Ballads & Songs of Southern Michigan-songbook

A Collection of 200+ traditional songs & variations with commentaries including Lyrics & Sheet music

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298         Ballads and Songs of Michigan
122 THE AVONDALE DISASTER
For a song of the same name and telling a somewhat similar story see George G. Korson, Songs and Ballads of the Anthracite Miner (New York, 1927), pp. 131-139. For a discussion of Korson's text see Henry, JAFL, XLIV, 112-115. For other texts similar to Korson's version see Greenleaf and Mansfield, pp. 123-124, and Shoemaker, pp. 212-213.
The present version was sung in 1934 by Mrs. Charles Muchler, Kalkaska, accompanied part of the time by Mr. Muchler. Mr. and Mrs. Muchler lived for some time in Ross Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, about seven miles from Avondale, and they said everyone there knew and sang this song.
Come all my fellow Christians,
And listen to my tale,
And as I sing, pray drop a tear
For the deaths of Avondale.
Twas the sixteenth o£ September
In eighteen sixty-nine;
I never shall forget the date
Until the end of time.
One hundred and eight men Went in the mines, as I am told, Not thinking that before the eve In death they would all lie cold.