Hanna Basin Museum
  • Museum
    • 2020 Carbon Cemetery Association and Hanna Basin Historical Society ​Spring Newsletter
    • 2019: Hanna Basin Historical Society and Carbon Cemetery Association Newsletter
    • Visitors to the Museum
    • Books and Magazines to Read Online about the Hanna Basin
    • Books Available for Purchase at the Hanna Basin Museum
    • Order Form for Materials Available for Purchase at the Museum
    • Membership and Support
    • Links to Other Wyoming Museums >
      • Medicine Bow, Wyoming, Museum and Hanna Basin Neighbor
      • Rock Springs, Wyoming, Historical Museum
    • Copyright Infringement Notification
  • Carbon
    • Hanna Basin Museum - Time Line
    • CARBON CEMETERY RECORDS
    • Carbon Mine Fatality Records
    • Visitors to the Carbon Cemetery
    • Carbon - Wings of Imagination - A Letter From Old Carbon
    • Carbon - A Poem by Mrs. C. E. Ellis
    • 2003: Carbon Cemetery Restoration
    • 2011: Carbon, Carbon County, Cemetery Restoration 2011
    • 2011: Bow River FFA Community Service Project: Carbon Cemetery
    • 2014: The Carbon Cemetery
    • 2015: The Old Carbon Cemetery Privy
  • Hanna
    • HANNA HAPPENINGS
    • THE HANNA CEMETERY: From the Bottom of the Mine
    • HANNA CEMETERY RECORDS
    • Hanna Burial Plots and Lots >
      • Hanna Blocks and Lots 1 - 6
      • Hanna Plots 1 - 50
      • Hanna Plots 51 - 80
      • Hanna Plots 81 - 129
      • Hanna Plots 130 - 175
      • Hanna Plots 176 - 209
      • Hanna Plots 210 - 298
      • Hanna Plots 299 - 349
      • Hanna Plots 350 - 379
      • Hanna Plots 380 - 419
      • Hanna Plots 420 - 500
    • Hanna Early Churches >
      • Introduction to Hanna’s Early Churches
      • Episcopal Church - History, Bell and Cross
      • Methodist Church - Organ
      • Colored Baptist Church
    • Hanna Military in the Hanna Cemetery >
      • Hanna Cemetery - In The Military
      • Arthurs, Peter Killed in Action World War I
      • Love, Michael V. Killed In The Line Of Duty
      • Jones, William D. Died of Wounds Received In Action World War I
      • Lucas, Bernard R. Killed In Action World War II
      • Lucas, William C. Died of Wounds Recieved In Action World War II
      • Luoma, Arvo A. Killed in Action World War II
      • McAtee, William J. Killed in Action Vietnam
      • Saari, John Killed in Action World War II
    • Hanna Cemetery - Japanese Monuments Transcribed
    • Grave Headstones for Hanna Miner Fatalities Buried Elsewhere than Hanna
    • Hanna Where Did They Come From?
  • The People
  • Schools
  • Coal Mines
    • A History of the Hanna Coal Miner from 1868 to 2017: Bob Leathers' Notebook
    • Hanna Basin Mining Companies and Mines
    • Men Injured in the Hanna Mines
    • 1903 June 30: Explosion of the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 mine in Hanna >
      • Hanna 1903 Explosion Explained
      • List of Miners Killed in the June 30, 1903 Explosion
      • 1904 State Mine Inspector's Report for 1903 Explosion
      • 1903 Explosion Coroner's Inquest
      • 1903 Explosion - Earle Holmes Letter to Wilson Gobble
    • Hanna 1908 Mine Explosions Explained >
      • List of Miners Killed in the March 28, 1908 Explosions
      • 1908 Explosion Coroner's Inquest Report
      • Noah Young's 1908 Hanna Explosion Report to Governor B.B. Brooks
      • 1908 State Coal Mine Inspectors Report - 1908 Hanna Mine Number 1 Explosion
      • David M. Elias - State Mine Inspector Killed in 1908 Explosion
      • 1908 Explosion - Gov. B.B. Brooks Communiations
      • April 3, 1908 Chums From Boyhood Died Side By Side
      • April 16, 1908 U.P. May Not Be Liable
      • 1908: Newspaper Articles from The Wigan Observer in England About the March 28, 1908 Explosion of the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine in Hanna
      • Death of Noah Young - State Mine Inspector for the 1908 Explosion of Mine No. 1
    • 1916 Labor Agreement Between the United Mine Workers of America and the Southern Wyoming Coal Operators
    • 1917 Labor Agreement Between the United Mine Workers of America and the Southern Wyoming Coal Operators
    • 1970 - 1980: Bill Becker's Hanna Strip Mine Blasting Videos
  • Gallery
    • Images from Early Hanna Basin and Wyoming
    • Early History of the Union Pacific Railroad
    • 1910-1920: McNulty Family Photo Collection ​Albert Film - Hanna Basin Adventurer
    • 1920 -1930: Gert Milliken's Photo Collection of Unknown Children, Women, Men, and Families in Hanna
    • 1963 October 2: A Large Cattle Drive from Palm Livestock Company at Elk Mountain ​ to Hanna's Union Pacific Railroad Stockyard
    • 2017 April 18: Un​ion Pacific Steam Engine 844 Stopped at Hanna, Wyoming
    • 2019 May 17 and May 4: Big Boy​ 4014 and Engine 844 Were Running the Rails Again
    • Images of Old Carbon Today
  • Notebook

