Walter Jagoe Nisbet -- Coal Miner

 

 

Walter Jagoe “Bud” Nisbet was born on July 6, 1872 in Hopkins County, Kentucky.  He was the second of four children born to William Alexander Nisbet and Nancy J. Jagoe. William was also a native of Hopkins County and Nancy had grown up in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. 

Walter made his home in Madisonville, Kentucky and on March 25, 1899, he married Cora Belle Head. They were the parents of one child, a son, William Alexander Nisbet, born on December 21, 1899. Unfortunately, Cora Belle died on July 18, 1900, leaving William with an infant child to raise.  William then met Emma Mills, the sister of former Madisonville County Judge William T. Mills.  Walter and Emma were married on November 30, 1905 in Earlington, Kentucky.  Emma was a native of Trigg County and was the daughter of John Richard Mills and Peachie Ann Thomas, both natives of Trigg County. Walter and Emma had no children of their own.

At an early age, Walter started out as a laborer in the coal mines in the Providence area of west Kentucky.  In 1891, the Providence Coal & Mining Company opened a slope mine which was the first commercial coal mine in Webster County, Kentucky.  Walter’s father who was a major stockholder in the company obtained Walter a job in the company.  Walter learned coal production the hard way—by digging, trapping, weighing and tipping coal.

Walter became very successful with the company and within a few months became a general manager. During his early years with the company he served as a civil engineer and electrician and designed many machines that were used for many years by the company.  After a few years, Walter became President of the company.  He designed plans for the company office and the Providence Coal & Mining store, which was built in 1879 and was declared to be the most modern building designs at the time.

On July 7, 1941, Walter died at his home in Providence at the age of 69 and at the time of his death he was the oldest active coal operator in western Kentucky, having spent 42 years actively engaged in coal mining. Walter was buried in the Grapevine Cemetery in Hopkins County.  Emma died on May 9, 1968 in Madisonville at the age of 89.  She was buried in the Grapevine Cemetery next to her husband.

Walter Nisbet Tombstone

Emma Mill Nisbet, wife of Walter

LINEAGE: (Walter Jagoe Nisbet was the husband of Emma Mills.  Emma was the daughter of John Richard and Peachie Ann Thomas Mills and granddaughter of William Bridges and Nancy Jane Rogers Thomas.  William Bridges was the first child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)