Sherrill Martin papers

Abstract

The Sherrill Martin papers (1937-1954, undated; .63 cubic feet, 2 boxes) primarily comprise Carrs Fork Coal Company newsletters (1940-1945) containing line-drawing illustrations by Martin accompanying articles and letter-format lectures on mine safety by general superintent P.A. Grady.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Sherrill Martin papers
Date
1937-1954, undated
Extent
0.63 Cubic feet
Subjects
Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Perry County
Illustrators.
Mine safety -- Illustrations.
Newsletters
World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects
World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--United States
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Processed by Archives staff; reprocessed by Marie Dale and Ruth E. Bryan; machine-readable finding aid created by Beth Eifler.
Preferred Citation
87m1: [Identification of item], Sherrill Martin papers, University of Kentucky Special Collections
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Sherrill Martin was born on March 4, 1927 and grew up in Perry County, Kentucky. He attended Vicco High School in Vicco, Kentucky, from 1941 through February 1945. It was during his high school years that Martin created the illustrations contained in this collection for the Carrs Fork Coal Company. When Martin left Perry County for his tour of duty with the U.S. Navy on February 22, 1945, the safety-oriented newsletter continued on without his illustrations. After concluding his stint in the service on August 1, 1946, Martin entered the Chicago Art Institute, where he studied commercial art through 1950. In 1951, he began an eleven-year career as a commercial artist for firms in Louisville, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Dayton, Ohio. His work included a televised animated commercial. Martin died of a heart attack on June 19, 1962.
C.A. Dupree (1903-?) was Sherrill Martin's uncle. He worked as a miner at the Carrs Fork Coal Company and the Stocker Coal Company, 1943-1953.
The Carrs Fork Coal Company at Allock, Perry County, Kentucky (located approximately one mile from Vicco, Kentucky) operated from 1919 to 1958 and had approximately 300 employees. The Stocker Coal Company at Scuddy, Perry County, Kentucky, operated from 1946-1957 and had approximately 75 employees.
-Source: http://www.coaleducation.org/coalhistory/coaltowns/coalcamps/perry_county.htm, accessed 9/5/2013.
Scope and Content
The Sherrill Martin papers (1937-1954, undated; .63 cubic feet, 2 boxes) primarily comprises Carrs Fork Coal Company newsletters (1940-1945) containing line-drawing illustrations by Martin that accompanied articles and letter-format lectures on mine safety by general superintent P.A. Grady. The newsletter was either attached to, or on the reverse of, a pay stub. Martin's illustrations reminded the miners receiving the pay stub/newsletter that mine safety was their responsibility and also their patriotic duty as part of the World War II war effort. The articles, lectures, and illustrations in the newsletters warned miners that if safety was not a priority in their daily work, they were aiding and abetting the enemy.
The collection also includes a series of pay stubs issued to Martin's uncle, C.A. Dupree, from the Carrs Fork Coal Company and the Stoker Coal Company, 1937-1953. Other items include union and mine safety booklets and manuals, including a "Coal Miner's Safety Manual" (1942), "By-Laws of Carrs Fork Coal Co. Employees Burial Fund" (undated), and a contract agreement between Hazard, KY Coal Operator's Association and the UMWA, District 30 (1937-1939).
In most cases, the newsletters are photocopies of the originals. In addition, photographs of some of the line drawings are included.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.

Contents of the Collection

Newsletters, 1940s

"144 Killed 5760 Injured", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 1
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"1150 Killed 50,000 Injured", 1941 Feb. 22

  • Box 1, Folder 2
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"Accident Death Toll", 1945 Jan. 20

  • Box 1, Folder 3
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"Accidents Help The Enemy", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 4
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"All Employees Letter", 1946-1947

  • Box 1, Folder 5-6
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"America Has Just Begun ", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 7
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"An Employee's Safety Letter", 1947 Aug. 12

  • Box 1, Folder 8
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"Any Job Is A Safe Job for A Careful Workman", 1942 Mar. 7

  • Box 1, Folder 9
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"A Well Placed Post Will Protect Your Life", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 10
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"Be Careful And You Will Not Lose Your Neck", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 11
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"Be Careful The Life you Save May Be Your Own", 1925-1948

  • Box 1, Folder 12
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"Be Not Forgetfull Mr. Miner To Your Own Dangers Watch Your Top", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 13
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"Can You Save A Life", 1945 Feb. 18

