7/13/1843
Henry Howe, writer, visits and describes mine and operations in remarkable essay. (Excerpt, Historical Collections of Virginia..., by Henry Howe, 1845. See also The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, pages 119-122. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
9/1843
J. B. Jeter, preacher, preaches sermon underground in mine. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 115. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
1/02/1846
Ad for slaves to work in mine. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 125. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
6/1846
John Smith describes mining operation in Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 122. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
1850
Richmond and Danville Railroad begins passenger and freight operations at Coalfield Station. Chesterfield Railroad begins dismantling. (Forerunner of Virginia's First Railway by Elizabeth Dabney Coleman, Virginia Caval-cade, Volume IV, Number 3, page 7. Virginia State Library: Winter, 1954.)
1855
Serious explosion in Pump Shaft, killing 55 men; heavy influx of water from old mines to northeast. (The Midlothian, Virginia, Colliery in 1876 by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Vol-ume IV, 1875-1876, page 310.)
12/1856
Attempts to tap water from Old White Chimney works to rise; Water breaks through, drowning 10 men. (The Midlothian, Virginia, Colliery in 1876 by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Vol-ume IV, 1875-1876, page 310; Midlothian Coal Mines, Virginia -- Cornish Pumping Engine, by Joseph Buzzo, M. E., Journal of the Franklin Institute, 1858, pages 26-27.)
1858
500 horsepower Cornish pumping engine installed. (The Midlothian, Virginia, Colliery in 1876 by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume IV, 1875-1876, page 310.) Complete account, also Midlothian Coal Mines, Virginia -- Cornish Pumping Engine, by Joseph Buzzo, M. E., Journal of the Franklin Institute, 1858, pages 26-30.)
1861
Mines pumped out to bottom, then takes fire; finally abandoned, leaving column of pumps, train of loaded cars, fire engine, etc. (The Midlothian, Virginia, Colliery in 1876 by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume IV, 1875-1876, page 310.)
1862
Nicholas Mills dies, leaving $800,000 in gold. (Forerunner of Virginia's First Railway by Elizabeth Dabney Coleman, Virginia Cavalcade, Volume IV, Number 3, page 7. Virginia State Library: Winter, 1954.)
1861-1865
Mining confined to rise works about White Chimney Shaft. (The Midlothian, Virginia, Colliery in 1876 by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume IV, 1875-1876, page 310.)
1865
Company now under direction of George S. Wooldridge, owing to death of father. Mr. Wooldridge has barrels of Confederate money. (Coal Report by Meriwether Jones on Richmond Coal Basin, May, 1916 from the Files of Virginia Electric & Power Company, page 4.)
1867-1868
Company borrows $180,000 from R. S. Burrows of Albion, New York and constructs Sinking Shaft, 1027 feet deep, bored 315 feet deeper: no coal and superintendent was killed at bottom. (The Midlothian Colliery, Virginia by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume I, 1871-1873, page 349; Coal Report by Meriwether Jones on Richmond Coal Basin, May, 1916 from the Files of Virginia Electric & Power Company, page 4.)
1869
Company bankrupt, sold at auction to lender, Roswell S. Burrows. (The Midlothian Colliery, Virginia by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume I, 1871-1873, page 349.)
From "Historically Significant Sites on the Mid-Lothian Coal Mining Co. Tract In Chesterfield County, Virginia," a collection of articles and excerpts compiled by Thomas F. Garner, Jr. and located in the Midlothian Branch Library, and libraries of the Virginia Historical Society and Chesterfield Historical Society.
The Mid-Lothian Coal Mining Company Era
1835
Midlothian Coal Mining Company is chartered. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 109. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
1836
Midlothian Coal Mining Company is organized (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 109. Pittsburgh: 1942.):
- 404 1/2 acres valued at $300,000 contributed by Wooldridge family
- 3,000 shares authorized at $100 par value
- 1,000 shares sold to approximately thirty share-holders raising $100,000
- $100,000 expended sinking four shafts:
- Pump Shaft
- Middle Shaft
- Grove Shaft
- Wood Shaft
1836
In northeast corner of property, a rise shaft crushes pillars of coal, settles down, abandoned by lessees who worked it and five or six adjoining acres. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 109. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
1836
Joseph Martin's New and Comprehensive Gazette of Virginia describes operations. (Mines of Midlothian by Bet-tie Woodson Weaver, Virginia Cavalcade, Volume XI, Number 3, page 42. Virginia State Library: Winter 1961-1962.)
1837
Wooldridge's pits produce only 70,000 bushels. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 89. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
2/01/1838
Trustees appointed to sell various properties of the Wooldridges. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 95. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
3/1838
2 foremen, 40 men, all Negroes, mostly slaves, killed at Black Heath mine in 700 foot new shaft. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 96. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
Fall, 1839
Coal found in Pump Shaft, 722 feet to coal, 36 foot thick seam; work on other shafts temporarily suspended, one being 625 feet, one 300 feet and the other, 85 feet. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 109. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
1840
"Two distinguished colliers", Frank Foster and W. T. Hall, prepared plan for working Midlothian mines for A. S. Wooldridge. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 99. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
12/1840
Woodridge's and Railey's (property of Nicholas Mills) old pits, unwrought and exhausted, are abandoned. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 108. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
1840
300,000 bushels raised from Pump Shaft with 150 men and 25 mules. Capacity of work estimated to be 1,000,000 bushels per annum. (The Midlothian, Virginia, Colliery in 1876 by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions, American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume IV, 1875-1876, page 310.)
1841
Wooldridge describes operations. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eavenson, page 110. Pittsburgh: 1942.)
6/23/1842
Workings (Pump Shaft) catch fire. (The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry by Howard N. Eaven-son, pages 102-104. Pittsburgh: 1942.)