Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/braidwoodstoryOOdonn Pioneer Arter Whom Braidwood Was Named wm&m Civil Engineer and Coal Mine Operator Dedication The Braidwood Story is dedicated to the Pioneers of Braidwood, Illinois, to those who later promoted the city's welfare and to the interested generations that follow. The Author LITTLE THINGS Isn't is amazing how a little drop of oil Makes the wheel run smoother, and lessens sweat and toil? Isn't it amazing how a little drop of rain Lifts the drooping flower, so it will bloom again? Isn't it amazing how a kindly word of praise Cheers the heavy laden, and helps the burden raise? — Kate Hart Scolield AUTHOR'S INSPIRATION For the many hours spent in gathering and pre- paring this information for Posterity, I credit a saying attributed to a William James : "The greatest nse for a life Is to spend it for something That outlasts it." Modesto (M. J.) Donna f 77, 3^T PREFACE In presenting THE BRAIDWOOD STORY, I think it opportune to say : — This is NOT a HISTORY, — merely an accumula- tion of data, facts and personal recoil ections which I feel merit recording for the information and pleasure of con- temporaries and posterity. — The contents may not he letter perfecl or 100% factually correct, as that is almost impossible in a story that covers over ninety (90) past years. — It is submitted in proof of the statement that AMERICA is THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, a truism authenticated by what the United States and Braidwood has done for me and other European immigrants. — Though I have personally gathered this informa- tion through the years and carefully compiled the records contained herein, I acknowledge the help and cooperation of my many friends, to whom I say " THANKS ". — I hope that the contents will he accepted in the spirit presented. May the generally recognized Braidwood spirit of understanding, genial sociability and fair play always prevail whenever two or more living citizens of this community or their descendants gather. Modesto (M. J.) Donna (The Author) TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I - Historical — Location — Early Settlement — Braidwood's Incorporation CHAPTER II — Coal — Discovery — Development CHAPTER III - Melting Pot — 15 Nationalities — Assimilation of many bloods CHAPTER IV - Other Leaders — 75 Family Briefs — Personalities — Names of Other Pioneers CHAPTER Y — Schools — Teachers — Pupils CHAPTER VI - - Churches — Edifices — Priests — Buildings — Ministers CHAPTER VII — Organizations — Societies — Clubs — Associations CHAPTER VIII — Sports — Soccer Football — Baseball — Basketball — Bocci Ball CHAPTER IX — Industries — Foundries — Macaroni Factory — Clothing CHAPTER X - - Notes and Anecdotes — Helpers — Nationalistic Influences CHAPTER XI - - Odd Facts — Review of Tilings of Interest CHAPTER XII - - Addenda — Author's BioaraDhv The picture shows Braidwood 's Main Street, about 1900, with gravel surface and wooden sidewalks, looking East from E Street. The picket fence on right, surrounds the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Barrowman, Sr., (now the Presbyterian Manse). Further on the right is Braidwood City Hall, the ground floor of which is now occupied by the efficient Braidwood Volunteer Fire Department. On the left is the James B. Howatt residence on near corner, the Duncan Rankin home, the Braidwood Bakery, operated by Win. Shenk, the building with a sign extending towards the street is on the Batista Perona tavern, then operated by Antone (Red) Marca. In 1926, the author bought the building rind had the front two-thirds of it moved to the Northwest corner of Main and Railroad Street to serve as his office, also the offices of The Na- tional Macaroni Manufacturers Association, The Macaroni Journal and The National Macaroni Institute, all three of which he managed for over a generation, until his resigna- tion in 1953. Racing on the street in pre-automobile days was not uncommon, though not legal. Here is shown two pioneer horse fanciers, Ernest Barnett and Rev. T. C. Fleming, training for the July 4th and 5th picnic's trotting program. DONNA'S STORY of BRAIDWOOD, ILLINOIS • Historical Data • Reported Facts • Personal Recollections By Modesto (M. J.) Donna, Historian CHAPTER 1 HISTORICAL Location Pioneers Settlers FOREWORD If we could have lived in this community from 1850 to date (1957) we would have watched the Founding, Boom. Recession and Recovery of one of the most friendly, social communities in the good, old U. S. A., with the willing mingling of many nationalities, added rjroof that America is truly - A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY. 10 THE BRAID WOOD STORY HISTORICAL The CITY of BRAIDWOOD and its environs is a friendly, peaceful (immunity situated in the Northeastern part of the State of Illinois, U. S. A. Prior to its settle- ment, the area was covered by sandy loam, low meadows and oak forests that did not early entice agriculturally minded settlers until about 1850. Then its settlement was gradual until con I was discovered underneath the surface in 1804. The news of the discovery of a workable vein of bituminous coal so near to Chicago, the metropolis of the Great Lakes region spread rapidly and far, attracting first hundreds of experienced coal miners from Pennsylvania, then thousands from such foreign countries as Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Poland and Bohemia. In the early days of the rush to BraidAVOod, it was quite the practice for immigrants when leaving Europe, to name Braidwood, Illinois, as their destination, thus giving Braidwood as the name of their first American home on arrival in the U. S. A. Many stayed, others worked in the mines here for a while, then moved to nearby coal fields, or to distant parts, but never to forget Braidwood or its friendly, social citizens. Later came business and professional men and their families, thus helping to found this glorious and historic settlement so widely and favorable known throughout the country, — all foreigners, except the Indians, — in a country that has become in a few hundred years, the most progres- sive and civilized nation in the world, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,. of which Braidwood is an out- standing example. The new community that thus sprang from the grass roots, thus became a LAND OF OPPORTUNITY for THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 11 thousands who would otherwise have had but limited op- portunities for bettering their lots in their European lands. Braidwood became a veritable MELTING POT of many civilized people and by the process of assimilation which it fostered through its history, there exists today (1957) little or no trace of nationalities among the second, third and fourth generations, because of the friendly relations always promoted, the equal educational facilities provided and the intermarriage encouraged among these sturdy people. Of the thousands who came direct to the Braidwood coal field, many stayed to make our city their permanent home. Others lingered awhile to get their American bear- ings, then migrated to other coal fields, or industrial centers to spread the message of Braidwood cheer and sociability, — a spirit that has been dominant in our city through its life- time with the result that towards the end of the last cen- tury, this community became well and favorably known throughout the length and breadth of the land where visit- ors, on becoming recognized as having come from Braid- wood, were frequently greeted with such cheering queries as, — "How is the old home town'" 4t Uow are my rela- tives and old friends back home?" LOCATION BRAIDWOOD is located in the Southwestern part of Will County which adjoins Cook County (Chicago) on the South and the Illinois-Indiana State line on the East. The Illinois Territory was a part of the Northwest Territory, an area around the Great Lakes acquired by treaties with Great Britain, France and the Indians, follow- ing the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. Illinois was ad- mitted as a State in 1818. It was divided by the State Legislature into 102 counties, and each county into town- ships, usually 6 miles square. ^ 12 THE BRAID WOOD STORY BRAIDWOOD is situated 57 miles Southwest of Chicago on the Chicago and Alton Division of the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Ft is on IT. S. Highway No. 66 and 66A that traverse the State in a Southwesterly direc- tion from Chicago, through Springfield, St. Louis, Mo., to the Pacific Coast, a most popular cross-country automobile road. Illinois Route 113 South also crosses the city in a Northwester!) -Southeasterly direction through North- eastern Illinois, between Morris and Kankakee, Illinois. Lippincotts Gazatter of the World, published in 1880, described Braid- wood as — "A post-village of Will County, Illinois, in Reed Township, on the Chicago & Alton R. R,, 58 miles S. W. of Chicago and 20 miles S. by W. from Joliet. it has print- ing offices which issue two weekly newspapers; also 6 churches, and several bituminous coal mines." REED TOWNSHIP The first Township in the Braidwood area, orga- nized in 1850, was named "Clinton" and was then the largest in Will County. It extended six miles North from and twelve miles East and West along the Will-Kankakee line, South and West of the Kankakee River, In 1875, the Will County Board of Supervisors di- vided the large, unwieldly " Clinton" Township into two Townships, giving the name "Beid", later changed to "Reed", to the portion 8 miles wide and 6 miles long in the extreme southwestern part of the county. The name " Custer" was given to the Eastern portion of the old "Clinton" Township. Thus Reed Township, once the largest in Will County, became the smallest in the county. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 13 REED TOWNSHIP (first elected officers) Though reorganized in 1875 into its present con- fines, it was not till 1878 that citizens of Reed Township, approximately 2,500 voters in number, elected their first staff of township officers to manage the township affairs : Supervisor — Town Clerk — Assessor — Collector- Highway Commissioners- Justices of the Peace — Constables — School Trustee — JOHN YOUNG THOMAS BAMRICK DENNIS DOWNEY DAVID FRANCIS BARNEY HIGGINS DENNIS LaHYNES HENRY ROE NATHAN GOLDFINGER HARRY HILLMAN EDWIN WAKEFIELD WM. J. STEWART JOHN GADDIS JAMES RANDACK JAMES POWERS EARLY SETTLEMENT One of the first known settlers in what was later the City of Braidwood, was an Irishman named James Cnnnea, often mispronounced "Ciimea". In 1850 he bought 640 acres of land, all of Section 6 in Reed Township from the U. S. Government for $1.25 an acre, obtaining not only the surface but all the mineral rights. Others followed, mostly adventurers from the eastern states and from Europe, who made their way into the area, farmers who eked out a precarious living from the none too 14 THE BRAID WOOD STORY fertile soil. Some processed the plentiful oak trees into lumber for building scanty farm houses and sheds for shelter, cut hay on large meadows and tilled small gardens for home vegetables. It is estimated that before the Civil War (1861-1865) the population of Reed Township was under 50. Yet the area supplied its share of soldiers and sailors to the Union Forces. Some died in battle or from disease, while others survived to return to their farm homes at the close of the war, to resume tilling of the soil and associated trades. Very few bought farmlands; they merely squatted on Government property, paying no taxes and contributed little to the development of the area. EARLY SETTLERS William Higgins, an Irishman who prior to 1850 re- sided in the Grundy County side of the Grundy-Will County Line, roamed over the Braid wood area years before it became a settled community. He reported that James Cunnea, among the earliest land owners in the pre-Braid wood area, too was an itinerant peddler, going from farm to farm, great distances apart, selling household wares and studying the soil before purchasing Section Six of Reed Township in 1850. P. Kilgore, also from the Emerald Isle, squatted on Section 4, sold his rights to Frank and Thomas O'Reilley, before retiring to Kankakee. The O'Reilley Brothers, Irish, too, continued to live on the purchased farm until about 1880, when they sold out. William Smith, a hunter and trapper, made his head- quarters in the area in the 1850 's, ranged the territory along the Kankakee River, from its source to its mouth. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 15 Patrick and James Dwyer, also of Irish descent, came to the area in 1850. living on their farms practically their entire lives. Wm. Sterritt and Timothy Keane were among the pioneer settlers as was Dennis (jlenney of the Anld Sod. On coming' to America, he worked as a stone cutter in building- the famous Illinois-Michigan Canal. He settled here in 1856 as a farmer, raised a large family, among the best known of whom are Richard Glenn ey and John Glenney, who farmed the old homestead and nearby farms practical- ly their entire lives. Their descendants, many in number, live today in Braidwood and in adjoining communities. Space does not permit recording stories of all worthy pioneer settlers, even in cases where facts are known, though these are rare and yearly becoming more so. However, of those that are most meritorious, the follow- ing may be recalled: William Keevers : One of the pioneer farmers along the Reed-Wilmington Township line, just North of the North City Limits of Braidwood, prior to and at the time of the discovery of coal, welcomed the early immigrants and did everything within reason to make tiie newcomers wel- come. He was so popular and his efforts appreciated that the first village that sprung up around his farm was named k 'Keeversville", in his honor. He died in 1889. His several sons carried on in the friendly spirit of their father. Best known locally among them were John P. Keevers, well-know educator, principal of the Lower Braidwood School for years, later an executive in the of- fice of the County Clerk of Cook County, for several decades. He died in 1949. Another son, Matthew Keevers was associated with mining during his working days, as a mule boss at deep shaft mines and later for many years in 16 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY the strip mines in this vicinity, as a resident of Coal City, where lie died in 1943. When coal was discovered in 1864, companies were formed to develop its mining. Companies purchased most of the property in the Northern half of Reed Township, from the pioneer settlers or the government, paying prices up to $100 an acre for the surface and the mineral rights. In 1865, James Cunnea sold his section of land to the Chicago and Wilmington Coal Company for $100.00 fin acre, moved to Morris, 111., where he became a successful banker. PLATS OF LOTS AND BLOCKS The first area in Braidwood to be surveyed and platted into Lots and Blocks was the Daniel Small sub- division in Section Five of Reed Township, about 80 acres a little South of the North Township Line and West of Center Street, AVest of the first "Coal Well". The plat was filed in the office of the Will County Recorder of Deeds on November 24, 1865, based on surveys made the preceding summer, by the County Surveyor, F. Comstock. This officially establishes the Year 1865 as Braid- wood's founding and that its centennial celebration might properly be held in 1965. Braidwood was the name given to the community, though it was not until 1878 that the City was given a charter by the State. Other plats later recorded in the Office of the Will County Recorder of Deeds are: The Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company Sub-division (1872) ; The Eureka Coal Com- pany Sub-division (1872); Allen's Sub-division; McOagy & For sy the Sub-division; Mooney's Sub-division and the Frick Sub-division. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 17 LOTS SOLD WITH RESERVATION On practically all of its deeds to lots sold to miners and others, the C. W. & V. Coal Company and the Eureka Coal Co. contained a clause to the effect that "Exempting from this deed the coal and other minerals beneath its sur- face and the right to remove same*'. This exemption had an effect on the kind of building that might be erected on the purchased lot, since mining extended beneath the surface to the residential lots, — they were of wood and thus not fully damaged by the surface sinking. As an example, one of the first buildings in Braid- wood was the Carlie Carlisle Bakery, on Main Street, built of wood in 1873 which was destroyed by fire. By that time, the coal had been removed underneath the structure, it was rebuilt of brick in 1877, remaining to this day, the oldest building in the city. DISTRICT SETTLEMENTS Starting in 1865, hundreds thronged to the coal fields seeking their fortunes in this "promise land". The new- comers grouped themselves in small homes or miner's shacks around the early mines, as sunk. The several settlements were usually controlled by the mine owners who sold or gave borne sites to employees to insure their continuing to work at the company mine, providing them with garden plots to grow vegetables or on which to graze a cow to help sustain miner's families through the slack summer season. Credit was also ex- tended at the company's store. The area that later comprised the City of Braid- wood (1873) contained about a half dozen distinct settle- ments, sections that will bear the names acquired in the earlv da vs. Among these : 18 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY KEEVERSVILLE A little and the first settlement in the area was named "Keeversville" after a William Keevers, who farm- ed just North of the city limits on the Reed- Wilmington township line, not far from the first "Coal Hole", the first coal shaft. The village grew rapidly in population, bnt just as rapidly declined, as mining operations veered south- ward, leaving no trace of the early settlement. OLD BRAIDWOOD This was the name given to the oldest settlement in the present city limits. It was located on both sides of Fifth or Lower Braidwood business street. There group- ed the immigrants from Bohemia, who were attracted by glowing accounts of company agents who toured that country at coal companies' expense, to lure workers. That was in the early 70's. To the West and South of the Bohemian sector, settled the Italian immigrants who came in the late 70 's and early 80 's. Lower Braidwood became the most important busi- ness center in Braidwood 's early days. BUCKTOWN The settlement on Fifth Street, West of Division Street, where the coal company housed the colored miners, it imported during the strike of 1877, was called "Buck- town" because of the giant stature of many of the bucks in their ranks. They were housed in large wooden frame, two-story company houses near the "G-" and "IT" mines. Their coming while the strike was on, brought the state militia. The regular miners were demanding better wages and living conditions. Most of the imported workers, sizing up the situation, moved to other places in Illinois thus averted trouble. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 19 EUREKA Because the Eureka Goal Company owned the land and operated the mines in the Southwest Quarter of Sec- tion 7, at the West end of Main Street, that section of the city became known as "Eureka". Large numbers of British, Irish, Welch and Italians constituted that early colony. THE GROVE The last sector of the city to be platted, but which was to become the most populous, was called THE GROVE, so uamed because that part was thickly forested with oak trees. Here, the immigrants from Britain and Belgium mainly settled. At the East end of Main Street, near the Alton depot, was built the principal business section and where business activities, even unto this day. center. MONKEY ROBINSON'S CORNER A small village grew up at the intersection of West Fifth Street and the Will-Grundy County line. Because a retired miner named Robinson owned most of the land in that area and operated a combination store and tavern there, the village was locally known as "Monkey Robinson's Corner", his nickname being "Monkey". NO. 4 EUREKA As was the custom, miners readily moved to the new mines as they were opened. When the Eureka Coal Com- pany found its No. 3 mine, South of the Southwestern city limits unprofitable, and sank its No. 4 mine West of the Will -Grundy County line, quite a village sprung- up near- by, with scores of small homes, a few business houses and the No. 4 Eureka school, that was in operation until about World W r ar II, and every trace of a village had disappeared. 20 THE BRAID WOOD STORY BRAIDWOOD POST OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS The Braidwood Post Office was established on May *29, 1867, with Thomas Gray appointed the first Postmaster. His compensation during his period of office (nearly 2 years) was $165.00. Prior to 1^67, the people in the Braidwood area were served out of the office of Wilmington, Illinois. The fol- lowing is a list of the Postmasters on their dates of ap- pointment, as supplied by the United States Post Office, (1954) : POSTMASTER THOMAS GRAY GEORGE W. MILNER JOSEPH H. WILSON MRS. PRISCILLA WILSON ROBERT HOUSTON THOMAS HENNEBRY SIMON S. D. B. LINES (Captain* PATRICK H. KELLY WILLIAM H. STEEN JAMES W. PATTERSON DAVID YOUNG MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN SECONDO V. DONNA MISS ALICE DILLON LONGEST TEEMS TERM May 29, 1367 to April 15, 1869 April 15, 1869 to Dec. 19, 1870 Dec. 19, 1870 to Feb. 27, 1877 Feb. 27, 1877 to Jan. 17, 1882 Jan. 17, 1882 to Feb. 10, 1886 Feb. 10, 1886 to Jan. 20, 1890 Jan. 20, 1890 to Feb. 14, 1894 Feb. 14, 1894 to June 22, 1898 June 22, 1898 to May 31, 1906 May 31, 1906 to May 31, 1910 May 31, 1910 to Oct. 30, 1913 Oct. 30, 1913 to Jan. 13, 1923 Jan. 13, 1923 to March 1, 1934 March 1, 1934 to Date Miss Alice Dillon, who has been placed under Civil Service lias now served the longest as Postmaster, — from 1934 to date. Second longest was the term of Secondo V. Donna, January 13, 1923 to March 1, 1934, — over 11 years. Third longest was Michael J. Sullivan. October 30. 1913 to January 13, 1923, about 9 1 /2 years. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 21 C!TY # S POPULATION Practically the last city to be founded in Will County during the last century, Braidwood once rivaled the county metropolis in population. There are some erroneous ideas of its peak population, not substantiated by figures sent to the author by the I J. S. Bureau of Census for the century 1850 - 1950. The City of Braidwood was not incorporated until 1873, so its population does not appear before the census of 1880. Unofficially the population was reported as in excess of 2,550 when the city was incorporated. However, the population of the entire Township of Reed was onlv 2,771 in 1870. According to the II. S. Bureau of Census for 1880 the population of Braidwood was 5,524, the highest of record in the census reports. In that year the population of the entire Township of Reed was 5,981. Since coal pro- duction reached its peak in 1877-1878, it is quite possible that the population may have been near 7,500 in those years, but hardly higher. Hundreds of people left Braidwood following the area r s worst strike in 1877, when strike-break- ers were imported by the coal companies, reducing the actual recorded census of 1880 to near the 6,000 number. Coal production started to decline in 1878. The population also declined rapidly between 1880 arid 1890, and more slowly, but definite!}' thereafter until 1940 when it again showed an uptrend. According to figures received direct from the U. S. Bureau of Census, Washington D. C, the population of Reed Township and the City of Braidwood for the past century, — 1850 - 1950, was as follows : 22 THE BRAID WOOD STORY Reed Township City of Bra 183 1850 781 1860 2,771 1870 5,981 1880 5,524 5,208 1890 4,641 3,811 1900 3,27£ 2,841 1910 1,958 1,758 1920 1,297 1,456 1930 1,161 1,590 1940 1,354 1,803 1950 1.485 wood In 1880 of a population of 5,524 in the City of Braid- White . . . . 5,138 Colored 386 Native 2,943 Foreign Born 2,581 Based on the number of voters in the elections of 1955, the population as of 1956 is reasonably estimated in excess of 1,800. NAMES OF 200 CITIZENS PICKED AT RANDOM FROM 1877 VOTERS LIST THOS. ALLEN, Miner ROBT. ALLISON, Miner GEO. APPLEWHITE, Miner JOHN APPLEWHITE, Miner JOHN ARMAND, Mine Boss FRANK BARBER, Saloon JOHN BAMBRICK, Saloon JOHN BACKUS, Leading Doctor PETER BARR, Tavern-Drug Store ALEX. BARROWMAN. Miner JAMES BARROWMAN, Mine Boss L. BARKER, Foundry JOHN BELAND, Teamster H. H. BLOOD, Pop Factory JAMES BRAIDWOOD, Mine Owner BRAIDWOOD DAIRY ASS'N JOHN BROADBENT, Hotel A. E. BEADLE, Painter JOSIAH BLUETT, Miner MIKE BOYLE, Tavern MARTHA C. BOOTH, Milliner WM. BRAYDEN, Miner W. D. BROWN, Miner JAMES BURRILL, Miner FERIS BURR, Carpenter ROBT. BURT, Tavern - Pool Hall WM. BURKE, Farmer WM. CARLISLE, Baker WM. CAMPBELL, Clerk ANTHONY COSTELLO, Saloon JAMES CASEY, Miner WM. CAMPBELL, Plasterer WM. CHERRY, Miner PAT CHRISTIE, Miner C. K. CARLTON, Druggist JAMES CHERRY, Miner THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 23 (1877 Voters List Continued) A. CHARLIER, Miner PHILIP CLARK, Mine Boss F. G. CLEVELAND, Farmer THOS. CONNOR, Butcher WM. CONNOR, Farmer ANTHONY COSTELLO, Tavern EDW. CONNELLY, Minor JOHN COX, Weighboss WM. COX, Miner EDWIN A. CRANE, Clerk HENRY CRUISE, Miner JOHN CROMBIE, Mine Owner WM. CUNNINGHAM, Miner ADAM DAVIDSON, Teamster JOS. DONNELLY, Dry Goods J. D. DOWNEY, Farmer MESHACK DANDO, Judge CHAS. DOUGHERTY, Pop Man WM. DOUGHERTY, Fireman JOHN O. DAVIS, Shoemaker THOS. DENNISON, Miner WM. DENNISON, Miner PAT DORGAN, Miner JOSEPH DEMBLON, Miner THOS. DURHAM, Weighboss PAT DWYER, Farmer GEORGE DYER, Laborer JOHN DONAHUE, Co. Treasurer JAMES DOBBS, Machinist LUKE ENGLISH, Miner MICHAEL FLYNN, Muleboss % JOHN FREER, Mechanic DAVID FRANCIS, Miner-Insurance BARNEY GATLEY, Engineer PAT GARRITY, Merchant DENNIS GLENNY, Farmer L. H. GOODRICH, Merchant H. C. GOODRICH, Clerk NATHAN GOLDFINGER, Merchant WM. GRANGER, Miner MICHAEL GRACE, Miner THEO. GREEN, Engineer PAT HANLEY, Laborer R. J. HAMILTON, Farmer ROBT. HARROP, Miner JOHN HANDLIN, Dairyman THOS, HENNEBERRY, Saloon HERMAN HEILEMAN, Justice JOHN HILLARD, Engineer BARNEY HIGGINS, Farmer W. H. HOWE, Carpenter JAMES B, HOWATT, Dry Goods ROBT. HUSTON, Dry Goods HOLMES & CADY, Hardware ,JOHN JAMES, Clerk GEO. JONES, Engineer JOSEPH JEFFRY, Miner GEORGE JOHNSON, Saloon TIMOTHY KANE, Farmer KAIN BROTHERS, Furniture ALBERT KASPERIC, Miner ALOYIS KAISER, Miner DAVID KERR, Miner CHARLES KERN, Teamster JAMES KEENAN, Miner WM. KEEVERS, Miner & Farmer THOS. KENNARD, Teamster ALEX KILPATRICK, Miner JAMES KILPATRICK, Miner JOHN KILPATRICK, Miner FRANK KUCERA, Miner DR. H. LaCARON, Druggist FRANK LAVICKA, Miner DESIRE LEXHARASAUS, Miner L. Le CLARGAL, Saloon LUCIEN LE CLERCS, Saloon FINLEY L1TTLEJOHN, Saloon H. H. LEWIS, Miner HENRY LOWE, Farmer JOSEPH LOFKA, Tavern J. H. MARKS, Insurance ANTOINE MATONE, Miner WM. MALTBY, Mine Supt. I. R. MARSH, Merchant JAMES McARTHUR, Tavern FRANK McCLENNAN, Ladies Wear peter Mcdonald, Miner WILLIAM McDONALD. Miner PETER McDERMOTT. Miner john Mcelroy, Saloon WM. McGARVEY, Miner JOHN McGRATH, Miner H. McLINDEN, Miner WM. McNUTTY, Miner FRANK MEYER, Barber ROBT. MICKLIJOHN, Miner JOHN MICKLIJOHN, Teamster THOS. MORAN, Merchant WM. C. MOONEY, Attorney PAT MULDOWNEY, City Marshal JAMES MULLIGAN, Miner J. NELL, Butcher 24 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY (1877 Voters List Continued) JOHN NOONAN, Farmer CHAS. O'CONNELL, Butcher PATRICK O'BRIEN, Miner CORNELIUS O'DONNELL, Footwear THOS. O'NEIL, Blacksmith OSCAR OLIVER, Miner ALEX & JAMES PATTERSON, Livery HARRY PARSONS, Miner H. H. PARKINSON, Printer THOS. PETTOGREW, Miner JOSEPH PEART, Mine Boss JOHN PEART, Miner IGNATZ POSTA, Merchant M. F. PELLITIER, Flour and Feed STEPHEN POWELL, Miner BEN J. PRICE, Miner THOS. RAY, Mine Boss RICHARD RAMSEY, Mine Boss WM. RANKIN, Merchant JOSEPH RANDACK, Tavern S. RAINVILLE, Carpenter THOS. ROWE, Miner HENRY ROE, Farmer JOHN ROUTT, Merchant CHARLES RYDER, Farmer WM. SAULSBY, Tavern PATRICK SCULLINS, Butcher JOHN SEBECK, Miner W. B. SHERMAN, Merchant WM. SHINTON, Plasterer DENNIS SHANNAN, Miner JOHN SHANK, Butcher FRANK SHERWOOD, Corpenter ALEX SHARP, Miner JOHN SIMILIK, Miner GEO. SIMMS, Miner JOHN SKINNER, Mine Boss GEO. SKELTON, Miner A. SPINNING, Carpenter F. STASSNEY, Miner PETER STRUTTERS, Miner JOHN STRUTTERS, Miner -WILLIAM STEEN, Miner & Insurance .JAMES STEEN, Miner JOHN STEWART, Brakeman WM. J. STEWART, Constable DAVID STEWART, Miner ROBT. STEWART, Miner JOHN STEVESON, Miner JAMES SWARTZ, Miner M. H. SATTERLY, Express Agent B. SWEET, Clerk WM. THOMAS, Miner WM. TOUVALL, Farmer ANTONE TOMASSIC, Miner JOHN TOUHEY, Merchant JOHN TRACY, Saloon H. UTLEY, Farmer L. VACCA, Miner WM. VICKARS, Miner R. WANDLESS, Miner JOHN WALKER, Boarding Stable THOS. WALSH, Teacher THOS. WESTMORLAND, City Marshal DAVID WJLSON, Miner WM. WHITE, Blacksmith DAVID YOUNG, Miner JOHN YOUNG, Supervisor INCORPORATION AND FIRST CITY ELECTION In the early months of 1873, a petition signed by voters in Section 5, 6, 7 and 8, in Eeed Township was pre- sented to the County Court of Will County asking authority to hold an election to determine whether or not a city form of government should be set up in that area under the new statute passed by the Illinois Legislature April 10, 1872, and effective Julv 1, 1872. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 25 Authority was granted and a special election was held on March 4, 1873 in a school house in District No. 2, Reed Township with L. H. Goodrich, H. II. Brown and William Mooney as judges of election and Thomas Walsh and James A. Roseman as Clerks. 185 votes were cast, L39 in favor and 4f> against. Thus authorized, a special election was held April 15, 1873, to elect the staff of officers to enable Braidwood to function as an incorporated city. The following staff of officers formed the first city govern- ment : L. H. Goodrich — Mayor Wm. Chambers— City Clerk Christopher Ziegler — City Attorney Robert Barr — City Treasurer Wm. A. McFarlane, Police Magistrate The Board of City Aldermen consisted of David Paden, Sr., E. W. Felton, B. F. Sweet, Wm. Jack, John Cox, Jr., and Benjamin Reese. Among those who served as City Mayors to date fol- lowing L. H. Goodrich are: Daniel McLaughlin, John II. Backus, F. M. Saladay, Wm. IT. Steen, T. B. Corey, P, IT. Kelly, Daniel S. Barr, John O'Connor, Henry Donnelly, Llewellyn Rogers, Joseph Hurst, L. B. Charpenter, M. J. Donna, James Crichton, Dr. W. C. Frick, Louis Girot and George Bohac. Some served several terms, others part terms. LUKE H. GOODRICH -- CITY'S FIRST MAYOR When Braidwood was incorporated as a City, under the statutes of the State of Illinois in 1873. the people elected Luke H. Goodrich as the new municipality's first mayor. He won high praise for his leadership and his success in launching the city administration, a service for which he was later repaid by his election to the Illinois Legislature in the late Seventies. 26 THE BRAID WOOD STORY He was one of the city's early businessmen, being re- corded in an early Will County history as— "L . H. Good- rich, Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots and Shoes, Wood and Willow Ware". He was thrice married, all Wheeler girls as wives, ancf fathered six children, namely: Elizur Goodrich, an at- torney who later married Miss Ella Mapps. a Braidwood school teacher; Roscoe and Ralph, bachelors; Nellie Good- rich Smith; Nettie Goodrich Wade Smith, mother of Francis Wade, now Mrs. Ralph Irwin of Salmon, Idaho; and Ethel Goodrich Watkins, now living in Farmington, Washington, whose son, Dr. Goodrich Watkins now practices in Seattle, Washington. COMMISSION FORM OF CITY GOVERNMENT When Braidwood was incorporated in 1873, it operated under the then existing Aldermanic Form of City Government with as many as five wards at one time and 2 Aldermen representing each ward. Under this form it functioned through its boom days and then its recession days. l .