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Shared with permission by Kimberly Nelson Savage
This is Kate (Katrina Birgitta Sonberg) Smith, mother of Henry “Eugene“, Orin Clifford, Florence Karen, Gladys (Gloria) Marie and Flossie Smith. Kate had lost her husband Prince Henry Smith in 1922 from the effects of the mine. On March 8, 1924 she lost her two sons and son-in-law, Florence’s husband Joseph “Irving” Bodily in the Castle Gate Mine Disaster. She ran a boarding house with her daughters, Florence and Gladys Smith, in Castle Gate.
Henry Eugene Smith
My great grandfather Henry “Eugene” Smith was the 43rd body found and his occupation was listed as “driver”. Many documents listed Eugene as a “Driver” a “Hoist man” and “Teamster”.
Eugene and his brother Orin’s bodies were found in Mine #2 near the entrance to the 7th right dip.
The brothers must have been very badly gassed and burned as they were not identified until days later. Eugene was identified on March 13 by the darning on his sock. Eugene and Orin are buried in Spring Glen, several miles from Helper.
Eugene was married to Ardith Barney. Ardith and Eugene had a 6-year-old daughter Valgene, 3-year-old Kenneth Orin and they were expecting a third boy, Hylon, who was born two months after the accident.
Elizabeth Barney, Ardith’s mother, wrote a poem that was sent out to all the widows and their families after the Castle Gate Mine Explosion. Below is the poem and the information about how they distributed the poem to all the families. (The “shepherd” in verse five refers to the bishop of Castle Gate Ward, Ben Thomas, who also died in the explosion on his very first day working underground.)
We’ll Meet on the Other Side
Dear mothers and wives, little children and all,
My heart fills with sorrow for you.
In the loss of your husbands, fathers and sons,
Your burden is heavy, it’s true.
In the depths of the mine, where the sun cannot shine,
A tiny light leading the way
Thru black, looming coal, stretching veins far and wide,
Near two-hundred entered that day.
After leaving their loved ones at the break of day
With light heart and cheery goodbye,
They entered the man-trip and sped to their rooms
Little dreaming that death was nigh.
There’s scarcely a city or town in our state,
Or village in a foreign land,
But lost some companion, a loved one or friend
By that sacred love-tying band.
Not alone did they enter the portals of death,
But were joined by a shepherd bold
Who will pilot the way on the journey,
Till each joins the heavenly fold.
God is no respecter of his children dear,
Though we’re not all made just alike;
Death deals to each one a terrible blow
And we know not where it will strike.
He enters the humblest and lowliest hut,
As well as the grand mansions wide.
Takes parents, a youth, or a sweet, laughing babe
And oft’times, a young, blushing bride.
He sails on the water, he rides on the storm,
Brings sorrow to every land.
Only God, kind merciful Father of all
Can e’er stay his powerful hand.
Our prayers are now with you for comfort and peace;
Our flag still waves loyal and true.
Dark storm clouds that gather will soon go away;
Our Father is mindful of you.
Clawson, Emery County, Utah—8 March 1924
Elzada Barney Tatton, Ardith’s sister was living in Cameron/Rolapp/ Royal at the time of the explosion. She wrote in her journal about Ardith and Eugene. While the number of men are not correct, as they did not know the exact numbers yet, her husband Lee Tatton (brother-in-law to Henry Eugene Smith) was trained and went to be on the rescue team.
Orin Clifford Smith
Orin and his brother Eugene’s bodies were found in Mine #2 near the entrance to the 7th right dip. Orin was the 45th body found and his occupation was listed as “miner”.
He was in the morgue for several days before they could figure out who he was. My great aunt Gloria said they identified her brother Orin by his gold tooth.
Joseph Irving Bodily
Eugene and Orin’s brother-in-law was Joseph “Irving” Bodily, married to their sister Florence. Irving was the 115th body found toward the end of the 6th Right Dip, and his occupation was listed as “miner”. He was brought out at 11pm on the 11th of March. His body was shipped to Vernal on the 13th and his funeral was held Sunday, March 16 at 3pm.
In later years, the only one that was left and lived long enough to talk about things was Gloria Smith, Orin and Eugene’s sister. She was in her 90s and she never would talk about it. We visited her and the TV was on and they were talking about the Crandall mine and the men that were trapped.
This is the only time she talked about how her brothers were found and identified, she would never talk about anything else. I believe it was too traumatic for her as she was 16. Her father had died two years before and then her brothers and her brother-in-law were all lost in one day. There were no more men in the family.
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