John B. Rae
Encyclopedia
John B. Rae was an American
labor
leader.
He had served as president of the Knights of Labor
Assembly 135, a coal miners'
union.
He and John McBride
co-founded the United Mine Workers of America in 1890, and Rae served as the labor union's
first president.
Rae led national coal miners' strikes in 1890 and 1891, both of which the union lost. He refused to run for re-election, and McBride won election as his successor.
On May 8, 1873 in Port of New York City, John B Rae, Age 34, occupation Miner, born in Scotland, arrvied with his wife Ellen and 4 children on the SS Algeria which had departed Liverpool(1). In 1880, he was a shoemaker serving the mining community, living with his wife Ellen and 6 children, 2 more born in PA in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.(2). He had been a miner since boyhood, and an admirer of the trades union principle before he emigrated to America. He was a preacher, when the Knights of Labor began to organize, he rose quickly, and soon became prominent in the circles of organization. (3). By 1900, he removed to Bowling Green Ohio, there he lived with wife Helen, and 15 year old daughter margaret. He had listed his occupation as a Physician. His wife helen was listed as the mother of 10 children, 9 still living.(4) . In Sept of 1906, his wife Helen/Ellen died, John B remarries to Mary C. and as of 1920 he still resides in Bowling Green, working as a Janitor. John B Rae Died on May 24, 1922, 114 Liberty Street, Bowling Green Ohio and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery (5)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
labor
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader.
He had served as president of the Knights of Labor
Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor was the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations of the 1880s. Its most important leader was Terence Powderly...
Assembly 135, a coal miners'
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
union.
He and John McBride
John McBride
John McBride was an American labor union leader.McBride was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in 1854. He started working in the coal mines at the age of nine. In 1870, McBride joined the Ohio Miners' Union, and in 1883 he became its president—a post he retained until 1889...
co-founded the United Mine Workers of America in 1890, and Rae served as the labor union's
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
first president.
Rae led national coal miners' strikes in 1890 and 1891, both of which the union lost. He refused to run for re-election, and McBride won election as his successor.
On May 8, 1873 in Port of New York City, John B Rae, Age 34, occupation Miner, born in Scotland, arrvied with his wife Ellen and 4 children on the SS Algeria which had departed Liverpool(1). In 1880, he was a shoemaker serving the mining community, living with his wife Ellen and 6 children, 2 more born in PA in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.(2). He had been a miner since boyhood, and an admirer of the trades union principle before he emigrated to America. He was a preacher, when the Knights of Labor began to organize, he rose quickly, and soon became prominent in the circles of organization. (3). By 1900, he removed to Bowling Green Ohio, there he lived with wife Helen, and 15 year old daughter margaret. He had listed his occupation as a Physician. His wife helen was listed as the mother of 10 children, 9 still living.(4) . In Sept of 1906, his wife Helen/Ellen died, John B remarries to Mary C. and as of 1920 he still resides in Bowling Green, working as a Janitor. John B Rae Died on May 24, 1922, 114 Liberty Street, Bowling Green Ohio and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery (5)