^ When the Commission Form of Government was adopted by the State of Illinois, whereby cities so choosing might adopt the new form which did away with aldermen and wards, and elected a Commission, consisting of a Mayor and four Commissioners, Braidwood was interested. A petition bearing the names of several times the number required by the law was prepared and circulated by the Author, who also posted his personal check of Ten Dollars with the Judge of the Circuit Court in February, 1920, to authorize a special election to determine whether or not the Commission Form should be adopted, wherein all the candidates were listed on ballots without reference THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 27 to parties. The petition was approved. Later a primary was held in which two citizens were nominated for each position to he filled. At a special election held in the city hall, May 20, 1920, the following were elected to serve as the City's first Commissioners for terms of four years each : Mayor, James Crichton; City Clerk, James Barrowman, III; and four Commissioners, Henry D. Rossi, Win. H. Steeri, James A. Smith and Andrew Berta, Sr. The Commission Form still prevails and the City Officers in 1957 are: George Bohac, Mayor; George Boyd, City Clerk; Commissioners, Clyde Samuels, Francis James Barnett, Toffie Nahas and Paul Abraham. BANKS Since its earliest days, Braidwood has had adequate banking facilities excepting for about a dozen }^ears after the bank crash in 1933, connected with the President F. D. Roosevelt moratorium. Branch Banks: as branches of the National Bank in Wilmington there were operated two local banks, one known as the Felton & Odell Bank and the other as the W. H. Odell Bank. National Banks: According to the Deputy Comp- troller of the Currency in his letter of April 6, 1954, to Edwin J. Sullivan until recently the Cashier of the present hank, the following national banks were chartered in Braid- wood, Illinois. The Miner's National Bank of Braidwood, Charter No. 1964, chartered April 12, 1872. The location of this bank was changed from Braidwood to Wilmington, Illinois, in 1878 and the title changed to "The Commercial National Bank of Wilmington. ' ' This hank 28 THE BRAID WOOD STORY was placed in the hands of a receiver on No- vember 1, 1933", "The First National Bank in Braidwood, Charter No. 11895, chartered December 17, 1920. This bank was placed in the hands of a receiver on October 27, 1933. Its officers at the time of closing were : Nye P.. Keyes, President; Thomas L. Francis, A r ice Presi- dent ; and Directors, M. J. Donna, Joseph Try- ner, Battista Perona, James A. Smith and Felix J. Rossi. George Barton was the Cash- ier and Miss Kate Fallon, Assistant.' ' State Bank: State Auditor of Public Accounts, Orville E. Hodge, on March 26, 1954 advises: "We have searched the records and are not able to find the name of any State Bank operating in Braidwood prior to the organiza- tion of the State Bank of Braidwood, chartered July 27th, 1948." Jerry Grinchuck is president; Peter B. Rossi, vice president. Directors are: Mrs. Mary Bibly, Win. Fleming, Frank Lavicka, John Rossi and James F. Barnett. Theo- dore Bohlander is Cashier. NEWSPAPERS Pioneer Braidwood citizens were proud of the fact that our city had the first daily newspaper in Will County, outside of Joliet. But actually the first paper was a weekly known as The News, edited by Jacob Warner. Very soon it had competition in The Journal, started in the early "70 's by Thomas Simonton. On June 17, 1875 appeared the first edition of The Republican, with Fred Dalton as Editor. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 29 Perhaps the most persistent of the newspapermen, was Henry H. Parkinson, whose son and grandson presently (1956) publish the Braidwood Index. Mr. Parkinson took over The Republican late in 1875 and made it a big success. He renamed it The Mule's Ear, an early tabloid of only 4 pages, about the size of two sheets of ordinary stationery paper. Several old copies are still in the hands of pioneer families. Probably the best remembered is the old Braidwood Bulletin, published for years by George Wakefield, whose wife was Annie Garrity, and was succeeded by Adelbert Paden, son of the pioneer David Paden, Sr. Family and husband of Miss Mary Casey of the pioneer Casey family. The paper had a wide circulation and continued to be print- ed till the early years of the present century. Currently "The Braidwood Index ? ', is being publish- ed by the Parkinson Printing Company of Gardner, Illi- nois, whose editors are the son and grandson of the re- nowned H. H. Parkinson, founder and editor of the old " Mule's Ear" in the late Seventies. COUNTY OFFICES Braidwood people have enjoyed quite a share of county honors by being elected to county offices. Among them were: SHERIFFS Robert Huston — 1886 to 1890 Thomas Hennebry — 1890 to 1894 Thomas Stevenson — 1910 to 1914 COUNTY TREASURER Archibald C. Jeffrey — 1914 to 1918 PROBATE JUDGE Samuel J. Drew — 1918 to 1926 SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Louis F. Bottino — 1938 to 1952. Resigned in mid-term to become Superintendent Lockport High School. 30 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY COUNTY CLERK Joseph H. Hartley (of Torino, Reed Township before mov- ing to Joliet — 1938 to date. STATE REPRESENTATIVES Braidwood had a goodly share of members of the Illinois House of Representatives in its early days. At one time it had two of three legislators to which our Congres- sional District was entitled to, Among those from here who once served as Illinois Legislators were: Joseph D. Kain Win. C. Mooney Wm. Steen Samuel J. Drew EIRE DEPARTMENT Prom its earliest days, Braidwood has maintained a most efficient fire fighting organization. The big majority of the homes and business places were built of wood and grouped with little consideration of fire hazard, the citizens were extremely fire-conscious and willingly sup- ported organized fire protection. The first fire house was located in Dower Braid- wood on Fifth Street and was equipped with fire pump, hook and ladder wagon, moved by man power. In the late Seventies, a more modern station was built on South Center Street and equipped with the latest in the way of fire-fight- ing apparatus. About 1919, it was abandoned and the equipment moved into the first floor front of the City Hall, which was converted into a fire station. Presently (1957) the Braidwood Volunteer Fire De- partment, Inc., is one of the best of its kind in cities treble the size of Braidwood. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 31 WIN HOSE COUPLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIP In 1878 7 the Braidwood Fire Department entered a state-wide eontest in Joliet, involving many firemen duties, and won the State Championship in the hose coupling feature, with Wm. H. Steen and Wm. Dougherty doing it in the shortest time and to the complete satisfaction of the judges. The first fire department was organized in June, 1877. James S. Patterson was the first Fire Chief or Marshal, and H. H. Parkinson, businessman and local news- paper publisher was the first secretary. The members were unsalaried volunteers, with the city council furnishing such equipment as hooks, ladders, mobile water tanks and necessary hose. At first, the fire trucks were pulled by men. Later horses provided the power and much later automotive power. The author has in his possession, a photo of this illustrious organization, but it is so dull as practically in- capable of reproducing in a legible cut. Suffice then to list the members, as far as they can be identified, as: BRAIDWOOD >S CHAMPION FIRE DEFT. (1888) Top Row, left to right — 1st, Edward Ward; 2nd, John Cunai, City Marshal; 5ih, Frank Ward; 6ih, Eugene Hughes; 7th. Thos. Kewin; 8th, D. Glenney; 9th, John Barnett; 10th, A. D. Miller, Jeweler; 11th, Wm. H. Howe, Fife 'n Drum Leader. Second Row, left to right — 1st, Ed Meyers; 2nd, Winifield Scoit; 4th, John Sadler; 5ih, Holmes; 6th, Melvin Rainville; 7ih, Ed Hoevel; 11th, Ralph Hayes, Office Manager, C. W. & V. Coal Office; at right end, Albert Wheaton. Third Row, left to right — 1st, Ed Holmes; 2nd, Geo. Jack; 3rd, Frank Munn, Braidwood Attorney; 4th, Dr. E. E, Greene (without uni- form). Bottom Row, left to right — 1st, Roscoe Goodrich; 2nd, Joseph Shenk; 3rd, James Dwyer; 4th, Will Jones; 6th, Jerome Shenk; 7th. Geo. Young; 8th, Wm. McNutty; 9ih, Robt. Harrop; 10th, Jim Stewart. Lying in front — Daniel S. Barr, Druggist and Captain. Photo and identifications: James Krahulec. THE BRAID WOOD STORY BRAIDWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY Our city had one of the earliest public libraries in Will County. It was organized at a public meeting in 187G, with many private patrons and the help of the different coal companies, businessmen, churches and schools. William Maltby, Superintendent of the Eureka Coal Company mines, was elected as its first president, a position which he held for several years. The Eureka Coal Co., at the solicitation of Supt. Maltby, contributed $1,500 toward the first library fund. The first library room was on the second floor of the brick building on the South side of Main Street above what is now Lou and Floyd Neil sen's Comet Shop, and contained several thousand volumes of general interest to the class of people that composed the early citizenship of the day, newspapers, magazines, etc., which were made good use of by a steady and regular clientelle. When the new city hall was built in 1885, provisions were made for a public library room on the second floor front to save rent, and later to have the library by the city clerk until about 1910 when it gradually went into disuse to be disbanded about 1915 for lack of patrons. Among the librarians remembered are Mrs. Margaret Mooney McGuiness, Miss Elizabeth Moore and Miss Ada Dando. BRICK PAVEMENT Braidwood had one of the first brick pavements in Will County, extending from curb to curb, between the Al- ton Depot and Center Street. William Jack was awarded the contract for laying the bricks and Patrick Corrigan for building curbings on each side. It was completed in the early '90 's, at a cost of $7,000.00. After serving more than 35 years, it was torn up by the State of Illinois, when it built Illinois Route No. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 33 113 South, through the city, connecting Morris and Kanka- kee, in the '30 's. BRASS BANDS As is the case in most new settlements, bachelors were predominant in Braidwood 's early days. Young men made up its population at the ratio of several males to one female. Naturally they joined musical organizations for companionship. Because of this, Braidwood had more than its share of brass bands, orchestras and glee clubs. In its early days, Braidwood was represented by musical organizations in practically every public affair, in- cluding political rallies and parades, at picnics and at funerals too. At one time the municipality subsidized the town band with a paid leader and volunteer members. Among the brass bands of note are recalled: The Grove Bands, led at different times by William Young; James Hynd; James Mortimer; Benjamin Poole and others. The Italian Bands led by Louis and Joseph Peyia, and Lawrence (Pikeena) Pomatto. The Bohemian Band led by Frank Petrik. The Fife and Drum Corps led by Captain Wm. Howe. Two colored bands, one led by a Mr. Morris, and the best and last one by a colored barber, Malcolm Clark. There were also many orchestras, among those best remembered for dance music were Hynds, Mortimer and Poole's. After the high school was established, several school bands were trained but their public appearances in parades, etc. were rare. 34 THE BRAID WOOD STORY FUNERAL PARLORS Two families of undertakers have buried the Braid- wood dead and those of neighboring towns, and rescued and aided the sick and wounded from the earliest days. These were the Kain and Patterson families. Both work- ed almost endless hours in caring for the victims of the terrible Diamond Mine Disaster, February 16, 1883. Both families also operated livery barns, supplying the horses and carriages needed in the early days for the frequent funerals. As a side-line, they both operated furniture stores until after the turn of the twentieth cen- tury. With the death of John D. Kain, October, 1936, the third generation of the Kain Undertakers, the Patterson family carried on, a member of the fifth generation is still serving with an up-to-date funeral parlor and motorized service. The Kain Undertakers: James Kain, (Founder); Joseph Kain and John I). Kain. On the death, of her hus- band, John 1)., Mrs. Laura Casey Kain carried on the burial services for a few years. The Patterson Undertakers: Alexander Patterson, Sr. who set up the service in 1872; James and Alexander Patterson; Alexander J. Patterson, Jr.; Malcom Patter- son; James R. Patterson, Jr. (ail deceased) and James W. Patterson, the third. Because both undertakers also operated Uvery stables is the reason given for the distant location of the three cemeteries, Catholic, Protestant and Bohemian, beyond easy walking distances. SIDEWALKS As originally platted, Braidwood had over 25 miles of THE BRAID WOOD STORY 35 business and residential streets, with homes, stores and sidewalks on more than one half of the frontage. The first sidewalks were mostly of wood, with 2x6 sills and two inch planks on top. On the business streets, the merchants built their own walks at levels that best suited their needs. The result was that on Main Street, there were "ups-and-downs" on which people traveled when shopping. This was remedied in the early '80 's, when the city administration took over the side-walk building job and built them on the level. As the old wooden walks broke or rotted, or the boards stolen for fire wood, the side runners were repaired and the space between filled with ashes from the mines until just before the turn of the century, the wooden side- walks had entirely been replaced by ash walks. It is re- called that in discussing the change from wood to ashes, one alderman made a motion in the city council : "Your Honor: I move that all the sidewalks in Eureka be paved with ashes". In the late '90 's. cement became popular and con- crete walks replaced both wood and ashes in the more im- portant streets. The city paid for them on certain streets while property-owners did so in other instances, but as of 1910 anon, many of the less traveled streets have had only grass-grown paths for walks. Concrete walks were built on Main Street about 1900 on both sides between the Alton Railway and Railroad Street, by William Davey of Wilmington. In .1901 the Kankakee Artificial Stone Co. built the walk on the Morth side of the street to Center. The walk on the South side of Main Street from Railroad Street to the City Hall was built by Frank Ghilain and "Gib" Longmuir about the same time. 36 THE BRAID WOOD STOEY BRICK BUILDINGS RECENT FACE-LIFTING OF ENTRANCE Old timers will hardly recognize the Eastern en- trance to the city's Main Street from the depot side. The only familiar brick building remaining as of 1956 is the old Broadbent Hotel, now in disuse. Forming the new entrance are the following new structures: (1) the attractive Sinclair Gas and Service Sta- tion of glazed tile on "B" and Main Streets, built in 1939, by the late Stephen Rossi; (2) To the East facing IT. S. Route No. 66 is a brick restaurant building, erected by Mr. Rossi in 1940 and operated by A\ 7 eitz Bros., famous restaura- teurs; (3) the Rossi Motel, a 16 unit brick building, one of the modern motels built by Peter and John Ros^i, in 1951. On the South side of Main Street is the new two- story brick structure, built in 1951 by Ernest Barnett and Sons, Francis, James, Kenneth and Raymond, containing restaurant upstairs and lounge on main floor. Among the better known brick buildings that are still in use as of this day (1956) are: On The South Side of Main Street : The MUSIC HALL, a well-built 44 by 70 feet struc- ture with a double store front, a full width and length hall upstairs and a 22 feet annex now containing the stairway to the upstairs ballroom and auditorium, was built in 1880 by a group of local stock holders who formed the Braid- wood Music Hall Company. The double stores on the ground floor were rented for years by the C. W. & V. Company store and the annex as the business office of the company and the pay office for the miners. When the Coal Company ceased their mining opera- tion in this area, the store buildings were occupied, first THE BRAID WOOD STORY 37 by the McCormick Department Store and then the Kramer Stores. The property was acquired by Braidwood Council No. 1574, Knights of Columbus in 1919, who remodeled the ground floor into club and lodge rooms, built an entrance to the upstairs in the annex and reversed the stage position in the theatre-dance hall. The property was sold to Dominic J. McElroy and in December 1946 he in turn sold it to Peter Rossi & Sons for use as a storehouse for the needs of the macaroni factory. The ODD FELLOWS HALL, a 2-story double front brick building on Main Street to the West of the Music Hall was built in 1876 by Banner Lodge I. 0. 0. P. The second floor was used as a lodge hall for years by such lodges as the Odd Fellows. Hibernians and Knights of Pythias and others. The ground floor accomodated two business places, now a garage and living apartments, owned by Raymond Sharp. THE MASONIC TEMPLE, a large brick veneer building, built in 1912 to replace a smaller wooden building, to accomodate the lodge activities of the Braidwood Lodge, A. F. & A. M. The ground floor has an assembly hall with service facilities; the upstairs contains the lodge meeting quarters. THE WILLIAM JACK and adjoining building, built about 1880, a two-story brick with two store fronts, one of which long occupied by the Win. Jack Hardware, the other by Stewart-Kimber-Kern-Cavanaugh-Gray-Reah meat mar- kets. Upstairs was the telephone exchange of the Bell Telephone Company until abandoned on the completion of the telephone robot. Now occupied by the Thirteen Club and the Comet Shop on the ground floor, operated by Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Neilsen, and living apartments upstairs. THE FALETTI-WETR-GREY triple brick building, two stories with living quarters upstairs. Now greatly en- 38 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY larged housing' the Grinchuck Clothing Factory, renowned makers of hoys clothing. THE BEAIDWOOD CITY HALL, built in 1885, a two-story structure with Council Chambers, City Clerk Office and Library upstairs, with jail and court room down stairs, on the ground floor. The Braidwood Volunteer Fire Department headquarters are now downstairs. The Eureka Coal Company's Company Store - John Doyle Parlor - Fassino & Cinotto General Store, now Dom J. McElroy storage, built in the early '70 's, one story brick with double- store front. On The North Side of Main Street: THE BROADBENT HOTEL - STEPHAN ROSSI STORE, at "B" Street a two-story building, built in 1870. UNION BRICK BLOCK The Union Brick Block which constitutes the principal business sector of the city, consists of about 10 brick business buildings on the North side of Main Street/ between Railroad and "B" Streets from ihe McArthur Building on ihe West to the Frick-Sieen building on the East. Built in 1885/ after fire destroyed ihe old wooden building about 1884, it was so called because the buildings have connecting walls. THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY 39 THE JACOBS-MOTTA-NAHAS 2-story building for business on the ground floor and living quarters up- stairs, built in 1888. THE WILLIAM CARLISLE BAKERY, one-story built in the early Seventies. Now serving as a dwelling. MAIN STREET LOOKING WEST FROM "B" STREET Showing the old Broadbent Hotel and Brick Block on the right and the Chilerio-Marca Tavern and home on the left. Time - Shortly after the first brick pavement was laid. BEAIDWOOD 'S BUSINESS STREETS and PLACES As platted by the Chicago and Wilmington Coal Company in 1865, with later additions by the Eureka Coal Company in I860, the city limits of Braidwood encompassed over four square miles of territory in the Northwest corner of Reed Township, Sections Five (5), Six (6), Seven (7), 40 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY and Eight (8), bordering the Will-Grundy County line on the West and the Reed- Wilmington Township line on the North, plus several small areas in Grundv County to the West. The entire area was subdivided into Lots and Blocks, except the greater portion of Section Six (6) where lay the C. W. & V. Coal Company farm. At first small and scattered business places sprang up around the different mines as the need arose, until a trend developed to concentrate the leading business places on three distinct business streets, namely : (1) Fifth Street (Lower Braidwood), (2) Division Street and (3) Main Street (The Grove). As might be expected under existing conditions, there were rapid changes in ownership of the many small shops, making it difficult to clearly identify them all at this late date. But the following will give the readers a general idea of the leading places in the three centers : BUSINESS STREETS AND PLACES FIFTH STREET (LOWER BRAIDWOOD) Being located nearest the earliest coal shafts, Fifth Street in Lower Braidwood naturally became Braidwood 's first business center. It is located one mile South of the North line of Reed Township, running East and West from East of the old Lower Braidwood School corner at Center Street to Monkey Robinson's Corner on the Will-Grundy County Line Road. Among the business places, as recalled before 1900, are : Keon's Place, Rezak's Cigar Shop, Roat Tavern, Connor Meat Market, Hlavin Grocery, Smolik Tavern, Hieleman Cigar Shop, Blecks Hardware, Dr. LeCoron THE BKAIDWOOD STORY 41 Drug Store, Joe Chavatal Place, Schurman Grocery, Grannv Rouse Candy Store, Davis Grocery, Lucca's Shoe Store, 'llynek Posta's Grocery, C. W. & V. Coal Co. Store, Godfrey Building, Simla's Bakery, Kolar Barber Shop, North Braidwood Fire Department, Daily Saloon, Reha Butcher Shop, Rossi Tinshop, Bohemian School, Petric Tailor Shop, Bohemian Ha.ll, First Catholic Church, Boyle Tavern, McElroy Saloon, Macacco Saloon, First Baptist (Colored) Church, Buckt own School, Yacca's Tavern, Ed Blandy Coal Yard, the Company Barns, Mrs. Slater's Store, Blaine Store, Joseph Poraatto Tavern and Monkey Robinson Corner. BOHEMIAN HALL Currently, 1956, only three business places remain, Stassney Tavern, Koca Store and Baber Tavern. 42 THE BRAID WOOD STORY DIVISION STREET This street runs North and South exactly one mile East of the Will-Grundy County line and was the second oldest business street in the community. The business places flourished thereon until shortly after the turn of the century. Among those recollected are : Anton J. Cermak's Homestead, Peter Rossi Maca- roni Factory, Bakery and Tin Shop, Macacco Tavern, Ber- gera Store, Ronchetti Tavern, Joseph Donna Custom Shoes, Rolando Tavern, West Side School, De Foresti Shoe Re pair Shop, Tony Ellena Hall and Tavern, Galetto's Photo Gallery, Division Street School, District 7, Stephen Faletti Store, Vincent Terando Tavern, Carney Saloon, Frank Bianchetii Tavern, Dixon Car Barns, Spirito Perino Tailor- shop, Malcolm Clark Barber Shop, Batista Querio Hall and Tavern, Conboy Car Barns, the West Side School, Curtis Ice (ream Parlor. Currently, 1956, all business places on Division Street have disappeared, excepting James & Al Tavern and the Frank Sinkuler and the Lawrence Bettendorf Welding Shops. MAIN STREET BUSINESS PLACES MAIN STREET runs west to the Will- Grundy County line from the railway depot of the G. M. & 0. Ry., formerly the Alton Railway and became the principal bus! ness center about 1870. Near the railway depot it swings Southeast to the South city limits and is called East Main. On or near it were the following places of memory: MAIN STREET— North and East Side— Pioneers WALKER— DO DROP INN C. & A. ROUNDHOUSE SHENK FLOUR MILL M. F. PELTIER, Flour & Feed WILL CO. COAL TIPPLE BROADBENT HOTEL C. & A. DEPOT ATTORNEY, WM. MOONEY'S OFFICE STEEN TAILOR SHOP FORD-WEBSTER GALLERY THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 43 (MAIN STREET — Pioneers - Cont.) WM. H. STEEN, Insurance CORNELIUS O'DONNELL, Shoes BARR'S EXPRESS OFFICE HYMES MILLINERY WM. & THOMAS CONNOR, Meat Market EDWARD DAWLEY, Jewelry ANTONE MATONE, Shoes HARRY MATONE, Shoe Repairing CARPENTER-MATONE MOVIE J. R. MARSH, Boots and Shoes DAN. J. O'CONNOR, Furnishings HUGH McLINDEN, Tavern JAMES McINANEY, Tavern DAN BARR, Drug Store WM. McGURK U. S. POST OFFICE FREEMAN-HYND-BARNETT, Newsstand NYE P. KEYS, Store NORA KINSLEY, Seamstress JAMES Mc ARTHUR, Parlor ART MILLER, Jeweler MAT MELCHOIR, Barbershop ROONEY DELEVENNE, Tavern FORESTERS OF AMERICA HALL BEN VEHREY, Store JOHN WALKER, Grocery CHARLES & "MISSOURI" * JACOBS, Clothing DAVID OLIVER, Barbershop PETER BARR & SONS O'DONNELL'S STORE JOHN RAY, Feeds DR. BACCHUS & ROMU3 ARNOLD PATTERSON BROS., Undertaking DUNCAN RANKIN, Grocery PATTERSON CITY SCALES PATTERSON BROS., Furniture PATTERSON LIVERY DOC PHILLIPS, Tavern JAMES A. SMITH, Drugs R. R. GREENE, Dentist ALEX HOWATT, Dentist JACOBS DRYGOODS & SHOES MOTTA DEPARTMENT STORE LAMPING TAILOR SHOP PAT VICARS, Barbershop JAMES B. HOWATT, Drygoods FREE GARDNER'S HALL MAJOR EDWIN WAKEFIELD, Justice of the Peace MINNIE DYER STORE TAYLOR BROS., Meat Market JOHN WALKER, Saloon & Boarding Stable MOFFATT-SHAUNNESSY, Meat Market J. H. WARD, Insurance CHARLES FRASCA, Cigars ROBERT VOIGHT, Cigar Shop THOS. L. FRANCIS, Insurance LOUIS FRASCA, SR., Tavern ELMER DIXON, Tavern FASSINO-CINOTTO STOREHOUSE POWERS & BAMRICK MERCHANDISE WM. CARLISLE, Bakery THOMAS MORAN, Grocery JOHN HIGGINS, Machinery CHEDISTER FOUNDRY WM. COX, Candies BATISTA PERONA, Saloon. ANTON MARCH, Tavern LONG-SHENK-EDWARDS EAKERY THOMAS O'NEIL, Shop DOMINIC BERTA, Blacksmith CHARLES CHAPIN, Cabinet Shop JOHN GARRITY, Store FASSINO-CINOTTO STORE FERGUSON-FERGUSON-BERTA, Livery I. O. O. F. HALL BLACKBURN-CUNNINGHAM-BOLATTO TAVERN MENIETTO STORE james Mclaughlin, store GIROT TAVERN TURAN STORE AIMONE TAVERN JOHN PROVINE, Saloon JOHN HALLEY, Tavern VINCENT TERANDO, Tavern FRANK MENIETTO, Saloon LOUIS VACCA, Store, Tavern & Hall FRANK BECKER, Tavern CAMANIA'S SALOON THOMAS JONES, Building MRS. MORRIS, Store WELCH CHURCH MRS. ENGLISH, Store JANE ADAMS, Store BLUETT TAVERN 44 THE BBAIDWOOD STORY MAIN STREET BUSINESS PLACES — Old (On South and West Sides) - East to West BELAND ICE HOUSE EAST SCHOOL (Abandoned 1954) BRQADBENT HOUSE ROSSI MACARONI FACTORY C. & A. COAL SHUTES ROBT. BURT SALOON WM. CAVALLO TAVERN ROSSI TAVERN B ALLENTINE-CHILORI - MARC A TAVERN ODELL-BENNETT-GHILAIN LUMBER YARD BLANDY (Commercial) HOTEL felton-odell bank music - k. of c. hall c. & w. coal co. store Mccormick - kramer store c. & w. coal co. office odd fellows hall w. b. higgins garage trumbull confectionery mike brennan tailor shop cottage hotel alex gordan - anthony costello TAVERN JOSOWITZ BARBER SHOP J. KAIN, Undertaking KAIN & SON FURNITURE KAIN LIVERY C. W. WINTERS, Hardware john b. Murray, Grocery PETER MORELLI, Fruit JILLSON GROCERY JOHN BAMBRICK, Tavern OLD MASONIC TEMPLE EDW. UTLEY, Tailor Shop WM. JACK, Hardware STEWART, CAVANAUGH, GRAY MARKET OLD POST OFFICE JAMES HYND MUSIC SHOP JOHN FALETTI STORE MRS. WEIR'S PARLOR MARTIN'S SHOE STORE CAMPBELL BARBER SHOP BRAIDWOOD BULLETIN OFFICE GEO. WAKEFIELD- AL PADEN, Printery WATSON'S DRUG STORE DR. ELDRED OFFICE "G SHAFT" CANDY SHOP (Mrs. Williamson) SIMON'S CLOTHING STORE JACK FREER, Hardware BOTTINO BROS. FRUITS TEMPERANCE HALL PATRICK GARRITY STORE & TAVERN EUREKA COAL CO. COMPANY STORE FASSINO & CINOTTO STORE JOHN DOYLE'S PARLOR PETER WENTZ CIGAR SHOP (Commodore) PATRICK KELLY SHOE STORE MICHAEL MOFFATT, Blacksmith BRAIDWOOD CITY HALL BRAIDWOOD LIBRARY M. DANDO'S OFFICE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH METHODIST CHURCH CATHOLIC CHURCH J. BAMBRICK, (Lamplighter) PETER DONNA TAVERN DAVID FRANCIS INSURANCE OFFICE MAIN STREET BUSINESS PLACES - Current, 1956 (On North Side - East to West) sylvan mfg. co. patterson funeral home Mcelroy garage joseph testa store BRAIDWOOD LUMBER CO. (Perkins) BARNETT GAS STATION STATE OF ILLINOIS MATERIALS STATION GULF, MOBILE & OHIO DEPOT WEITZ RESTAURANT ROSSI MOTEL ROSSI SERVICE STATION ROSSI STORE DR. W. C. FRICK TESSLER BARBER SHOP BARR'S STORE THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY 45 (MAIN STREET — Current, 1956 — Cont.) JACKSON'S HARDWARE AMERICAN LEGION HALL (Koca Post) STUTZ VARIETY STORE MECHATKA, Occulist Shop d. j. Mcelroy hall 'red" Mcelroy tavern magee sport goods u. s. post office dalziel clover farm store V. F. W. HALL, (Thos. Graham Post) MEMORIAL WORLD WAR 2, Vets M. J. DONNA'S OFFICE DAVITO'S FURNITURE STORE ED VOBORIL (Bender) BARBER SHOP AGAMY'S MARKET STATE BANK OF BRAIDWOOD NEILSEN PHARMACY MUSHRO LADIES SHOP NAHAS STORE DILLON TAVERN DILLON PACKAGE GOODS TENN-FLEMING STORE CRATER'S MARKET DIXON RESTAURANT DIXON TAVERN DR. R. SMYK DR. ALEX VITERI EAST SCHOOL (Abandoned (1954) JOE KELLY, Landscaping ROSSI MACARONI FACTORY BARNETT RESTAURANT BARNETT LOUNGE BROWN'S APARTMENTS FRANCIS INSURANCE AGENCY ROSSI STORAGE (Music Hall) SHARP'S GARAGE CHARPENTER STORE SULLIVAN INSURANCE OFFICE MASONIC TEMPLE THE 13 CLUB neilson's comet shop burt office building grinchuck clothing factory Mcelroy storage WORLD WARS, 1 and 2, Memorials CITY HALL BRAIDWOOD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. YOUTH CENTER FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH METHODIST CHURCH, Demolished 1956 CATHOLIC CHURCH CATHOLIC PARISH HALL DAVITO BOTTLED GAS BRAIDWOOD RACE TRACK In 1880, the 0. W. & V. Coal Company set aside 40 acres of land So-nth of the city limits on the East side of South Center Street, just East of the Stewart sandhill where is now located the tipple of the McJlnain Stripping Mine and on which the company helped to build one of the best half mile dirt tracks in this vicinity. To help finance the undertaking, each miner in the company's employe had One Dollar docked once from his wages and donations were accepted from businessmen, farmers and horse fanciers. The area was fenced in on the Center Street side in 1886, to permit the collection of a 15 or 25 cents entrance fee. The miners who had been 46 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY docked a Dollar towards the building of the track, refused to pay at the gate claiming' they were stockholders. In 1888 there was formed the Braidwood Driving Park Association of which John Belaud, Wilmington and Edelwiess beer distributor, was long the president and Daniel S. Barr its secretary and program chairman. It was long the scene of annual events by the As- sociation on July 4 and 5; by the Hibernians on August 15 and by the Foresters on Labor Day, with football and base- ball almost every Sunday of the year. At these events, fights were not uncommon over bets and umpire decisions. The track was in operation till .1915 when the As- sociation was liquidated and the land sold to Andrew Brown, II and at his death became the property of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Matone formerly of this city but now residents of Wilmington. THE BURLINGTON WAY From its inception as a community, Braidwood was fortunate in its location being on a direct line through the State from Chicago to St. Louis along the right of way of the Chicago and Alton Railroad, from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi Valley. With the advent of the automobile at the turn of the present century it was traversed by several marked routes along the Alton right-of-way, notably by the Burlington Way operated by the Burlington Way Association of which more than 100 local residents were members. The Burlington Way followed the twisting township lines through the State from the Southwest, through St. Louis, Springfield, Bloomington, Braidwood and Joliet to Chicago, with yellow and black markings on posts, trees, bridge walls and other convenient places. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 47 the route became designated as Illinois Route No. 4 and when in 1922 it was paved along the East side of the Alton tracks here, it became Illinois Route No. 4 and later IJ. S. Highway No. 66. When a better highway was paved on the west side of the Alton tracks to become U. S. Highway No. 66, the highway East of the Alton tracks was named U. S. Route 66 A. As the highway became inadequate to handle the growing traffic a New U. S. Route 66 was built in 1956 just West of town and the former U. S. 66 was named Illinois Route No. 59 from Plainfield through Braidwood and Braceville to Gardner. Illinois Route No. 118 South traverses the Main Street of Braidwood from Morris to Kankakee on the South and West side of the Kankakee River. The Burlington Way Association disbanded when the State of Illinois took over the task of designating the highways. BRAIDWOOD CITY LIMITS When incorporated in 1873 and to about 1900, the Braidwood city limits encompassed over four square miles of territory in Sections 5-6-7 & 8 in Reed Township, plus two small sectors in Grundy County. One of these was only an acre lot West of the Will- Grundy County line where it intersects the Reed-Wilming- ton township line. It was known as Graff's Corner. Mr. Graff wanted to operate a tavern there and arranged to annex his property to the City of Braidwood in order to get such a license. For the same reason, an area along the same county line at the West extension of Lower Braidwood or Fifth 18 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY Street was annexed about 1880. This became rather a busy sector, with business places on the four corners, locally known as Monkey Robinson's Corner, named after one of the property owners whose nickname was "Monkey."" In the first two decades of the present century, property owners in outlying parts of the city petitioned the city to be permitted to disconnect themselves from the city because they were not provided with water, lights, and other facilities. Practically all of Section Six and the North three quarters of Section Five withdrew reducing the city area to about two and a quarter square miles. However the downward trend was recently reversed because of the extensive home building trend on the out- skirts, particularly to the Southwest of the city limits, following World War II. Plotted into Blocks and Lots and annexed by the City Commissioners was the triangular area South of Reed Road from Center to Division Street to the Alton Railroad and the Federal and State Route No. 66 in Section 19, Reed Township and also approxi- mately 40 acres in the East V> of the Northeast quarter of Section 18, South of Reed Road and West of Division Street. The Annexation was completed January 24, 1956, which restores the Braidwood area to about 4 square miles. POLITICAL Politically, Braidwood and Reed Township were al- ways strong Republican but in the last two or three general elections (1956) both went Democratic because of the influx of Southern voters. This city held the balance of power in the county in the early '80 's, because of its very large voting population, only men having the right to vote in those days. