under construction at Dog Branch Gap, 1928. |
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856
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15
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PN
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Robby Fletcher (left) and wife in front of Ritter Company Shanty Frying Pan Camp, 1928. |
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857
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16
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PNT
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Tie yard at McClure, Virginia, 1935/1936 |
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858
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17
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PN
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Lunch in the log woods, Frying Pan Camp, 1926. |
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859
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18
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PN
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Tiller and Fletcher family members at Caney Creek Camp, 1938. |
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860
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19
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PNT
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Loggers (two) on weekend rest at Frying Pan Camp, 1925. |
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861
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20
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PNT
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Man car and equipment car on Ritter train fording a stream up on Frying Pan Camp 1928. |
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862
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21
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PNT
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Timber rattler at Frying Pan Camp, 1925. |
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863
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22
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PN
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Shay Engine used by Ritter Company, 1924/1925. |
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864
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23
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PNT
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House Scene at camp (note leggings-protection from snakes), 1926. |
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865
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24
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PNT
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Horses pulling logs at Big Branch Camp, 1925. |
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866
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25
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PNT
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Logging trail and horse (Note: Notice ornaments on harness) team pulling logs at Frying Pan Camp, 1925. |
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867
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26
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PNT
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Two loggers employed by Ritter Company at Big Branch Camp, 1928. |
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868
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27
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PNT
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Horses, team used to set up camp site at Frying Pan Camp, being moved, 1926. |
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869
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28
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PNT
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Mill at McClure, Virginia taken off the bridge at Caney Creek late 1930's. |
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870
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29
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PNT
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Tiller and Crabtree/Fletcher family, Sunday get together at camp at Caney Creek, 1935. |
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871
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30
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PNT
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Dining Car at Lick Creek Camp, 1932. |
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872
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31
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PN
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Caney Camp Store building and camp ground, 1935. |
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873
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32
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PN
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Norris Dam in East Tennessee, First of TVA in 1930's. |
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874
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33
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PN
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Log landing area at Frying Pan Camp, 1925-1927. |
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875
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34
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PNT
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Malley Engine, Clinchfield Engine (ND). |
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876
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35
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PNT
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Cooks (two) and store manager's wife at Frying Pan Camp, 1935. |
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877
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36
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N
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Two Men (ND). |
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878
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37
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N
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Family Photograph (ND). |
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879
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38
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PNT
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Big Branch Camp grounds, early 1930's. |
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880
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39
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PNT
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Cook and cook's helpers at Frying Pan Camp, 1928. |
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881
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40
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PNT
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Ezra O'Quinn and timber foreman at Big Branch Camp, 1938. |
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882
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41
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PN
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Jiles Fink (right), store manager for Ritter Company, Frying Pan Camp, 1924. |
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883
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42
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PNT
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Gains Combs, barn man at Big Branch Camp, 1926. |
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884
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43
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PNT
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Logging road and skid row, the way the horses brought the logs down (ND). |
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885
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44
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PNT
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Ezra O'Quinn and Loundy Duddy, loggers, 1932-1933. |
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886
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45
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PN
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Children in camp ground at Ritter Company at Caney Cree, late 1930's. |
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887
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46
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PN
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Frank Fletcher (right) and Morgan Duty (left) in front of blacksmith's shop. |
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888
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47
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PNT
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Logging Camp (Typical) with railroad in the middle of Big Branch Camp, 1926. |
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889
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48
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N
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Shay Engine (ND). |
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890
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49
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PNT
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Horse team (typical team) at Big Branch Camp, usually kept 14 teams at each camp purchasing horses, 1929. |
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891
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50
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PNT
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Camp crew at Frying Pan Camp, 1927. |
