The Tudgay families of Warrior Run, Pennsylvania

Thomas Tudgay, 1840-1907 and Isaac Tudgay, 1847-1923

Introduction - Extracts from A History of Warrior Run Borough and its People

Carved out of Sugar Notch, the Borough of Warrior Run was incorporated on January 25, 1895. Its origins as a community date back to the mid-1860's when the coal mining industry and the railroad companies endeavored to mine, transport and market the region's anthracite coal. Herein lies the history of the land and its people.

Map of Wilkes Barre Area

- The Coal Mining Industry -

The coal mining industry was the founding father of the community of Warrior Run. During and after the Civil War, the American industrial revolution took off and coal was its fuel. Coal production boomed in the Valley as anthracite was recognized as a superior fuel for steel mills, factories, railroads, and heating homes. Our pre-war agricultural society gave way to an industrial one. In 1864, the Warrior Run Mining Company was organized, reopening the old Holland and Hillman mine. Wishing to provide only the purest, highest quality coal sorted by size, the company constructed a breaker at the foot of the mountain which opened in 1867. This was a huge tall building in which coal was tumbled down long chutes and open troughs. Breaker boys, mostly between ages 10 and 17, sat astride the chutes, plucking out the slate and sorting out lumps of coal by size. At about the same time, both the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Nanticoke Branch of the Central Railroad of New Jersey completed their lines through the area, thus making it possible to conveniently mine, transport and market the area's rivers of coal. From this point on coal production overshadowed nearly everything.

Workers in large numbers were needed to labor in the mines or railroads, repair shops and machine shops. The local population was not sufficient to fill the demand so skilled Welsh miners were recruited. Other foreigners, mainly Irish who had been jobless and poverty stricken in their homelands, turned to America for relief and relocation. The Warrior Run Mining Company operated these mines until 1869, when they were then leased to A. J. Davis, who operated until about 1919.

- Warrior Run Mining Village -

The community called Warrior Run Mining Village arose on land owned by the Warrior Run Mining Company. The company purchased nearly all the land around the colliery. This land was once the Rummage farm and then part of the Colonel Hendrick B. Wright tract. Here they built offices and three nice large houses for the mine bosses on what later became known as Boss Town Street (now Lower Beaumont), which was then adjacent to an orchard. The mining company also erected company houses so that employees could walk to work. Many of these were little more than shacks, but they were rented out at a profitable rate.

These houses extended to what was then Main Street, now Chestnut and Upper Beaumont Street. Much of this area was an unappealing place to live. Since workers did not own their houses and usually didn't live in them for long, little was maintained. Unruly boys and men, goats, cattle, and hogs ran at large. The houses had no shade trees, fruit trees, shrubbery, gardens or fences. Goats were kept in large numbers, and their destructiveness made it almost impossible to grow anything.

The 1880s were a time of prosperity and growth and the village of Warrior Run really began to thrive. More immigrants, mainly Welsh and Irish and Polish, were needed to fill the many available jobs. Many new houses were built while old ones were repaired and reoccupied. The mines prospered so the community prospered.

Residents of the early 1880s included the Brislins, Rhyses, Shovlins, Joneses, Williams, Evans, Wagners, Devines, Tudgays, Lloyds, Cyphers, Richards, and Jenkins. By 1885, telephone lines ran everywhere. Railroad Street had Pehle's general and drug store, John Elliot's saloon, John Evans' general store, Plumb's Reading Room and Shadrach Jones' Butcher shop. Orchard Street had Pearson's general store, William Richards' butcher shop, Barney Smith's butcher shop, the Smith Hotel and Rose Sheridan's Hotel, Dr. S. S. Pace's drug store, David Jones' tavern and an early schoolhouse.

- The Borough of Warrior Run -

On January 25, 1895, the Borough of Warrior Run was thus incorporated. The name Warrior Run had already been in use for many years. Both of the town's railroad stations were named after the Warrior Run Mines. Charles Williams was elected first burgess on February 19th. Elected to council were Thomas Tudgay, John Cyphers, John Elliot, Shadrach Jones, and William Richards, with Nelson Pearson as chairman. Isaac Lewis was elected secretary, John Evans treasurer and Edward T. Edwards as chief of police. Police appointed were Frank Crosky, James B. Brislin and John Shovlin.

?Photographs

TUDGAY Theodore, & Catherine; on Beaumont, 1935
TUDGAY Thomas, 39, & Jane, 36; on Hanover, 1880
TUDGAY Isaac, 52, mine laborer, & Rachel, 52; from Wales, 1881; on Hanover, 1900 (John, Mayor)

Parentage of Isaac and Thomas Tudgay emigrants from Abersychan, South Wales, UK

William Tudgee 1777-1824 b Leigh upon Mendip, Somerset	m. Sarah George on 17/08/1800	backward link to Leigh on Mendip
Isaac Tudgee (Tudgay) 1816 - 9.12.1889 born in Somerset but family moved to Abersychan ca 1846	m. Eliza Smith (1820-1890) on 19/03/1838 at St Peter & St Paul, Bath, Somerset	backward link to Talywain/Abersychan