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 49 It was the author's early contention that many of our English-speaking* residents did not take the trouble of be- coming naturalized citizens, as did the other Europeans like the Italians, Bohemian, Belgic and German. Those who spoke English first voted at school elections where little or no attention was given to the eligibility to vote, though the non-English-speaking folks were closely checked before given a ballot. The result was that quite a number of these English- speaking people had never bothered to become official citi- zens, but continued to exercise citizen's rights through their continuous voting. Some even were elected to offices. Quite notable in this classification was the case of Judge McCullough, who voted and served here for years, moved to Joliet and was elected as a Justice of the Peace there, only to be challenged in his later years (the 1920 's) and found that he had never regularly become an American Citizen. Braidwood twice chose two of the three members of the Illinois Legislature from this congressional district, the first two being Daniel McLaughlin and Win. Moore, in 1885, and the second couple, Joseph Kain and Wm, II. Steen. Attorney Wm. Mooney served several times in the Legislature, being the author of the statute permitting cities to divert some of their saloon license money into the empty coffers of our schools. POLITICS John W. Walker, a Braidwood born youngster, crippled by polio after moving to Joliet, was several times elected to the Legislature, as was Louis P. Bottino, whose 50 THE BRAID WOOD STORY father was born here, became a member of the Illinois Legislature in November, 1956, after moving' from here as the High School principal, to take a similar position in Lockport. SHORT AND LONG TERM MAYORS James Crichton served longest as city mayor, from 1918 to 1939, while M. J. Donna served shortest term. May to October, 1917, resigning to assume the duties of payroll clerk in the office of Andrew Russell, Auditor of Public Ac- counts in Springfield, 111. BRAID WOOD'S ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER PLANT Braidwood was one of the first towns in its vicinity to build and operate a municipal light and power plant and one of the last to surrender to the giant utility octopus, now the Northern Illinois Public Service Company. Its plant was built in 1894 under the supervision of Charles Stowell, its engineer. At the time of its sale to the Illinois Valley Gas and Electric Company in 1910, for the sum of $10,000.00, Ered E. Bohem, who served long as plant engineer, was in charge. He also long served the purchaser as district superintendent. Red Tony Marca was city treasurer and James Weir, the city clerk at the time of the sale. Charles Monroe and Joseph Ray represented the buyers in the deal. Among the firemen who provided the power for both the light and water departments, were: William Hardy, John Tessiatori, George Peyla, Joseph Ellena and John Trousil. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 51 % . m CITY'S LIGHT AND POWER PLANT BUILT IN 1894 Wm. Hardy, Assisiani Engineer; Charles Siowell, Engineer in Chief and John Tessiaiori, Firemen. (Courtesy of Miss Bernadine Tessialori) FIRES As might be expected, since most of the homes and business places were built of wood, fires were quite frequent and usually most destructive. It is impossible to record all fires but here are some of the most memorable ones. The Joseph Messersmith fire, December 8, 1993, was one of the worst in the city's history, resulting in the death of three persons. It destroyed several wooden stores West of the Eldred two story brick building, on the South side UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY 52 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY of Main Street, almost to Center Street anions; which were the old Freer Hardware, the Simon Clothing Store and the Messersmith Meat Market. Those who met their death therein, were Mrs. Joseph Messersmith and daughter Florence, and Frank Messer- smith, a brother-in-law. Mr. Joseph Messersmith, who was out of town the night of the fire, first came to Braidwood about 1900 to se]l a large herd of bronco horses and then opened a meat market. Fire had also destroyed the wooden stores on the North side of Main Street on which was later built the Union Brick Block, between Railroad and "B" Streets. Later another fire destroyed all the wooden buildings on the South side of Main Street, between the Win. Jack and Stewart brick building and the brick building now housing the Grinchuck Clothing Factory After the turn of the century occured what is known as the Jellin fire, that destroyed the buildings on the South side of Main Street, East of the Masonic Temple. On Lower Braidwood 's Fifth Street, fire broke out in one of the string of stores on the North side, West of School Street in 1898, destroying the Frank Bleeks Hard- ware Store, the Jirosuk home but also the Lower Braid- wood Fire House and all its firefighting equipment. Fire destroyed the "J" mine tipple, two Catholic Churches, the parish house after the turn of the century. GASOLINE EXPLOSION AND FIRE Alexander McElroy, aged 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex McElroy, received fatal burns in one of Braidwood's most disastrous gasoline explosions and fires on the day after Thanksgiving in 1931. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 53 Pie was employed as manager and distributor of oil products through the environs of Braidwood for the Ander- son Oil Company, whose plant was located on the North- east corner of "B" and Main Streets, where the Eossi- Sinclair Service Station now stands. He was unloading a tank car of gasoline into one of the several large storage tanks on the premises when a spark started a fire. In attempting to put out the fire, flames ignited his clothes and friends attracted by the fire, climbed the high mesh fence and pulled him free, but too late. That was in the early afternoon and he died about midnight. Shortly afterwards, the spreading fire ignited the gas in the tank car, causing an explosion that sent a mush- room cloud thousands of feet into the air, from which drops of gasoline fell like rain. Hundreds of onlookers rushed to safety when the explosion occured. Luckily, all the gasoline drops were not ignited and the only other injury was to the author, a self-appointed policeman who had attempted to keep back the brave ones from approach- ing too near the fire. He was knocked down and trampled underfoot by the retreating braves, for his thoughtfnlness. The plant was dismantled by the owners after the explosion. HOUSE MOVING Most of the early miners' homes were built of wood to better withstand the effects of the gradual sinking of the surface as the land settled after the coal strata was re- moved beneath and to render them more easily moved from camp to camp as was the custom when the owners changed places of employment. By the early '80 's, as mining operations moved westerly and Northwesterly, many of the Braidwood homes were moved to Diamond, Coal City, "La Quaya" or Eileen and Carbon Hill, including many business buildings. 54 THE BRAID WOOD STORY Notable is Walker's "Dew Drop Inn-' which was built on the Southeast corner of East Main and Front Street where the Standard Oil Station (Don (Red) MeElroy) now stands. It was long operated as a tavern and was peculiar because its entrance was in the corner of the structure in- stead of its side 01* front, bearing its name prominently on a little tower at the front. In its new location in Carbon Hill, seven miles away, it continued to house the village's leading tavern for years. House moving reached its height when the 0. W. & V, Coal Co. abandoned its coal mining operations here in 1899 and 1900, transferring them to South Wilmington, in Grundy County, nine miles away. Induced by mine officials who promised steadier work and better working- conditions, hundreds of Braidwood miners and some busi- nessmen followed the company of the "new toWn" as South Wilmington was first known, moving their homes there. Old citizens estimate that nearly all of the first 100 homes there came from either Braidwood, or Braceville or Clarke City. Specialists in the house-moving business were John Burns and Bobbie Cox, Jonathan Hurst and his two sons, John Willie and Joseph", later Mayor of Braidwood. The procedure was as follows: first the chimneys were torn down brick by brick to prevent their tumbling off on the rough trip overland and across streams and railways. Then with strong jacks under the foundation sills, the building would be raised four to six feet to permit the insertion of heavy trucks under the full length of the build- ing. The jacks would be unwound to lower the structure to rest precariously on tlie trucks. Six to eight strong teams, each with their" own driver would be hitched to the truck and the horses pulling in unison would haul the build- ing several miles daily, requiring about 2 days to complete the trip. The most perilous part of the trip was the THE BRAID WOOD STORY 55 crossing of the Mazon River about a half mile South of the Alton's Mazonia tower. Some chose to have their .homes moved by the cable and capstan method to safeguard the plastering. A capstan would be staked about 1000 feet ahead and with a long steel cable attached to the loaded truck, a team of horses would turn the capstan and wind- ing around it the cable and slowly moving the house for- ward. This was a slower and safer way of moving and would take about a week to complete the journey. On reaching its new home site, the building would again be jacked up, the trucks removed and lowered to its new foundation. The chimneys would be rebuilt, using the same bricks which had been cleaned and salvaged for that purpose. When traveling through the city, the chief electrician or his assistant would accompany the building being moved, often climbing to the peak of the roof to lift wires and street lamps over the moving building. It is estimated that during the last two decades of the Nin- teenth Century more than 500 homes and store buildings were thus moved to the West of the original town of Braid- wood. WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL Braidwood was the first community in Will County to erect a memorial to the veterans of World War II. It was planned by the Author and erected on the lot by the side of his office on Main and Railroad Streets and dedicated with suitable public ceremonv on November 15, 1942. Assisting in the erection of the memorial which con- sists of a horseshoe-shaped stone parapet sloping towards Main Street, were John N. Ghilain and Joseph Tryner, stone masons and Carl Edmundson, trucker and other volunteer citizens, fathers of the servicemen. At the base of a 30-ft. flag pole is a large red, white and blue letter 56 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY "V" and on the plaque on the pole are the words: ''Honor ing the 215 Braidwood Veterans of World War II. " At the two tips of the mound are placed concrete urns in which seasonal flowers are placed each summer by Mrs. Esther Patterson. In the winter, the Author places emblems of the American Legion and the Y. F. W. in the urns. The memorial was suitably dedicated on November 15, 1942. A long parade preceeded the dedicatory services headed by the 60-piece Rockdale School Band, followed by war veterans with their colors, and hundreds of school children and citizens. M. J. Donna was master of cere- monies at the program that featured the event. The large American flag, donated by the Braidwood Rotary Club , is flown on holidays. (FOR PICTURE, SEE CUT UNDER "INDUSTRIES") CHAPTER 2 DISCOVERY OF COAL Discovery Development Unionization Stripping The accidental discovery of COAL underneath the surface in the region afterwards named BRAIDWOOD, stirred the community as never before and started an in- dustry that lasted over a half century, making Braidwood renowned throughout the state, the nation and Europe. The coal vein was small, but loomed large in the minds of the early settlers and operators. It averaged about 3% feet thick, with many faults, but easily accessible, lying but 60 to 100 feet beneath the surface, with the coal vein dip- ping towards the Southwest, and outcropping to the North and East of Braidwood. A water well becomes a coal mine, the first in the Braidwood region. In 1864, William Hennebry of Wil- mington, contracted to dig a water well on the Thomas Byron farm in the N. E. y± of Section No. 5, Meed Town- ship. On hitting solid rock without finding suitable water, 58 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY a drilling machine was used to seek water at a lower level. At a depth of about 65 feet, the drill penetrated a coal seam. The "Water Well" as it was called, was widened and con- tinued through the sandrock and soapstone to the coal by a hastily-formed company of pioneers. Coal mining began that winter. The newly formed mining company sank a fuil-size shaft about a hundred feet East of the' "Water Well", later termed the "Coal Well" during the next spring and completed the first dee]) mine in this locality. The "Water and Coal Well" were utilized as the "Escape and Air" shaft; thus began the coal mining industry here, by the deep-mine method, "long wall mining", that brought to this locality and vicinity, thousands of fine people from a dozen or more civilized countries that accounted for the fine reputation of the people of the Braidwood coal field. Starting with a "Coal Well" that developed into a "COAL MINE", over 50 other deep mines were sunk in this vicinity, some so small as to be operated by man-power, as were the "gin mines" operated by the late George ("Pig Iron") Woods, who acted as digger, car pusher, hoisting engineer and salesman; the slightly larger mines where a horse and capstan provided the hoisting power and finally the larger ones equipped with the latest in steam engines and operating machinery. Coal mining reached its peak in the Braidwood area in 1872 with increasing production until the '80 *s, when the big operators, after gaining invaluable experience here, as well as big interest on their investment, moved first to adjoining communities, and later to Central and Southern Illinois, where thicker and more easily-mined coal veins prevail. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 59 The State of Illinois took an early interest in the de- velopment of coal mining in our area, sometimes also known as the Wilmington or Third Vein Field, and sent its leading- geologists to explore the surrounding territory, study existing mining practices and the preparation of the mined coal for domestic use, firing of railroad and stationary steam engines. Among the early State officials attracted to the Braidwood coal fields was State Geogolist G. I). Wilbur, who appeared on the scene shortly after coal was discovered. He later resigned his position with the State to devote his full time and ability in promoting the many possibilities that he visioned. He organized one of the earliest com- panies, managed some of the biggest mines in the late sixties and seventies. 60 THE BRAID WOOD STORY JOHN P. MITCHELL Braidwood born and life-long miner who led in the organisation of the United Mine Workers of America and served ten years as its National President (1899 - 1908). (Courtesy John L. Lewis, President United Mine Workers.) THE BRAID WOOD STORY 61 JOHN MITCHELL ''Father of the Miners' Union" Born in Braidwood, Illinois, February 4, 1870, son of Robert and Martha Halley Mitchell. His father was killed when Mitchell was six. He attended the Braidwood school, went to work on a farm when he was ten and in the local mines at the age of thirteen. In 1885, he joined the Knights of Labor, then the leading workmen's nnion in the country. Next year, aged 16, he left home to work in the mines in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, later returning to live in Spring Valley, Illinois, where in 1891 he married Miss Catherine O'Rourke, daughter of a coal miner. To the union was born three sons, James, Richard and Robert. In 1890, when the United Mine Workers of America was formed, he joined. He started to read law under a local attorney, but discontinued in 1896, when he became elected Sub-district Secretary-Treasurer of Local District 12, (Northern Illinois, including Braidwood). He later went to Springfield, Illinois, as the legislative representative of the Union. In 1897, he became a member of the Executive Board of State District 12, and did valiant work in orga- nizing the miners in Southern Illinois and in Kentucky. He was elected Vice-President of the Union in 1898 at Columbus, Ohio convention and at the Pittsburg, Pa. convention in 1899, he was unanimously elected President, the fifth in line, to serve 10 years, declining re-election at the 1908 national convention. As president, his outstand- ing accomplishment besides enlarging the membership in the bituminous field, was his success in leading a. long- remembered strike in the anthracite field of East Pennsyl- vania and organized the miners there into three districts, Nos. 1, 7 and 9. 62 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY At the peak of his career, aged 49, he died in New York City, September 9, 1919, following an operation for relief from gall stone attacks. He is buried in Scranton, Pa., his latest home, with funeral from St. Peter's Catholic Cathedral, and interment in the Cathedral Cemetery, where the Union has built an imposing Memorial Monument. Though persistent efforts were made by Illinois Local No. 1 in Braidwood to get the National Union to build a small and appropriate monument on the lot where he was born, nothing along that line has been done, and probably will never be. After the death of his father, his mother married Robert Smith, bearing three half brothers and a half sister to Mitchell, namely Robert "Babe" Smith of Braidwood baseball fame, Archibald and Walter Smith, and Belle Edwards. NOTP] : The facts given above were supplied by John L. Lewis, presently President of the United Mine Workers of America, long a personal friend of M. J. Donna, the author, when he was unable to obtain information or photo from living descendants. The photo was also obtain- ed from the same leading personality. LEADING COAL MINING COMPANIES Immediately after the sinking of the first deep mine in 1864, locally called the "Coal Well", numerous groups, mostly newcomers with more hope than finances, formed companies and planned mines to reap the expected coal har- vest. The earliest was the company of miners and small capitalists who bought the struggling "Coal Weil" firm, did succeed in hoisting considerable coal, developing under- ground workings, but none too profitably, with the result that operations ceased after a few short months. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 63 Tn the early 1880 's, seven mining companies operated coal mines here, employing' 2180 men to produce about 700,000 tons of good steam coal annually. The 3 foot coal strata was reached at a depth of 60 feet in the northern part of the city to 90 or more feet in the southern section as th^ vein sloped to the southwest. THE CHICAGO AND WILMINGTON COAL COMPANY This well-financed firm was the earliest, largest and the longest term operator of deep mines in the Braidwood field. Composed of Boston financiers, it first purchased the Eagle Mine near the Alton Depot, and changed its name to the k *A" Mine. In all, it purchased or sank 18 different mines in this vicinity, not including those in South Wilming- ton in the early years of the Twentieth Century. One early company headed by J. D. Bennett, M. B. Kilbourn and 0. L. Whitcomb, started a larger mine, got into financial straits, too, and sold its holdings to the Chi- cago and Wilmington Coal Company, composed of Boston, Mass. capitalists, of which J. M. Walker was president and A. T. Hall, treasurer. This firm also got possession of several other independent mines and purchased most of the land and mineral rights in the Northern half of Reed Township. It platted the land into blocks and lots, filing the plat in 1865 in the County Recorder's Office in Joliet. The lots, minus the mineral rights, were sold to miners as homesites and to others for business lots. The C. W. & V. Company operated altogether 18 deep mines in this vicinity and gave to them alphabetical names from "A" to "R" before transferring their opera- tion to South Wilmington and Thayer, Illinois. Its first mine, the "A" was purchased in 1866 from a group of local miners and businessmen. It was located just West of where Main Street crosses the Alton Railroad. It had a 64 THE BEAIDWQOD STOEY shute that supplied coal direct from the mine cars to the tender of engines on the Alton main and side tracks. The "B" mine was not far from the "Coal Well" mine, the "C", "D", and "E," on a direct line North and South along the railroad spur and deep ditch through Lower Braidwood, the "E" being one block north of Main Street on "E" Street. No one seems to remember the exact location of the "F" mine, the conclusion being that it was a small operating mine that was closed down shortly after its purchase by the C. W. & V. The "G" and "H" mines were the largest operated in the city, located West of Division Street; the "I", in the northern part of the city; the "J" in the extreme north- western part of Section 6; the "K" in Godley; the "L" was in the northeastern part of Section 6; the "M" in Godlev; the "N" in Wilmington Township, north of State Route 113 South, the "0", "P" and "E" just west of the Braidwood city limits, in Grundy County, and the "Q" south of the city limits near the old Braidwood racetrack. In the late 70 's, the several mines operated within the city limits employed 700 miners, producing approxi- mately 350,000 tons of coal annually, with heaviest out- put in the winter months. By far the greatest portion of the output was shipped to Chicago and to markets in the northwest in the 300 company-owned cars and in railroad flat and box cars. The C. W. &■ V. Coal Company ceased its coal mining activities locally about 1900. In 1871, the firm consolidated with the Vermilion Coal Co. of Streator, Illinois, where it also operated mines, forming the $2,000,000 Chicago, Wilmington & Vermilion Coal Company with change in name. On proceeding to the 6 to 8 foot coal veins in Southern Illinois, the name was again changed in 1914 to the Chicago, Wilmington & Frank- lin Coal Company, building several of the largest deep mines in Illinois. In Orient Mine No. 3 in 1928, broke THE BRAID WOOD STORY 65 all records to date, hoisting 15,174 tons of coal in a day, sufficient to load or fill 375 railway carloads. J. M. Walker of Chicago, was the company's first president, 1866-1880, followed by Francis Bartlett, Nathan - ial Thayer, Sr., & Jr., A. L. Sweet, T. A. Lemmon, Eugene V. Thayer, President of the Chance National Bank of N. Y. City, after whom the village of Thayer, south of Spring- field, Illinois, was named and where its first southern mine was sunk in 1891; L. R. Buchanan and George B. Harring- ton. The company abandoned the Braidwood field in 1900. THE EUREKA COAL COMPANY Next in size of operation in the early coal -mining days was the Eureka Coal Company, successor to the Rhodes Coal Company. Between 1865 and 1890, it sank and operated four mines in the southwestern part of the city of Braidwood, shipping many thousands of tons of coal an- nually to distant markets. William Maltby, an immigrant from England came to Braidwood in December, 1866, was its first and long- time superintendent of mines. The company employed from 400 to 450 miners and supervised the shipment of from 75 to 80 carloads daily, capacity from 12 to 15 tons each, — a commendable achievement in the coal mining annals of that day. Its peak production in the hustling seventies was 120,000 tons annually. A. B. Meaker was the company's president, W. L. Brown, its treasurer, H. Pratt, the Secretary and George L. Dunlap, A. P. Rhodes and Perry H. Smith, directors. There were quite a number of independent firms, hastily formed and poorly financed that sank mines and operated them for short periods, but forced to close down for lack of operating capital. Among them were the Star 66 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY Coal Company, the Crumbie Mines, the Crichton Mines and the Broady Company which is an example of the condition that prevailed. Its mine was located south of the City Limits of Braidwood, near where is located the present tipple of the Wilmington Coal Mining Corporation, (the McElwain strip mine) in section 17 of Reed Township. At one time it employed over 100 miners, but soon started operating in the red with the result that one morning the miners on reporting for work found a notice at the cage landing to the effect that the company had gone into bank- ruptcy. They also learned to their sorrow that the officers had scattered to parts unknown, leaving the workers "hold- ing the bag" for unpaid wages due them for the past months work. This incident gave rise to a common saying in this area, concerning unpaid debts of any kind, — ''I'll pay when Broady pays". THE SHAMROCKS — Courtesy of James Krahulec THE SHAMROCKS When the larger companies abandoned the Braid- wood field in 1900, a very important local firm was organ- THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 67 ized and successfully took over raining operations in Braidwood. It was the Murphy, Linskey & Kasher Coal Company, of which John Murphy was president, Patrick Linskey, secretary, and Thomas Kasher, treasurer. The firm sank and operated four mines, called The Shamrocks, until the company, too, abandoned this field and went to Pontiac, Illinois, about 1916 tfs %"?* OSWALD & YOUNG GIN MINES — Courtesy of James Krahulec THE GIN MINES In early days any man with money enough to pay for digging- a deep well had himself a coal mine. These small mines were called "Gins'' because of their simple hoisting devices and lack of railroad sidings, selling their output to the wagon trade. Both the first and the last deep mine in this area were termed "gins". Among the owners of such mines as recalled, were: Messers Joyce, Dan O'Connor, Haley, Joseph Kelly, James McManus, G. Criuse, Wm. Keevers, G. Charlier, Charles McDermott, Robt. Crichton, Jack Stewart, David Young and William Oswald. 68 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY THE RELIANCE OR DREW COAL COMPANY At the turn of the century, a group of capitalists from Joiiet formed a coal mining company, including many local mine leaders as stockholders, for the purpose of de- veloping a large tract of virgin coal land southwest of the city limits. The new firm sank two mines, the first in Section 7, west of Division Street and South of Reed Road. Equipped with the most modern mining machinery, mil- lions of tons of good coal were mined and shipped to foreign markets, but with poor working conditions and too much water to contend with, operations ceased after about five years and a new mine was sunk in Section 17, west of the Braidwood race track and East of Division Street, a venture doomed to failure after a few years, because of the same adverse operating conditions. Locally, the two mines were known as The Reliance Mines or the Drew Mines, because the leading promoter was the late Samuel J. Drew, long time Probate Judge of Will County and former coal miner of Braidwood. Among the local men actively engaged in the firm's operations were Llewellyn Rogers, Braidwood 's many times mayor, who was the company's mine manager; James (Cully) Barrowman, County Mine Examiner, and Ered Reed, assistant boss. After a struggling existence of about two years, the owners surrendered to the competition of the coal shipped from the bigger mines in the Southern part of the State. OTHER MINES AND COMPANIES MALTBY MINES After retiring from the Eureka Coal Company, William Maltby and sons sank and operated two mines on the John Joyce property and went out of business when thev sank a wet shaft which was unworkable. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 69 BRAIDWOOD COAL COMPANY It sank two mines, known as the Crumby mines just East of Center Street, one to the North and one to the South of Fifth Street. THE HUNTER MINE This was in Wilmington Township, just North of Illinois Route 113, in what was later the Simla property. THE BROAD Y MINE Near the high sand hill, West of the Braidwood Race Track, on what was later the Thomas Strachan farm. KELLY AND PATTERSON MINE North of First Street and East of Center Street near the Jane Henneberry home. BUCHANAN COAL CO. Sank by Mr. Buchanan, who later sank and success- fully operated several mines in Coal City. These mines here were near the old James Steen home and the other near the Lower Braidwood School. THE THISTLE MINE Located Southeast of the Alton Depot, and sank by Riley and Moffat. BOB CRICHTON MINE SKINNER'S SLOPE MINE In 1928, shortly after closing down their mining operations in Torino, four miles South of Braidwood in the extreme Southwest, Will County and Reed Township, The 70 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY Skinner Brothers tried an inovation in reaching the coal seam by means of a slope rather than a straight down shaft. That oddity in local mines was just North of the Eeed Wil- mington Township line, less than 1,000 feet from the area's first mine, The Coal Well. The slope ran at about a 33 degree angle from the surface to the coal 65 feet below the surface, the slope being about 200 feet long It was operated but a short time and was abandoned when the owners purchased the Oswald and Young "Gin" mine nearby, only to sell all their holdings to the Northern Illinois coal stripping company. STEIKES The miners were not organized and the operators none too liberal in the early days It seems to have been the policies of the coal companies to get coal dug at the lowest possible cost per ton and under conditions that made coal mining one of the worst occupations. In the early days, the average pay to coal diggers seldom exceeded seventy-five (75c) a ton, with frequent dockage for unclean coal. They faced a cut of 10 or 15 cents a ton in the summer when coal was in poor demand. The average output per miner was from 2% to 3 tons daily, 10 or more hours, totaling from $12 to $15 weekly during the steady work periods in the winter and only half as much in the slack summer months. When the summer cuts were announced, strikes were frequent. Miners would leave their families to suffer through on their meager savings, going to cities to seek employment, which was often hard to find. When they did find work in other lines, many moved their families away at the permanent loss to the community. Strikes threatened every spring. The most disas- trous was the strike of 1877 when the operators offered a THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 71 reduction of from 15 to 25 cents per ton. The miners unanimously refused the cut, and called a strike that lasted the longest in Braidwood's mining- history. With the ap- proach of cooler weather in the fall, the operators relented, offered a higher tonnage pay that was not satisfactory, and the strike continued. The coal companies retaliated by importing 300 "black legs" from Virginia and other Eastern states. These strike-breakers were not experienced miners and were employed as day laborers at a pay of approxi- mately $1.00 for a 10-hour day. Production decreased abnormally while the per ton cost increased manyfold. The strike continued while the operators went deeper in the red. Trouble soon arose between the striking whites and the ''blacklegs". Brawls were frequent and soon got out of hand. To escape the ugly situation, many white and colored workers left for other parts, most never to return. Bitter class feelings became uglier daily until the Will County Sheriff prevailed on the Hon. George Cullom, Governor of Illinois, to call 1,300 militiamen to stop rioting and restore peace. A portion of the contingent remained around the mines for over a month. Governor Cullom personally visited the city at the height of the struggle and pleaded with the white miners for peace and understanding, — a peaceful return to work. "Old Man Winter" was the final peacemaker. The opera- tors upped their per-ton pay offer and agreed to discharge most of the dollar-a-day, inexperienced help, thus inducing the striking miners who were left to return to work. This and other strikes that followed made the miners conscious of the need of united action for their protection. Local miners' unions were hastily formed as strikes de- 72 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY veloped without fully accomplishing their objectives. Nearly every summer saw disturbances of greater or lesser magnitude. Troops were again ordered to Braidwood in May, 1889 when disturbances occured in what was probably Braidwood 's second worse strike. A company of the Illi- nois National Guard of Joliet, under the command of Colonel Fred Bennett, was rushed to the coalfields when a strike leader locally known as "Garibaldi", from Clarke City, led a group of striking miners to the "J" mine, damaged the tipple and dumped empty mine cars down the shaft. Peace was soon restored, the militia withdrew as the Fall months approached with the enlarged markets for coal and a softening of the hearts of the operators who met the miners' per ton and per day demands. These periodic disturbances did much to solidify the miners in demands for united action to protect their in- terests, with the result that Braidwood miners deserve much credit for the unionization movement that finally brought about the organization of the United Mine Workers of America, which was destined to become the largest union in the country. