WE NEVER FORGET: Night of February 7, 1913, Holly Grove, West Virginia, Francis Estep Shot Down by Gunthugs, Leaving Behind Pregnant Wife and Small Child

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WE NEVER FORGET
Night of February 7, 1913, Holly Grove, West Virginia
Francis Estep Shot Down by Gunthugs, Survived by Pregnant Wife and Small Child

United Mine Workers of America marker to honor Francis Estep, placed at his grave at Holly Grove, WV, many years after his death:

The Estep home at Holly Grove, 1913:

Clifford Allan Estep, son of Francis Estep, about 1913:

Poem written for little son of Cesco Estep, Martyr of Holly Grove

THE STRIKER’S ORPHAN CHILD

-by Walter Seacrist

My father was a striker back in nineteen and thirteen.
He was the sweetest daddy; he never treated us mean.
He worked in dark and danger, almost day and night
To earn for us a living, to bring us all up right.

We all were Oh so happy. We were so wondrous blest.
The Union issued a strike call. Dad came out with the rest
To better his condition, that he might not be a slave,
That they might have a Union, and get a living wage.

They cared no more for the miner than a cat does for a mouse.
They came on cold and rainy days and throwed them from their house.
Mothers with newborn babies, so innocent and so sweet,
Without the least protection were cast out in the street.

And as I look around me and see the same thing near,
I wonder what would happen if Daddy could be here
With some of his old buddies of nineteen and thirteen
For he could not stand to see little children treated mean.

On February the seventh, eleven o’clock at night,
The sky was clear and beautiful, the stars were shining bright.
The high sheriff and his gunmen up from Charleston came
And shot up our village from that fatal Bull Moose train.

My Daddy heard the shooting and rushed us from our bed
And a few moments later he was found dead.
While trying to get us to safety and find for us a place
An explosive rifle bullet had torn away his face.

Don’t weep for me or Mother, although you might feel bad,
Just try to help keep alive some other boy’s dad.
And when we meet in heaven, on that golden strand,
Then you can see my Daddy and clasp his blessed hand.

Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, ed, Ab Chp 6, 1925
https://www.iww.org/history/library/MotherJones/autobiography/6

“The Striker’s Orphan Child” by Walter Seacrist
-poem for and photo of Clifford Allan Estep, young son of Francis Estep
http://www.wvgw.net/wvcoal/estep.html

See also: 

Songs of Work and Protest
-ed by Edith Fowke, Joe Glazer, Kenneth Ira Bray
Courier Corporation, Jan 1, 1973
(-search: walter seacrist)
-Note: sadly I could find very little info on this
very interesting songwriter, preacher and loyal union man.
https://books.google.com/books?id=6vtPafZy1PsC

Find a Grave
Note: unable to verify that photo posted is actually of Francis Estep.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214860755/francis-francisco-estep

Sept 2, 1975, Beckley Post-Herald (WV)
“Memorial for Miner Slain During Paint Creek Wars
Is Attended by Nearly 300″
-by Ruth Swatzyna
Note: Clifford Estep and Frances Estep Evans were in attendance.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/1409398/francis_francisco_cesco_estep_memorial/

Tag: Francis Estep
https://weneverforget.org/tag/francis-estep/

Tag: Maud Estep
https://weneverforget.org/tag/maud-estep/

Tag: Paint Creek-Cabin Creek Strike of 1912-1913
https://weneverforget.org/tag/paint-creek-cabin-creek-strike-of-1912-1913/

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West Virginia Hills – Joe Glazer
Lyrics by Walter Seacrist