When Coal Was King: A History of the Massey Family Paperback – December 6, 2020

The history of the Massey family encapsulates the history of American coal. From William Evans, the Welsh farm laborer who helped pioneer the West Virginia coalfields, to A.T. Massey and his sons, who founded and built the A.T Massey Coal Company into the nation’s second largest coal broker, to E. Morgan Massey, who transformed the company into the nation’s third largest coal producer, Masseys have tracked the rise and fall of one of America’s great industries.Company towns and company stores. Old-time labor wars. Coal for home heating. Coal for steel. Coal for boilers. Export booms and busts. Conflict with railroads. Modern-day labor wars. Coal ventures in South America and China. This volume tells a story of inspired leadership, ceaseless innovation in an unforgiving industry, and the remarkable contributions to American prosperity not only of the Masseys but the talented and dedicated men and women who worked for them. Read more