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 73 WILLIAM D. RYAN A founder of the United Mine Workers of America., of which he served long as District, State and National Secretary-Treasurer. Born in Braidwood, March 2, 1861, died Nov. 17, 1949. 74 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY BRAIDWOOD 'S MINERS' UNIONIZATION ACTIVITIES Braidwood is credited with being one of the early "Cradles of Miners' Unionism". Incidentally, the author was a member of an early union in 189.3, but never a leader. The pay of the company hands was miserable in the early days, as low as 90 cents for a 10- hour day for mule drivers. The pay of the actual diggers was pitiful, seldom more than fiO to 70 cents per ton of coal mined, with frequent and unreasonable dockages. The work was laborious, dangerous and most unsteady. The average earnings of miner, were less than $1.50 a day, with seldom more than 200 out of 300 possible workdays a year. Strikes for better pay and improved working con- ditions were frequent, and often nasty. Every summer saw some disturbance, many of which were encouraged by the mine owners during the slack summer days, borne strikes were very serious, lasting for months, necessitating the appointment of Soliciting Committees to go begging for food and clothing in friendly cities, and Distributing Committees to parcel out the donations to nearly starving, poorly clad miners' families. Very few strikes were ever won, but with unending efforts to obtain better living wages and living conditions, their cause finally won public support-in some cases even that of the operators. As a result, tbe unionization move- ment made friends and leaders. In the Braidwood area, including Braceville, Coal City, Carbon Hill, butfrenville. Diamond, Clarke City and Tracey, there developed a croup of determined leaders, who had learned unionism the hard way, and cooperating with similar leaders m other fields in the State and nation brought about the successful organization of the United Mine Workers of America m 1890. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 75 Among the early leaders who helped form the na- tional union, to mention but a few were: John Mitchell, Braidwood born, who later served as president of U.M.W. of A. for 10 years and is familiarly called "The Father of the Miners' Union"; William D. Ryan, Braidwood born, who long served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the union, local, State and Nationel; John Walker, later of Car- bon Hill and Braceville, who served several terms as State President, and Alex Howatt. long president of the Kansas Miners' Union. DIAMOND MINE DISASTER The sympathy of the entire world cnme to the Braid- wood area in the winter of 1883, when the most disastrous event in the annals of coal mining in America up to that time befell the Diamond Mine, located just west of the Will- Grundy County Line, only a few hundred yards beyond the extreme Northwest corner of the Braidwood City limits, a catastrophe involving scores of Braidwood and Diamond families. The mine workers were less than 70 feet below a flat surface that was frequently flooded by rains and thawing snow to a depth of several feet, for acres around the mine shaft. Here are extracts from the official re- port of the State Bureau of Labor Statistics, Springfield, 111., James E. Lord Secretary, as supplied the author by Attorney D. N. Bash, of the Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company : "For several days prior to the 16th day of February, 1883 there had been a general thaw in the environs of Braidwood and the Diamond Mine, accompanied by warm rains, flooding the entire area in the North- western part of the City to a depth of one to three feet. Such conditions were not infrequent and caused 76 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY no undue alarm, except that some of the superinten- dents of several of the affected mines prohibited miners to enter their mines and to order out those who had gone below, before the boss' arrival. But not so in case of the ill-fated Diamond Mine. "About 11 o'clock that morning, the 'eager' at the bottom of the main shaft, discovered an unusual amount of water flowing to the bottom, sent an alarm to the surface, and to the one hundred or more miners in their workings, by the mule drivers, but too late in many cases. The water rose so fast as to block the valleys in the roadways and closing tight the trap- doors, trapping the struggling miners like so many rats. Help was summoned from miners in nearby mines and miners who had not reported for work, fear- ing something like this might happen, townspeople generally, the volunteer fire departments and rescue squads in the whole area, but there was little that they could do to placate the agony and woe oi ? the miners' wives and mothers who quickly gathered at the mine's mouth looking in vain for loved ones. "In those days, it was the practice to sink the main shaft in the dip or lowest point of the coal strata in the area to be mined, so that all the water would ac- cumulate in the sum}) at the bottom from which the water was pumped to the surface. This generally accepted principal of mine construction in the case of the Diamond Mine disaster caused the greatest loss of lives in mining history to that date. "The depth of the main shaft was 81 feet, that of the air shaft, 68 feet, from which high spot many made their lucky escape up the air shaft ladder. Mr. David Skinner, the pit boss, supervised every known means of resuce. He descended into the main shaft and found only water and black damp. He warned against THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 77 any further rescue attempts from that angle. Herman Unger and Blazius Shatzel were able to enter part way into the escape shaft, but never returned. "James Glasgow was the check weighman at the mine tipple and Mr. Mackay was the mine superintendent. To the investigators, statements were made by Peter Johnson and William Dennison, who were among those rescued after harrowing experiences. News of the disaster spread like wildfire through the community. Volunteer parties of stout-hearted men made valiant attempts at rescue but were frustrated in their brave efforts by the water, mud and muck brought into the mine from the surface by the flood waters that prac- tically sealed the shaft and roadways, loosened over head rocks. Among those who aided were: mine boss Mackay and pit boss David Skinner, underboss William Galacher, of the ill fated mine, Mr. Ramsey, super- i intendent of the Braceville mines, Mr. Swansborugh, pit boss of No. 2 Braceville Mine, Mr. Smith of Coal City, Mr. Aaron Green and John Ormond of the Eureka Coal Company, and many others whose names are not recorded. "Then came the order that everyone expected but all hated to put into force — To seal the mine with its dead. Later, powerful pumps were rushed to the mine from almost everywhere in Northern Illinois, and by constant pumping at full capacity, day and night for 38 days, the water was sufficiently lowered to enable rescue squads to descend to the bottom by March 25. The first bodies were brought to the surface on March 26. The rescue work was slow and dangerous because of caved- in roofs and mine gases. When all the 28 bodies within 78 THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY reach were brought to the surface, it was reluctantly agreed to seal the mine and make it the tomb of the estimated 46 dead miners that remained. The bodies of the rescued, in various stages of decomposition were unrecognizable and placed on flat cars and taken to the Braidwood depot, where one widoAv was able to recognize her dead husband by the socks he wore that day. She had given him two mismates that morning. Most of the rescued bodies were given Christian burial in the Braidwood Catholic and Protestant cemeteries. Thus came to an end the greatest mine disaster of that day, February 16, 1883". There was no National Miners' Union in that ill- fated day. but when the United Mine Workers Union was formed in the early nineties, one of their first obligations, insisted upon by Braidwood Local No. One, was the erec- tion of a most suitable monument over the Southwest work- ings of the mine on Diamond's Main Street, September 5, 1898, dedicated with suitable ceremonies in which not only the local, district and state officials took part, but also most of the widows of the victims being honored. It is estimated by coal company's records, the 46 bodies were never recovered up to the time when the ill-fated mine was definitelv sealed. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 79 'id. THE DIAMOND MONUMENT Erecled by the United Mine Workers' Union and dedicated September 5/ 1898, to the memory of the four-score victims of the disaster. 80 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY NAMES PLAQUE DEDICATION At Diamond Monument — Braidwood Homecoming, 1926 It was on Labor Day, September 6, 1926, that the people of this vicinity got around to completing a bronze plate containing the names of most of the nearly four- score victims of the world-shocking disaster that took place at the Diamond Mine, February 16, 1883. As most of the victims were from Braidwood and the little village of Diamond, where the ill-fated mine is located, astride the Will-Grundy County line, it was natural for the people of Braidwood to lead in the belated honoring of the heroic dead. In 1925, M. J. Donna, Vice Chairman of the "Braid- wood Homecoming Committee was assigned the duty of compiling the names of the victims who drowned in that mine 42 years before, to place their names ou a permanent bronze plate, to be set at the foot of the monument to those dead, erected by the United Mine Workers of America in 1898. After an exhaustive search, of all possible records, the name plate was completed and appropriately dedicated at exercises, September 6, 1926, as follows : Names Plate Dedication at Memorial Exercises At Diamond Monument, September 6, 1926 10:00 a.m. — Dedication and Unveiling of $350.00 Memorial Tablet containing names of the Diamond Disaster Victims, Febru- ary 16, 1883. Master of Ceremonies M. J. Donna Vice Chairman Braidwood Homecoming Committee Memorial Address Hon. David B. Anderson Placing a Commemorative Wreath — A victims widow Group Singing of Appropriate Hymns THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 81 BRAIDWOOD HOMECOMING DIRECTORS 192G N. P. Keyes, Chairman; M. J. Donna, Vice Chairman; A. D. Howatt, Secy.-Treas. ; Win. H. Steen, James Crichton, John Holman, Thomas Shannnessy, Joseph Lestina, Joseph Rogers, Dr. W. C. Friek, Anton Rnva, Fred E. Boehm. VICTIMS, WITH NATIONALITY AND AGE Wilmington Mining and Manufacturing Company's Official List. Known Victims — 74; Bodies Recovered — 28. NAME NATIONALITY ANDERSON, JOHN— Scotch ATKINS, JOHN— Welch. ATKINS, SAMUEL— Welch BABINGTON, A.— Scotch BOYD, JOHN— Scotch BROOKMAN, JOHN— German BUTSKOUSKY, FRANK— Polish BUTSKOUSKY, GEO.— Polish CARROLL, JAMES— Irish CHILLERS, CARL— German COSTIGAN, THOMAS- -Irish CULLOCK, JOHN— German DAMM, AUGUST— German DAMM, ERNEST— German DEMBROSKY, A.— Polish DEMBROSKY, JOHN— Polish EADIE, HENRY— Scotch FRENCH, JOHN— Scotch FULTON, ALEX-^Scotch GOOTES, JOSEPH— Polish GROTER, D. — German HAAKE, AUGUST— German HARPER, ROBT.— Scotch HOLTON, ANDREW— Scotch HUBER, CHRIS— German HUBER, JOHN— German HUBER, LEWIS— German JOHNSON, JOHN— Swede KAE, FRITZ— German KALENBURG, A.— German KLESSNER, HENRY— German KLESSNER, WM.— German KLASS, FRANK— German LENZ, JACOB— German MATHEY, GEORGE MATTERN, JOSEPH, SR.— German MATTERN, JOSEPH, JR.— German AGE 28 24 31 28 33 50 21 32 33 30 23 48 43 35 17 41 23 29 33 24 38 30 30 16 43 15 44 32 30 22 26 50 30 54 26 MATTS, FRANK— German MURRAY, FRANK— Polish McBRIDE, DAN— Irish McCULLEY, WM.— Scotch McQUISTON, A. SR.— Scotch-Irish McQUISTON, A. JR.— Scotch-Irish McQUISTON, ROBT.— Scotch-Irish McQUISTON, WM.— Scotch-Irish MOTTO, FRANK NEIL, JOHN— Irish NESBIT, HUGH— Scotch NEYSKI, MARTIN— Polish OCHENICK, MARTIN— Polish OCUPS, FRANK ORR, ALEX— Scotch PEARSON, ISSAC— English PEARSON, JAMES— English PEARSON, JOHN— English POLENKAS, JOHN— German RABART, R. RAMBART, AUGUST- -German RAMSEY, HUGH— Scotch REDMOND, MAT— Irish REDMOND, P. C— Irish RODGERS, THOMAS— Scotch RUSSEEK, JOSEPH SCHATZEL, BLAZIU3- -German SCHOLTZ, WM.— German SEKORA, WM.— German SMITH, JOHN— German SMITH, JOSEPH— German STEWART, ADAM— Scotch STEWART, ROBT.— Scotch STUMPS, SIMON— German SULLIVAN, L.— Irish UNGER, HERMAN— German WALL, P. H.— Irish 53 24 29 28 46 19 23 14 34 16 23 32 31 23 19 13 23 32 23 13 42 32 34 44 26 21 14 33 25 31 25 £■(? 82 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY COAL STRIPPING Under the Jong wall system of deep shaft minin much coal remained underground, because it was not re- movable under that method. Beginning in 1927, a new method was employed, known as the ''stripping'' method, whereby the top soil and rock were removed by large shovels driven by electricity, leaving the coal vein exposed. Smaller shovels would dig up the coal and load it onto cars or trucks for transfer to the tipple, where it was cleaned and graded. Later it was oil treated for better burning for domestic use and for shipment to distant markets. The Northern Illinois Coal Corporation was one of the large early companies to venture into strip raining in this vicinity. Another was the Wilmington Coal Mining Co., locally known as the McElvain Mine, after its two chief owners, Carl and Ralph McElvain. The former company began its operations North of Braidwood, near the old Keeversville area, in 1927, and the latter just to the East of the section in 1934. The coal, known as Illinois vein No. 3, outcropped before reaching the Kankakee River and ranged from 30 to 60 feet below the surface, north of Braidwood. The '.'tipple" of the Northern was located in South- western Wilmington Township, just North of the Braid- wood City Limits and that of the McElvain Mine is now just South of the City Limits, near the old Brodie Mine, West of the race track. A third company started stripping in the middle '30 's was the Will County Coal Mining Company, locally known as the "Goldblatt Mine". Started in 1936, it soon went out of business because of lack of good coal stripping land. Its tippjle was on First Street just East of the Alton THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 83 The big Tipple in Essex Township, where millions of tons of coal arr cleansed, graded and treated annually. (Courtesy Northern Illinois Coal Corporation.) GIGANTIC SHOVEL IN 85 FOOT PIT. (Courtesy Northern Illinois Coal Corporation.) 84 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY Depot. Another tipple was started on the North side of Illinois Route 113, West of Coal City, but was used very little before that company ceased operating. One of the 30 ion trucks to haul coal from the pit to the tipple for clean- ing and grading. (Courtesy Braidwood Coal Mining Co., (McElvain.) The two strip mining firms still operating in this field (1957). gouging the good farmlands in Southern Reed Township, Will Co., in Northwestern Kankakee and South- eastern Grundy Counties still have several thousand acres The modern Strip-mine Tipple of the Braidwood Coal Mining Co,, (McElvain Mine), South of the Braidwood City Limits off U. S. 66A (Courtesy Braidwood Coal Mining Co. (McElvain.) THE BRATDWOOD STORY 85 to dig up. Both are now using large 30-ton trucks to haul the coal several miles to their tipples. The daily ca- pacity of the two strippers is in excess of several thousand tons daily in the winter. The negative result is that hundreds of square miles of tillable land are being laid bare, on all three sides of Braidwood, with ridges or dumps of rock and clay, many small lakes, with rapid growth of trees and shrubs. ONE MAN COAL MINE There were many small mines sunk and operated in the early days of coal mining in this section, but perhaps the smallest deep mine was the One-Man Mine, sunk and operated by a Braidwood pioneer North of Carbon Hill, near Goose Lake and the present Illinois ('lay Products Company's works in Grundy County. George Woods, familiarly known as "Pig Iron", sank the mine to a depth of 60 feet to the coal seam, built the bottom lye with little outside help, drove the entries as needed, brushed down the overhead, laid the tracks to the coal face, the tracks being of hard wood with a strip of steel on top. It was truly a One-Man Mine. In the morning he would climb down the buntings of the mine to the bottom, walk to the coal face, dig the coal, load it on a small car, and push the loaded car to the shaft's bottom, where he would dump the coal into a hoisting bucket, climb to the surface to start his old faithful horse to wind the capstan or windlass that hoisted the loaded bucket to the top, then dump that load into the chute for loading into wagons as customers required, collecting the money paid, recording it in his books. Then he would start the process all over again, climb down the buntings, walk to the coal face, dig more coal, load it into mine cars, push them to the bottom 86 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY for hoisting' to the top for delivery of the coal to the waiting buyers. He was his own cageman, engineer, digger, driver, salesman and bookkeeper — truly a One-Man mine operator. MINERS' PAY CAB In the early days miners were paid monthly. To pay their bills, they often found it necessary to draw '•stickers" on their earnings or to get company checks good at the company store. They would collect the small residue coming to them on Pay Day at the mine office or the company office on Main Street. As the distance to the mines increased and when complaints were made to the company officials that the miners' clothes were hardly the safest place in which to carry money, the company arranged for a pay car to go to the different mines on paydays as the safer way of recompensing the miners for their labors. MINERS' 10-HOUR DAY In the early coal mining days, few of the Braid- wood miners saw the sun from Thanksgiving Day to Easter Sunday, except on Sundays and holidays. The scheduled workday at the mines was from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day of the week during the winter season. Most of the miners arose at 5 :00 a.m. to be at the mine mouth before sunrise at 6:00 a.m., to "make" the first cage to the depths, where the "diggers" would attend to the clean-up and preparatory work at their "places", "entries" or "cross-cuts" loading a car of rocks or coal for the mule driver's first trip with an "empty" at 7 :00 a.m. After a hard day of mining and loading, eating their lunch virtual! v "on the run", there was much to be done THE BRAID WOOD STORY 87 before quitting' time at 5 :00 p.m., brushing down the slate roofing along the roadway, along the "face" and shoveling the debris into the "gob", repairing the railway, digging or undermining the coal seam, usually only three feet thick so that the overburden would break the seam during the night, taking their picks and other tools to the mine black- smith for sharpening overnight, or drilling several holes from 4 to 6 feet deep horizontally into the coal strata, load- ing them with powder or dynamite and fuses which tliey "fired" as the last act of the shift, rushing away from the smoke and gas after picking up their picks and tools to take them— so they seldom reached the surface and home before (3 :00 p.m., when the sun had set. The miners' day was long, tedious and dangerous, especially when ventilation was poor and gases were present. Crippling accidents were numerous, with deaths entirely too frequent. BLACKLEG ROW Mostly to accomodate the colored strike breakers brought in by the coal companies to help break the famous strike of 1877, though many also served as boarding houses for legitimate white miners, a row of 2-story frame houses was built on both sides of the railroad track between the "G" and "H" mines. This was locally called "Blackleg Row". They were from 24 to 30 feet wide and from 30 to 40 feet long, with two apartments on each floor, capable of ac- comodating four or more families, and often 20 or more boarders. Unpainted, they soon became drab and unat- tractive. The occupants were ever-changing. Because the occupants, whether or not deserving the ill-name of "black le^s" soon deserted them to avoid the stigma, the coal com- 88 THE BRAID WOOD STORY panies converted them into storehouses or sold them for hay barns to farmers. One or two are still in use for this purpose, even unto this day. BLACK GROWS Most of the colored strike breakers came, forced from the fauns of Virginia, and were not accustomed to the hard labor required of coal miners. It soon became the habit of many of tbem to answer the morning whistle, enter the mine only long enough to dig and load two small mine carfulls, then quit about 11 :00 a.m. to make their way to the company store in Lower Braidwood where they drew "stickers" for what they had earned that morning, and spent practically every cent for victuals, which they would eat as ;i group, seated on the board fence to the West of the store, forming a picture which oldsters well remember, be- en use perched on the fence, happy and jolly, they resembled a row of black crows. SOME MINERS LIVED LONU In early days of Braidwood mining, most miners died young. Some were killed in their perilous work by falling rocks; otbers suffered miners' asthma, due to poor air-conditioning in the depth of the earth where they work- ed. Examples of rare longevity among this class of work- ers, come from the August 1954 issue of the Miners' Journal which carried this story: THOMAS P. CHRISTY, 92 years old, retired miner passed away at his home in Henryetta, Oklahoma. He was born in Braidwood, Illinois in 1862, started to work in the mines there at the age of 14, later moved to Oklahoma, where after working 69 years as a coal miner, he retired. He was a member of Local 989, U. M. W. of A. He was survived by his widow, 6 children, 18 grand- THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 89 children and 12 great grandchildren. He was a contempor- ary of Miners ' Leader, John Mitchell, 8 years his junior. WILLIAM (FISHER) POWELL, 86 years old, born in Braidwood on July 1, 1868, died November 2, 1954. He attended the Lower Braidwood School, entered the Braid- wood coal mines at the age of 15, gave up coal mining at the turn of the century to farm just West of the city, at the end of Main Street in Grundy County. His wife passed away in 1933, the mother of 12 children. He boasted in late years that he was the oldest living Braidwood- born child. He was survived by 8 children, 17 grand and 3 great grandchildren. WILLIAM PHLTON. 91 years of age, born in Wil- mington, 111., January 13, 186-1, departed this life at his home in South Wilmington, July 18, 1955. He went to work in the C. W. & V. mines here when a young lad and when that company transferred its operation to South Wilming- ton fields, lie moved to that village, in 1899, and continued mining until his retirement, and for the remainder of his life. Two brothers, MICHAEL and DANIEL SULLI- VAN, spent ail their working days in the mines and are still living in retirement here. Michael (a bachelor) worked in the "G" and "PL"' mines and gave the author the story of a "Mine Within A Mine", reported elsewhere in this section. He lived for years in Braceville, working in the mines there until he retired to his old homestead on Division Street. Daniel was one of the leading mule drivers in the local mines. He married Miss Margaret Casey and father- ed a large family. His eldest son, Cornelius, was killed in a plane crash at the opening of World War II. His other 90 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY son, Edwin, is a successful insurance agent here. His eldest daughter, Mary, holds an executive position in the First National Bank in Chicago ; his third daughter, Kathryn, holds a secretarial position at the Peter Rossi & Sons Macaroni Factory, while the youngest daughter, Anne, holds an executive position in the offices of the Illinois Bell Telephone Co. in Chicago. FRANK MENIETTO, over 95 years old, was horn in Partusio, May 17, 1860, and came to Braidwood in 1885, to work in the mines until about 1910 when he entered into business until J lis retirement in 1916. He was city treasurer, 1912 - 1914. He now resides in Joliet, with his daughter Victoria, Mrs. Charles Frasca, as of October 1, 1956. THE COAL COMPANY'S COMPANY STORES To supply the miners and other employees, it was customary for the mining companies to operate stores where the employees could purchase their needs between paydays through the use of checks that were issued to them as their earnings warranted. The Eureka Coal Company, formerly the Rhodes Coal Company, built a 2- store front brick building on the Southwest corner of Main and Center Streets, a building still in use. Clifford Sederley was one of the early store mana- The Chicago, Wilmington and Vermilion Coal Com- pany, being the largest operators in this field, had two company stores, where its employees and their families were almost compelled to trade because the company paid mostly in checks, very little in cash. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 91 Its first company store was on the North side of Fifth or Lower Braidwood 's leading street in the middle of the block, East of School Street. It was a long brick building with a large store in front and ample storage room in the back, and with barns behind the store to shelter the horses and delivery wagons. Its larger store occupied the lower floor of the Music Hall, two store front, with the company offices con- veniently housed in the annex to the West, where the front stairway now leads to the old Music Hall. Each store had its manager and a staff of clerks to serve the miners' wives who would draw checks on the miners' earnings that were usable only in the company stores. The Lower Braidwood store was discontinued in the mid nineties and the building razed. The one up town continued to do business until the late '90 's. GODLEY The Village of Godley, two miles Southwest of Braidwood, astride the Will-Grundy County line, was established in the early 1880 's by the Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company which sank two large mines there, the "K" mine in Reed Township and the "M" mine, across the line in Grundy County. The village had a mushroom growth while the two mines were operating, attaining a population of nearly 500, with a number of flourishing business places. When the mines closed down in the 1890 's, the villages' population fell to about 50, and its village charter was abandoned or let lay dormant for several decades, until revived by the efforts of the Author at the insistence of Charles Berro, who 92 THE BRAID WOOD STORY was elected Village President for several terms about 1940. John McElroy is serving" the village in that capacity presently, (1957). Two families that were long associated with its tips and downs were the J. Lafferty and the Michael Slow folks. Godley had the honor of having Will County's School Dis- trict No. 1, whose school teachers usually lived with one or the other of Lafferty - Slow homes. Quite recently, the school there became affiliated with the Braidwood Con- solidated School District. Today's population of Godlev is between 150 and 200. CHAPTER 3 THE MELTING POT Part 1 15 Nationalities Assimilation of Many Bloods COSMOPOLITAN BRAIDWOOD In the "Braidwood Rush", as it was acclaimed in the years following the Civil War, there came to this new mining community not only Americans from the Eastern States, but an out-pouring of nationalities from Western Europe, all hardy, venturesome people who were the foundation of our sturdy, peace-loving families through the four or more venerations. The pioneers came from the Pennsylvania coal fields, from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Bohemia, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, all hoping to make America their permanent home. The integration of these virile people 94 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY made Braidwood what the whole United States is acclaimed to be, a MELTING POT. Readily learning the American way of Life, and blending the characteristics of their national origin, retaining all the good qualities of each, Braidwood has boasted and still boasts of a citizenry of true, liberty-loving, fine-blooded Americans, with the diverse foreign strains fully assimilated. A FEW PIONEER FAMILIES There is hardly a family that lives or has ever lived in Braidwood that does not merit mention, at least, in this story. We wish that space would permit reference to all, but it is possible only to mention a rare few of the families of each nationality, to show the intent and purpose of this section. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 95 III i i Hon. Anione J. Cermak, (May 9, 1873 - March S, 1933), wilh President elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, before his martyrdom. A Bohemian im- migrant, he brought highest honors to Braidwood, his First American Home, becoming the first foreign-born Mayor of Chicago, and the high- est ranking politician among the thousands of Braidwood citizens. (Courtesy Richard V. Graham). 