Mary K. Roberts' in her book Hueytown [Images of America Series, Arcadia Publishing 2010] includes a photo of the Virginia City Mines superintendent's home built in 1902 [page 53] and one of Virginia Mines Elementary School [page 94]. The original mine opened in 1899, and the mining operation ceased after World War II. The community remained intact and was added to the Alabama Register of Historic Places.
For more information, see Pat Cargile, "Virginia Mines Community" in The Heritage of Jefferson County, Alabama [2002, page 71].
My mother and one of her older sisters were born in two other now-gone Jefferson County mining towns, Powhatan and Praco. You can read about them here.
Vance's obituary below has other details of his life; so far I've discovered little else. He graduated from Marion Military Institute in Perry County and did further work at the University of California-Berkeley and University of Utah. He eventually settled in Seattle which is where he died in May 1, 1986. His body was returned to Alabama for burial as noted below.
Vance wrote more than 40 novels and numerous short stories under his own name and the pseudonym George Cassidy. Most were westerns; he did write several stories published in detective magazines. I've included a few novel covers and a list of the stories included in the FictionMags Index.
"Big Medicine", a short story by Vance appeared in this pulp magazine Western Novel and Short Stories in October 1956.
I have this paperback, but have yet to read it. The book was originally published in 1967; this edition appeared in March 1986.
Source: Birmingham News May 28, 1986
Vance is buried in Valley Creek Cemetery in Hueytown.
Source: Find-A-Grave
Short stories by Vance under his own name & Cassidy pseudonym
Source: the Fictionmags Index
VANCE, WILLIAM E. (1911-1986); see pseudonym George Cassidy; (about) (chron.)
* The Bandit and the Lady, (nv) Exciting Western Jan 1952
Exciting Western (UK) Oct 1952
* The Big Hand, (ss) 2-Gun Western May 1957
* Big Medicine, (ss) Western Novel and Short Stories Oct 1956
* Brothers at Law, (ss) Thrilling Western May 1952
* Bullwhip, (ss) Western Novels and Short Stories Feb 1953
* Bunch Quitter, (nv) .44 Western Magazine Mar 1952
* Clean Getaway, (ss) Manhunt Oct 1954
Giant Manhunt #5 1955 (var.1)
The Phantom Suspense-Mystery Magazine v1 #4 195?
* The Collaborator, (ss) Hunted Detective Story Magazine Feb 1955
* Dangerous Game, (ss) The Pursuit Detective Story Magazine Mar 1954
Verdict (UK) Aug 1954
Pursuit—The Phantom Mystery Magazine Mar 1955
* Death on the Sweetwater, (ss) Zane Grey Western Magazine Mar 1970
* Deep Trouble, (ss) The Pursuit Detective Story Magazine Mar 1955
* Drifter’s Gal, (ss) Star Western Apr 1954
* Everything’s Crooked, (ss) Popular Detective Jan 1953
Popular Detective (UK) #12 195?
* Good Night, Mr. Holmes, (ss) The Saint Detective Magazine Nov 1956
The Saint Detective Magazine (Australia) Nov 1957
The Saint Detective Magazine (UK) Jan 1958
* Greater Crime, (vi) Western Short Stories Jun 1954
* Gun the Man Down!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Jan 1954
* Gun-Meeting at Sundown, (nv) 10 Story Western Magazine Feb 1953
* Heritage of Hate, (ss) Big-Book Western Magazine Aug 1954
* The Home Place, (ss) Western Short Stories Jun 1957
* The Hoods, (ss) Malcolm’s Mar 1954
* Job for a Tophand, (ss) Western Short Stories Mar 1957
* A Job to Do, (ss) 2-Gun Western Aug 1955
* Judge, Jury, and Hangman, (ss) 2-Gun Western May 1954
* Killer’s Town, (ss) Western Rangers Stories Dec 1953
* The Lawless Lover, (ss)
Western Magazine (UK) #8 195?
* Legacy of Hate, (ss)
10 Story Western Magazine (Canada) Aug 1951
* The Long Chance, (nv) Best Western Dec 1954
* Look Over Your Shoulder, (na) Best Western Sep 1955
* Louie’s Mad Ride, (ss) Best Western Mar 1955
* Lust or Honor, (ss) Manhunt Dec 1966/Jan ’67
* Mad Enough to Kill, (ss) Menace Jan 1955
* Man Running, (ss) Ranch Romances Jan 1959
* The Missing Piece, (ss) American Agent Aug 1957
* Mr. Harband’s Girls, (ss) Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Mar 1964
Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (UK) Aug 1964
* Murderer’s Manual, (na) Terror Detective Story Magazine Dec 1956
* Never Love an Outlaw!, (ss) Star Western Dec 1952
* No Man’s Guns, (nv) Big-Book Western Magazine Jan 1953
* Occupational Hazard, (nv) The Pursuit Detective Story Magazine Nov 1953
Verdict (UK) Jun/Jul 1954
Pursuit—The Phantom Mystery Magazine Apr 1955
Tough Stories Magazine Feb 1956
* Pirate on Horseback, (nv) 5 Western Novels Magazine Dec 1952
* The Rawhide Rannyhan!, (nv) 10 Story Western Magazine Oct 1952
* The Red Mare, (ss) Giant Western Dec 1952
* The Road Agent, (na) Complete Western Book Magazine Mar 1955
* Routine Pick-Up, (ss) Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (Australia) Nov/Dec 1957
Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (UK) Mar 1958
* Run Copper Run, (ss) The Pursuit Detective Story Magazine Nov 1954
Pursuit—The Phantom Mystery Magazine Jun 1955
* Savage, (nv) Western Novels and Short Stories Mar 1954
* A Slight Case of Murder, (nv) Fifteen Detective Stories Sep 1954
Detective Tales (UK) Aug 1955
* The Straight and Narrow, (nv) Best Western Jun 1956
* These Guns Are My Law!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Jul 1954
* Tip Off, (ss) The Pursuit Detective Story Magazine Jul 1954
Pursuit—The Phantom Mystery Magazine May 1955
* Too Much Woman, (nv) Trapped Detective Story Magazine Feb 1957
* Tough-Luck Pilot, (ss) Adventure Dec 1953
* Two Guns Two Faces, (nv) Best Western Sep 1956
* Two-Bit Hero, (ss) .44 Western Magazine Nov 1952
Adam (Australia) Oct 1963
* What Am I Doing?, (ss) Manhunt Sep 1953
Giant Manhunt #2 1953 (var.1)
Manhunt (UK) May 1954
Manhunt Detective Story Magazine (Australia) Jun 1954
Bloodhound Detective Story Magazine Nov 1961
* Wild Bunch Law Hits Town, (nv) Dime Western Magazine May 1953
* Without Orders, (ss) Tales of the Sea Spr 1953
* [unknown story], (ss) 10 Story Western Magazine Aug 1951
CASSIDY, GEORGE; pseudonym of William E. Vance, (1911-1986) (chron.)
* Cleanup Man, (ss) Menace Jan 1955
* Death Rides This Road, (nv) 10 Story Western Magazine Jun 1954
* The Murdered Mistress, (ss) Hunted Detective Story Magazine Feb 1955
* Time to Cry, (ss) The Pursuit Detective Story Magazine Jul 1954
Pursuit—The Phantom Mystery Magazine May 1955
