Cleveland Grand Marshals

By By

Harry W. Easterbrook
Harry Williams Easterbrook was born in Standardville, Carbon on Aug. 20, 1916 to Andrew Clarkson (Sr.) and Janet Williams Easterbrook. He was named for his paternal grandfather, Harry Williams.
Harry’s early years were spent in Standardville, moving to Kenilworth in 1930 where he lived for seven years. When he was 7 years old he started spending the summers in Cleveland with his grandparents, Harry and Gwendoline Williams, who lived on a farm between Cleveland and Huntington. He was very close to his uncle Harvey, who was only four years older.
The family lived in Cleveland during the strike in 1922, They lived on main street near where the Frank Jensen home is now. He started first grade in Cleveland. Some of the other kids in his class were Vida Timothy (Wall), Ward Tucker, Emma Ward (Tucker), Leora Jensen (Leamaster) and DeRell Litster.
He graduated from Carbon High in 1936. He was a cheerleader at Carbon High.
Harry worked for six months in Kenilworth on the tipple before moving to Cleveland in March 1937. His dad bought the farm in Cleveland for Harry to run.
While at a dance at Wilberg’s in Castle Dale in May 1938, a pretty young girl named Barbara Whitehead caught his eye. She was also from Cleveland. They were married October 15, 1938 in Kenilworth. They made their home in Cleveland.
On Oct. 15, 1941 Harry started work in Hiawatha. He transferred to Castle Gate for six months and then back to Hiawatha as part of the “bull gang” from August 1943 to December 24, 1944. He then worked as a handyman until October 1947. At that time, Hiawatha started a “C” shift and he operated the main board through 1949.
In about 1950 Harry went to work at the blending plant until October 15, 1955. Later he went to work on the washbox, which he operated for 15 and a half years. The forces were at the mine and Harry went to work on the main central operating the three panels until he went on the carpenter crews in April 1977.
Harry retired from the coal mine April 24, 1979. He is a proud member of the UMWA Union, having been a member now for 66 years.
Harry still lives in the family home in Cleveland. Barbara died June 14, 1998, just four months shy of their 60th wedding anniversary. Harry was her constant caregiver to the very end. Their two daughters are Joyce Brasher of Huntington and Carol Wolf of Springville. Harry has seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
John Ward Tucker
John Ward Tucker born on New Years Day, 1916 in Cleveland to Moses and Florence Ward Tucker. He was named after his Grandpa John Edward Ward. He was the youngest boy of five sons and three daughters.
As a boy he was always helping his Dad on the farm and taking care of the animals they raised. He enjoyed doing sports in school and was one of the best pole vaulters.
When Ward bought his first car he traded three horses for it. The man that sold him the car had asked him for a ride, Wards reply was, “What about the horses?” Upon arriving in town, his car and side boards were full of kids.
On May 3, 1937 he married Cecilia Ruth Jensen. They had four boys, two of which were the first twins born to Cleveland. Roy and Deloris Tucker Huntington, Voy Tucker of Moab, Cloye and Deloye Tucker of Cleveland.
At age 62 he retired after working in several coal mines for 45 years.
While working in the coal mines he was caved on in the Spring Canyon/Castle Gate Mine it took five men to lift a rock off of him.
He had a broken neck, ankle, shoulder blade, and ribs, three of them which were broke away from his back bone.
When he started working for the coal mines it was very different than it is today. They had to wait until they got home to bath because there was no bath houses or toilets.
At this time there were no roof bolts or rib pins, they just had timbers props.
When something was loose they had to pick it off. This involved a lot of hand work.
The mining cars that they used were wooden and were only one ton. After working in the coal mine all day he would come home and work on the farm with his boys.
Ward and his family loved to ride horses they would go on trail rides, ride in rodeo, he also liked to run his horses on flat track and chariots.
Ward and his family belonged to the Blue Ridge Riding Club.
On Wards birthday he always likes to have a big party. Cecil would always cook a big dinner for his family and friends.
Anyone who knew Ward and Cecil knew that their door was always open. Ward and Cecil loved to dance even after Ward retired they would go to the Senior Citizens Center.