96 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY THE BRAIDWOODS Very prominent in the early mining history and community development of Braidwood, Illinois, was the James Braidwood family. A granddaughter, now (1956) residing in Monett, Mo., supplied the following facts about the famous family of pioneers. James Braidwood, the head of the family was born in Everton, Scotland, March 31, 1831, and died in Braid- wood, Illinois, February 1, 1879, aged 47 years. In 1854, he married Miss Ellen Ralston of Johnston, Scotland, to which union twelve children were born, three of whom died in infancy. Of those who lived to maturity, six migrated with the parents from Scotland, and three were American born. Alone, Mr. James Braidwood came to the United States in 1863, stopping a while in New York before coming to the Braidwood area. As a mining expert he was im- mediately connected with the sinking and developing uf the first mines after the discovery of coal here. As an employee of the Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company, the oldest, financially stable firm in the early coal mining days, he bossed the sinking of the "B" & "C" mines for the firm. With several associates, a mine was sunk just West of the Alton depot near where the Barnett Restaurant now stands, (1956), which was locally known as "The Eagle Mine". Later the mine was purchased by the Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company which changed its name to the "A" mine and which was operated for a number of years, its coal being supplied directly to the engines of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, whose main tracks ran alongside the mine tipple. A few years later he sank and operated another mine West of the Old Braidwood Race Track, near where now (1956) stands the tipple of the Wilmington Coal Mining THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 97 Corporation, (The McElvain Mine). In 1865, Mrs. Braichvood and the 6 Scotland-horn children came to Braidwoocl where Mr. Braidwood built the first miners ' home in what is Braidwood ? s City Limits. This is historic since it also was the first home in the community to be completely destroyed by fire. The family recorded the first birth and also had the sad experience of having the first death in the community. Besides the illustrious parents, the James Braidwood family consisted of the following immigrant children: James, Jr. born in Johnston, Scotland, November 17, 1854, killed by lightning in 1871. Buried in Braidwood. John, born March 29, 1856, killed in a horse runaway in Monett, Kansas, December 2, 190.1. Buried in Pittsburg, Kansas. Ellen, born February 5, 1858, died in Toronto, Canada, December 15, 1894. Buried in Braidwood. Andrew, born June 3, 1859, left Braidwood in the '70 's to reside in Weir, Kansas. Robert, born September 21, 1861, went West after living in Braidwood for a number of years and died Feb- ruary, 1919, at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Annie, born October 19, 1863, died in Chicago, April, 1912. The American-born members of the family con- sisted of : Peter, the first Braidwood-born child, was born in Lower Braidwood, April 27, 1867. Later moved to Weir, 98 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY Kansas. Alexander, born February 27, 1869, died in Pitts- burg, Kansas, 1915. Janet, born November 8, 1873, and after her mar- riage, moved to Monett, Missouri. A surviving relative writes: "It is worthy of note as a somewhat singular combination of circumstances, that Mr. Braidwood built the first house within the confines of the city that bears his name, he suffered the first fire loss of said home, the first death within the city limits. His funeral was held from his residence in Braidwood at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 1, 1879, escorted to his last resting place in the Braidwood Cemetery by city and township of- ficials, scores of friends in a long funeral procession headed by Braidwood \s municipal band rendering funeral music. Admist towering oak trees on a sandy knoll was laid to rest all that remained of the pioneer who spent his best years in developing the community that bears his name". THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 99 BRAIDWOOD FIRST LADY IN PIONEER DAYS ' -iS ' ; ifH MES. JAMES (Ellen Ralston) BRAID WOOD (Courtesy of Mrs. Campbell and Mr. Wm. Brown) 100 THE BRAID WOOD STOEY EARLY AMERICANS SMITH, The Druggist James A. Smith, popularly called " Jim" by all who knew him in the coal fields and Grand Prairie, was born in New York City about 1860. On the death of his mother, he and his brother John, were placed in a Juveniie Home. In their teens, the boys were sent West for adoption. For tunately they were taken into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Adam White, in Wilmington, Illinois, and reared as farm boys to manhood. James A. took up pharmacy, became apprenticed to a local druggist and on being admitted to practice, he bought out the business, operating it as the Smith Drug Store, for over 57 years, first in Lower Braidwood, then on Main Street. He was an avid civic leader, — virtually the people's doctor. He was president of the First National Bank, Braid- wood, for years, long a member of the school board of Dis- trict No. 6, a City Commissioner, one of the founders of the local Masonic Lodge, its treasurer, a Knight Templar and a moving spirit in the building of the imposing Masonic Temple on Main Street. He was thrice married, first to Miss Nellie Goodrich. Two children were born to this marriage, — Maynard, who died in infancy, and Helen, now Mrs. Carl Markert, of Kankakee. After Nellie's death, he married her sister, Mrs. Nettie Goodrich Wade, the widow of Dr. Wade, a successful practioneer in BraidAVOod, and mother of Francis Wade, now Mrs. Ralph Irwin of Salmon Falls, Idaho. Two children were born to that union, — Adam, who also died in infancy and Pauline, now Mrs. Allan McYicar. Some years after her death, he married Miss Olive Barker, daugh- ter of another pioneer family, in 1905. A daughter, Jeanette is on the teaching staff of Aurora Schools. THE BRAID WOOD STOEY 101 He died October 16, 1937, one of the most highly respected pioneers of the community. His pall bearers : Henry D. Rossi, William Trotter, George Allen, Felix J. Rossi, John Mainwarning and Frank A. Mota. THE STEWARTS Peter Stewart came to America in 1832 and settled in Amsterdam, New York. Lured to the western prairies shortly thereafter, he moved to what is now Channahon, Illinois, worked on the building of the Illinois-Michigan Canal that connected Lake Michigan at Chicago with the Illinois River, at Peru, Illinois. He helped build the Channahon locks. He acquired some land in Reed Township from the U. S. Government at $1.00 an acre, which later became known as Stewart's Grove, a station on the Chicago and Alton Railroad near the North end of what is now the Braidwood Recreation Club area. From the grove of oak and other trees, he cut timber that he sold for fuel to the railroad for its wood-burning engines. After the discovery of coal in Braidwood, the depot was erected at its present site. William Stewart was another pioneer, — the father of Mack Stewart, Adam Stewart and John Stewart. He, with the help of his sons, ran a meat market for years on Main Street. John Stewart later took over the shop and dabbled to a considerable extent in farming and logging. Adam Stewart farmed East of the City Limits of Braidwood, now occupied by the Braidwood Recreation Club, did so much charity work, giving employment and caring for the needy, that his home was familiarly known as "The Home of the Friendless". Malcolm Stewart was an oil distributor throughout 102 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY this area for years. He married Miss Euphemia Oswald, only daughter of William Oswald, Sr., a sister of William J. Oswald. He later became a farmer, and is now retired ... .in his early eighties, as of 1956. There were several other Stewarts who lived in Braidwood, among them: William John Stewart was a well-known police- man in Braidwood 's early days. James (Jacko) Stewart, who also served as a city policeman at the turn of the century. He resided on North School Street. James Stewart, father of Henry Stewart, who farmed in Reed Township for years. EARLY ASSYRIANS THE JOSEPH NAHAS FAMILY In the early Nineties came a number of families from Assyria, in Asia. Most of them were business in- inclined, beginning as door-to-door peddlers of dry goods and notions. There were few, if any, coal miners among them. The best known is — The Joseph Nahas Family. He and his brother Ferris came to New York from Beirut, in Western Asia, in 1890, worked there a while then went to Chicago at the time of the Columbian World Fair. Joseph married Miss Eva Williams in 1896, lived in Chicago until they came to Braidwood, in 1898. The Ferris Nahas family went to Braceville the same year. They became famous peddlers, going from house to house through the countryside for miles, carrying heavy packs of goods for barter and exchange. THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 103 Six children were Lorn to the Joseph Nahas family, George, James, Sophia, Toffie, Fred and Lucille. The boys were outstanding baseball players in their days, par- ticularly with the Braidwood Grays (1917-1925). All now live here, except Sophia, who resides in Joliet. Mr. Nahas bought the Jacobs-Motta furnishings and shoe store in 1921, which is still operated by the eldest son, George. Mrs. Nahas died in April, 1955. Nicholas M. Agamy (Ageimi) born in Beirut, Leba- non, Asia, November 1, 1881, came to America in 1898, working in New York and Chicago before coming to Braid- wood in 1900. Aside from labor work, he peddled through- out the area, then moved to South Wilmington in 1907 and opened a general store which he operated until his death, February 1, 1929, always keeping in touch with his Braid- wood friends. In 1908, he married Miss Elizabeth Tenn, fathered 3 sons, — John, Alfred and Glenn, — the latter now recogniz- ed as one of the leading doctors in this area, with office in Wiimington.The eldest son, John, married Miss Margretta Mortimer, and resides in Braidwood, where he operates a grocery. They have two daughters, Celia and Janette. The pioneer's widow operates a dry goods and furnishings store in Wilmington, assisted by her son, Alfred. THE EARLY BELGIC ANTONE MATONE, SR., FAMILY Antone Matone, Sr., born in Belgium in 1337, came to America in the late 1860 's, working for a while in Chi- cago before coming to Braidwood. Came to Braidwood about 1869, married Josephine Charlier, daughter of an- other pioneer from Belgium. 104 THE BRAIDWOOD STOKY He worked in the mines over 30 years. Married in Wilmington by Justice Noel, they raised a family of 6 boys and 2 girls. The eldest son, Antone J. Matone, Jr., first worked in the mines, took up the barber trade and in 1903, ran a shoe store, first in Braidwood, now (1956) in Wilmington. Mose runs a barber shop in Wilmington, and Benjamin, a shoe repair shop there. Pete, a former state prison guard, lives in Joliet. Joseph, John and Harry are deceased. Fourteen grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren also survive. THEUHILA1NS Felecien Francis Ghilain, founder of the Ghilain dynasty in Braidwood, a native of Serain, Belgium, came to Braidwood with his wife and family in 18G9. He work- ed in the mines for three years. He was accompanied by his son Frank, who grew up with the town and became, with his family, one of the pro- gressive good citizens. The early Ghilains came to this country as a closely knitted group, even bringing with them their minister of the Belgic Protestant sect. Frank, who was born in Belgium, grew to manhood in Braidwood, was married here to Marie Catherine Culley, sister of Nick Culley and Antone and John Culley, in 1879. Ten children were born to this union, Lucienne, who be- came a school teacher and later married Robert Young, of a pioneer family. Frank, Jr., worked in the mines for some years then took actively to the brick laying and build- ing profession of his father, building most of the early brick buildings and cement walks, and plastered most of the old homes. Frank, III, the eldest son, followed in his father's footsteps as a brick layer, worked most of his life for the THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 105 Joliet Steel Mills. Samuel, followed in the same work, became foreman of the South Chicago Steel Mills. He married Margaret Martin, daughter of an old pioneer fam- ily. Ben, also a brick layer, became a foreman at a Chicago Steel Plant. Dan, now a retired railway mail clerk, lives in Wilmington. John, who is still (1956) actively engaged in plastering work in the community, married Delia, only daughter of the well-known Lew Rogers. Marie, a school teacher in the Joliet school system, a graduate of De Paul University. Bess, also a graduate from the same school. Felecien (Bluie), a renowned plasterer and sportsman, and Isabelle, still teaching in the Joliet schools. THE EARLY BOHEMIANS THE CERMAK FAMILY One of the early Bohemian families was that of Ari- tone J. Cermak, Sr., that immigrated from Bohemia, now called Czechoslovakia, in 1874, though they did not live here too many years, left an indelible impression on the community and marked it truly as a Land of Opportunity. The best known and highly respected member of the family was Antone J> Cermak, who after a successful business and political career, died a martyr's death. Antone J. Cermak, Jr., born in Kladno, Bohemia, May 9, 1873, was brought to Braidwood by his parents in 1874. His father, having worked in the coal mines in his home country, naturally entered the mines here, purchased a home on Seventh Street, East of Division Street, sent his children to the Lower Braidwood School. ''Tony", as he was familiarly known, left school at age eleven, went to Chicago where he found employment in a sash and door factory for a short time. When a panic hit the country, he returned to his father's home here, found temporary work on farms and in 106 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY the Peter Eossi & Sons Macaroni Factory. Later he got a job as a mule driver in the "I" mine at eighty-five cents a day. Several years afterwards, he asked his boss, John Cherry, for a raise and got one, — a raise in the mine cage to the surface, — fired. He returned to Chicago, worked a while for the E. J. & E. Ey., as a " tow-boy' ' for the street car lines. By 1892, aged 19, he had saved enough money to purchase a wagon and a team of horses, setting up a business of his own, — "A. J. Cermak, Teaming Contractor- ', hauling kindling-wood, building materials and such. Through this means, but mostly through real estate deals through the years, he became a virtual millionaire. To make up for his meager education in the Braid- wood schools, he attended adult night classes, later a busi- ness college. He renewed his old acquaintance with a fellovv' mine worker, George Brennan, who worked with him at the "I" mine here, where Brennan lost a leg in a mine accident in his late teens, then taught in the Diamond and Braidwood schools and went to Chicago about the time of the Columbian Exposition in 1893. There Mr. Brennan prospered in the insurance business and in politics to be- come the boss of the Democratic Party in Chicago, and later in Illinois. Under his guidance ''Tony" entered politics, first as a precinct captain, and thus started his political climb. In 1902, Eoger Sullivan was boss of the Democratic organi- zation in Chicago and Illinois. His assistant and secretary was George Brennan, and later the successor of Boss Eoger Sullivan. Politically, Cermak's steps upward were: 1. Four terms in the Illinois legislature, — one of the youngest ever to sit in the Lower House. (1902- 1910)". THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 107 2. Chicago Alderman for several terms, starting in 1909. 3. Bailiff of the Municipal Court of Chicago, 1912. 4. President of the Cook County Board of Com- missioners for ten years, beginning in 1922. Dur- ing that term he set up the Cook County Forest Preserve, skirting Chicago on the West and South- west. 5. Was defeated for U. S. Senator in 1927 in the Herbert Hoover campaign for President. 6. Elected Mayor of Chicago, April 7, 1931, defeat- ing "Big Bill" Thompson and thus became the first foreign-born Mayor of the Country's second largest city. 7. Was shot by a fanatic named Giuseppi Zangara, in Miami, Florida, February 15, 1933, while at- tending a public reception for his friend, President elect, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and died March 6, 1933, two days after the new president's inaugura- tion. In 1891, he married Miss Mary Horejs, a millionaire, also a native of Bohemia. Born to the couple were three daughters. Mrs. Cermak passed away in 1928, on the eve of her husband's big success. Mr. Cermak never forgot Braidwood, his boyhood home in his New America, coming here frequently to visit boyhood friends. He attended many of the famous Braid- wood Homecomings, taking part in many of the three-day programs ending Labor Day, alongside of such celebrities as "Boss" George Brennan; John P. Mitchell, founder of the United Mine Workers of America; William D. Ryan, charter member, state secretary and national secretary of 108 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY tlie miners ' union, and other Braidwoodites, proud of their early days in this community. Through a useful and successful he was an example of the sturdy stock of the founders of Braidwood and their descendants who composed the melting pot of many nationalities, men and women who truly acclaim America as "The Land of Opportunity". THE KAISERS Alois (Louis) Kaiser, Sr., was horn in 1844, in Austria-Hungary, during Franz Joseph's reign, was mar- ried in Bohemia and came to Braidwood in 1872. His first joh was a dirt dumper at the "D" mine. Later he dug coal in the "d". He specialized in hoiler repair work for the C. & W. Coal Company, then took up blacksmithing, sharpening tools and repairing machinery, doing his last work of this kind in the "Q" mine. He retired about 1898, set up his own blacksmith shop in Lower Braidwood. Among the three sons of a family of nine children, were : Louis, Jr., long-time president of the Board of Edu- cation, District 7 ; Anton, many years Clerk of the Board of Education, District No. 6, the only one still living, (1956), and Joseph* who followed in his father's footsteps, doing blacksmith work. THE KKAHIJLECS The John Krahulec family first came to Braidwood, about 1870. He was a tailor by vocation, at which he work- ed in his home while employed in the mines. Three sons were born to his first marriage, namely, William, Rudolph and Joseph, and two children to his second marriage, John 2nd, and Josephine. William and Rudolph became tailors and worked in Chicago, later opening their own shop. THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY 109 Joseph and John II became miners. The latter became a well-known blacksmith in the mines and on moving' to Chi- cago with his family about 1922, he became a master mecha- nic for the Chicago Motor Coach Company. John married Miss Fannie Trousel. Three boys and one daughter were born to the union, — James, now a Chi- cago fireman; John 3rd. trained in X-Bay machine work, now operates a notion store and sub-postal station in Berwyn, 111. Incidentally, his wife is the former Lucille Donna, the author's youngest daughter. Their son is John IV, brother of Miss Kathleen. Fred is an electronic en- gineer. The daughter, Mildred, married Harry Wolff, of the Chicago Fire Department. THE BLECHAS Two Blecha brothers were among the early immi- grants from Bohemia, around 1872, who settled in Lower Braidwood as did a large colony of Bohemians, giving the section on Fifth Street between Center and Division Streets the local name of "Bohemian Town'-. FRANK BLECHA worked in the mines, saved enough money to open a hardware store on the North side of Fifth Street, West of School Street for two decades. In the 1890 's his place of business Avas completely destroyed by fire, as were the Jirousek building and the North Braid- wood Firehouse. He served several terms as City Marshal, and as Alderman from the Third Ward, then returned to the mines until his retirement. Surviving here, as of 1956, is his daughter, Mrs. Anton Lavicha. JOSEPH BLECHA followed the mines practically all his life, fathered a large family who did likewise. 110 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY THE EARLY CANADIANS WM. JACK — A pioneer of the earliest days of Braidwood and one of its long-lived promoters, — 65 years, 60 years in business, William Jack was perhaps the best known man in the community, noted for the leading part he took in almost every improvement activity in the city's and Township's development. He was the son of William Baud Jack and Elizabeth Jack, who had immigrated from England to Bruce Mines, Ontario, Canada, where this civic leader was bom Novem- ber 29, 1856. In 1862, his family moved to Morris, Illinois and a few years later to Braidwood. William attended the Braid- wood schools, and afterwards did odd jobs around the town and the mines, until he decided to go to Chicago to learn the Tinner's trade. When ready to leave, his father came home to report that he had bought a hardware busi- ness and that he would need his son's help to manage the business, where Bill was to get his practical experience in tin-smithing. The store was known as William Jack & Sons, so when his father retired, Bill and his brother John con- tinued the business in the brick building on the South side of Main Street, just West of the Masonic Temple. The Jack Brothers Hardware was the largest of its kind in the coal field. When the brothers dissolved their partnership in the Nineties, William continued the busi- ness as the William Jack Hardware. At the age of 21 years, he married Miss Typhenia Richards, daughter of Thomas and Mary Richards, early and well-known pioneers. The family resided for many years in the Jack Homestead on the Northeast corner of Center and Eureka Streets, which was later moved to Main THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY 111 Street and occupied by several doctors, notably Dr. Major who had married Miss Ida Jack, Dr. ELdredge and others. The home is now the property of, and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. William B. Higgins. Active in the city's civic and fraternal affairs, he served long as school treasurer of Reed Township, for 15 years; as president of the Board of Education, District No. 6, and as an officer of several fraternal lodges. He passed away April 27, 1937. THE EARLY ENGLISH Among the pioneers were two families named "ENGLISH". Both came in the Sixties with part of their family and reared others here, all of whom were well and favorably known in the coal field. JOHN ENGLISH FAMILY John and Mary English came here in 186G, settling in what later became the City of Braidwood. The family recalls the fact that Mary often walked five or more -miles to Wilmington on week-ends to do her family shopping be- fore grocery stores were set up locally. Mr. English work- ed in the mines then later opened a tavern in Eureka. After his death in 1898, his widow operated a neighborhood store on the corner of West Main and English Streets, until her death, in 1904. Among the children, two were born in England and came here with their parents, namely, John Jr., and Sarah, who later married Llewellyn Eogers, mayor of Braidwood for a number of years, and the long-time Superintendent of the Illinois Employment Office in Joliet. Those born here were Harriet, who later married Don Spurr, printer and editor; Mary, the wife of Alexander McParlane, and Alice, who married John Quick. 1.12 THE BRAID WOOD STOEY LUKE ENGLISH FAMILY They came from England shortly after the discovery of coal here, where he worked in the mines and later was elected several terms as a township official. Among the children, Anna, the eldest daughter, is the only survivor, and lives in Kansas; William married Miss Elizabeth Knowles, and they became pioneer settlers of South Wil- mington in 1900 ; John married Miss Kate Vacca, daughter of the well-known Louis and Mrs. Vacca, popular business leaders; Daniel, who moved to Girard, 111., after coal mining ceased here; Harriet, who married Wm. Ferguson and Matthew, who married Miss Elizabeth Steen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. 11. Steen. Numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren live in Braidwood, South Wilmington and other towns in Illinois. THE WILLIAM MALTBY FAMILY William Maltby was born in Telston, England, March 7, 1840. As a boy, he went to work on the large farm of the Coal and Iron Co., of which his father was manager. He entered the mines in his home town, working there until 186:2, when lie migrated to Quebec, Canada ; thence to Jack- son, Michigan, Peoria and Fairbury, Illinois, operated a coal business in Pennsylvania before coming to Braidwood in 1866, where he became superintendent of the Rhodes Coal Co., later the Eureka Coal Company of Chicago, which laid out the Eureka section of Braidwood, Mad operated four mines. When that company ceased operations in this field, he became associated with the Albright Wilmington Coal Company, which he later purchased, and operated his own mines Northeast of the city for several years. He was a founder of the Braidwood Public Library, THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 113 and served as its first president. He also took a prominent part in the civic affairs of Braidwood for years. He fathered a large family, was twice married, first to Miss Dorinda Green, to whom 4 children were horn, — Adolphus, Arthur, Albert and Kate. Thirteen children were born of the second mariage to Miss Adeline Varley, namely: William of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died March 8, 1955. Lucy — Mrs. P. J. Yerly, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Kate — Mrs. William Hardy, now of Plainfield, Illinois. Edgar, who died in Braidwood, in 1906. Prank of Galesburg, retired. Former Superintendent of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Braidwood and there. He married Miss Myrtle Murray, of Braidwood. Herbert, who died in infancy. Richard (Dick), a plumber, who died in St. Peter, Minn., on March 10, 1949. Darius, plumbing contractor in Plainfield, Illinois married Miss Hattie Reed, daughter of Fred Reed now retired. Harold, a pipe fitter for the E. J. & E. Ry., in Joliet, for years. Joseph, of Princeton, 111., the only bachelor. John, of Elgin, 111., operator of his own service station for years. Wesley, of Minneapolis, Minn., in dairy business. Willis, of Joliet, operator of Central Appliance Co. there. 114 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY "G-SHAFT" WILLIAMSONS Among the earliest immigrants from England, were Mr. and Mrs. William Williamson, who came in 1869. They made Braidwood their permanent home, rearing a nice family, and taking part in the city's early development. Mr. Williamson was a hoisting engineer and served in that capacity at several of the early mines, among them the "I" and the "Qt>* Shafts. His wife, Harriet made the family name memorable as the inventor and maker of a delicious, peppermint-flavored rock candy, which was call- ed "G-Shaft", the mine nearest the family home in the kitchen of which she mode her delectable tid-bit. The recipe was a family secret and was never pat- ented. Some members of the family, after the mother's death, on September 23, 1914, tried to continue the manu- facture of "G-Shaft", but their product never really at- tained the goodness of the original. The candy is still popular. Even 40 years after her death, the recipe having died with her, there are many poor imitators. The couple's large family followed the mines or went farming. The only living member of this early pioneer family is Ben Williamson, of Thayer, Illinois. His wife was Minnie, the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carlo Pomatto, neighbors, who were among the noted pioneer families from Italy. REEDS Two Reed brothers, Thomas, the eldest, and Fred, Sr., came to Braidwood from England in the 70 's, worked in the mines here for years and reared families that played important parts in the development of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Reed's eldest son, Joseph married Miss Lillian Hopkins of the Pioneer Hopkins fam- ily, a long-time local school teacher and raised a family of THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 115 two daughters. Miss Nina Reed, a successful school teacher, now on the teaching staff of the Wilmington-Loren- zo high school, Wilmington, Illinois. Miss Mildred married and moved to Chicago, where she now resides. A second son, John, became a successful businessman and retired to Florida in the 1940's, where he resided until his death several years ago. Fred Reed Sr., married one of Harry Parsons' daugh- ters. Mr. Parsons was one of the most successful early gardners. Fred was later affiliated with the Reliance Coal Company, as shift boss and stockholder. Their eldest son, Albert, worked in the mines for years, then moved to San Diego, Calif., where he owned and operated a wholesale and retail plumbing business until his death. Another son, Harry, married a Joliet lady, and also moved to San Diego, Calif., as did their third son, Fred, Jr., after working for years in the Peter Rossi & Sons Macaroni Factory here. Miss Ada, their eldest daughter, married Henry 1). Rossi. She was a leader in local church and civic affairs until her death. Miss Harriet became the wife of Darius Maltby, of the renowned Wm. Maltby family, and now resides in Plain- field, 111. THE EARLY FRENCH-WELCH JOSEPH ROGERS, SR,, FAMILY Joseph Rogers, Sr. was born in Rouen, France. As a child he moved to Blaenavan, Wales, married a Welch lassie, raised a family and came to America in 1870. They settled in Pennsylvania then on to Braidwood in 1873. Mr. Rogers was a blacksmith by trade and worked in several of the early mines at his trade, moved to South Wilmington, 111., in 1898 and died there in 1910, survived 116 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY by three sons and one daughter, namely: Llewellyn, Thomas, Joseph (Judy,) Jr., and Elizabeth McGahey, only survivor, who now lives in Joliet, 111. Llewellyn Rogers was born in Blaenavan, Wales, in 1868 and came to Braidwood in 1873 with his parents. "Lew" as he was familiarly known, attended the Braid- wood schools, went to work in the local mines in his teens, obtained a Mine Manager's license and managed several mines here and in Torino, including the local Reliance Mines South of town. He was a charter member of the United Mine Workers of America, a past president of Local No. 1, U. M. W., Braidwood, Illinois. He served 4 years as Alderman; Mayor from 1907 to 1910; a member of the School Board of School District No. 6 for 10 years. He was a member of the Braidwood Soccer Team that won the international championship at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, and the U. S. championship for several years. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Illinois State Legislature on the Republican ticket, and was a mem- ber of the special committee from Will County to solicit funds for the care of dependents of the victims of the infam- ous Cherry, Illinois mine disaster, November 13, 1909. Serv- ing with him on this Relief Committee was M. J. Donna, (the Author) and Mr. Leckie, Managing Editor of The Joliet Herald, Joliet, 111., all three of whom were at the scene of the disaster when 21 miners were brought out of the mine two weeks after the fire that killed over 300 miners. He went to Joliet in 1914 to assume the Superinten- dency of the Illinois Employment Agency there, retiring in 1945, and died in 1951. In 1889 he married Sarah English of Braidwood, raised a family of four sons and a daughter, namely: Harry, John who died in 1936, Llewellyn, now Dis- trict Sales Manager for the Illinois Bell Telephone Com- pany, Clarence and Delia, Mrs. John N. Ghilain, of Braid- THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 117 wood. Two brothers, Thomas and Joseph, Jr., (Judy), lived here for years. "Judy" served long as a member of the East and Grove School Board, and as Supervisor of Heed Township for years. His sister, Mrs. McGahey (Elizabeth) resides in Joliet and is the only survivor of the pioneer family. THE EARLY IRISH WILLIAM AND THOMAS CONNOR FAMILIES The two brothers eame to America long before the Civil War, and first settled in Morris, Illinois, coining to the Braidwood area in the earliest coal-mining days. They were traders, farmers and later operated meat markets in partnership. William and his family lived here for over a genera- tion, moving to Morris around the turn of the century where he operated a meat market with the aid of his sons, Ber- nard, Thomas and William. His daughter, Mary, became a renowned artist. Thomas was the better known of the two brothers, having spent most of his years in Braidwood. Born in Roscommon County, Ireland, May 8, 1837, he came to America, aged 10. Miss Susan McCann, who later became his wife, was born in Tyrone, Ireland, January 1, 1847, and came to America in 1858. They were married in Joliet, Illinois, May 14, 1865. He owned several farms and lived on the one just East of the city limits. With his brother, two butchershops were opened and operated for years, first one on Fifth Street, Lower Braidwood, about opposite the C. W. & V. Company Store, and the other on Main Street in the Union Brick Block. 