Tag Archives: belleville illinois
William H Stuart
William H. Stuart, a marble dealer and stone cutter, sold drugs as a sideline. He emigrated from Pennsylvania in 1816. His brother, Edward R. Stuart, was a partner in the publishing of the News-Democrat in 1859. They were significant land owners in south Belleville, and in 1864, Washington Public School was built on 14 of their lots. In 1819, their father, Alphonzo, was killed in the infamous Stuart-Bennett duel — the only pistol duel fought in the history of the [...]
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Richard Stanley
The Stanley family traveled from New York to PA, SC, NC and finally to Illinois. John and Elizabeth purchased land at Ogles Station in the west end of Belleville. By 1824, Brother Stanley was hosting Methodist church sessions, and Stanley women had married into the Ogle and Phillips pioneer families. Richard Stanley served in the Civil War, learned the nailing trade and returned to Ogle Station to open a nail mill. As many farmers did, he mined coal for fuel. [...]
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Reverend Thomas Harrison
In 1803, Reverend Thomas Harrison, grandfather of Theopolis, arrived in Illinois, and unknown wilderness. Ten years later he built a cotton gin, the beginning of a very successful milling business. Harrison, who migrated from N. Carolina, was of Scot-Irish descent. He had 10 children. By 1831 the Harrisons built the first steam operated mill in the state. The mill, at the west end of Main Street on Richland Creek, burned down and was rebuilt. By 1844, Harrison Mills reported annual [...]
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Philip M Gundlach
The Gundlachs manufactured tools of their own invention. Immediately after the Civil War, Philip M. Gundlach built a new iron foundry powered with Gundlach coal. His son, Joseph, operated the railroad to transport the coal. The P.M. Gundlach Agricultural Mfg. Co. was staffed by his sons: Philip A., Gen. Mgr.; John P., Engr.; Aloys, foreman. They manufactured grain drills, cleaners, hay rakes, wheel hubs and more modern products such as “Packing for Piston Rods and the like”. The family emigrated [...]
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Simon Eimer
Simon Eimer became one of the wealthiest industrialists of his day — a biographer states: “Eimer was prominent in every activity good for a city”. He arrived in 1844. In 1848, he built a bath house, followed by an entertainment park south of the Public Square and a hall on West Main Street. He served as a member of the Board of Education. As an alderman, he was appointed to a committee to plan for a new Market Square, a [...]
