A&M 2584Major W. P. Tams, Jr. Transcript of an Interview, 1825-1934 A&M 2584Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History CenterWest Virginia and Regional History Center

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This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-06-18 14:05:24 -0400.EnglishDescribing Archives: A Content Standard West Virginia and Regional History Center Major W. P. Tams, Jr. Transcript of an Interview Tams, W. P., Jr. (William Purviance), 1883-1977 A&M 2584 Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key /repositories/2/resources/719 0 Linear Feet Summary: 1 folder 1825-1934 Transcript of an interview by Richard Hadsell with Major W.P. Tams, Jr., former mine operator in the Winding Gulf coal mining region. Tams discusses his early days in coal mining, the opening of the Kanawha coal region, and coal operators and union officials such as: E.J. Berwind, Joe Beury, George Collins, Jarius Collins, Justus Collins, John J. Cornwell, Samuel Dixon, Elias Hatfield, Troy Hatfield, Isaac Mann, S.T. Patterson, J.A. Renahan, James O. Watts, and George Wolfe. Other individuals mentioned include: Henry D. Hatfield, John L. Lewis, John Mitchell, Fred Mooney, Bob Patterson, and "Mother" Mary Jones. Tams also discusses the Winding Gulf Collieries, the Beaver Coal Co., the Smokeless Coal Field, the N&W Railroad, the C&O Railroad, the Virginian Railroad, Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, unions and strikes, racial relations, blacks, scrip, company stores, Atwater, and Castner, Curran and Bullitt. West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: West Virginia & Regional History Center English Conditions Governing Access

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[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Major W. P. Tams, Jr. Transcript of an Interview, A&M 2584, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

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Kanawha Valley. Atwater. African-Americans. SEE ALSO Coal miners - African Americans. Coal mining. Coal mining - Beaver Coal Company. Coal - Smokeless Coal Fields. Coal mining - company stores. Scrip. Union names. Coal companies - Beaver Coal Company. Virginian Railroad -- Railroads Coal mining - Scrip. Virginian Railroad -- Railroads Unions -- Coal Railroads Railroads - Norfolk and Western Railroad. Unions. SEE ALSO Labor organization. Coal mining - Labor organization. N&W Railroads - railroads. Coal companies - Smokeless Coal Fields. Railroads - Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Strikes and lockouts Coal mining - coal companies. Coal mining -- Strikes Smokeless Coal Fields - coal. Coal trade Caster, Curran and Bullitt Baldwin-Felts Detective Inc. Beaver Coal Company Hatfield, Henry Drury, 1875-1962 Beury, Joe. Mann, Isaac T. (Isaac Thomas), 1864-1932 Hatfield, Troy. Mooney, Fred, 1888-1952 Lewis, John L. (John Llewellyn), 1880-1969 Hatfield, Elias. Hadsell, Richard. Dixon, Samuel. Wolfe, George. Collins, Jarius. Berwind, E.J. Patterson, S.T. Cornwell, John J. (John Jacob), 1867-1953 Beury, Joseph L. Renahan, J.A. Mitchell, John. Collins, George. Jones, Mary. Tams, W. P., Jr. (William Purviance), 1883-1977 Watts, James O. Patterson, Bob. Collins, Justus, 1857-1934 Winding Gulf Collieries