The family of Thomas Tudgay, 1840-1907, born in Somerset, moved to Abersychan, Monmouthshire, South Wales, second son of Isaac and Eliza Tudgay, emigrated to Wilkes Barre, USA, ca 1866 (WB1),

Sources (ex Barbara DeLong) - 1. Mells Bishop's Transcripts, 1839-1842; LDS Microfilm #1526222

The family of Isaac Tudgay, 1847-1923, born in Talywain, Monmouthshire, South Wales, sixth child of Isaac and Eliza Tudgay, emigrated to Wilkes Barre, USA, 1881-2 (WB2)

Notes (ex Barbara DeLong)

Isaac TUDGAY
Born 13 Jul 1847 in Abersychan, Trevethin, Pontypool, Wales 1 ' Woodlands' cottage 2
1851 British census - age 3 Gylynos Rd, Abersychan 3
1861 British census - not found
1871 British census - not found
1881 British census - age 34 Trevethin, Monmouthshire, coal miner born Talywain 4
1886 - Naturalization Papers - Declaration of Intent: 2 Oct 1886; born in Wales 4 July 1853; arrival at Port of New York on 5 July 1880. Petition: 3 Oct 1888 5
1900 census age 52, Immigrated 1881, born Wales, father born England, mother born England, day labor in mines 6
1910 census age 62, PA, Warrior Run, Hanover St. Immigrated 1882, born Eng, father born Eng, mother born Eng, trashman in mines 7
1920 census age 72, PA, Peely, Warrior Run Borough, 306 Hanover St, Immigrated 1881, Naturalized 1885; born England, parents born England; laborer in coal mine 8
Death certificate: died 23 Nov 1923; born 30 July 1865 in Wales, School Janitor, father Isaac Tudgay born England, mother born Wales; buried Hanover Green 25 Nov 1923; of neprhitis, cold 9
Obit - TUDGAY: At Sugar Notch, November 23, 1923, Isaac Tudgay, of complications
[Research inconsistencies in birth dates: based on census ages = 1847, from naturalization = 1853, from death certificate = 1865]

Rachel JONES
Born 4 Feb 1848, Abersychan, Trevethin, Pontypool, Wales 1
1851 British census - not found
1861 census, age 12, living in Garndiffaith 10
1871 British census - not found
1881 British census - age 33 4
1900 census; age 52, born 3/1848 in Wales, parents born Wales, came to US 1881 6
1910 census; age 62, married 40 years, born Wales, parents born Wales, immigrated 1882 7
died before 1920 census
no death certificate 1910-1920 and 1920-1930
[Research - check 1920 mortality schedule for death]

Sources
1. Certified birth certificate, Abersychan, Trevethin, Pontypool, Wales
2. Per letter from John Taylor, 1/97; Family Report from Martin Taylor, 2/97
3. 1851 British census, Parish:Trevethin, Eccl. Dist:. Abersychan, LDS microfilm #104188
4. 1881 British census index, LDS microfiche, by surname
5. Naturalization Papers filed Luzerne Co. filed 3 Oct 1888, No. 1069
6. 1900 US census,Warrior Run, Luzerne Co., PA Vol 126, ED. 144, Roll T-623-1435
7. 1910 US census, Warrior Run, Luzerne Co., PA ED 122
8. 1920 US census, Warrior Run Borough, Peely P.O., Luzerne Co., PA ED 205
9. Death Certificate: Luzerne Co File No. 117208, Reg No. 18
10. 1861 Trevethin/Abersychan census, LDS Microfilm # 0543220

Sources

Census of Warrior Run - 1900 (Source - http://rootsweb.com/~paluzern/census/wr1900.htm)

Railroad (Hanover) Street
TUDGAY, Thomas, 26, laborer, Wales, 1879, & (wife), 19, Viola, 9 months.
TUDGAY, Isaac, 52, Laborer, Wales, 1881, & Rachel 52. (E ), 27, Joseph 24, Walter 21, Edward 18, John 15
TUDGAY, William, 33, laborer, Wales, 1868, & Maggie Ann 28. Alfred, 3.

Back (Orchard) Street
TUDGAY, Thomas, 59, laborer, Wales, & Jane 56. Mary, 25, Edith, 22, Isaac, 18, Bennah, 14.

Census of Warrior Run - 1910 (Source - http://rootsweb.com/~paluzern/census/wr1910.htm)

Jones Street
TUDGAY, Thomas J., 40, carpenter, coal, & Anne, 31

Hanover Street
TUDGAY, Isaac, 62, trackman, & Rachael, 62; Joseph H., 33, house carpenter; Edward, 28, fireman

THE SHELHAMER GENEALOGY SITE - cemeteries - Mount Zion. http://www.shelventure.com/shelgen/cemeteries7-mtzion.htm

Located in Slocum, PA, Mt. Zion E.&R. Union Church of Christ is the resting place for the Myers/Jones family that connects to the Shelhamer's. The family has a whole section of the cemetery, but there are also relatives scattered throughout the rest of the cemetery. The records include Walter Tudgay 1878-1932 & Grace J. Tudgay 1887-1958; also Ruth G Delong née Tudgay 1913-1980; all of WB2C above. (spelt on tombstones as Tudgay, seen by Barbara DeLong, although the web link above has names as Tudgey!)