Coal mining was a mans job back in the Pick and shovel days but that did not stop one enterprising woman Ricka Ott from becoming not only a coal miner but mine owner .
She operated a small depression drift mine in a hill side on here family's farm in the Mt Oliver area then known as St Clair Twp.
Each Morning she would rise put on her work clothes and go into her small one person mine and take out coal he would sell to locals and this may well have been what lead to her disappearance one day never to be seen again from what research I can find on the matter
It may be she got tired and wanted to start a new life but what more than likely happened she was done in by some miners or mine owners who did not appreciate her digging into there profits selling coal below market price. Still happens to this day all over the business world she may well be buried in one of the numerous sealed off coal mines under the south hills .
I talked to a lot of old coal miners from carrick and Mt Oliver known ever mentioned Miss Ott. however if you venture thru local grave yards the Ott name can be found
I found out about this thru the face book group" south side then and now " thank you for the lead.
I will try and find out more info on this story and pass it on if I do.
