Davis in Tucker County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Miners and a Minister
How a Local African American Family Made a Living
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 17, 2023
1. Miners and a Minister Marker
The town of Davis incorporated in 1889, just five years after the railroad arrived. As timbering rapidly grew, industries required a larger workforce than a sparse, local population could provide. Recruiters looked to several labor sources, including immigrants arriving in Atlantic ports from overseas and African American workers from the deep South. Some came for other reasons, as with Peter Absalom Barmer (1885-1969, left), who came to West Virginia in 1911 from North Carolina, was ordained in Davis in 1914 and shortly after became the minister at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. To earn an income and raise a family, Reverend Barmer also mined coal. His son Eugene Barmer also mined coal until the mine closed in 1947. His wife Elaine's father, Henry Green, worked in the mines until a work injury permanently impaired his vision (Henry Green and his daughter Elaine are shown in the far left photo).
(Caption):
In this 1940s Coketon mine photo, Henry Green (father to Gene Barmer's wife, Elaine) is standing second from left. In front of him is Ed Craig, whose granddaughters, Doris and Dorothy Redman, attended the Coketon Colored School. Coal mines were among the first workplaces where black and white workers were employed alongside one another, along with many immigrants. Giuseppi Quattrocchi (front, 10th from left), nicknamed "Poker Joe," had local relatives who shortened their name to Quattro and owned the Davis Lunch Restaurant.
Photo credits: all photos Barmer and Green family collections
Layouts and text by David A. Vago Historic Resource Planning & Design
Erected 2023
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1889.
Location. 39° 7.703′ N, 79° 28.006′ W. Marker is in Davis, West Virginia, in Tucker County. It is on William Avenue (West Virginia Route 32/24) west of Fifth Street ( Route 32/21), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 533 William Avenue, Davis WV 26260, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Davis Colored School (here, next to this marker); National Bank of Davis
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 17, 2023
2. Miners and a Minister Marker
Marker is on the right.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2023, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 242 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 28, 2023, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
