CLEMENS Charles F., Sr.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: 1358
• Residence: 8 Mar 1934, Jeannette, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA; Move to Pa

Notes:

Charles grew up in and around Jeannette, Pennsylvania. He attended parochial school in the elementary grades. He was an alter boy at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He was taken out of school when he was around 12 years old and put to work in a coal mine owned by his grandfather. His pay was given to his parents and they meted out what they thought was appropriate for a boy of twelve.
One of the jobs he had in the coal mine was to dig an air shaft from the working level of the mine up to the outside. He could use only a pick and shovel and made the shaft just large enough for him to crawl through. He would rather have gone to school, and on one occasion he wanted to go on a picnic with the kids from the school, but he wasn't allowed to go. To show his anger for not being allowed to go, he got a partially filled keg of blasting powder and poured a stream of powder down the hill from the mine entrance. He then sat the almost empty keg at the mine entrance on the powder he had poured. Then he went down the hill to the end of the track of powder and lit it with a match. The stream of powder spewed and smoked up the hill to the keg and blew it up. The explosion was not enough to do any real damage to the mine, but it was enough to scare some of the miners. Another time Charles retaliated for not being able to do something with his friends by swapping the barrel of drinking water with a similar looking barrel of waste oil. One of the miners came out of the mine very hot and thirsty immediately took swig of oil. On both occasions Charles was disciplined. His uncle John Clemens moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada where he remained until his death (heart attack) in the early 1930s. When Charles was 13 or 14 years old he was sent to live with his uncle John to help with work on the farm (or maybe to get him away from the mine). Charles and Catherine left the Virginia lower peninsula on March 8, 1934 to Jeannette, Pennsylvania.

Residence:
Charles and Catherine left the Virginia lower peninsula on March 8, 1934 to Jeannette, Pennsylvania.

Charles married LAINE Adnie Catherine on 21 Dec 1932 in Newport News, VA. Adnie (daughter of LAINE Matthew Augustus Reynolds and HORNE Susie) was born on 15 Oct 1912 in Sussex County, Va (Upson); died on 2 Apr 1999 in Hampton, VA; was buried in Hampton, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Marriage Notes for ADNIE LAINE and CHARLES CLEMENS:
The "Certificate of Person Performing Marriage Ceremony" reads as follows: " I, H. W. Dunnley, a Minister of the Methodist Church, or religious order of that name , do certify that on the 21st day of December, 1932, at Newport News, Virginia, under the authority of a license issued by R. E. Marable, Clerk of Corporation Court of Newport News County ( or City), State of Virginia, dated the 21st day of December, 1932, I joined together in the Holy State of Matrimony Charles Francis Clemens, husband, and Adnie Catherine Laine, his wife. Given under my hand this 21st day of December, 1932. H. W. Dunnley"

1. CLEMENS Kathryn Elaine was born on 26 Oct 1933 in Newport News, VA; died on 27 Oct 1933 in Newport News, VA; was buried on 29 Oct 1933 in Newport News, VA (Greenlawn Cemetery).
2. CLEMENS Evelyn Kay was born on 21 Sep 1934 in Jeannette, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA.
3. CLEMENS Kathleen Joan was born on 1 May 1936 in Jeannette, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA.
4. CLEMENS Charles F., Jr. was born on 22 Mar 1938 in Jeannette, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA.
5. CLEMENS Donna Jean was born on 21 Aug 1945 in Hampton, VA.

Nicholas married ERNETTE Kathryn. Kathryn and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]