118 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY Eleven children were born to the marriage, many of whom chose the teaching profession after their early educa- tion in the Lower Braidwood School. Their names : Mary (Mrs. James Dunn), died in 1927. Catherine (Mrs. John Moffatt), Rialto, California. Her children are: Mrs. Mary Lawson, Rialto, California ; James Moffatt, San Bernadino, Cali- fornia, and Howard Moffatt, Tucson, Arizona. Nell (Mrs. Thomas Kasher), died in 1904. The chil- dren : Ray Kasher, Omaha, Nebraska, and Thomas Kasher, Bloomington, 111. Susan (Mrs, Patrick J. Linskey), of Oak Park, 111. Her children : Mrs. Rita Williams, Oak Park, 111.; Patrick A. Linskey. Chicago, 111.; Nell O'Mara, Chicago, 111.; Martin Linskey, Oak Park, 111., and Frank Linskey, Chicago, 111. Anne (Mrs. Michael Vicars) lives in Pontiac, 111. Her children : William Vicars; Mrs. Mary Stack, Decatur, 111.; Margaret Vicars, Chicago, 111.; Thomas Vicars, Springfield, 111.; Kathleen Vicars, Pontiac, 111.; John Vicars, Pontiac, 111. ; Robert Vicars, Silver Springs, Maryland. Miss Agnes, Lucy, Ada and Blanche, now of Chicago. THE HIGGINS One of the earliest settlers of the Braidwood area was William Higgins, who came here about the time of the famous Potato Famine in Ireland, and settled just across the Will-Grundy line, bought a farm from the Government, but spent most of his time trading and peddling through THE BRAID WOOD STORY 119 this area. He sired three sons, the youngest known as "Professor" John, who taught in both the Grove and Lower Braidwood Schools, in the middle 80 's. His brother, Patrick followed him to America, settled on a farm on the Kankakee River, just across from Custer Park, where Bernard H. Higgins, best known of the Higgins pioneers, was born in 1852. A brother, Michael Higgins, Jr., also taught in the Lower Braidwood School in the 90 's. Bernard came to Braidwood in 1873, operated a small store in the Eureka section and later tended bar for David Barry in a section of the store building erected by the Eureka Coal Company, for its company store, and later occupied by the Fassino-Cinotto general store on the South- west corner of Main and Center Streets, now occupied by the D. J. McElroy storage. Bernard married Elizabeth Doyle, daughter of an- other Irish pioneer family in 1879. They bought a large farm on South Division Street in Reed Township, and rented several sections in Southwestern Reed Township, where he gave employment to striking miners during the many strikes in the coal mines. He served 27 years as Reed Township Highway Commissioner and later sank and operated the Higgins mine near Godley. His family consisted of three boys and three girls, namely: John T. and Bernard, Jr., (now deceased) William B. Higgins, well-known businessman and farmer; Sarah (Sadie), Kathryn and Elizabeth (Bessie), all deceased. Sadie and Bessie were school teachers. THE WILLIAM KEEVERS, SR., FAMILY William Keevers, born in County Wicklow, Ireland, came to America about 1856, settling first in Bridgeport, Conn., then to the Braidwood area in the early Sixties, where he farmed before the disco verv of coal in 1864. He 120 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY married Miss Catherine Duggan, a neighboring farmer ',9 daughter, in 1863, built a small home in what was later named Keeversville, in his honor, by the miners who settled near the first mine nearby, in Northern Eeed Township. The little settlement boomed for a few years then be- came a ghost town when practically all the miners' homes were moved to mines further South in Eeed Township, to Diamond and other nearby villages. This pioneer con- tinued farming and coal digging until his death in 1882. He fathered 8 children, 5 boys and 3 girls. All the sons have made good in the old Braidwood Way. JOHN P. a long time principal of the Lower Braid- wood School District No. 7 in the Nineties. Later moved to Chicago and served for many years in the office of the County Clerk, Cook County. He never lost interest in Braidwood and was a regular attender of the famous Braidwood Homecomings in the 1920 's. Incidently, the author graduated under him, and later succeeded him as principal in the same school. He is deceased. MATTHEW KEEVEES, another of the pioneer's sons lived all his life in the coalfields, died in 1943. His daughter, Miss Marion, of Coal City, is the private secre- tary of Illinois' Governor, W T illiam Stratton. JAMES, a broker in Cedar Eapids, now retired, still resides there. DONALD, a Chicago policeman. WTLLIAM P., 48 years as a credit manager, retir- ing to his home in Brookfield, 111., in April, 1954. The daughters were named Mary, Prine and Catherine. THE EEILLY FAMILY FEANCIS T. EEILLY, son of Michael and Eose THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 121. Tully Reilly, was born in Meath Comity, Ireland, in May, 1820. The father, a farmer and blacksmith, died in 1829. At the age of 14, Francis was employed as a drayman, operating between Kelis and Dublin, until he immigrated to the United States in 1847 with his mother and family. Lived and worked in New York and New Jersey. Married Miss Mary Bradley, also an immigrant from Ireland, about 1850. Raised a family of eight. Came to Illinois in 1855, purchased 200 acres in Reed Township, Will County, at $6.00 an acre, becoming one of the earliest settlers on the outskirts of Braidwood. THOMAS REILLY, an older brother, born in 1817, who never married, and made his home with Francis, was familiarly known as "Old Uncle Tom", died in 1897. To- gether they owned and cultivated 530 acres of farmland, prior to 1880. MICHAEL REILLY, a third brother, "Old Uncle Mike", a veteran of the Civil War, settled in nearby Kan- kakee County, a successful farmer and businessman. He died about 1903. ROSE REILLY, an only sister, "Old Aunt Rose", died in 1909. The mother of this pioneer family, who was born in Ireland in 1787, died on the family farm here in 1864, and is buried in the Wilmington Catholic Cemetery, as are most of the deceased descendants, excepting those of Michael's, who lie buried in the Braidwood Catholic Ceme- tery. JAMES AND ANASTASIA RYAN The family came to America from Ireland before the Civil War and settled on a small farm South of Braid- wood, where, among others, was born a famous son, William I). Ryan, March 2,^1861, (Photo Page 73). Coal was first 122 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY discovered in Braidwood in 1864, where "W. D." grew up in the atmosphere of coal mining' with which industry lie was historically associated through his lifetime. "W. D." attended the grade schools in Braidwood and at the acceptable age of 14, he entered the local mines and early affiliated himself with the miners' union move- ment, the predecessor of the present United Mine Workers of America, one of the strongest in the union field. Elected to the State Executive Board on February 18, 1897, he was named its Secretary-Treasurer of Illinois District Twelve with state headquarters in the Wakefield- Paden printing shop on Main Street. On April 1, 1889, the headquarters office was moved to Springfield, Illinois. Mr. Ryan often told of selling the furniture in the Braid- wood office for $1.50 when he gave up his Braidwood home, but never forgot his many Braidwood friends. During the famous Braidwood Homecoming Days in the 1920 's, he was a regular visitor and booster. When the headquarters were moved from Braidwood to Springfield, the state's union membership was under 500. Under his financial policy, it flourished to become one of the most influential in the labor circles of Illinois and the nation. In 1908, he resigned as Illinois Secretary-Treasurer of the Union to assume the office of International Secretary and Treasurer, with headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1909, he became Commissioner of the Southwest Coal Corporation, serving until 1915, when he was appointed by the U. S. Government as Consiliator for the U. S. Bureau of Mines, a position he filled well for 20 years, with head- quarters in Kansas City, Mo. In 1935, he returned to Springfield, 111., to serve as arbitrator for the U. M. W. A., and the Illinois Coal Operators' Association. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 123 He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. R. J. Mc- Grath, (Alice) in Kansas City, Mo., on November 17, 1949, aged 88 years, having spent a lifetime improving the plight of his fellow coal miners of Braidwood, the state and the nation. On November 30, 1892, he married Miss Alice T. Kelly of Braidwood, who preceded him in death. Born were 5 sons and 2 daughters, namely: Thomas J., Spring- field, 111.; W. D. Jr., deceased; Frank, Joseph and John, de- ceased; Mrs. R. J. McGrath and Mrs. P. J. Dolan, all of Kansas City, Mo. In his miners' union upbuilding, he was a warm friend of such union leaders as John P. Mitchell, a Braid- wood boy, later known as "The Father of the Miners' Union"; John L. Lewis, present well known President of the Union with headquarters in Washington, J). C, and William Green, a past national president. While a resident of Braidwood, lie was a loader in civic affairs, of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and presi- dent for several terms of Lower Braidwood School District No. 7. He never lost interest in the city of his birth. During the famous Homecoming Days in the early 1920's, he was not only a regular attender, but often a guest speak- er, recalling old days and now forgotten incidents. THE EARLY ITALIANS THE BERTAS Perhaps the most prolific family among the nationals that originated in small towns in Piedmont, Italy, just a few miles northwest of Turin, were those that bore the name ' ; Berta" or wrongfully '*Barto". More than a dozen different branches settled in this community during the Seventies and Eighties and all left a good impression on the early and later development of the community. 124 THE BKAIDWOOD STOEY Very few of them were related, except from the point of origin. In a few cases the name was changed in spelling to "Barto" but most realized early that it was a misnomer with the result that the incipient error was corrected and "Berta" became the legal spelling. One of the earliest Italians of that name was Dominick Berta, a blacksmith by trade, who operated a shop on the corner of Main and ' ' B ' ' Street until his retirement. He married a Miss Rainville, daughter of one of the pioneer French or Belgic families, reared three sons and two daughters. The eldest, Frank, who became a jeweler and lived most of his adult life in El Paso, 111. ; Charles, a college graduate, who specialized in financing to become a wizard with offices in New York City, and Frederick, a successful operator in Chicago. In the early Eighties, families of that name came here in flocks, all adding materially to the development of this cosmopolitan city. One was the James Berta family whose head followed the mines until he set up a business of his own, that of truck gardening, raising and selling vege- tables on a few acres, in the western part of the city, adding a few acres yearly, until he became the largest land owner within the city limits. Two of his sons, Ludovico (Patty) and James took over at his death and today are considered the outstanding truck gardners in Southwestern Will County. Another Berta family was that headed by John Ba- tista, who lived on North Division and who reared a large and progressive family. The eldest son was Joseph and the eldest daughter was Angelina, who married Victor Delmastro and mothered the large family of Delmastros, who have done splendidly in communities surrounding our city. The youngest son, Thomas, became a movie magnate in Rock Springs, Wyoming, where a daughter Mary, was long employed in the bank. Another daughter, -'Louise 7 •> THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 125 became the wife of Louis Girot, Mayor of Braidwood. There were three brothers, Anthony, Dominick and Peter. Best known of these was Dominick, father of " Carlo" or Charles, who became a barber here, then moved with his family to Thayer, 111., and later a prominent butcher in Decatur, Illinois, before retiring to Florida. Then there were among' many others of that name, Dominick, a brother of John Batista, and Mike Berta, known as "Rouse or Red"; three other brothers, Mike, Frank, and Peter, the son of one became a long time postmaster of South Wilmington, to which village the three moved from Braidwood, in 1900. An Antone Berta lived near the Five Tracks, father of John, who operated a livery barn on Main Street, North of the old Methodist Church, which was torn down in 195G; of Edward, a trucker and beer distributor, who later moved to Standard, Illinois, to become the Mayor of that small mining village ; and of Frederick, who became a successful businessman in Chicago, where he now lives in retirement. Still another of that name was Andrew, fatlier of Mary (Mrs. Win. Faletti), mother of Michael Faletti, Superintendent of the Will County Tuberculosis Sani- tarium in Joliet, and Minnie, the wife of John Fernango, successful insurance agent in Joliet. There were several other families of that name, trace of whom has been obliterated by time, but all of whom left their marks on the cosmopolitan growth of this community and surrounding town to which they migrated, all to make good to a greater or lesser degree. STEPHEN FALETTI FAMILY Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Faletti and family came to Braidwood from Partuso, Italy in 1873, and became one of the several leaders of the large Italian colony here, and did 126 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY valiant work in the Americanization of that group. He was a wood worker and a cabinet maker by trade. He worked in the mines for about ten years, then operated a dry goods and grocery store from 188.3 to 1922. He also operated a tavern in connection, but discontinued that business in 1912. During all those years he served 1)0 th the U. S. and Italian interests in matters concerning his many friends in the Italian colony here, arranging for passages for immigrants and return visits, as the agent of the White Star Steamship Line. He was ejected several terms as Alderman for the Third Ward, served 26 years as a member of the Board of Education of District No. 7 (Lower Braidwood), and was the member who supported the Author, (M. J. Donna), for his first appointment as a grade teacher in that dis- trict in 1896. He has the honor of having served the long- est term as Township School Treasurer, Reed Township, 32 years. His wife aided the women of the colony in adapting themselves to the American Way of Life. They raised five children, namely: John, who died in Joiiei in 1899, where he operated a store; Antone, an apprentice in the John Chedister blacksmith shop, moved to Spring Valley, 111., to follow that trade and served several years as .post- master there; Joseph, a machinist who worked in the E. J. & E. Shops in Joliet, and presently owner of one of the biggest machine shops in Central Illinois, in Lincoln; Frances, who was one of the first women of Italian descent to get a teacher's certificate in Northern Illinois, taught in the Lower Braidwood School, and the Eliza Kelly School in Joliet, married John Peart and moved to South Wilming- ton where she followed that profession for years, later moved to Gillespie; and Catherine, who helpe/d her father in the store until her marriage to Harry Brown, a Braid- THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 127 wood pioneer, moved to Gillespie, 111., where Mr. Brown later served as Mayor for several terms. THE BATTISTA PERONA FAMILY Battista Perona, born in Northern Italy, Jnne 27, 1852. Came to Braidwood in August, 1873 to become one of the leaders of the large Italian colony, mostly from the Piedmont Province. He worked in the mines for three years then built and operated a tavern, opposite and a little West of the City Hall, June, 1876 to June 1898, 22 years, retired on well placed investments. He was naturalized on October 29, 1878, married Miss Margaret Ellena March 28, 1882, and reared five children, namely: Margaret, (deceased), who married Fred L. Berta, son of another Braidwood pioneer; Felica, later the wife of Victor Biasetti of Joliet; John and John George, deceased, and Bartholomeo (Barney) who married Miss Mae Belle Hyde of Chicago, August* 21, 1916. Barney, a resident of Chicago, is a regular Braid- wood visitor and a big success in Chicago, connected with the United States Gypsum Company since March 4, 1918, as Division Credit Manager. PETER EOSSI, SR. One of the foremost early Italian settlers and the city's foremost industrialist was the family of the late Peter Rossi, Sr. Peter Rossi was born in Northern Italy, near Torino, and was educated in the home schools. At an early age he was employed by the Government of Italy, specializing in the grain milling and macaroni manu- facturing business, later opened his own macaroni factory in his native town in 1876. He immigrated to America in 1878, settled in Braid- wood, where he was employed as a check weighman at the 128 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY Crumby mine. Later lie moved to Chicago to work at his chosen trade, that of macaroni maker, but soon returned to Braidwood, opening the city's first tin shop arid hardware business in Lower Braidwood. In 1886, he realized his ambition by opening the first macaroni factory here, the first food plant of its kind in Northern Illinois oat side of Chicago, a business that prospered well and was handed down to his sons. That plant, first located on Fourth St., near Division, was moved to the remodeled Broadbent Hotel on First Street, where it is still in operation. The elder Rossi was highly esteemed by his fellow citizens of all nationalities, who elected him as a school Trustee of Reed Township, later as an alderman from the Third Ward to the City Council in 1890 - 1892. His family of four sons and two daughters reflected his training and business experience through the years. His sons and grandsons inherited the macaroni business and promoted it through the years to become one of the most progressive small but family controlled in the in- dustry. He passed away in 1918, leaving a going business that has been a boom to the city, providing employment to hundreds away from the mines. Stephen, the eldest son, who died in 1953, first aided his father as plant superintendent for years, later branch- ing out for himself in several other lines of business, built and operated a garage and service station. In 1950, he built and operated the Rossi Motel, a hundred thousand dollar business, the largest and best in Southwestern Will County; also a big restaurant now operated by the Weitz Brothers of Morris, well regarded by tourists on U. S. Route 66. Previously he had built the famous Rossi Dance Pavilion, south of the city, on 66A. His two sons, Peter B. and John presently operate the gas station and the tourist motel. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 129 Felix J., the second son served as plant manager of the macaroni factory following in his father's footsteps, and serving many years as a school director, District No. 6. On his retirement in 1946, when he sold out to a younger brother, Henry D., he became a gentleman farmer. He married Miss Theresa Peyia, eldest daughter of another very well-known and successful Italian family and became parents of two daughters, Felicia and Mary Margaret. Henry I)., his third son became one of the best known macaroni makers in the XL S., being prominent in the for- mation of the National Macaroni Manufacturers Association in Pittsburg, Pa., in April, 1920, the youngest in attendance at that first convention, serving frequently through the years as a National Director. He bought full control of tiie local macaroni factory in 1946, which he now operates, with the help of his two sons, Henry, Jr., and Albert. He served nearly a quarter of a century as President of the Braidwood Chapter of the American Red Cross, thru the difficult years of two World Wars, was one of the first Commissioners under our city's Commission form of govern- ment and a leader in most important community affairs. He married Miss Ada Reed, daughter of one of the city's pioneers. Besides the two sons mentioned, a daughter, Harriet, Mrs. Charles Allison, now resides in Kankakee, 111. Peter, the youngest son, also a renowned macaroni maker worked in his father's factory, later established and operated a factory of his own in Joliet. Later he became plant manager of two of the largest plants in Illinois, in Chicago. He married Miss Mary Anderson of Coal City, 111. The daughters were Josephine, who now resides on the West Coast, and Jennie, Mrs. George Mortimer, of Braidwood. 130 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY JOHN TESSIATOKI The John Tessiatori family arrived in Braidwood in the early Eighties and resided on Sixth Street in Lower Braidwood, East of Division Street. He followed mining for a time then became one of the first firemen at the city owned electric light plant set up by engineer Charles Stowell, father of the well-known "Blind Bob-' Stowell. Wm. Hardy became one of the early assistant engineers of the plant. Later Mr. Tessiatori was named as City Street Commissioner, with police powers. At the turn of the century, he purchased a farm in Section 6 of Reed Township fronting the Will-Grundy line near the Diamond which he operated until his death. Earlier he had served as a member of the Board of Education of School District No. 7 (Lower Braidwood). In that capacity, lie proposed the name of the author to fill a vacancy as teacher in the West Side School in 1869 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Miss Jessie Hunter in anticipation of her marriage. Note: (Never will I forget this friendly turn as it started me on a 14-year teaching career, that gave me a helpful start in adult life.— The Author.) They raised a large family. Joseph died in Coal City in the summer of 1955; another son, Bernard was a renowned semi-pro basketball player for the Torino, 111., team and now lives in Joliet, (1956). A daughter, Bernar- dine still lives in Braidwood, another in Dwight, and still another in the West. THE EARLY POLISH THE MARTIN LUKOSKIE FAMILY Mr. and Mrs. Martin Lukoskie came to America from their home in Poland in 1881, settling in Kouts, Indiana, THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 131 from whence they came to Br aid wood in 1883, to spend the remainder of their lives. Mr. Lukoskie never worked in the Braidwood mines, preferring railroad maintenance work, serving nearly 50 years as Maintenance Foreman of the Braidwood Section of the Chicago and Alton Railroad. All those years they lived in the Section House, South of the depot, alongside of the railway right-of-way. Six children were born to the union, three sons who chose to follow their father in railroad work, namely: Joseph (deceased), who became Division Roadmaster of the Great Northern Railroad in St. Paul, Minn. ; Alexander, who also became Division Roadmaster for the Great Northern Railroad in St. Paul, Minn., and Victor, Road- master for the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio R. R. (The Alton), at Bloomington, 111. Three daughters, Pearl, who became Mrs. Peter Rink; Mary, who married Frank Ripple of St. Paul, Minn., who's son Raymond, was ordained as a Catholic Priest in the early '40 's; and Frances, who married Matthew Stonich, a Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Ry. engineer, the parents of Frances and Raymond Stonich. The latter was ordained a Catholic Priest in May, 1956, saying his first Solemn High Mass in the Catholic Church here. (Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Stonich passed away about a week apart in the middle of May, 1955). THE WILLIAM WESOLOSKI FAMILY On their arrival in America in 1881, the family went to Lemont, Illinois, where the members resided for three years, coming to Braidwood in 1884. Mr. Wesoloski worked in several of the Braidwood mines for 13 years. In 1897, he became a farmer, later buying the farm near the No. 3 Eureka Coal Company mine, which he farmed until 1919. After the death of Mr. Wesoloski, the family moved to Wilmington, 111. 132 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY Eight children and Mrs. Wesoloski survive as of 3 955. Felix is an electrician; Samuel, a railway engineer; Thomas, a retired businessman ; Frank, a farmer ; Clarence, a mechanic; Harriet Kelsey, a cook ; Anna Dwyer, a teacher before her marriage, and Helen Melbourne, a bookkeeper. As of 1955, 8 grandchildren were born to this pioneer family. THE EARLY SCOTCH THE BARES Peter Barr, Sr., was born in Johnston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, October 20, 1840. His wife was born in nearby Kilmarnock, Ayreshire, Scotland, October 27, 1839. They were married in Scotland in the late Fifties. Mr. Barr came to America and to Braidwood in 1865. and his wife followed him the next year and both lived here until their death. Nine children were born to the union, three in Scot- land, Daniel Steel Barr, well-known druggist, who died December 4, 1946; Elizabeth (Mrs. Frank 0. Watson) and Margaret (Mrs. C. G. Wignall). They came with their mother to join the father in Braidwood, in 1865. The six born in Braidwood were: Josie (Mrs. Paul R. Nagle) ; a child who died in infancy; Peter W. Barr, a druggist ; William Carlysle Barr, who is a practicing dentist with office in Washington, D. C. ; Mary Carlysle Barr, long time school teacher now (1956) residing in Joliet, and Anna, (Mrs. Kenneth Powers). The founder of the Barr family in Braidwood was a cousin of James Braidwood, after whom our city is named. He followed mining for several years, then operated a tavern and later opened a drug store after his son, Daniel, was admitted to practice pharmacy, a profession he follow- THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 133 ed for nearly a half century in Braidwood. Dan, as he was familiarly known by his many friends was a true sportsman and served several decades as Secretary of the Braidwood Driving Park Association, supervising the operation of the race track until its abandonment about 1910. He married Miss Joseph Mulhall, a school teacher in the Braidwood Schools. Dan's four children; Gertrude, a school teacher and presently operating the Barr Drug- store; Mildred, also a school teacher, married John Mc- Farland; Clyde, who was in public service work, and Vic- toria, Mrs. Richard Van Duyne. All have passed away except Gertrude. Peter Barr, Sr., the founder of the Barr dynasty later supervised the Braidwood Express Agency, and drove the express wagon to make local deliveries. Daniel Barr, while operating his drug store also served as deputy sheriff lor many years, several terms as Mayor and City Treasurer. THE COAL DIGGING SKINNERS Two generations of Skinners were actively associat- ed with coal mining in and near Braidwood, including David Skinner, Sr., who came to these parts in the late Sixties, and his sons, Alex, John, David. Jr., and Joseph. David Sr., was superintendent of the Chicago, Wil- mington Mining and Manufacturing Co. that sank 5 mines near The Diamond, northwest of the Braidwood City Limits, including the one astride the Will-Grundy County Line, the scene of one of tlie country's greatest disaster of that time, February 10, 1883. (See Diamond Disaster, Page 75), also The McGinty and The Corker mines to the Southwest, aided by his sons, Alex, John, David, Jr., and Joseph. Early in the Twentieth Century, the Skinner Bro- thers opened and operated a deep mine in the extreme 134 THE BRALDWOOD STORY Southwestern part of Reed Township, laid out the Village of Torino, so named because so many of the miners came from near Torino, Italy. After operating about 15 years, the mine closed and the village of near 1,000 people be- came a ghost town with only a few families, miles of gravel streets and cement sidewalks prior to World War T. Later the Skinner Brothers operated the C. & YV. abandoned Mine No. 3, near South Wilmington, Illinois, returning to the Braidwood field in 1918 to sink the first and only slope mine about 1,000 yards Northeast of the coal field's first deep mine, the ''Coal Well". Not too successful, it was abandoned after purchasing the Young & Oswald "Gin" shaft in 1920 which was sold in 1928 to the Northern Illinois Coal Corporation, with its mineral rights for strip mining. Skinner Brothers still own thousands of acres of mineral rights to the South and West of Braidwood, under the supervision of David, Jr., the only surviving brother as of 1950. THE MANY STEENS There were at least four distinct families of Steens, who came to Braidwood about 1868 and became important factors in the early development of the community. All originated in Ayreshire and nearby Johnstone, Renfrew- shire, Scotland. They migrated to Pottsville, Pa., in the spring of 1865 and to this region in 1868. WILLIAM II. STEEN FAMILY Of the group, this family was probably the best known because of William's coal mining days, his close association with the civic affairs, having served as alder- man, City Clerk, Mayor and City Attorney. Also as Braidwood Postmaster, two terms in the Illinois Legisla- ture, his insurance business and fraternal affiliations. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 135 He married Mary Ann Robertson in Braidwood, January 21, 1868, raising five children, namely: Agnes, who married John "Doolia" Kilpatrick; William, Jr., who died in infancy; Elizabeth, the postmistress, who married Matthew English; Isabelle, the spinster, and Mary Ann, who died at the age of 16. He was a founding member of the local Masonic Lodge and of the First Presbyterian Church here, serving as its elder for 15 years. He belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and for 13 years served as Royal Chief of the Order of Scottish Clan of U. S. and Canada. He died February 13, 1930. THE JOHN STEEN FAMILY John was long a coal miner, lived on South School Street, father of John M. Steen, who died in California, in 1954. Also of William, a present resident of Wilming- ton, Illinois; of Robert, Thomas and James. JAMES STEEN, THE CARPENTER, FAMILY James, who helped in the construction of many of the Braidwood buildings, was the father of James K. Steen, better known as '"Dakota" Jim, having taken up home- steads in South Dakota after his early mining days, and who returned to Braidwood after the land-bubble burst in that Western State. He served as highway commis- sioner, City Clerk and a brief term as Mayor. JAMES STEEN FAMILY Cousin James Steen worked in the mines and passed away in 1889, aged 68 years. His widow, "Auntie" Steen survived him many years. Among their children, (all deceased), were: Robert; Mrs. James Stewart, whose hus- band was City Marshal for years; Mrs. Robert Hodge and 136 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY Mrs. Thomas (Rachael) Brown. The family lived on School Street, near Third Street. PATTERSON Alexander, the pioneer of the Patterson clan, was born in the village of Dollar, Pert shire. Scotland, dune 5, 1828, and died in Braidwood, January 29, 1892. Excerpts from the obituary read and sermon preached by Rev. H. W. Harbaugh, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at the funeral here, January 31, 1892, divulged the following- facts : Mr. Patterson entered the mines in Scotland when only 8 years old. At the age of 24, he came to America, in 1852, to work in the mines in Pennsylvania, then joined the gold rush to California where for 2% years he recovered .enough gold dust to purchase a farm in DeKalb, which he operated for five years. He then moved to Morris, 111., to engage in brick making until 1872, when he made Braid- wood his home, and set up the A. & J. W. Patterson Furni- ture and Undertaking business. He was one of the founders of Masonic Lodge No. 704 and served as its first Master. In 1848, he had mar- ried Miss Jane McKinley, of Saline, Fifeshire, Scotland, who died in April, 1891. Seven children were born to them, four of whom survived his death: James W., Alexander, Mrs. Robert Micklejohn and Miss Jennie Patterson. Also two sisters, Mrs. Ellen Oswald, of Braidwood, and Mrs. Margaret Bonar of Morris, and a brother, Mr. Robert Patterson, of Nebraska. JAMES W. PATTERSON was born in Scotland, married Miss Mary Stewart and migrated to Br aidwood in the early v 70's. With a bachelor brother, Alexander, worked in the mines for a time, then opened and conducted a furniture, livery and undertaking business, started by THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 137 their father, for more than a generation. James W. serv- ed as Braidwood *s postmaster and several terms as Super- visor of Reed Township and was long associated with the civic affairs of his adopted city. His wife died in 1903; he passed away April 30, 1916. His brother and partner in business, Alexander, former City Treasurer and opera- tor of the city scales for years, passed away April 1, 1946. The children of Mr. and Mrs. James W. were seven in number. Janet; Alexander J., also an undertake]'; Tena, who married Alex D. Howatt, well known Braidwood den- tist and school board member; John and Mary, who worked in the Post Office during their dad's postmaster ship ; James R., who also operated the Patterson Funeral Home here, and Mildred M. Schmidt, of Joliet. All have passed away except Mildred. The Patterson Undertaking business, established in the early ? 