East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614
E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338
| Title: | Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company Records |
| Collection Number: | Accession No. 276 |
| Physical Description: | 3.5 linear feet; 7 Boxes, 2 oversized folders |
| Creator: | Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company |
| Repository: | Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University |
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Provenance: The records of Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company were donated to the Archives of Appalachia on 19 February 1985 by Bob Shirley.
Access: The records are open for research.
Processing Information: S. Ottinger and Ed Speer completed processing and the records were opened for research in August 1987.
HISTORICAL NOTE
The Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company was incorporated in Virginia on 10 January 1899 as a consolidation of various iron industries in the southwestern part of that state. In the late 1960s the principal income of the company was from royalties on coal land under various leases. In 1969 the company owned 253,000 acres of land and/or mineral rights in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky. Properties included coal lands, standing timber, oil and gas rights, ore lands, a flour mill, industrial sites, lots, and limestone deposits in Virginia; iron ore lands in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia; coal, oil and gas lands in Kentucky; approximately 3,000 acres of farming and grazing lands; approximately 75,500 acres of mountain land (including timber lands) in Virginia and Tennessee; coal mining plants in Virginia; and a Virginia plant which processed continuous filament man-made fibers. On 31 October 1969 the company merged with Bates Manufacturing Company, Inc. (incorporated in Delaware, 2 May 1938).
In 1954 the company began manganese mining operations in Carter County, Tennessee, where 13,000 acres of mineral lands were owned with a mining and milling plant.
About 1904 the company purchased one-half interest in tracts of land and interest in land in Johnson County, Tennessee from the Doe Valley Mining Association. On 24 November 1947 the company purchased all of the real properties, minerals and mineral rights, easements and rights of way owned by the Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company and located in Johnson County. In October 1978 the Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, a subsidiary of Bates Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, sold 8,300 acres of non-coal lands located in Johnson County for $960,000.
Sources: Moody's Industrial Manual, 1969, p. 1810; Moody's Industrial Manual, 1979, Volume I, p. 1447
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The records of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company contain deeds, correspondence, transcripts of court cases, titles and maps reflecting mineral and timber rights owned by the company and its associates, companies in Johnson and Carter Counties in Tennessee. The other companies include Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement and Doe Valley Association.
The books contain records dated from 1790 to 1966. The bulk of the material is clustered around 1835-1895 and 1948-1966.
Organization: The collection is divided into four series: Series I, Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company Records, 1826-1948; Series II, Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company Records, 1792-1948; Series III, Doe Valley Association Records, 1790-1948; and Series IV, Miscellaneous Papers, 1836-1966.
Important subjects covered in the collection include:
Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company
Doe Valley Mining Association
James Strong Lumber Company
Mineral industries
Mines and mineral resources--Tennessee--Carter County
Mines and mineral resources--Tennessee--Johnson County
Timber--Tennessee--Carter County
Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company
Whiting Lumber Company
Series I, VIRGINIA IRON, COAL AND COKE COMPANY, Books, 1826-1948, Boxes 1-3.
Series I contains abstracts of titles, lists of properties owned, and instruments affecting properties from Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company's mineral rights. The books contain copies of land deeds, court records, and bound copies of mineral rights in Johnson and Carter Counties in Tennessee. The files are arranged alphabetically by type of document.
Series II, DOE MOUNTAIN MINING AND IMPROVEMENT COMPANY BOOKS, 1792-1948, Boxes 3-5.Series II consists of abstracts of title, deeds, lists and indexes to properties owned concerning Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company's mineral rights. The books contain copies of land deeds, court transcripts, and copies of mineral contracts in Johnson County, Tennessee. This series also contains two copies of the deed of transfer of Doe Mountain to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. The books are arranged alphabetically in order of type of documents.
Series III, DOE VALLEY ASSOCIATION BOOKS, 1790-1948, Boxes 5-7.Series III contains abstracts of titles, deeds and lists of properties owned relating to the Doe Valley Association's properties in Johnson County, Tennessee. The books contain copies of court documents, deeds, and land contracts to Doe Valley Association. The original deed of Doe Valley contains copies of records from before the beginning of the company. The books are arranged alphabetically by type of document.
Series IV, MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS, 1836-1966, Box 7.Series IV contains correspondence, maps, mineral right papers, and a brief of title to Whiting Lumber Company. The papers pertain to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company's mineral rights in Johnson and Carter Counties, in Tennessee. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject. Two maps were removed from folders 7:8 and 7:9 and were placed in oversized folders.
The following items have been removed from the collection and placed in oversized storage:
1. Survey Map of Dry Run Mountain in Johnson County, Tennessee, For Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, 1924.
