Acknowledgements

My most sincere thanks to Carolyn Burnside who read an early version of the book for the various abuses of language to which I am so prone. A lot was added after that, so don’t blame her for the mistakes, they are my own. Ralph Sutton helped with specific information in the chapters on the Strip Coal Era of North Central West Virginia. George Fordham did some editorial work. Jim Stutler helped with the chapter on FFA. Thanks to Donald Byrd for pictures of his restored 8N tractors; to the SDB historical Society of Janesville, Wisconsin, which permitted use of very old pictures in their keeping and also to Patty Smith who supplied several old pictures of Lost Creek interest.

My son-in law, James Atha was invaluable with help in scanning, and my son Paul got the book ready for the Internet. Thanks to my Aunt, Lotta Bond, who saved so many things of interest about the past. Thanks to my parents, who raised a very rambunctious kid, and gave me so much to remember. Special thanks to my wife Esther, who showed so much forbearance when I was deeply involved in this labor. Many others have read chapters, discussed events, told some of the stories and offered helpful criticism. Thanks to you all.

The illustrations in the book are largely my photographs and my drawings using Canvas. Unmarked black and white are from family files saved by my mother, Grandmother Bond and Aunt Lotta.

All was written and produced on Macintosh, with OSX. The book was written between 1998 and 2006.

Copyright © 1998, 2006, 2008, 2011 S. Tom Bond (stombond at hughes.net)