70's is now in the hands of his grandson, James, Jr., the sixth in the family to continue that service to the community, with his mother, Mrs. James (Esther Nelson) Patterson, with one of the most modern funeral homes in Braidwood and vicinity. THE WALKERS In the early days, Braidwood was full of Walker^, all cousins, who originated in Ayreshire, Scotland, ar- riving here between 1879 and 1881. In the Eighties, seven large families of this clan lived here. Among them were: Robert Walker, Sr., nicknamed "Fister", married Lillias Kilpatrick, in Scotland, a sister of such Braidwood pioneers as James, Alexander and John Kilpatrick. Their sister, Margaret, married Thomas Barrowman, Sr., and sired such illustrious pioneers as James (Cully) ; Robert, famed goal-keeper of the Braidwood World Championship Soccer Football team, and John. 138 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY Twelve children were born to the Robert Walkers: Ann, the eldest, died in infancy in Scotland; James, a bachelor; Robert, Jr., married Mary Miller; Thomas, mar- ried Sara Hamilton; John married Belle Rankin; Alexan- der married Ella Rogers; Daniel married Musie Roe and William (Neddie) married Alice Carr. The other daughters: Annie, married Win. Lindsay; Lillias, married Hivgh Young; Marion, married James Gell alley and Lizzie, who married Robert Alexander, — practically ali Braidwood pioneers. Neddie Walker's daughter, Lillias, is presently the County Superintendent of Schools for Grundy County, in Morris, Illinois. THE JOHN P. WALKERS came in 1880. He was known as "Puddick". A son, also nicknamed "Puddick" after working in the mines, moved to Joliet, where he later was elected sheriff of Will County, (1922 - 1926), and afterwards served as Superintendent of Prisons for the State of Illinois. THE JAMES WALKERS, the husband being locally known as "Lentley", came about 1880, too. The family lived off Main Street, near the Canfield Barbershop. THE JOHN WALKERS followed. He worked in the mines. Of the many offsprings, the best known is John L. Walker (deceased), a polio cripple, who moved to Joliet, studied law, was admitted to the State Bar and served several times as a member of the Illinois State Legislature. In Braidwood, the family lived on Center Street, near the Blood Pop Eactory. THOMAS WALKER, a brother of Robert, came here about the same time, worked in the local mines for 20 years then moved to South Wilmington in 1899 to become Secretary of the Miners' Union there and of the Foresters of America Lodge for over 20 years. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 139 THE EARLY SCOTCH-IRISH THE PATRICK GARRITY FAMILY Patrick Garrity, born in Ardray, Scotland, came to Braidwood in 1867, worked in the local mines, mostly in winter, spending his summers on the F. B. Scobat farm near Union Hill, 111. He opened a combination grocery and tavern on the Southeast corner of Main and Center Streets in 1869, closed the business in 1895. He served 10 years as Reed Township Tax Collector and 12 years as City Treasurer of Braidwood. He died May 9th, 1900. Nine children were born to this pioneer family, 7 daughters and two sons, namely: Annie (Mrs. George Wakefield); Mary (Mrs. Wil- liam Young); Katherine (Mrs. Alexander Robinson); Nellie, a spinster, who clerked in her father's store and assistant to Postmaster Michael J. Sullivan; Elizabeth (Mrs. Daniel Gushing); Theresa (Mrs. Charles Mills) and Eva (Mrs. Fred Baker). Of the sons, Bernard died in infancy. Anthony J. graduated from the Chicago Law School in 1901 and was admitted to the State Bar, serving three terms as Braidwood \s City Attorney and one term as Village Attorney for South Wilmington. He moved to Chicago where he married Miss Nellie Rockford in 1903, where he practiced his profession until his retirement to Braidwood in 1932. He had also managed the Diamond Coal Company's Company Store in Braidwood and that of the Streator Merchantile Store in Carbon Hill. His son, Francis, was ordained a Catholic Priest and celebrated his first Solemn 140 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY High Mass in the Catholic Church in Braidwood on May 4, 1941. After his retirement, he served a term as Super- visor of Reed Township and as City Attorney under Mayor Louis Girot. He continues to practice law in a leisurely way, as of 1956. THE EARLY SWEDES THE NELSONS Ole Nelson, born in Sweden, where he married Miss Matilda Poison and migrated to America on his honeymoon, in the early Eighties, settling in Campus, Illinois, where he operated a hotel. In 1899 he and his family moved to Braidwood to engage in farming on the Essex road. He long served as Reed Township School Trustee, also as Highway Commissioner. On retiring, he moved to Wilmington, 111., where he resided until his death. The four children were well-known and highly re- spected. John Nelson served for many years as the repre- sentative of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., as did his brother, Arthur H. Nelson, who retired to become the cashier of the First National Bank in Braidwood before it went under in the infamous depression in 1933. Belinda, the eldest daughter married Alexander Oswald, member of another pioneer family, who later be- came Mayor of Wilmington. The youngest daughter, Esther married James R. Patterson, a member of the well- known pioneer undertaking family, and on his death, she took over the management of the Patterson Funeral Home. A grandson, Harold Nelson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Nelson of Braidwood, attained the highest rank in the U. S. Army, among the hundreds of Braidwood servicemen through the years, and all our wars. He THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 141 graduated from the Reed-Custer or Braidwood High School and also graduated from the College of Civil Engineering, University of Illinois and did post-graduate work at Cor- nell University. He joined the U. S. Army and had an important part in the construction of the Alcan Highway through Western Canada to Alaska, where he attained the rank of Colonel. He is now a member of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineering (1956) attending the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia. He recently completed 3 years of service in Japan, followed by a round-the-world tour of military inspections. His brother, Arthur (Grant) Nelson now resides in California. THE EARLY SWISS THE JOHN BELAND FAMILY John Belaud was born near the Black Forest of Switzerland in 1850, His parents died when he was 9 years old, and he came to America in 1859 to live with rela- tives, the Simon Stewart family in Essex, Illinois. He at- tended the schools there, leaving to do farming, and to take up cattle buying and selling. In June, 1873, he married Mary Evans of Essex, and moved to Chicago, but returned to Braidwood shortly afterwards to start a business of draying, house-moving and ice supply, in partnership with John Peck of Braidwood and Gardner. He later was employed by Markert & Co., beer brewers in Wilmington, 111. When fire destroyed the brewery he was appointed the Braidwood Coal Fields agent of the Peter Schoenhofer Brewing Company, Chicago. In 1918, when prohibition started in the U. S., he moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to farm his holdings there. He passed away in 1922. His wife died in 1927. 142 THE BBAIDWOOD STORY A daughter, Jessie Beland, a nurse died at the age of 22. A son, Walter, born in 1880, married Miss Rae Engles of Wilmington, 111., a well-known music teacher. They went to Calgary, Canada, with his father to assist in farming and where the Walter Beland family still resides, as of 1956. Walter had a family of four, the two eldest having been born in Braidwood. They are: John, Jr., Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy; Raymond, an executive of Phillips Petroleum in Cutbank, Montana; Richard, a fire inspector for Alberta, living in Edmondton, Alberta, and Jessie (Mrs. (loodale), cashier of Jenkins Chain Store, in Calgary. THE EARLY WELCH DAVID L. FRANCIS, born in Clydach, Wales, February 22, 1846, came to America in 1869, settling in Braidwood where he resided until his death on June 21, 1901. He married Miss Rachael Bowen, October 28, 1871. He first worked in the coal mines here then in 1880, opened a general insurance agency and real estate office in partnership with John H. Ward, another Braidwood pioneer, becoming sole owner in 1884, a business that has continued for 75 consecutive years through his son and grandson. To the union were born 9 children: Thomas L. (August 22, 1872 - September 21, 1935); Elizabeth, Mrs. David McKensie, (August 5, 1874 - October 28, 1951) ; John January 4, 1877 - May 10, 1907) ; David Jr., (June 18, 1879 - March 15, 1906) ; Alfred (May 26, 1881 - October 9, 1883) ; Arthur J., (February 8, 1893 - February 17, 1940) ; William, April 8, 1883; Alice (Mrs. Ernest Barnett) March 15, 1885; and Jennie (Mrs. Allan Cherrie), March 21, 1887. Thomas L., born in Braidwood, educated in the local schools, worked 10 years in the coal mines, entering into THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 143 partnership with his father in 1899, to become one of the best known Insurance-Real Estate men in the coal fields. On February 25, 1896, he married Miss Elizabeth Milner, of a pioneer Braidwood family. Ever prominent in civic affairs, he was a director of the First National Bank, 8 years as Reed Township Assessor, and many years a member of the Reed-Custer Township High School Board. He died September 21, 1935. Tom's only son, Edwin Gr. was born in Braidwood, September 4, 1896, succeeded to and now operates the Thomas L. Francis Insurance Agency, with the assistance of his wife, the former Miss Loretta Roderick, of Joliet. THE OLIVERS Most influential in the early development of our community was the Olivers, founded by Evan Oliver, Sr., born March 28, 1836, in Swansea, Wales. As a child, he came to America settling in Dodgeville, Wis., where he married Miss Evelyn Jones, July 11, 1856, granddaughter of Rev. Win. Jones, Congregational minister of the little Welch Church of Welch Hollow, near Dodgeville. In 1860, he came to Braidwood with two children. Nine more were born in Braidwood. A singer of renown, he joined several singing groups in concerts throughout the coal field. Among the children were : William, born September 21, 1858, died July 15, 1950. Emma Oliver Stevenson, born October 5, 1861, died April 7, 1937. Charles C. Oliver, born March 31, 1864, died July 15, 1930. David Oliver, born August 30, 1866, died December 30, 1931. 144 THE BRAIDWOOD STOKY Elizabeth, who died in infancy. Evelyn Oliver Mohr, born December 15, 1872. The only living child. Elizabeth Oliver Hodge, born March 20, 1877, died March 30, 1955. Thomas Oliver, born February 25, 1879, died September 5, 1934. Garfield, born June 28, 1881, died September 5, 1944. The mother, Mrs. Catherine Oliver took time off from rearing a family to volunteer as a Union Army Nnrse in the Civil War. All her life she had been a natural nurse, caring for injured miners as a ministering angel. She passed away July 12, 1914, aged 75. Her only brother, John B. Jones was a musician in the Union Army in the Civil War. David was best known locally, having long operated a barber shop here. Till] MAJOE EDWIN WAKEFIELD FAMILY Mr. Wakefield immigrated to the United States from his home in Monmouth, Wales, before the Civil War, in which he served and attained the rank of Major. After f the war he married an Illinois girl and made their home in Braceville, Illinois, before coming to Braidwood in 1867. He operated one of the earliest hardware stores in the community. Of the four children, the eldest son, George Wake- field is best remembered. He married Annie Garrity, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Garrity of this city. He served as an apprentice in a local printing shop here operated by Henry Parkinson, one of the best known printers of the early days of Braidwood. In 1888 he pur- chased the print shop and published "The Braidwood THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 145 Bulletin" until 1898 when the plant was sold to apprentice Alfred Paden, son of the pioneer David Paden family, who continued the publication of the paper for years. In 1898, the George Wakefield family that lived near the South end of Railroad, near Eureka Street, moved to Chicago and was affiliated, himself, with the Chicago Quartermaster Corps, later transferring to the Transporta- tion Department, With the now famous John J. Pershing World War I leader, he went to Mexico in the U. S. Army's chase of the famous Villa, in 1912. Later the family moved to Washington, D. C, where iie served in t Lie Quartermaster Corps until his retirement. He died there in 1953. Four children survive, Marie, Joseph, Laura and Katherine. 146 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY ^ | CO ^ O °> o ^ ■M pi ■w ■ I** 2 2" » 5£ in « "S j JH ° ft s < w J3 Q ba HH ■H * CO »M ; Q S.2 >+ V.«* i— i < X hair- ohn, from * CO o Sfi c X 3 go o .2 >* of pi -Willi Bob >* a '■ w grou to R ourte <: jy CHAPTER 4 THE MELTING POT Part 2 81 Family Briefs Community Builders Other Leading Families OTHER LEADING FAMILIES In addition to the leading pioneer families recorded in the foregoing chapter — "The Melting Pot ,? , hundreds of families are equally worthy of mention among early and present-day citizens who aided materially in making Braid- wood's fine history. All too few of them are mentioned and many equally meritorious ones are omitted for the reason that the author does not recall the facts pertaining to them, or was refused the information when personally requested. So, if any are not listed in this short chronicle, please excuse the author. "Wish that I could have recorded all who are worthy!" DAVID R. ANDERSON Born in Monongahela, Pa., October 15, 1865, he was 148 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY brought to Braidwood by his parents, William and Mary Hunter Anderson, immigrants from Scotland. He was educated in the Braidwood schools and started to work in the "G" mine here at the age of 11 years. The family then moved to Streator, 111., where his father had purchased a coal mine. In 1878, he suffered an accident in the mine that cost him the loss of his right leg and left arm. His brother, John, also a Braidwood boy suffered a broken back in the same accident. Recovering from his injuries, he resumed his schooling, graduated from the Streator High School in 188-1- and took to teaching as a profession. He served as County Superintendent of Schools in Grundy County, 1890 - 1898, then studied law and enjoyed a most successful practice in Morris and Joliet. DR. ROMUS ARNOLD Born in West Virginia, he attended the University of Valparaiso, in Indiana, and later graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, Class of 1888. Started his medical practice as an apprentice of well- known Dr. J .B. Backus. Married in Braidwood July 8, 1891, to Miss Gretta J. Russell, was the father of three children, Ruth, Romus, Jr., and Agnes. Moved to Carthage, Mo., from whence he joined the U. S. Army, later practiced in Joliet. BAIN Robert Bain, Sr., born in Kiimornok, Scotland, and Miss Isabella, his wife, was born in nearby Beith, were married in Scotland before migrating to Braidwood in 1869, where he worked in the mines for years. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 149 Their children were: Alexander, James, Elizabeth (^Hoover); Margaret (Ryden); Winfield, all deceased, and Robert, Jr., of Hempstead, New York, and Frank C, of San Francisco, Calif. The elder Mr. Bain died in Braidwood in 1894. After his death, his widow married Win. Carlisle, well- known baker here. She passed away on March 5, 1932, aged 87 years. o BARROWMANS The pioneer Barrowmans was a group that came to Braidwood from Scotland in the late T G0's. The founder of the big dynasty was Mrs. Margaret Barrowman, whose son, James I, arrived first in 1869, then sent for his mother and her family in 1870. Her family consisted of James 1, previously mentioned, Thomas 1st; Robert 1st; John 1st, and Alexander. They worked in the early mines. James 1st family consisted of Thomas 2nd; James 2nd, Robert 2nd, John 2nd, Margaret (Mrs. W. A. Saun- ders) ; Elizabeth (Mrs. J. H. Daisy) ; Jeanne (Mrs. Eugene O'Connor), and Joseph. Alexander, long time City Marshal, fathered the fol- lowing children: Elizabeth (Mrs. Harry Price); Mar- guerite (Mrs. J. A. Conlick) ; Alexander 2nd; Ida (Mrs! Ralph Godfrey); William; Thomas 3rd; and Mrs. Elvira Chockley. James 3rd children were Jeanne (Mrs. Geo. H af- ford) ; John 2nd; James 4th; Robert 3rd; and Mrs. Loreita Connor. The grand and the great grandchildren of the early pioneer are too numerous to list, but Mrs. George Hufford is the only one still residing in Braidwood. Her husband passed away two years ago. Robert 2nd, was the proficient goalie of the champion- ship Braidwood Soccer team of the Columbian Exposition 150 THE BRAID WOOD STORY era. James the 3rd, was a long time mine boss, Will County mine inspector and an employee of the Chicago Drainage District at the Lockport, 111., control works. BARNETT Ernest Barnett was probably the best known of the several pioneers of Barnetts, who took a prominent part in the early development of our community.Born in Brahm- ton, England, August 22, 1871, he came to Braidwood with his father in 1883, aged 12 years. His father later returned to England to bring the rest of the family to this land of opportunity, namely: Miss Annie, Samuel and Arthur. Accompanying him also was brother William and family. Thomas Barnett, (died December, 1956), an Englishman by birth but an American by naturalization. Soon after Ernest's arrival, he entered the mines as a trapper boy, then advanced to Mule Driver, and became an expert in that vocation, and later became a company hand until his retirement to go into business with his eldest son, James Francis, as the operator of a gas station, until his death, December 29, 1952. In August 1906, he married Miss Alice Francis of the pioneer David Francis family. Two daughters and three sons were born to the union, namely: Ruth, who married Clyde Samuels; Dorothy, a school teacher, who married Joseph Testa, currently a successful grocer; James Francis, who operates the Barnett Service Station, hus- band of Miss Josephine Donna ; Kenneth, who operates the Barnett Restuarant and Lounge, husband of Miss Lorraine Cinotto, and Raymond, husband of Miss Evelyn Davito and associated with his father-in-law, Frank Davito, in the bottled gas distributing business. In his middle age, Ernest became an expert horse fancier specializing in fast trotters. Among his many THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 151 good horses, was "Esther", which he frequently raced at the Braidwood Race Track. BERGERA Antone Bergera and wife, Lucy Vacca Bergera, were born in Northern Italy and came to America and Braid- wood in 1880. He worked in the mines until seriously in- jured in the "P 1 ' shaft in 1893, after which he engaged in truck farming while his wife conducted a small store on North Division Street, starting in 1891. She died in the store as the result of a burglary attack by a Chicago Negro, Edison Davis, December 19, 1923, for which crime he served many years in the Joliet Penitentiary. Seven children lived to he important factors in the building of Braidwood, namely: Emma (Mrs. James Dor- sey, Sr.) ; Gustave, Lydia (Mrs. Simon Cinotto); Mary (Mrs. Rudy Bertagnoli), later Mrs. John Dowling; Antone Jr., now retiring in Wilmington, ill., and Thomas, a success- ful farmer. BOHAC Charles Bohac was born in Czechoslovakia, in 1890, came to America in 190(5, aged lb. Worked in Chi- cago and other cities, married and then came to Braidwood in 1928 to operate the Bohac Dairy. In the early '30 's, the family moved to New Lennox, but returned to Braid- wood in the late '30 's to resume farming in Section 18, Reed Township, lie is now (1956) serving as Street Com- missioner of the City of Braidwood. George, the eldest son followed as a farmer, pur- chasing i\w Northwestern quarter of Section 18, 90's to serve as chief engineer of the municipal electric light plant and the water department for about 20 years. He later served as district agent for the Public Service Com- pany. RONEY DELEVENE, a Belgic immigrant worked in the mines for years and then retired to operate a deluxe tavern where the upper classes bought their Fine wines and liquors. -He was a confirmed bachelor. ALEX GORDON, SR., a Scotch immigrant retired from the mines in the early \80's to operate a tavern at Main and Railroad Streets. ALEX (WEASEL) GORDON, born in Braidwood, worked in the mines, managed the famous Braidwood Cubs then took up his chosen work as a jockey and trainer of horses, which he is still doing in Kentucky, (1956). He man aged Mrs. Vanderbilt's "Fair Stable" and others. 198 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY OTHER LEADING FOUNDING FAMILIES Robert Barr, Pit Boss, C Shaft Thomas Brooks, Day Boss No. 1 Shaft, Eureka Coal Company Ferris Burr, Carpenter Phillip Clark, Night Boss No. 1 Shaft, Eureka Coal Company James Craig, Beer Agent A. Cromhie, Supt. Star Shaft Alex Dennison, Pit Boss B Shaft Thomas Dorgan, Pit Boss C Shaft Thomas Dyer, Livery N. B. Easley, Engineer E Shaft G. E. Gano, Fruit Grower Bernard Gately, Engineer C Shaft Dennis Glenney, Stone Cutter Thomas Henderson, Night Boss B Shaft John Hillard, Head Engineer, No. 1 Shaft, Eureka Coal Company John Hogan, Railroad Boss J. Johnson, Engineer, C. W. & V. Coal Co. Thomas Kennard, Mine Engineer Joseph Lafka, Shoe Maker Patrick Madden, Saloon J. N. Mayo, Saloon W. A. McFarlane, Merchant Tailor Daniel McLaughlin, Miners' Leader John McVickar, Engineer John Meiklejohn, Weighman, G Shaft G. W. Moody, Mine Engineer THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 199 A. Morgan, Carriage Maker Charles 'Cornell, Meat Market Thomas C. Price, Gun Fitter Thomas Roe, Milkman J. H. Roseman, Ready Made Clothes Frank Rouse, Restaurant and Saloon M. A. Sitter ly, Carpenter Simonton & Robinson, Publishers Braid wood Journal Tristran Smith, Boss Carpenter C. Shaft B. Tiesdale, Weighman C. Shaft George Turner, Carpenter S. Turner, Supt. J. Q. A. King Mine Thomas Walsh, School Principal Benjamin Ward, Teamster W. J. H. Ward, Masonry Contractor W. PL Watson, Physician and Surgeon John Williams, Engineer William Williamson, Engineer John R. Young, President Wilmington Star Coal Co. Peter J. Yerley, Music Hall Manager David Young, Soccer player and Mine Owner Peter Strutters, Miner John Listina, Sr., Miner and Farmer Frank Stassney, Sr., Tavern Operator John Baiwir, Merchant Joseph McGovern, Sr., and Jr. NOTE : With deepest regrets to the many other important families that must be overlooked, because of poor memory, the lack of space or the failure of relatives to supply re- quested facts and information. . .The Author. 200 THE BKAIDWOOD STORY A view of a typical combination kitchen and livingroom in early miner's homes, with bare board floors covered with a home-made floor mat or rug. CHAPTER 5 SCHOOLS Teachers Pupils Realizing the value of education, the miners, many of whom had veiy little schooling, were ardent believers in good schools and readily voted to organize school districts and build adequate buildings. The first school within the city limits and also the first brick building was the one built by William Cunnea, pioneer settler. It was in the East Central part of Section Six to the East of the switch track between the "G" and "H" mines. It was a one-room affair built about 1864 and abandoned when larger and more modern schools were built in the '70's. An earlier school was built in Keeversville in 1863. It was later known as the Tyrrell School, moved away when the strip mine reached its location. In 1951, it was moved to Wilmington to serve as the Church of the Nazarene. As late as the Columbian World Fair in Chicago, in 1893-94, Braidwood had 8 different schools operating within the city limits, with more than 25 teachers. They were: 1. The North or Lower Braidwood School on the East side of Center Street, North of Fifth or Lower Braidwood Main Street. 2. The old West Side, a one-room school on the Northeast corner 202 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY of Division and Third or Church, which the author entered in 1886, under Miss Mary Mulroney in her first assignment of a long teaching career. It was torn down about 1890 and was replaced. 3. The new West Side School on Front or Hall Street, West of Division, also a one-room affair built on a one-acre plot purchased from Batista Vaira, and in which the author did his first teaching job in 1896 until it was struck by lightning and burned in August, 1897. 4. The Bucktown School, a two-room structure on the North side of Fifth or Lower Braidwood Main Street, west of the Baptist (Negro) Church that still stands. 5. The Eureka School in the Southwest part of the city. 6. The Grove School on School Street, South of Main Street. 7. The East School on the West side of East Main Street, (still standing, but abandoned) in the Southeast part of the city. 8. The Bohemian School on Michigan Street, North of Fifth Street. Two new and modern schools were built in later years including: 1. The Reed-Custer Township High School on School Street, South af Main Street, and 2. The Community Grade School on the same street, adjoining the Braidwood High School grounds on the South. LOWER BRAIDWOOD SCHOOL To accomodate the many miner's children who lived near the mines in the Northern part of what later became Braidwood, a large, 6-room, two-story frame school building was erected on Center Street, North of Fifth Street on a large plot of ground donated by the coal company. That was in the year 1871. It had a high belfry on the top at the South end where a lar^e beil was hung, and had a double stair- way to the second floor. The rooms were often filled to capacity and at times it was necessary to double-shift the pupils, with morning and afternoon classes. By 1934 the building had become so shaky, that the Board of Education No. 7, ordered it torn down, providing work during the early depression years. In 1935, it was replaced by a one-story, two-room building that served until Districts No. 6 and 7 were amalga- THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 203 mated in 1951, then used for two or three years longer to accomodate the first three grades in the Northern part of the city. It was finally sold in 1954, and made into apartments by the purchaser, Frank Lestina. Lower Braidwood School, 1871 - 1934 — (Courtesy of James Krahulec) Some of the best known early settlers were educated in the school. The author served as principal from 1897 to 1902, after graduating from the advanced eighth grade in 1894. THE SCHOOL HOUSE ON THE PEAIEIE BY FRANCES FALETTI PEART (Dedicated to the Lower Braidwood School, Braidwood, Illinois) In connection with Braidwood's First Homecoming, July 4 - 13, 1916, honoring the Lower Braidwood School, Mrs. Frances Faletti Peart, a graduate and long-time teacher of the old school, then a teacher in the South Wilmington schools, wrote a ballad extolling the virtues of the "dear old school", entitled — "The School House On The Prairie", published by Otto Zimmerman & Sons, Cincinnati, Ohio. 204 THE BRAID WOOD STORY Copies were sold to hundreds of the school's Alumni who attended the homecoming to pay tribute to their old school. The chorus runs: — "School bell, school bell, ringing thro the trees, School bell, school bell., Echoing thro the breeze. Farewell dear old school bell. Though I'll no more hear your knell, — Winds thro your tower will blow, night and day Farewell dear old school in the dell." PRINCIPALS OF LOWER BRAID WOOD SCHOOL THOMAS (Daddy) WELCH JOHN McKIERNAN THOMAS C. KOHN JOHN P. KEEVERS MICHAEL HIGGINS MARY MULRONEY M. J. DONNA KATHRYN KEIGHER THERESA PEYLA KATE FALLON ALICE MULDOWNEY Teachers Lower Braidwood School District No. Teachers as far as can be recollected, listed in alphabetical order rather than uncertain date of service: MISS DOROTHY BARNETT MISS MISS FANNIE BRENNAN MISS MISS MINNIE BRENNAN MISS GEORGE BRENNAN MISS MISS ANNIE CASEY MISS MISS ROSE DONNA MISS MISS JOSEPHINE DONNA MISS THOMAS DILLON MISS MISS FRANCES FALETTI MISS MISS HOPE FRICK MISS MISS ETTA HOYE MISS MISS NELLIE HUBERT MISS MISS JESSIE HUNTER MISS MISS REGINA JUVER MISS MISS LUCIENNE GHILAIN MISS KATIE GARDNER ELEANOR KEIGHER MAYME KEIGHER ANNIE KAISER KATHRYN GIROT MARGARET GIROT LIBBIE KALAL ANNIE KRAL ROSE KRAL JOSEPHINE KRAHULEC NELLIE LAWLER GLADYS LAZIER LUCILLE LEACH KATHRYN McDERMOTT MARGARET McDERMOTT THE BRAID WOOD STORY 205 MISS BRIDGET McELHERN MISS KATHRYN MURPHY MISS KATHRYN MAHON MISS MARGARET POMATTO MISS NELLIE McLAUGHLIN MISS FRANCES PSCHIERA MISS BARBARA MELCHER MISS CATHERINE RILEY MISS VICTORIA MENIETTO MISS ELIZABETH STEEN MISS LENA MOTTA MISS MARY STEWART MRS. JOHN O'M ALLEY MISS LAURA WATSON Miss Alice Muldowney has the longest teaching record from 1893 to 1947 — 54 years. THE EAST SCHOOL First built in 1870, on the West side of East Main Street, one block South of the Alton Depot, to accomodate the children living in the Southeastern part of the city. It was destroyed by fire in 1887 or 1888. No time was lost in rebuilding the school in the then modern style to make it ready for occupancy by September, 1899. It is a large and cumbersome building on a large lot reaching from East Main to French Streets. It has six large rooms, commodious check rooms and two spacious halls, one on each floor, with two stair- ways to the upper floor, a utility room, toppjad with a small belfry. It is the only one of the three old school buildings of District 6 that remains standing as of 1956, but unoccupied. It is now the property of Peter Rossi. Because of the shifting of teachers in the three schools under the supervision of the Board of Education of District No. 6, it is thought best to group the teachers of the East and Grove Schools in one listing to avoid duplications, and likewise to list them in alphabeti- cal order rather than in years of service. THE GROVE SCHOOL The Grove School was built in 1870 on School Street, one-half block South of Main, to accomodate the pupils living in the newer section of the city, named THE GROVE. It was a two-story wooden building with a high belfry and two large classrooms on each floor. It was abandoned about 1905, and torn down in 1915. The Reed-Custer Township High School building now occupies the old Grove School grounds. 206 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY a s u u c 5 o O * £ (!) 