Cummings, Robert and Sarah (While)


Picture
ROBERT AND SARAH (WHILE) CUMMINGS (PICTURE FROM WHILE FAMILY)
When Sarah While was born on June 7, 1895, in Hanna, Wyoming, her father, John, was 38, and her mother, Louisa, was 30. She was one of the first babies to be born in Hanna. She married Michael Robert Cummings on October 26, 1916, in Hanna. They had seven children in 16 years. She died on February 27, 1980, in Laramie, Wyoming, at the age of 84, and was buried there.
Sarah was born in Hanna, Wyoming to John and Lousa While and Robert in Dana, Wyoming. Robert and Sarah Cummings long time Hanna residents moved to Laramie when the mines closed in Hanna. They are both buried in the Laramie Cemetery.
Michale R. Cummings and Sarah While were married at the home of the bride's mother on Thursday. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Thomas and the couple were attended by Miss Irene Dickinson as bridesmaid and Roy Cummings, brother of the groom, as best man. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cummings are very popular here and have many friends who will extend them congratulations. The newlyweds will make their home in No. 2 camp. (The Rawlins Republican, Nov. 1916)
Picture
Hanna. 1956. Sarah (While) Cummings cooking traditional Christmas breakfast of eggs, sausage, fried oysters and hot homemade rolls with coffee. (Cummings Collection)
Picture
Hanna. 1956. Sarah (While) Cummings seving breakfast. (Cummings Collection)
Picture
Hanna. 1948. Sarah (While) Cummings (Cummings Collection)

1933

​Robert Cummings - Driller, Hanna No. 4 Mine. Sprained right ankle. Period of disability, 14 days. Robert claims that while he was walking down a manway, he stepped on a piece of coal and sprained his ankle. The only comment that can be made on this accident is to ask Robert to “Watch his step.” (UPCCEM, September 1933)

1937

​Robert Cummings ​- American, age 48, driller, Hanna No. 4 Mine, Section No. 9. Fracture of right arm at elbow. Period of disability undetermined.
Robert was drilling a short hole to set a grip or jack for the thread bar when the drill struck a crevice, jerking the drilling machine out of his hands and entangling his arm in the drilling machine cable. This accident was avoidable. Drillers should place cable so that they would not become entangled in it whenever the machine is jerked out of their hands.  (UPCCEM, May 1937)

1940

Miss Mary Elizabeth Cummings
​Daughter of Robert and Sarah (While) Cummings

​The wedding of Miss Mary Elizabeth Cummings and Lawrence Cheesbrough was solemnized at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Wednesday evening, June 12th, at 7 o’clock. The bride wore multi-colored chiffon and white accessories, and the bridesmaid, Ellen Cummings, her sister, wore a navy blue suit and white accessories, both carrying red roses. The groom’s best man was his brother, Allan Cheesbrough. The service was read by Father Harry Kellam. A reception for relatives was held at the bride’s home following, and Nupital Mass was celebrated at the church on Thursday morning. The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Robert Cummings, of Hanna. The groom is the son of Mr. And Mrs. Joe Cheesbrough, of Medicine Bow. They will live in Hanna, where the groom is employed.   (UPCCEM, July 1940)

2018

Picture
Hanna. Cummings Cottage at the Hanna Basin Museum (Image from Bob Leathers)

Hanna Basin Museum Website – A Connection To The Past