Two tragedies occurred in Henderson County during the 1930s.
A limestone quarry tragedy in Fletcher killed seven men on Feb. 8, 1933, and a train-truck collision in Hendersonville killed five men on Sept. 24, 1934.

Limestone Quarry

In 1933, the story is told that a young black man who lived near Brickton, a son of the late Bowser Collington, had a nightmare, author Frank FitzSimons wrote. The next morning the young man pleaded with his father not to go to work at the Blue Ridge Limestone Quarry.
The quarrying of limestone in the Fletcher area dates back many generations. It was quarried, ground and burned for agricultural and building purposes before the Civil War.
The black men in Brickton who worked at the quarry had a long walk Feb. 8, 1933, when the temperature was near zero. The open pit had high walls and a log fire was kept burning in the middle of the pit for warmth. Collington told his co-workers about his son’s dream. At noon the men stopped to eat lunch.
Albert Mills was working under a ledge on the high white wall, the story is told. He walked away to get a pickax and turned as he heard a scream and a roar.
The workmen began running as the boulders and dirt crashed down. They were crushed to death. Mills was the only man to escape.
A newspaper report stated the following on Feb. 9, 1933:
“Aided by 40 convicts from the state highway prison camp near Hendersonville, rescue workers today dug into approximately 100,000 tons of rock and limestone in the quarry pit of the Blue Ridge Lime and Stone Company near Fletcher to recover the bodies of seven men who were crushed to death late yesterday.
“All hope for finding any of the men alive had been completely abandoned this morning.
“The side of the horse shoe-shaped pit fell without warning. Some of the pieces of rock were as large as small houses. The pit is 150 feet deep and 200 yards square. The falling rock filled the pit around 50 feet deep.
“Albert Mills was the only man to escape. He had gone to the edge of the pit to secure a pick and was out of the way when the fall occurred.
“W. T. Gibson, manager of the quarry, attributed the fall to seepage of water, but said the quarry had been examined only recently and was pronounced to be safe.”
The men who died in the tragedy were:
William “Bowser” Collington was born about 1885 and died Feb. 8, 1933. His death certificate states that his grave site is at St. John Baptist Church Cemetery in Fletcher.
Walter C. Collins was born March 31, 1871, and died Feb. 8, 1933. His grave site is at Patty’s Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in the Hooper’s Creek community.
James “Jamie” Moore was born Oct. 8, 1909, and died Feb. 8, 1933. His grave site is at Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Mills River.
Frank M. Praytor was born Aug. 3, 1883, and died Feb. 8, 1933. His grave site is at the Mill Pond Cemetery in the Rugby community. His tombstone cannot be located. The tombstone was located in the cemetery during a WPA Survey in 1938. His death certificate states that his grave site is within this cemetery.
Hosea Shipman was born May 17, 1894, and died Feb. 8, 1933. His grave site is at the New Salem Baptist Church Cemetery in Arden.
Styles C. Webb was born Nov. 22, 1908, and died Feb. 8, 1933. His grave site is at the Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Mills River.
Willie Wooten was born March 3, 1906, and Feb. 8, 1933. His grave site is at the Mill Pond Cemetery in the Rugby community.

Train-Truck Collision

The Seventh Avenue railroad crossing in Hendersonville was the site of a tragedy on the morning of Sept. 24, 1934, when a train engine crashed into a truck.
There was a thick fog that morning when workers within a N.C. Department of Transportation truck began to cross the railroad tracks. A helper locomotive of the Southern railway crashed into the truck.
Four men died at the scene. A fifth man died two days later from injuries received in the crash.
The men who died in the accident were:
Jacob Lyman Hill was born Nov. 2, 1890, and Sept. 24, 1934. His grave site is at Mount Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery in Edneyville.
Cameron Jack Levi was born Aug. 23, 1900, and died Sept. 24, 1934. His grave site is at the Lanning-Pittillo Cemetery in the Fruitland community.
Fred Joseph Liverett was born June 16, 1886, and died Sept. 24, 1934. His grave site is at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville.
David Sankey Morrison was born April 12, 1888, and died Sept. 26, 1934. His grave site is at the Refuge Baptist Church Cemetery in the Dana community.
Whitt Lloyd Owenby was born Nov. 20, 1899, and died Sept. 24, 1934. His grave site is at Mount Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery in Edneyville.