On September 6, 1869, a fire at the Avondale mine in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, ignited one of the worst disasters in Coal Region history. In the suffocating darkness, 110 men and boys perished, trapped by flames and toxic gases with no escape.
Days later, the funerals began. Towns and coal patches throughout the Wyoming Valley fell silent as thousands gathered to mourn. The tragedy, compounded by accusations of corporate negligence, sent shockwaves through mining communities and ignited demands for stronger safety regulations in Pennsylvania’s anthracite industry.
An illustration from the period captures the mass burial ceremony, with a coal breaker in the distance, a storm on the horizon, and a rainbow breaking through the clouds. This symbolic moment played out across the region as families buried their dead and communities sought justice.
The Luzerne Union newspaper of Wilkes-Barre, which had already condemned the mine operators for their role in the tragedy, provided a harrowing account of the funerals in that Luzerne County town:
THE FUNERAL.
The funerals of ten of the victims to damning avarice and greed of gain, took place in this borough yesterday. The sky appeared to be hung in the sable hue of woe and the heavens wept for very sorrow.
Business was generally suspended, and our streets wore a funeral appearance throughout the day.
We have never seen a community so fully enter into the spirit of the occasion. A sadness sat upon every brow, and all hearts
“Like muffled drums were beating
Funeral marches to the grave.”
THE PROCESSION.
At 3 o’clock the solemn cortege commenced its march from Kingston in the following order:
Post No. 101 G.A.R.[Grand Army of the Republic], of Scranton, numbering 52 men; commanded by C. C. Battenburg, and acting Lieutenants, A. B. Stevens, W.M. Hampton.
Hearse, with body of James Gilroy, who was a member of Post 97, G.A.R. Guard of honor; carriages of relatives and friends,
Hearse with body of James Murray; carriages with family of deceased and friends.
Hearse with body of Michael Daley; family and friends of deceased in carriages.
Body of Daniel Guyton; carriages with friends of deceased.
This part of the procession moved down River street to Northampton, up Northampton to Main, up Main to Union, out Union to Franklin, up Franklin to North, and thence to the cemetery.
The other part of the procession passed up Market street to the square, thence to North Main street, up Main to Union, down Union to Franklin, up Franklin to North, and thence to the cemetery.
The procession moved in the following order, under the direction of Mr. James Campbell, to whom great credit in due for the admirable manner in which the funeral arrangements were carried out:
Hibernia Association Marshals, Daniel O’Connell, Dennis Dulley and Martin Brennip they numbered over 200 men and wore the insignia of the Association, They looked well.
Body of Win. Dowdell; friends and carriages.
Body of James Mallen; family and friends of deceased. Body of Daniel Pryor: family and friends of deceased.
Body of John Roarty; friends and relatives in carriages.
Body of James Harkness; friends and family of deceased.
Body of James Maher; family and friend of deceased.
The coffins (nine in number) except James Gilroy, were placed side by side in the cemetery, when Right Res. Bishop O’Haran read the burial service, and delivered an impressive sermon. The scene here was most affecting. Prattling children were lisping the names of their fathers, unconscious of their loss.
As the coffins were carried off in different directions the scenes were heart-rending. The bodies of James Mellen and Wm. Dowdle, both single and comrades, were placed in one grave. The aged father of Mellen, knelt at the grave of his son and wept piteously as if his heart would break, and Mellen’s two sisters, moaned and shrieked at the loss of their brother, saying my brother, my dear brother: let me see him once more!”
Gilroy’s body was in charge of the Post. G.A.R. He was buried at the upper end of the cemetery.
As no provision had been made for the digging of his grave, it was dug whilst they were waiting, causing considerable delay.
The usual military volley was fired over the grave.
The body of David James was interred, at Pittston yesterday. Post 97, G.A.R. of this borough, met the funeral cortege at Kingston, and proceeded with the corpse to Pittston.
Arriving there, and they were met by the G.A.R. Post and the Zouaves of that place, and escorted, with muffled drums, to West Pittston, where the interment took place. Rev. Thomas Hunt, of this borough, chaplain of Post 97, delivered an impressive discourse at the grave.
The Avondale Disaster, one of the deadliest mining disasters in Pennsylvania history, led to major efforts to reform mine safety in the region as well as encouraged mineworkers to attempt to organize through early unions like the Workingmen’s Benevolent Association.
Read more about the Avondale Disaster
Avondale – The Coal Region’s deadliest mining disaster
“In the mines of Avondale” – A Coal Region ballad
A Pennsylvania politician’s response to the 1869 Avondale Mine Disaster
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There was no mass grave; most of the miners were from Scranton and buried individually in a cemetery there and Irish Catholics individually in family graves in the vicinity of the mine. All were given well deserved resting places. The news illustration had it wrong; most likely for sensationalism.
In this case the illustration is not wrong. From the article: “The coffins (nine in number) except James Gilroy, were placed side by side in the cemetery, when Right Res. Bishop O’Haran read the burial service, and delivered an impressive sermon. The scene here was most affecting. Prattling children were lisping the names of their fathers, unconscious of their loss…” – From the Luzerne Union newspaper of Wilkes-Barre in the wake of the disaster about a mass funeral in Scranton.
From the Lackawanna County Historical Society’s newsletter: “Of the 110 men and boys who gave their lives at Avondale, 58 are laid to rest at Washburn Cemetery in West Scranton, with 54 in the part of the cemetery unofficially known as the Avondale Section. The other four are laid to rest nearby…” – https://www.lackawannahistory.org/newsletters/Volume47_No3.pdf
The graves were individually marked, thankfully, but mass funerals were the norm in the wake of the disaster.
Jake, in other writings about the Avondale disaster, we read that a number of Catholics were taken by train to Wilkes-Barre to be buried at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and cemetery. This would include our relative. The mass grave then, is refering to Washburn Cemetery. as described in your attachment newsletter. Several others were taken to private cemeteries in the Plymouth area. The newsletter seems to include all of the 110, which would not be the case. Just a clarification on my part. And if they list all of the victims in their efforts to honor the miners, I would be proud to have my relative included,. Thanks for commenting.