2. Map of Johnson County, Tennessee, For Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Track No. for property, undated.
Box 1 - Volume 1
Abstracts of Instruments affecting Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Carter County, Tennessee, Volume III, 1915.
This book contains typed copies of court records from 1836-1896 that pertain to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. The book is indexed and contains some information corresponding to (1:3-1:4) Instruments affecting James Strong Lumber Company Timber Rights on Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company lands. Indexed. The books were probably prepared in 1915.Volume 2
Abstract of Instruments affecting Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Carter County, Volume IV, 1915.
This volume continues from 1:1. It involves records from 1836-1899.Volume 3
Abstracts of Instruments affecting Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Carter County, Tennessee, Volume V, 1915.
This volume is a continuation of 1:2. It contains records dating from 1826-1893.Volume 4
Abstracts of Instruments affecting Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company, Carter County, Volume VI, 1915.
This book contains court records and a continuation of 1:3. Spanning from 1849-1915, the book was probably prepared in 1915.Box 2 - Volume 5
Abstracts of title to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume I, 1906.
This report contains a typed copy of the charter for Virginia, Tennessee and Carolina Steel and Iron Company of 1877. Also included are typed copies of various tracts of land purchased and conveyed to Virginia, Tennessee and Carolina Steel and Iron Company, Spanning from 1835-1906 prepared by attorneys St. John and Harry H. Shelton. It contains abstracts 1-15.Volume 6
Abstract of title to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume II, 1906.
This report is a continuation of Volume I with court records and land deeds typed and bound by St. John and Shelton which are indexed in Volume I. Volume II contains records from 1887-1906, Abstracts 16-30.Volume 7
Abstract of title to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume III, 1906.
This report is a continuation of Volume II, indexed in Volume I, which spans from 1887-1906. It includes the abstracts 31-42.Volume 8
Abstract of title to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume IV, 1906.
This report is a continuation of Volume III, indexed in Volume I. It spans from 1887-1906 and covers abstracts 43-56.Volume 9
Index to Instruments affecting James Strong Lumber Company timber rights on Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Carter County. Volume I, 1905.
This book contains typed copies of court documents relating to James Strong Lumber Company and Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. This book and the following Volume (Volume II) correspond to Abstracts of Instruments Affecting Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company in Carter County, Tennessee. Volumes III-VI (1:1 - 1:4). The records involved span from 1899 to 1905.Box 3 - Volume 10
Instruments affecting James Strong Lumber Company timber rights on Lands of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Carter County. Volume II.
This report contains typed copies of court documents, continued from Volume I, spanning 1905 to 1914. Both Volumes I and II were probably prepared after 1914 for Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company.Volume 11
List of properties owned by Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company in Johnson County, June 1948. This book lists, alphabetically by the property owner, the acreage in the property and tells tract number, mineral or fee.
Volume 12
Opinion and Report on title to James Strong Lumber Company timber rights, on Lands of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Carter County, May, 1917.
This report was prepared by George E. Taylor, title attorney for the United States Department of Agriculture on May 10, 1917. It lists the deed of grant from May 1, 1868-October 5, 1893 and the chain of titles of timber rights in Carter County giving description, acreage, and owners.
Series II, DOE MOUNTAIN MINING AND IMPROVEMENT COMPANY BOOKS, 1792-1948. Boxes 3-5
Box 3 - Volume 13
Abstracts of title to the properties of the Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume I, 1902.
The volume contains typed copies of land deeds and descriptions for the mineral rights to Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company. This book was prepared by Frederick M. Leonard. The records date from 1832 to 1890 but the volume was most likely prepared in 1902.Box 4 - Volume 14
Abstracts of Title to the Properties of the Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company in Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume II, Part I, 1902.
This book is a continuation of Volume I, which was also prepared by Frederick M. Leonard, and contains similar information. The dates covered in Volume II span from 1830-1889.Volume 15
Abstracts of Title to the Properties of the Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company in Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume II, Part II, 1902.
This book continues from Volume II, Part II. Contained in the volume are copies of deeds and court records for Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company. It was prepared by Frederick M. Leonard. The book has a letter attached to page 417 to D. D. Hull, General Solicitor, Bristol, Tennessee, from Donnelly, Butler, Donnelly, attorney's for Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company, dated March 12, 1906.Volume 16
Abstracts of Title to the Properties of the Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume III, 1902.
This volume is a continuation of Volume II, Part II. The book was prepared by Frederick M. Leonard. The records date from 1792-1895.Box 5 - Volume 17
Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company deed to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, November 24, 1947.
This report is a typed copy of the deed and contains a description of the terms of sale.Volume 18
Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company deed to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, November 24, 1947.
