re: #70 HappyWarrior

I saw that. History Channel had another good one about the history of the Irish in America. The coal miners in my grandparents’ hometown were an interesting mix of: Irish, multi genration Americans, Eastern Europeans (which is what my great grandfathers were), Italians, and all kinds of people. My one great grandfather who left home at the age of 14 to first work on the railroad in Siberia managed and later came here to the US managed to learn aside from his native Slovak: English, Russian, Italian, and I am sure others too. He also raised four children on his own as well as being a full time miner after his first wife died of TB. I never knew him obviously but he was quite the guy.

My granddad came over in 1903 from Slovakia (then part of the Austo-Hungarian Empire) and worked in the coal mines in Iowa.