Clover Hill Pitts

The Clover Hill Pitts are a number of coal shafts and mines that operated near Richmond, Virginia from 1837 until around 1883.

History of Clover Hill Pitts

In 1837, coal was found after a heavy rain at Clover Hill Plantation, in Chesterfield County, Virginia, possibly by a slave.^[1] After mining began, mules carried the coal four miles to Epps Falls on the Appomattox River to be loaded onto boats.^[2]

In 1841, the Clover Hill Railroad was created to haul coal from the Clover Hill Pitts, to the Osborne Landing Docks and later Bermuda Hundred dock to be transported by barge over the ocean to the Northern States. By 1848 the Clover Hill Railroad had hauled 56 tons of coal for export and 22 tons for use in Richmond and Petersburg.^[3] The Clover Hill Pitts had several mining sites, the Brighthope Pit, the Halls pit and Racoon Pit. The company spread outside of Virginia. In 1876, Bituminous Coal from the Clover Hill Railroad Company was advertized in the Coal and Coal Trade Journal from a sales Office in New York.^[4]

In 1877 the Brighthope Railway replaced the Clover Hill Railroad. In 1883, 83 employees worked for the Brighthope Mining Company. The mines were declining when the Brighthope Railway was founded.^[5]

The Norfolk and Western Railway brought in coal from a new coal mine, the Pocahontas Coalfield which could provide coal more cheaply and ship the coal on a larger standard gauge, class one railroad. This brought and end to the success of the Clover Hill Pitts.^[6]

Miners

Slaves did some of the mining in the Clover Hill Pitts. Slaveholders bought insurance policies for enslaved Africans working in the Clover Hill Pitts. This was done to ensure that Slaveholders would be compensated for loss if the slaves died in the dangerous mines. Some policies were written for slaves as young as 12 years of age. Sam Jones, Harry Montague, Phil, Robert, Henry, and Joe all had policies taken out by the heirs of James Moody, a slaveholder. The heirs would receive pay for the work of the slaves under lease agreements.^{[7] [8] [9] [10]} The mining company also hired White People and hired Free people of color.^[11]

Mining Town

Reformed Baptist Church of Richmond, Est. 1825

Many of the miners lived in town named Winterpock.^[1] Winterpock, had over 1000 residents in 1870, but as mining dwindled the community of miners became smaller.^[1] All that exists of the town today is the Reformed Baptist Church of Richmond established in 1825 and a store that was opened in 1926 to sell gasoline and food for automobile travelers after the railroad was converted into roads.^[12]

Mining Accidents at the Clover Hill Pitts

The mining work was dangerous. In 1867, an explosion closed mine pits temporarily and Cholera Epidemic slowed work. Methane Explosions killed 17 and then 69 miners in 1859 and 1873 respectively.^[13]

See also

• History of coal mining

References

External links

Coal
Coal types by grade (lowest to highest)	Peat1 Lignite Sub-bituminous coal Bituminous coal Anthracite Graphite1
Coal combustion	Black coal equivalent Char Clean coal Coal preparation plant Coal seam fire Coke Coal tar Energy value Flue gas Fly ash
Coal mining	Coalfields Coal dust Coal gas Coal slurry Coal homogenization Coal liquefaction Environmental impact of the coal industry History Mining regions Peak coal Refined coal Coal town
Note: [1] Peat is considered a precursor to coal. Graphite is only technically considered a coal type.