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Coal Valley
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Coal Valley begins it’s history in the spring of 1857. In 1856 Ben Harper, S.S.Guyer and David Hakes bought a large tract of land which contained large deposits of coal. And they started a company to mine coal and constructed a railroad to get it to market. The railroad was completed from Coal Valley to Rock Island in 1857. The first coal shipment was handled by Robert Lee who later became the superintendent of the mines at the Coal Valley Mining Company at Coal Valley , Cable and Sherrard. Lee was considered one the the best coal mine experts in the state. Opening the mines was the driving force to the new town. The first business was a general store owned by Mr. Herrick ; afterwards by Bailey and Boyles, later by Cable, Lee and Bardsley. The building would later become a landmark. The first doctor to move there was Dr. Thomas Martin who relocated from Camden Mills. The first meat market was owned by Mr. Grants then later by Thomas Corns who had come to Rock Island county in 1851. The first lumber yard was owned by the lumber and timber king, Fredrick Weyerhaeuser. The first blacksmith was David Rowland, who was assisted by Murty Connor. The first carpenters and builders were John Petty, William Meyers and Richard and P. Callahan. The first hotle was known as the Coal Valley House and was run by L. Evans. About 1859 Philander L. Cable of Rock Island purchased an interest in the mines of Harper, Guyer and Hakes and later aquired entire control, with R.R.Cable an interest. The Cables, never had any trouble with the miners and helped them to get their homes and dividing with them, the market price of coal, It was one third to the farms, one third to the miners and one third to the railroad. The first settlers in the area were mostly foreign Welsh, English, German and Irish. The first mail was brought by stage coach and was delivered once a week. The first post master was Thomas Jones and later Fredrick Weyerhaeuser, The Coal Valley Mining Company would exhaust the mine and the company bought a new field at Cable. After the mining company left a number of other mines were opened by the Diamond Coal Company, John J. Pryce and others. There were vast fields of coal within a two mile radius of the town. The owners being Guinty, Hillier, Robert Sommerson, Thomas Lee, the Diamond Coal Company, Dr. W.F. Myers and the Banner Coal Company. Besides the mines there were many merchants. Two large general stores, grain elevators, blacksmith shops, a barber shop, a drug store, a restaurant, a livery, feed and stable, a brick yard and two meat markets. Board of Supervisors Business Men
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