Thanks to
Christine A. Ramseier for
sending this in.Hi, my name is
christine ramseier---thompson----i had inherited some great things from my
great great grandfather by his daughter janet thompson-maiden-daughter of
hugh thompson. they came over on a boat to ellis island when she was 7
yrs of age.
My great great grandfather was a lochgelly pit hero who was presented by
the men of the lives he had saved at the "mary pit mine disaster. he was
80 years of age of his death feb 6th 1941 in usa, mt. olive, il in which
i reside this is the article info and other things that i have:
hugh thomson, a personality that was know to all lochgelly folks of the
last generation. he was 80 yrs of age.
mr thomson was the 2nd son of the late james
thomson, baltie cottage, lochgelly. like his father, he was a keen
volunteer and took prominent part in rifle competitions. hew was a long
member of lochgelly's famous rifle team and was a memeber of it when it
accepted a challenge fromthe Queen's (edinburgh) marksmen; and beat them--i
have a metal that she presented him with this info on it:rifle association
scottish it has in the center a lion standing up. the metal itself is
shapped like an arrow head with a crown top piece on it. then if have a
gold type medalion that reads around it: caledonian challenge shield
1863 the center has a sheild with lions crest. the article proceeds: he
emigrated to the us in 1913 a country he had twice previously stayed in.
at that time he was a checkweighter at glencraig colliery.
40 years ago he was the hero of on of those
ever dangers present to mine workers. in june of that year the pithead of
the mary pt, belonging to lochgelly iron and coal co went ablaze. iot
spread to the framework of the pulleywheels and to the shaft. meme were
working below ground, and there was only one way of escape. the position
for them was one of great dxdanger. thomson got word at the pit bottom of
the situation and at once set off through the workings warning all the mem
and refused himself to go to the surface till his mission was completed.
before reaching safey the miners had to dash through the blazing pithead
buildings and thomson was amoung the last to get clear. he sustained
severe burning injuries. his hands were so severly injured that several
of his fingers fell away from the joints. it was truly a brave act and in
keeping with the great tradition of self-sacrifese in the mines. thomson-at
mount olive, il u.s.s on 6th february, 1941 hugh thomson, late of
lochgelly husband of christine(lister and son of the late james thomson,
baltie cottage, lochgelly____________(can't read the word)- 81st year.
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