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892
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51
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PNT
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Camp group at Frying Pan Camp, 1927. |
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893
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52
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PNT
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Students (group) in front of Freemont School, 1927. |
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894
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53
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PNT
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Caterpillar tractor, early 1930s. |
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895
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54
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N
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Family Photograph (ND). |
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896
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55
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PNT
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Camp group at Frying Pan Camp, 1925. |
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897
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56
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PN
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Horse team at Frying Pan Camp, 1927. |
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898
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57
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PNT
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Camp crew at Big Branch Camp, 1929. |
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899
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58
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PNT
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Baseball team, two camp teams, Frying Pan and Big Branch on Sunday 1927. |
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900
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59
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PNT
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Big Branch camp, with restrooms up in woods, 1926. |
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901
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60
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PNT
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Noah Tiller and Bob Poole running a core drill check for coal in Southwest Virginia for Clinchfield Coal Corporation 1924-1925. |
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902
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61
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PNT
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Ritter steam shovel at Big Branch above Fremont to build railroad for the Company, 1925-1927. |
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903
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62
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PN
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Mothers and children from Frying Pan Camp, 1928. |
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904
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63
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PNT
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Noah Tiller and loading crew at Lick Creek Camp, 1928. |
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905
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64
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NT
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Shay Engine, used at Rice Branch, Allen Camp (ND). |
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906
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65
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PN
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Noah Tiller, woods superintendent for Ritter Company, 1928. |
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907
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66
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PNT
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Loading of logs with stiffneck loader (ND). |
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908
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67
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PNT
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Setting up camp at Sand Lick, 1926. |
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909
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68
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PN
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Atlee Tiller on Noah's horse, 1926. |
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910
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69
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PN
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Barn man for camp who took care of horses (ND). |
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911
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70
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PN
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Store building at Big Branch Camp, late 1920's. |
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912
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71
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PN
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Frying Pan Camp, big poplar being cut, 1927. |
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913
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72
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N
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Horses pulling logs (ND). |
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914
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73
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PN
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Big Branch Camp, View of railroad track and shally houses and narrow gauge railroad, 1928. |
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915
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74
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PNT
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Moving: camp loaded on log cars and moved around Big Branch, 1927-928. |
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916
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75
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PNT
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Hog killing at Big Branch, 1925-26. |
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917
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76
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PNT
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Log landing at Frying Pan Camp, 1935. |
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918
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77
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PN
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Book keeper and store superintendent from Frying Pan Camp, 1925. |
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919
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78
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PN
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Noah Tiller at Duty View Church, 1926. |
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920
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79
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PNT
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Asa Tiller and Node Sutherland in front of blacksmith's shop at Big Branch Camp, 1928. |
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921
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80
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PN
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Cooks from Frying Pan Camp, 1926. |
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922
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81
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PN
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Church group at Duty View Church, 1926-27. |
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923
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82
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PN
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Two loggers at Lick Creek Camp, 1925. |
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924
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83
|
PN
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Dickenson County, Virginia terrain, 1932. |
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925
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84
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PN
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Charles C. Tiller with pet rooster in Freemont, 1932. |
CAMP LOCATIONS
Frying Pan Camp: Dickenson County, Va., along Frying Pan Creek. Moved to: Russell Fork River, near the mouth of Tilda Anderson Branch. Moved again in 1935 to Stratton, on waters of McClure River. (Served McClure Mill).
Caney Creek Camp: Dickenson County, Va., on Caney Creek, a tributary of McClure River near McClure, Va. (Served McClure Mill).
Lick Creek Camp: Dickenson County, Va., on Lick Creek, Russell Fork River near McClure, Va. (Served McClure Mill).
Big Branch Camp: Dickenson County, Va., around Clintwood on the waters of the Cranesnest and Pound Rivers and tributary streams. (Served Fremont Hill).
Sandlick Camp: Dickenson County, Va., Lick Creek, Russell Fork River, near McClure, Va. (Served McClure Mill).
Dog Branch Camp: Dickenson County, Va., Dog Branch , near Lick Creek, Russell Fork Rivers. Camp near Big Branch Camp. (Probably served Fremont Mill).
- modified GKY 03/04/02