Coal Miners of Macoupin County, Illinois

	Wayne's World of History and Genealogy

Photo Tribute to the Coal Miners of Macoupin County, Illinois plus a few additional listings

Photo furnished by : George Vincent

James "Jim" CONSTABLE
Wilsonville, Illinois
Miner
Superior Coal Company Mine No. 4

Photo furnished by : George Vincent

Emile DUMEZ
Wilsonville, Illinois
Miner, Superior Coal Company Mine No. 4 at Wilsonville, Illinois

Born June 21, 1908 in St. Bonifice, PA
On January 21, 1920, Received his
State of Illinois Miner's Certificate of Competency of Coal Miner
Married Pearl Antonacci on March 3, 1929
One daughter Lauretta June Dumez
Died September 6, 1974

Photo furnished by : George Vincent

Louis DUMEZ
Wilsonville, Illinois
Miner, Superior Coal Company Mine No. 4 at Wilsonville, Illinois

Married Margaret "Midge" Spisak (1911-2006)
on May 7, 1932 in Bunker Hill, Illinois.
They had three daughters : Joan, Karen, and Marilyn
Died May 15, 1971

Photo furnished by : James Hendry

James A. GALLAGHER
October 9, 1886 - May 21, 1953
Gillespie, Illinois
Miner
Superior Coal Company

See : Biography

Photo furnished by : James Hendry

Owen Joseph GALLAGHER
April 3, 1883 - June 20, 1949
Gillespie, Illinois
Coal Loader & Miner
Superior Coal Company

See : Biography

Portrait from source

Cobus J. KEISER
September 1, 1841 - _ _ _ _
Mt. Olive, Illinois
Mt. Olive Coal Company

In the 1870s, opened up a coal mine and organized the Mt. Olive Coal Company. A shaft was sunk four hundred feet to a rich vein of coal. seven feet thick and of superior quality. The output was about sixty carloads per day, and a second shaft was completed in 1879, but after some years, owing to a delinquency and a lack of energy on a part of some of the stockholders, the business was transferred to the hands of the Consolidated Coal Company of St. Louis.

Source :
Portrait and Biographical Record of Macoupin County, Illinois
Chicago; Biographical Publishing Company, 1891

Tombstone photograph

William MICKALITES
May 8, 1885 - November 3, 1943
Benld, Illinois
Driller & Shooter
Superior Coal Company Mine No. 1

November 8, 1943, Monday, Wiliam Mickalites, of Benld, driller and shooter, aged 57 years, married, was killed about 3:00 P.M. when caught between the loader and motor in Superior Coal Company's No. 1, Mine, Eagarville, Macoupin County, Illinois. He leaves a widow.

Tombstone photograph

Gabriel PELLOCK
1888 - March 1, 1940
Benld, Illinois
Motorman
Superior Coal Company Mine No. 1

March 1, 1940, Friday, Gabriel Pellock, motorman aged 53 years, married, was killed by collision of motors on Wednesday February 28, 1940, at the No. 1 mine of the Superior Coal Company, Eagarville, Macoupin County, Illinois. He died from injuries received, leaving widow and one child.

Portrait from source

Henry PRANGE
November 14, 1821 - _ _ _ _
Mt. Olive, Illinois
Mt. Olive Coal Company

Henry Prange was largely interested in opening up the mines at Mt. Olive and was once one of the most extensive stockholders in the Mt. Olive Coal Company.

Source :
Portrait and Biographical Record of Macoupin County, Illinois
Chicago; Biographical Publishing Company, 1891

Tombstone photograph

George VERBIC
April 11, 1878 - March 27, 1915
Benld, Illinois
Coal Loader
Superior Coal Company Mine No. 2

March 27, 1915, Saturday, George Verbic, loader, age 38 years, married, employed in mine no. 2 of the Superior Coal Company, Sawyerville, Macoupin County, Illinois, was killed by a fall of slate that occured on Wednesday, March 24, 1915, striking him on the head and back of the neck. He leaves a widow and one child.