  • Box 1, Folder 14
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"Careless Lifeless", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 15
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"Compensation Does Not Pay Steady Work Does. Work Safely!", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 16
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"Couplers Press For Safety", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 17
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"The Death Score For January In The Mines Of Kentucky", 1942 Feb. 7

  • Box 1, Folder 18
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"Don't Let The Old Devil Catch You", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 19
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"Forgotten Men", 1925-1945

  • Box 1, Folder 20
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"Greetings Merry Christmas Happy New Year", 1940 Nov. 30

  • Box 1, Folder 21
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"Having trouble Miner? So am I!... But were not doing much...", 1943 Jun. 12

  • Box 1, Folder 22
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"I Passed A Blind Man", 1940 Mar. 15

  • Box 1, Folder 23
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"I'll Toss You-To See Who Gets Him ", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 24
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"I've Rode The Front Bumper Before", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 25
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"Keep Your Name Off This List", 1942 Nov. 28

  • Box 1, Folder 26
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"Lose One And You Are always Suspected Of Having Been Careless!", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 27
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"Miners!", 1944 Apr. 29

  • Box 1, Folder 28
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"The Miner, The Machine Crew, The coupler...", 1942 Jul. 11

  • Box 1, Folder 29
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"Miner And Supervisor In Unison Lets Whip This Fellow", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 30
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"Motormen And Couplers ", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 31
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"Motormen Are Killed", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 32
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"Motormen Are Kille! StrikingHead...", 1944 Apr. 15

  • Box 1, Folder 33
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"Not Whipped Yet", 1945 Jan. 6

  • Box 1, Folder 34
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"One Miner, One Union, One Guard", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 35
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"One Out Of Every Ten Will Be Injured or Killed 1944!", 1944

  • Box 1, Folder 36
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"Our Job", 1942 Apr. 4

  • Box 1, Folder 37
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"Remember-Next To Your Own Family Your Formen Is Most Interested In Your Safety", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 38
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"Riding The Man-Trip", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 39
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"The Safe Mine Worker", 1940 Apr. 14

  • Box 1, Folder 40
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"Safety Paralysis", 1942 Oct. 31

  • Box 1, Folder 41
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"Sound Your Top Often Watch Your Top Always...", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 42
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"The Ten Little Mine Workers", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 43
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They Give Their Lives For A Cause Accident Victims-Die Needlessly, undated

  • Box 1, Folder 44
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"They Mark The Spot For Careless Workers", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 45
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"This Machine Man Was Fatally Injured...", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 46
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"To Our Employees Wages and Compensation...", 1940 Mar. 15

  • Box 1, Folder 47
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"To The Miners Working In The 2 North Section Of West Mines", 1942 Mar. 10

  • Box 1, Folder 48
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"Two Roads To Victory", 1943 May 15

  • Box 1, Folder 49
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"Umbrella Of Safety A Protection Against Accidents", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 50
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"Use The Right Ammunition", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 51
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"Watching For The Chance-Takers!", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 52
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"You Always Spend Your Money...", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 53
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"You Can Help Win The War", 1941 Dec. 27

  • Box 1, Folder 54
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"Your Buddy In Every Careless Act", 1944 Oct. 14

  • Box 1, Folder 55
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"Waste Is Sabotage!", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 56
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"Watch Your Draw Slate", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 57
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"Watch Your Hands & Fingers Feet & Toes", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 58
To top

"A Weekly Safety Letter", 1947 Apr. 21

  • Box 1, Folder 59
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"When You Are Injured In An Accident The Chances Are You Will Not Be Thinking", undated

  • Box 1, Folder 60
To top

C.A. Dupree Timesheets, 1945-1953

Carrs Fork Coal Company, 1943-1949

  • Box 1, Folder 61-72
  • Box 2, Folder 1-2
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Stocker Coal Company, 1951-1953

  • Box 2, Folder 3
To top

Booklets and Manuals, 1937-1942, undated

"By Laws Of Carrs Fork Coal Co. Employees Burial Fund", undated

  • Box 2, Folder 4
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"Appalachian & District Agreement Hazard Coal Operators Association International Union...", 1937 Apr. 1-1939 Mar. 31

  • Box 2, Folder 5
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"Coal Miners Safety Manual", 1942

  • Box 2, Folder 6
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"Dupree C. A. Credit slip", 1943 Nov.13

  • Box 2, Folder 7
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United Mine Workers Of America Union dues receipt, C.A. Dupree, 1954 Aug.5-Oct. 9

  • Box 2, Folder 8
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.