Untitled Document

PIONEER SETTLERS

William and Charles Bailey are generally rec ognized to have been the first settlers, but George E. Washburn came soon afterwards, aud married soon after locating here, his probably being the first marriage in the new community.

Other pioneers of Coal Valley township were: John M. Bellman, James Wood, who was a clerk in the store owned by Ben Harper; William Cramer, who taught school; Alex Eaton, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schroeder, the former was the first shoemaker.

Thomas Cams and wife, the former kept a meat market, also sold groceries; Frederick Weyerhauser and wife, he having the first lumber yard and is now one of the great lumber kings and many times a millionaire.

William Murphy, wife and son Thomas came here in 1857, and Mr. Murphy helped to load on the cars the ties and iron for the first twelve miles of what is now the Rock Island & Peoria Railway.

L. Williams kept the first hotel; David Rolands and Murty Connor were the first blacksmiths.

A son born to Charles Bailey and wife was the first white child born in the township.

In 1854, the first school in the township was held in a small house, the property of Thomas Lees, and a Mr. Doyle was the teacher. Thomas Lees, William Bailey, Charles Bailey, George E. Washburn, Frederick Fittell aud A. Edwards were the men who were instrumental in having it established, as they desired to secure educational advantages for their children. The first district school was taught by A. M. Nichols.

The village of Coal Valley was laid out by the Coal Valley Mining Company in 1856. William Bailey and William Boyle became its first merchants that same year. Soon afterwards, M. F. Herrick opened a second store. The post- office was established in 1857, with Thomas T. Jones as postmaster, who was succeeded by George E. Washburn. Fred Weyerhauser, Dr. Thomas Martin and Fred Freeberg, D. H. Lyons and John Barton were among the early incumbents of the office. The present postmaster is Thomas J. Murphy, appointed by President McKinley, May 28, 1897 .

The early settlers here were of Welsh birth or extraction. The Welsh are a mining people, and the prospect of work along their own lines attracted many to this locality. Later, other nationalities came in, but among the pioneers may be mentioned: English, a few Germans, a few Irish, and some Americans.

In the early sixties there were some Swedes and a few Scotch. In 1861, when the Civil war broke out and the first call for troops for three months was made by President Lincoln, nineteen men enlisted in Company D, Twelfth Illi nois Infantry Volunteers. During the summer and fall of 1861 many of those men and others enlisted for three years. In August. 1862, one entire company went into the service for three years in Company H, One Hundred Twenty-Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry; their captain was Dr. Thos. Martin; first lieutenant, David E. Evans; second lieutenant, Christian Koerber; the writer of this, Thomas Murphy, served as a corporal in said company. There were other en listments in various companies and regiments. William Murphy, Thomas Murphy's father, served in Company H, Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry. There were, in all, about one hundred and fifty men went to the front from here.

The first physician was Dr. Williams, who taught the first school in addition to practicing his profession in the schoolhouse erected in 1857, but after three years moved away. He was followed by Dr. Thomas Martin. Other eminent physicians have been Drs. Crawfard, Bonax, Gibson, Roseberry, Jacobs, DeWitt and Wallace, while among those in active practice now is Dr. William F. Myers.

Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois

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Illinois Ancestors

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