Christopher C. ARSTRONG    January 2, 1837 - _ _ _ _
Girard, Illinois;   President of the Girard Coal Company

William G. Bartels    March 20, 1858 - _ _ _ _
Carlinville, Illinois;    President of the Carlinville Coal and Mining Company

W. H. BEHRENS    December 30, 1861 - _ _ _ _
Carlinvile, Illinois;    In 1894 became Secretary of the Carlinville Coal Company

Alexander BUTTERS    1826 - _ _ _ _    See : Biography
Gillespie, Illinois;    Dorsey Mine
      For fourteen years he was a resident of Carlinville, Ill., and helped to sink the first mines at that place in 1868. On coming to Gillespie he helped to sink the coal shafts at this place and was boss of the mine for some time. He was concerned directly in the sinking of the Dorsey shaft, and is one of the prominent miners of the State. It has been his business during the greater part of his life.

Joseph P. HEBENSTREIT    June 29, 1849 - _ _ _ _
Staunton, Illinois
      In 1890, became Superintendent of the Consolidated Coal Company's mines at Mt. Olive and Staunton, including shafts No. 6, 7, 8, & 10. He was a mine manager at Mine No.6 when it was owned by Voge & Seivers and from 1882 until 1887 when it was owned by Ellsworth Mining Company, and now that it is owned by Consolidated Coal Company of St. Louis.

Andrew J. KEISER    September 28, 1845 - _ _ _ _
Mt. Olive, Illinois;    Mt. Olive Coal Company
      In the 1870s, opened up a coal mine and organized the Mt. Olive Coal Company. A shaft was sunk four hundred feet to a rich vein of coal. seven feet thick and of superior quality. The output was about sixty carloads per day, and a second shaft was completed in 1879, but after some years, owing to a delinquency and a lack of energy on a part of some of the stockholders, the business was transferred to the hands of the Consolidated Coal Company of St. Louis.

Frederick SCHULTZ    November 10, 1834 - _ _ _ _
Staunton, Illinois
      Frederick Schultz worked the coal mines in Staunton, Illinois from about 1875 until 1903.

August SIEVERS    September 22, 1823 - _ _ _ _
Staunton, Illinois
      There being evidences of coal upon August Sievers' land in 1876, he sunk a shaft, the first in that locality. As a partner in this enterprise, he was associated with his brother-in-law. Fred Maxe, and they operated the mine on a small scale until 1880. when in connection with Mr. Voge, Mr. Sievers sank a shaft, now known as No. 6, near the depot. At that time it had an output of twenty cars per day. In 1882, they sold to the Elsworlh Coal Company who worked it until 1888, when it became the property of the Consolidated Coal Company.

Andrew H. SKELTON    January 15, 1867 - _ _ _ _
Girard, Illinois;    Superintendent of Girard Coal Company
      An expert mining engineer, he became a coal miner at the age of 20 years.

James STRUTHERS    January 15, 1871 - 1957   See : Biography
Gillespie, Illinois;    Superior Coal Company and part of the Mine Rescue Team

Henry VOGE    March 21, 1837 - _ _ _ _
Staunton, Illinois
      Henry Voge came to Staunton on June 1, 1869, and west of town, opened the first coal mine in Staunton. He formed a partnership with William B. Panhorst, and opened a coal mine along the line of the Wabash railroad. This partnership continued until April 14th, 1877, when he became sole owner of the mines. To him belongs the credit of taking the first step towards the development of the coal interests of Staunton.

Charles R. WALL    June 8, 1862 - _ _ _ _
Staunton, Illinois;
      About 1881, he came chief clerk for the Consolidated Coal Campany and stayed at that position for 12 years, and then took the same position with the Staunton Coal Company for 6 months.

Source :
Portrait and Biographical Record of Macoupin County, Illinois
Chicago; Biographical Publishing Company, 1891

COAL & Coal Mining
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