This report is a typed copy and contains the names of the parties involved with both companies.Volume 19
Index and List of Properties owned by Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company, Johnson County, Tennessee, September 1, 1948.
This book lists alphabetically by the property owner the acreage and track number. The book also lists either estate mineral or estate fee.Volume 20
Index to and List of Properties owned by Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company, in Johnson County, Tennessee, September 1, 1948.
This book resembles the form of 5:3 with a few different entries.Volume 21
Index to and List of Properties owned by Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company in Johnson County, Tennessee, September 1, 1948.
This book contains many of the records from 5:4 and is organized in the same manner.Volume 22
List of Properties owned by Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company in Johnson County, Tennessee, June 1948, "Original Working Copy".
This indexed book contains the lists of property owners and the property to mineral and timber rights in Johnson County. This book is similar to 5:3 and 5:4 and it contains several handwritten notes on the pages. It also has references to maps and a ledger for which we haven't a copy. The volume number and page number refers to the Abstracts of Title 3:4-4:3.
Series III, DOE VALLEY ASSOCIATION BOOKS, 1790-1948, Boxes 5-7.
Box 5 - Volume 23
Abstracts of Title to the Properties of the Doe Valley Mining Association in Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume I, 1904.
This volume was prepared by Marvin H. Altizer, attorney for Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. The book, which is indexed, was assembled around February 6, 1904. It contains copies of deeds and titles affecting Doe Valley Association dating from 1841 to 1891.Box 6 - Volume 24
Abstracts of Title to the Properties of the Doe Valley Mining Association in Johnson County, Tennessee, Volume II, 1904.
This volume is a continuation of 5:6. It contains records dating from 1790-1904.Volume 25
Abstracts of Title to the Properties of Doe Valley Association, Johnson County, Volume II, 1904.
Contains same information as volume 24 (6:1).Volume 26
List of Properties owned by Doe Valley Association in Johnson County, Tennessee, June 1948.
This book contains lists of property owners, acreage, and mineral rights for Doe Valley Association.Box 7 - Volume 27
Original Deed for Doe Valley Association, July 30, 1901.
This book contains a copy of the deed between Joseph Wagner and wife, and Noah J. Wagner and wife, to Ruben J. Freas of Philadelphia. It involves 91 tracts of land in Johnson County, Tennessee. The book was prepared in 1901 but involves dates from 1842 to 1901 and contains a notary seal dated August 11, 1891.
Series IV, MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS, 1836-1966, Box 7.
Box 7
1. Brief of Title to Whiting Lumber Company, 1900.
5. Mineral Property in Johnson County of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. Part I, January 1 1966.
This report is a typed copy of deeds referring to the timber rights owned by Whiting Lumber Company. It contains records dating from 1836-1900.
2. Correspondence - between Provident Life and Trust Company of Philadelphia and attorneys for Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company.
There are portions of two letters dated August 28, 1902 and May 5, 1903 with the latter signed by Fulkerson Page and Hurst, attorneys. The letters contain discussion of deed between Doe Mountain and Provident Life.
3. Correspondence between Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company and a Mr. O. H. Viall of Mountain City. This letter is dated October 8, 1906. It refers to extending a timber agreement.
4. Doe Mountain Mining and Improvement Company papers on properties in Johnson County, November 24, 1947.
These papers were prepared for Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. There are two sets of papers removed from Doe Mountain Deed books. One set is an indexed list of properties in Johnson County. The other set of papers is a typed copy of the deed between John H. Dinger and Doe Mountain.
This indexed report gives a description of the property to which Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company own the mineral rights. Part I contains an indexed list of the property owners, acreage and tract number to the enclosed properties.6 Mineral Property in Johnson County of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Part II, January 1, 1966.
This is a continuation of part I.7. Mineral Property in Johnson County of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. Part III, January 1, 1966.
This report is a continuation of part II.8. Mineral Property in Johnson County of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Part IV, January 1, 1966.
This report is a continuation of Part III. A map of mineral property (survey map) was removed and placed in an oversized folder.9. Mineral Property in Johnson County of Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. Part V, January 1, 1966.
This report is a continuation of Part IV. A map showing tracts in Johnson County was removed and placed in oversized folder.10. Miscellaneous papers. April 20, 1965.
This folder contains papers from various books in the collection for which no order could be determined.11. Ore Maps from Johnson County, June 1941.
These are photocopies of ore maps done by Atwod, Engineer and Mining Geologist.12. Summary of Doe Mountain Mining Lands, 1948.
This report in ledger form, contains a summary of Doe Mountain Mining lands at the time deeded to Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. The summary contains the tracts name and number, acreage, and related information.
Top of Box and Folder List Top of Finding Aid
MTC 1/01 - modified GKY 03/01/02