0) -.J -° 5 Sis w M « .S3 «; S § id > S * S g S fa >r-i H s2 .5 u 'O | .12 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 207 THE EUREKA SCHOOL In the early seventies of last century, the section of the city situated West of Division Street and South of First Street was given the name "Eureka" because of the location of the Eureka Coal Company's mines there around which the miners built homes. To provide schooling for the many youngsters, a large two-story school was built on Reed Road in the Southwestern part of the city. The following information about the school was supplied by Mrs. Michael Finn, (nee Margaret Flynn) who was one of the earliest and continuous settlers of South Wilmington, and who passed away there in the early 1950's. The school building constructed in 1875, was a two story build- ing with two school rooms down stairs and two upstairs. At first, only the ground floor rooms were used and as the students were pro- moted the two second floor rooms were used for more than a quarter century. The first teachers were Miss Mary Kane and Miss Kate Walsh. John Higglns was the first principal, teaching the upper grades in room 'four. P. H. Donlan taught room 3, under Principal Higgins. Other early teachers were: Miss Kate Reynolds, Miss Tillie Long and Miss Alice Phelan. Later, Miss Lillie Duggan taught the first room and later became the first woman principal. Among other teachers were, Miss Etta Baumgarten, Miss Coddington and Mr. Eugene DeBurn, a Eureka School principal, who later became the Superintendent of the 3 schools in District Six, the Eureka, Grove and East schools. In that capacity, he introduced a new system of grading pupils. Among others remembered are Miss Kate Burrill, Miss Lillie Green, Miss Alice Hufford, Miss Minnie George and two men teachers, whose names the informant does not recall. Miss Kit Ma'hon, later Mrs. Murphy, was the last to teach the first three grades at the turn of the century when the author was princi- pal of District 6, from 1902 to 1910. The Eureka School was finally closed in 1904, later sold and torn down, leaving no trace of the school that meant so much to the many citizens of the Eureka section of the city. Of\Q OS THE BRAID WOOD STORY EAST, GROVE AND EUREKA TEACHERS Many teachers supervised classes in the East, Grove and Eureka schools. Among some -of the remembered ones are, (In alphabetical order, rather than years of service): PRINCIPALS MISS ELIZABETH A. BOWIE MISS EDNA CHAPIN MR. EUGENE DeBURN MR. M. J. DONNA MR. HOPKINS MISS KATHRYN KEIGHER MR. MASON E. KNAPP MR. F. M. MUHLIG MR. C. H. ROOT MR. R. M. RUTLEDGE MISS MURRAY SCOTT MISS ALICE TINSLER MR. C. F. VAN DOREN TEACHERS MISS BANYARD MISS MISS NELLIE BARKER MISS MRS. FANNIE BARNETT MISS MISS LIZZIE CLARK MISS MISS EDNA COWDEN MISS MISS ESTHER DONNA MISS MISS JOSEPHINE DONNA MISS MISS JENNIE DILLON MISS MISS LUCILLE DILLON MISS MISS KATE FALLON MISS MISS HOPE FRICK MISS MISS DORA GALLION MISS MISS MARY GEORGE MISS MISS MINNIE GEORGE MISS MISS LUCIENNE GHILAIN MISS MISS ELLA GOODRICH MISS MRS. GOODRICH MISS MISS DRUCILLA GREEN MISS MISS JESSIE GREENE MISS MISS KATHRYN GIROT MISS MISS MARGARET HANDLEY . MISS MISS MARJORIE HOCKING MISS MISS LILLIE HOPKINS MISS MISS CORA HOWARD MISS MISS ALICE HOWE MISS MISS ELLA HOWELL MISS ALICE HUFFORD LOUISE JEFFREY AGNES KAIN LIBBIE KALAL AGNES KILPATRICK FRANCIS LEACH JOSEPHINE LEACH DORA LEE ANNA McARTHUR KATHRYN McDERMOTT MARGARET McDERMOTT ANNA McGEE LAURA McLINDEN FANNIE MARTIN MARGARET MARTIN JENNIE MEIKLIJOHN MARY MONAGHAN ANNIE MORRIS HANNAH MORRIS JOSIE MULHALL MABEL OLLIVER ANNIE PARSONS CARRIE PEART NELLIE ROSE IRENE RUVA THERESA RUVA THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 209 (Teachers of East, Grove and Eureka Schools, continued) MRS. SANDERS MISS KATE WALSH MISS ANNIE SCOTT MISS LIZZIE WATSON MISS MURRAY SCOTT MISS EMMA WATSON MISS EMMA SIMS MISS PEARL WINTERS MISS AGNES STEEN MISS MARGRETTA YOUNG MISS LUCY WALKER COMMUNITY CONSOLIDATED C-5 Unlike most cities in Will County, Braidwood had two separate districts, No. 6 in the South half of the city and No. 7 in the North half, involving much higher operating cost and duplication of teaching efforts. After operating separately for 81 years, the two districts were united into one district, known as Community Consolidated, C-5, by a majority vote in a special election in 1951. The first C-5 board consisted of George Bohac, president; James Arthur, secretary; James Perona, William Sharp, Albert Rossi, Hubert Frost and Albert Jacovec. For two years, classes were held in the old school buildings, then the pupils were transferred to a new modern schoolhouse on South School Street, near the Reed-Custer Township High School, in September, 1953. The new school is of tile construction with 9 class rooms and a large assembly hall and spacious grounds. It was built at a cost of $165,000, with funds from a federal grant and the sale of school bonds. Mr. Hugh Bitter was the first principal of the school, comprising first to eigjhth grades, with a staff of 8 teachers and an enrollment of 240 pupils. So rapidly did the school population increase by 1954, that it was found necessary to build a large addition, which was occupied for the first time in September, 1955, and by 1956, required the services of a staff of 11 teachers and substitutes to handle an en- rollment of over 330 pupils. The 1956-1957 staff consists of Mr. Don Gillogly, principal; Miss Libbie Kalal, Mrs. John Sullivan, Mrs. John Thorton, Mrs. Norbert McLuckie, Miss Bonnie Yoder, Miss Hope Frick, Mrs. Roger Booth, Mrs. Frank Huml, Mrs. Phillip Weidner, Mr. Ronald Lehman. The substitute teachers are Mrs. DiPoalo and Mrs. Don Gillogly. 210 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY ■? o o o X o w p w < p t— I •J o en O o ''■mmm* ** i— i s 2 o o THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 211 THE HIGH SCHOOL A Reed-Custer Township High School District was organized in 1915, after a spirited election, with strong opposition by voters who could not then see the need for a high school, but who later became its strongest supporters. It operated for a decade in the East School, under the supervision of Principal James F. Benham and his assistant, Miss Bessie Proudioot, then Mr. Francis Thompson and then under Principal Chester A. Dille. James B. Howatt was the first high school board president. The first board members were: Frank A. Motta, James A. Smith, Thomas Shaunnessy, Frank Koca, James Baber and John Wilson. As the enrollment increased, overcrowding the available space in the East School, an election was called March 27, 1927, to decide — (1) Whether or not to build a new high school, (approved by a vote of 145 For and 141 Against.) (2) Whether or not to issue bonds totaling $26,000. (Approved by a vote of 151 For and 123 Against.), and (3) to approve the old Grove School site as the new school's location, which drew 140 votes. The vote was so close that the opponents asked ior and were given a recount, with no change in the official results. Dr. W. C. Frick, former president of the Board who supplied this information, reported that on September 19, 1929, the Board voted to sell the $26,000 school bonds, which was done handily and that the contract was let for the school's building, at the cost of $33,333. The dedication ceremony was held on December 21, 1929, with John N. Ghilain and Joseph Tryner, Sr., attending to the laying of the corner- stone. Robert "Blind Bob" Stowell, a member of the board, was con- struction supervisor. The new school building was ready for occupancy September, 1929, though the completion was delayed somewhat, awaiting the re- sults of a vote for additional funds to enlarge the gymnasium. The vote was negative. On June 10, 1930, the Board had appointed Louis F. Bottino as principal and he served until 1939 when he resigned to become a candidate for County Superintendent of Will County Schools. Elected at the head of the Republican ticket, he appointed Miss Edith Peterson as his assistant, later entered the U.S. Marines, and came back to re- rew his county superintendency work. 212 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY The gym, according to Principal John F. Bottino, was enlarged to its present capacity in 1951, and rooms were added for a new com- mercial; department, home economics classes and farm shop, with a newer addition in 1955 to provide a new study hall and library. The addition of the first commercial department, approved under the term oif Dr. Frick, April 29, 1927, placed the Braidwood High School on the State's Accredited List, a place it has since retained. Following Louis F. Bottino, and preceeding John F. Bottino as principal, was J. Earl Smith, 1939 - 1946. Wm. J. Oswald followed Dr. Frick as Board President, who served in that capacity, with Thomas Bergera, Sr., as secretary, for a score of years, to 1961. George Munch is presently the Board President. Other Presidents of the Reed-Custer Township High School Board were: A. W. Pawling, 1919-22; John M. Steen, 1923; M. J. Donna, 1923-27; Dr. Frick, 1927-31; Wm. J. Oswald, 1931-51, and George Munch, 1951 to date. An unusual student of the early days, hurrying to school when others planned to be tardy or truant. THE BBAIDWOOI) STORY !13 o l-h > M- cr c Si* o 3 3* O »-► o 0) ■d o i-**J — * 214 THE BBAIDWOOD STORY PUPILS THE AUTHOR TAUGHT In 7th, 8th and High Eighth Grades In East School, District No. 7 September 1, 1903 — June 7, 1910 What memories these Grandfathers and Grandmothers bring! And the many who have passed away as of 1958 ARNOLD, RUTH BAIVIER, JENNIE BARROWMAN. LORETTO BROWN, ANNA BROWN, ANNIE BROWN CHRISTINA BURNS, IRENE BURNS, KATE CAVANAUGH, EVELYN CAVANAUGH, MADELINE CHIOLERIO, SOPHIE CHRISTIE, MARY CINOTTO, KATHRYN CINOTTO, ROSE Co-KNIFE, MINNIE COLUMBATTO, JENNIE COLUMBATTO, KATE COOPER, NELLIE COOPER, SARAH CORRIGAN, JENNIE CORRIGAN, MARGARET COX, LIZZIE CRICHTON, AGNES CULLEY, JOSEPHINE GUSHING, LENORE DANDO, MAE DANDO, MARGARET DARE, ALICE DARE, EMILY DERRY, MARGARET DILLON, JENNIE DONNA, JOSEPHINE DONNA, ROSE DORGAN, PEARL DUNNE, SUSIE EDWARDS, EMMA EDWARDS, IDA FERRERO, EMMA FERRERO, KATE GARRITY, ANNIE GARRITY, MARY GORDON, ELIZABETH Girls (124) HANEY, ELLA HANEY, MARGARET HANLON, KITTIE HOWARD, CORA HOWARD, LAURA HOWATT, MARGIE HURST, HATTIE HUTCHINSON, BARBARA HYND, JENNIE JACOBS, ESSIE JACOBS, SADIE JACONS, STELLA JONES, EVELYN KEYES, BERNICE KINSLEY, IRENE KRAMMER, CHRISTINA LAFFERTY, BELLE LATTA, FRANKIE LINSKEY, MILDRED LINSKEY. RITA LIPSITZ, EDITH LIPSITZ, GOLDIE LUKOSKIE, FRANCES LUKOSKIE, MARY MARC A, MARY MARCA, MINNIE MARCA, PERINA MARTIN. BELLE McCAMBRIDGE, MARY McDERMOTT, FANNIE Mcdonald, annabelle McENROS, IRENE McFARLANE, OLIVE McGAHEY, MARGARET McGAHEY, MARY McGRATH, ALICE McGRATH, FRANCES McGRATH, FRANCES, Red McGRATH, ROSE MENIETTO, MARY MENIETTO, VICTORIA MONAGHON, BERTILLA MONAGHON, GENEVIEVE MONAGHON, MARY MORAN, ALICE MORTIMER, GEORGINA MORTIMER, MARY MURPHY, ALICE NEEDHAM, DELIA NEEDHAM, LILLIE NEEDHAM, MAE MEILIS, GERTRUDE OLIVER, MABEL OLIVER, MAE PESHIERA, FANNIE PETERSON, EDITH PEYLA, JENNIE PRICE, HATPIE PRICE, PEARL QUINN, ANNIE QUINN, MARY REED, HATTIE ROBERTA, MARY ROGERS, DELLA. ROSS, NELLIE ROWE, GRETTA RUVA, JOSEPHINE RUVA, MAR if RUVA, THERESA SHENK, ADDIE SMITH, HELEN STEWART, MARY TAXIS, AURA UNDERWOOD, MABEL VERCILLINO, MARY VIGLIA, MARGARET WADE, FRANCES WEBSTER, MARGARET WILLIAMS, JOSEPHINE YOUNG, JENNIE YOUNG, MARGARET YOUNG, MARY YOUNG, MARY G. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 215 Boys (96) ALLEN, GEORGE ALLEN, THOMAS BARR, CLYDE BARROWMAN, JOHN BERTA, FREO BOEHM, FRED BROWN, CLARENCE BROWN, HARRY BROWN, THOMAS CARRINGTON, CHARLES CARRINGTON, SOL CARNEY, DAN CHARPENTTER, EDDIE CHIOLERIO, FRANK CHIOLERIO, PETER CINOTTO. JOHN COHN, BENNIE CULLEY, RALPH DANDO, FRED DANZERO, ANDREW DANZERO, JOHN DILLON, DANIEL DONNELLY, ED FRANCIS, ARTHUR FRANCIS, EDWIN G. GAUGHAN, THOMAS GHILAIN. DANIEL HARDY, IRVING HARDY. LISTON HARE, HENRY HAZELTON, CLARENCE HOCKING. WM. HOPKINS, ELMER HOWARD, CHARLES HO WATT, WM. HURST, CECIL JACK, WILLIE JONES, WARNER KAIN, CLAY KASHER, JOSEPH KINKIN, THEOPHILE LAWLER, ANDREW LAWSON, THOMAS LEACH, JOSEPH LUKOSKIE, ALEX MALTBY, HAROLD MALTBY, JOHN MARTIN, JOHN McCAMBRIDGrJ, ROBERT McGOVERN, JOSEPH McHUGH. JOHN McGRATH, HUGH Mc VICARS, DONALD MORAN, JAMES MURPHY, EDWIN MURPHY, HOWARD O'CONNOR, JOHN O'CONNOR, NED O'CONNOR, THOMAS OLIVER, IRWIN O'SHAY, GEORGE PATTERSON, JAMES R. PERINO, JOHN PERONA, BARNEY PERONA, JOHN POOLE, BEN POOLE, THOMAS QUINN, NED REED, FRED REED, HARRY ROBERTO, DAVID ROBERTO, SECONDO ROGERS, JOHN SAVAGE, CHARLES SHENK, CARL SHENK, FRED SHERIDAN, MICHAEL SIMON, HARRY SIMON, ISADORE SIMON, MILTON SMITH, WALTER STRACHAN, ALEX TAXIS. ALLAN TUCKER, ALFRED UTLEY, KD UTLEY, WILLIAM VENOGLIO, FRANK WEBSTER, BYRON WEBSTER, EDWIN WEBSTER, EARL WEBSTER, HAROLD WEBSTER, JOHN WEIR, ALEX WEIR, FRED YOUNG, JOHN YOUNG, WILLIE NOTE NO 1 — Names taken from school record book. NOTE NO. 2 — Unfortunately, the Pupil's Record Books of District No. 6, Lower Braidwood School, where the author taught from October 1896, to February 1902, were destroyed by the "homecomers" to the Lower Braidwood School Homecoming in 1916, when returning pupils tore out pages from the books to take home as souvenirs. NIGHT SCHOOLS Because many of the miners had to quit school in their early childhood, to enter the mines at 12 to 13 years of age, and they later had a desire to improve their education, many of the school principals and teachers conducted night classes in the different schools, with the approval Of the school boards. 216 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY Among those who did so, were: John P. Keevers, principal of District No. 7, in the Lower Braidwood School in the '90's, and Princi- pal M. J. Donna, principal of District No. 7 in the Grove School, from 1903 to 1907. Therein, many of the students, principally men, so im- proved their scholastic abilities to enable them to pass examinations to win mine manager's and engineer's certificates and to accept posi- tions in the downstate mines and in those of nearby mining states. THE COAL FIELD'S FIRST CATHOLIC SCHOOL N t-i O) MH o c CO is a> u • ■H > i/i u 0) < e THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 233 tin by the Braidwood Recreation Club, shows how this was accomplished tc the extent that the Coal Company now points with pride to the Braidwood Recreation area as an example of what can be done with community cooperation towards beautifying and utilizing such mine spoils. DIVING TOWER, BRAIDWOOD RECREATION CLUB BRAIDWOOD RECREATION CLUB BULLETIN M. J. Donna, Founder, Historian and Public Relations Director HISTORY In the Spring of 1949. the late and respected Anton Ruva and Fred Nahas shanghied M. J. Donna and took him over to the mine spoils F,ast of the city limits of Braidwood to see their wonderful possibilities for development as a recreation area for the people of Braidwood and THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY surroundings. They asked hirn to undertake the task of organizing a club to develop those resourses. It was understood that the Northern Illinois Coal Go. stood ready to cooperate in every reasonable way. Mr. Donna agreed to give it a try with their cooperation. A public meeting was called for the City Hall, open to all true friends of Braidwood, July 8, 1949. About 100 attended. Mr. Donna presided and explained the object of the meeting, aided by Mr. Ruva, Fred Nahas, Henry Rossi, Jr., and others. The plan won almost unanimous approval and a committee was appoint- ed, authorized to consult with the Coal Company officials who at first felt that it would be better if some taxing body would undertake it, but both the Braidwood City Commission and Reed Township officers refused to assume the responsibility involved. At the second public meeting July 14, 1949, when the exploratory committee reported its findings, the gathering voted unanimously to proceed with the formation of a private, not-for-profit Club of Voluntary Members and to give Charter Memberships to any resident who donated $10 or more towards the undertaking. President Donna had charge of the enrollment of the Charter Members and at a public meeting, May 11, 1950, reported that 92 had enrolled, pledging a total of $1,400. On this meager pledge grew a club that now numbers nearly 2,000. All but four of the original pledgees, made good their pledges. A charter was reported by President Donna at a meeting in May, 1951, from the Secretary of State, Charter No. 11546, issued May 19, 1951 and recorded in the Recorder's Office, Will Co., Document No. 691,321. The temporary staff of officers was made permanent at the meeting of June 21, 1951. With the cooperation of the Northern Illinois and Mcllvaine Coal Companies, who loaned powerful tractors, ground was broken for the now wonderful beach on July 1, 1951. (See Cut). The ORIGINAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS consisted of M. J. Donna, president; Clyde Samuels, treasurer; Henry Rossi, Jr., secre- tary; Wm. J. Oswald; Fred Nahas, William Shaunnessy and Jerry Grinchuck was approved at the May 11, 1951 meeting. All remain on the present Board, as of July 1, 1956. MEMBERSHIP From the small charter membership of under 90 in 1951, the club grew in number of supporters to over 2,000 in 1955, grew so rapidly THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 235 that as of August 3, 1955, it was voted that absolutely no new out-of- town applicants should be admitted. 1956 OFFICERS President Joseph Kelly Vice President John Bottino Treasurer Wm. A. Shaunnessy Secretary Henry Rossi, Jr. Assistant Secretary Treasurer Mrs. Jessie Frost Chairman of the Board M. J. Donna OTHER DIRECTORS Carl Edmundson, John N. Ghilain, Jerry Grmchuck, Fred Nahas, Wm. J. Oswald, Clyde Samuels, Frank Weitz and Joseph Zauratsky. BRAIDWOOD VETERAN-HONORING ASSOCIATION At the close of World War II, in 1945, Mayor W. C. Frick called a public meeting which resulted in the formation of the Braid- wood Veteran-Honoring Association. The Mayor, as honorary chair- man, appointed M. J. Donna as president of a special committee to arrange for a suitable reception of the homecoming veterans. Plans were made at a meeting on February 15, 1946, for a reception and dance in the Knights of Columbus Hall on June 6, the first anniversary of "V. J. Day", whereby over $600 were realized to properly com- memorate the safe return of the 215 Braidwood youths who had re- sponded to their country's call in World War II. Within a year, interest lapsed and the Association was broaden- ed in scope to include the veterans of both World Wars. As such, the organization erected a most suitable monument on the lot just East of the city hall, which was dedicated with suitable ceremonies on Sun- day, May 30, 1948. KOCA POST, AMERICAN LEGION Following the trend after World War One, the veterans of that conflict formed an American Legion Post on October 18, 1921. It was named after a Braidwood hero, who died in France and whose body was later brought here for a military burial in the Bohemian Cemetery the next year. He was Albert Koca. The local Post was first given No. 750, later changed to 157 and now bears Number 39. 236 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY Though several hundred were eligible, only 19 became charter members. James Joseph Muldowney was elected the first commander. The present (1956) membership is 75. William Hocking, as adjutant, has served longest as a Legion officer, a stretch of 17 years. ODD FELLOWS Also among the oldest fraternal orders to be instituted in Braidwood was the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Banner Lodge No. 95, instituted September 16, 1872. Their first meeting hall was on the North side of Main Street just East of School Street. The first ' ; N. G." was Duncan Rankin. In 1878 it built the Odd Fellows Hall on Main and Railroad Streets, with two store fronts on the ground floor', now, (1956) owned and occupied by Raymond Sharp, auto mechanic shop and living quarters. The lod^e became defunct in the '20's and its members amalga- mated with the Joliet Lodge. The building has had several owners since the lodge disbanded, namely Nye P. Keys and Joseph Pearson. SCOTTISH CLANS Because of the large colony of Scots locally, it was natural to have founded here one of the leading lodges of Scottish Clans. The clan had headquarters in Canada, but one of our leading citizens, Wm. H. Steen, served long as the Royal Chief of the International Order of the Scottish Clans. BRAIDWOOD MEMORIAL DAY ASSOCIATION, organized in 1915 to take over what was formerly the duties of the Civil War Veterans until their ranks were depleted, that of arranging for suitable Memorial Day ceremonies and placing flags on veteran's graves. Funds were raised by a tax of two cents on each member of the several fraternal lodges. The author, who organized the Association, served as its president until the American Legion took over its obligation in 1922. BRAIDWOOD'S SPORTSMEN'S CLUB THE PINOCHLE CLUB THE HAPPY ACES N. O. Y. B. CLUB THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 237 BRAIDWOOD BOOSTERS CLUB, a civic organization, organized in 1910 to serve as a Chamber of Commerce. REED TOWNSHIP REPUBLICAN CLUB THE FREE GARDNERS, builders of the Free Gardner's Hall on the North side of Main Street, later the first Catholic School in the community. OTHER CLUBS AND SOCIETIES SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ST. GEORGE, composed of immi- grants -from England. ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS, leading Irish order. STELLA AND FRATELANZA, two Italian lodges. C. S. P. S. and HORNICK, two Bohemian Lodges that built the well-remembered Bohemian Hall in Lower Braidwood in 1878. THE DIAMOND ENCAMPMENT — 1874. THE CALEDONIANS. THE REBECCAS ORDER OF EASTERN STARS CATHOLIC ORDER OF FORESTERS. THE WOODMEN THE COLORED ELKS THE COLORED KNIGHTS CATHOLIC TEMPERANCE SOCIETY ROYAL NEIGHBORS, and many others whose names are not recalled. PARENT-TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Local interest in the welfare of our public schools is manifested in the organization of the progressive group known as the P. T. A., first a 8-g" 3-1 I— *1 ►* pj jr -* o r 3 , 244 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY First Generation — SOCCER FOOTBALL In The '90 's Many of the early immigrants came from Great Britian, home of soccer football and naturally started playing the game here, until the city developed a championship team of the many experts that made Braidwood their American home. The coal companies laid out suit- able playing fields ^on which they practiced. Thus was formed in 1890, the Braidwood Soccer Football Club, whose team soundly defeated all local and neighboring teams. Soon thereafter, the team joined the Chicago Area Football League playing almost every Sunday in the Fall, either in Braidwood or Chicago, winning several championships in the League. The Braidwood players were mostly miners, rugged and agile, inclined to playing a rough game against the more genteel, scientific passing game of their opponents. The Braidwood team reached the height of its ambition when it won the world championship at the Columbian World Fair in Chicago, in 1893. On record is the game in which the Braidwood Soccer team play- ed Uhe ALL CHICAGO STARS at the race track in 1894 and later that year defeated THE THISTLES, champions of Canada, on the same field, by a score of 7 to 1. Allan Cameron, famed center halfback of the Braidwood team, won first prize in a contest held at the Chicago World Fair in 1894, for the longest kick of a football, a world record. One of the down-state teams that gave Braidwood a hard game every time they met, was that representing Spring Valley, 111. It was composed mostly of former Braidwood miners who had migrated to that mining community on the Illinois River. It was in a game there that one of the stars of the Braidwood team, Alexander Cameron, the team's leading halfback suffered a broken leg in a rough and tumble contest. Following this accident, and because most of the members were growing old, while some left for other parts, the football fever sub- sided, the championship team disentegrated. I have before me a clipping from the Chicago Tribune written by Alexander Barrowman of 7646 Drexel Ave., Chicago, contradicting the paper's report that the Braidwood team was composed of Welch- men, stating that there was not even one Welchman on the team, which was actually composed of ten Scotchmen and one Belgian, all were foreign born except Robert Barrowman, the goal-keeper, who was born in Braidwood. The clipping, in part, reads: "I wish to con- THE BBAIDWOOD STORY 245 tradict you on the statement that the Braidwood team, when it defeated the Wanderers of Chicago recently, was made up of Welch miners. There was not even one Welchman that played in that game that day. Ten were Scots, 9 born in Scotland, and one, my father, Robert Barrow- man, who was born in Braidwood, of Scotch parents. Also every mem- ber of the Braidwood team was a miner, except John Walker, a mer- chant." In 1894, a picked Chicago team played a picked team from Canada, at 37th St. and Indiana Ave., Chicago, which the Canadians won by a score of 2 to 0. The following Tuesday, the Canadians came to Braidwood to contest the Braidwood team and was on the short end of a 5 to 1 score. The Braidwood boys had worked in the mines all morning before the game. The home team lineup was as follows: "Goal — Robert Barrowman Right Back — James Cameron Left Back— A. Walker Right Halfback — John Cunningham Center — Alex Cameron Left Halfback— George Littlejohn Right Wing — A. Young Right Wing — Antone Culley Center — David Young Left Wing— J. Walker Left Wing — George Cunningham (signed) Alexander Barrowman" On the bench, Lew Rogers, George Cunningham, Colon Boyd, Sandy Young, John (Dulea) Kilpatrick, James Cunningham, Steve Breddick. In August, 1893, the Braidwood Soccer team won the Jackson Cup at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Nick Culley and James Barrowman were the co-managers of the team. Later that year the Braidwood team won the World's Champion- ship contest at the Columbian World Fair in Chicago. A second team, called the Stars, often supplied substitutes for the first team and entertained the soccer fans in games after the first team disbanded. Remembered among the Stars, are: Joseph (Judy) Rogers, William (Neddie) Walker, Robert and Thomas Cunningham. 246 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY Second Generation — BASEBALL (1905 - 1910) As the children of the early settlers became Americanized, they turned from Soccer to American Baseball and soon founded a champion amateur baseball team called THE CUBS Braidwood's Most Famous Baseball Team During the early years of the present century, our city boasted one of the most successful, most popular amateur baseball teams in Northern Illinois. It won tournament after tournament, between 1902 and 1912, and battled creditably some of the foremost semi-professional teams in the Central States. The team was organized on the "pass-the-hat" basis by the gang that hung around the Weir Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street, often walking to Diamond, Coal City, Braceville and Godley for want of funds with which to hire a carry-all, — often playing for $5.00 and $10.00 purses. Its baseball paraphernalia was non-existent, — one ball that saw unlimited service, a cheap mask, two bats and a catcher's mitt. In the early days, this equipment was added to infrequently by things "borrowed" from competing teams. Alex (Weasel) Gordon was named the first manager. He worked in the mines and was locally known as a horse jockey on the Braid- wood and nearby tracks. Later he became a successful trainer for some of tine biggest and best-known racing stables in the country, including the Fair Stable, owned by Mrs. Vanderbilt. On his resignation, after about ten years, he was succeeded as manager by Alex Weir and then by Joseph Motrelli. Sandy Weir was the CUB'S first secretary; Joseph Ruva, its first treasurer, assisted by John and Vincent Roberta as collectors. Fred Weir was the club's first mascot, and M. J. Donna, Alfred Paden and Joseph Pearson, the official umpires. With some slight shifting of positions, here was the original team: George Hufford, Catcher and Second Baseman. Robert (Babe) Smith, Pitcher and First Baseman. Thomas Strachan, Pitcher and First Baseman. Robert Cooper, Second Baseman. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 247 Paul Ruva, Shortstop. Richard McCambridge, Third Baseman and Catcher. William Adams, Left Field. Sandy Weir, Center Field. David Cooper, Right Field. Switches: When Huf ford's right shoulder was injured, he went to Second Base; Richard McCambridge became the regular Catcher, and Guido J. Donna, the regular third baseman. Subs: Among the extra players were Mike and Leo Vicars, pitchers; Sam Pawlowski and Joseph Morelli, first base; Peter Cinotto, right fielder and John (Sherman) Felcyn, fielder. The team probably reached its peak of efficiency during the 9- team tournament, played on 2 diamonds at the Braidwood Race Track, as arranged by M. J. Donna and which ended in a 3-way tie, due to darkness. The Braidwood Cubs, managed by Alec Gordon, the Brace- ville Senators, managed by Al Gleghorn, and the Leland Colored Giants, of Chicago, managed by Frank Leland, divided the then generous purse of $175.00 248 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 249 THE LINCOLN MACS Following the disbandment of The Cubs, local interest in base- iball slubsided only to be gradually revived, culminating in the forma- tion of The Lincoln Macs, about 1911, a fine team of a little lower calibre than The Cubs which was outfitted by the Peter Rossi & Sons Macaroni Company (suits, bats, bails and other equipment) bearing the name of the Lincoln Brand of Macaroni, Spaghetti and Egg Noodles. The author had a hand in the organization and management of this good representative of our community, ably assisted by Thomas Bergera, Sr., the playing manager. The team won many local tournaments between 1911 and 1919. As might foe expected, there were many changes in players in that time. Among the leading players recalled were: Thomas Bergera, Sr., Captain; Michael Fallon, John N. Ghilain, Victor Barnett, Frank Pihera, George H/jfford, Jack Felcyn, Guido Donna, James (Jinks) Jaros, Dan Carney, Ralph Culley, Joe (Jerry) Malek, Richard McCambridge, Leo Sikora, Pat Carney, Frank (Tuffy> Jaros, Edwin G. Francis, Joe Sherman, Wm. Steen, Felecian (Bluie) Ghilain, John Hogan and Tony Cinotto. THIRD GENERATION — BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL The third generation also produced champions, one in a different sport — basketball. The boys took to basketball, like fish take to water, and brought honor to the city where basketball was introduced by the author in 1903-1904, the first time it was played in this section of the county, and who trained winning teams when he was principal of schools in Braidwood, 1898-1910. The team representing the Reed-Custer Township (Braidwood) High School, under the fine coaching of Louis F. Bottino, principal and coach, reached championship class in the 1937-1938 school year, winning the local conference title and the famous Pontiac Tournament. THE BRAIDWOOD GRAYS Shortly after World War I, interest in baseball was revived, resulting in the formation of what many think was the best team ever to represent this city in that sport. The team was called The Braid- wood Grays, but sometimes called the Nahas team because one-third of the team consisted of members of the Joseph Nahas family — George, James and Toffie, with Freddie as its mascot. The team played and many times beat the best amateur teams 250 THE BRAID WOOD STORY of Chicago and Northeastern Illinois and was easily the chief attraction of the famous Braidwood Homecomings in 1922 - 1926. (One of its most popular opponents was the Chicago Cermaks, sponsored by our famous Braidwoodite, Anton J. Cermak, who later was elected Mayor of Chicago and later became a martyr by giving up his life in protecting president-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt in Miami, Florida, before the latter's first inauguration, March, 1933. The Grays were managed by a board of directors, of which Wm. J. Oswald was president and field manager; Joseph (Judy) Rogers, treasurer, and Dr. Alex D. Ho watt, secretary. Braidwood Grays, photo page 251. INDOOR BASEBALL A sport that became temporarily popular between 1900 and 1910, was Indoor Baseball. Again Braidwood had several very proficient teams that played games in the Music Hall, attracting large crowds with opponents from Braceville, South Wilmington and Joliet. Interest in the sport petered out when the management of the Music Hall refused to rent the hall for the building wrecking game, reasoning that it spoiled the finest dancing floor in the coal fields. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 251 252 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY BASKETBALL Basketball is one of the newest and most popular school sports, employing thousands of contestants and attracting millions of spectators throughout the country in the fall and winter months. Introduced in the Eighties by a Kansas school teacher, it immediately struck the sportsmen's fancy by the turn of the century. Basketball was introduced in the coal fields by the author in the 1903-1904 season. The following excerpts from The Coal City Courant and The Joliet Herald, tells the story of its introduction and development. "To M. J. Donna, while principal of District No. 7 schools, in Braidwood goes the honor of fielding the first basketball team in the coal fields. While in Joliet cooperating with Wm. H. Nevens, County Superintendent of Schools, he found himself with an idle afternoon, awaiting for the evening train home to Braidwood. Superintendent Nevens suggested that he go to see a new fangled ball game in the high school and gave him a ticket -of admission. He went, was fascinated, and on his way home bought a pocket-size, paper covered book, at the Alton depot newsstand, giving the rules and telling how to play the game. He studied the book on his train ride home and set him- self as the first basketball coach in the area. "The following Monday morning, he recommended the game to his seventh and eighth graders and soon was formed the first local team on which are remembered Edwin Wakefield, Sandy Weir, Frank Chiolerio, Edward Donnelly, Daniel Ghilain and others. The next thing was to find opponents. Of the nearby cities, Wilmington only boasted a high school, not inclined to play with grade schools in any sport. The solution was to interest the grade schools in the vicinity to take up the sport. Most ready to do so were Prof. Bailey, Principal of the Coal City school, Prof. Golden of the Suffrinville school. Later the Braceville school entered a team. The Braidwood team helped train the other teams, and soon started inter city games r with Braidwood, dominating the play at first, only later to be soundly trounced as the play of the opposing teams improved. Thus was created a spirited but friendly rivalry that has lasted unto this day. It was customary in those early days for the host team to treat the visitors to ice cream and cake after the game, no matter THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY 253 who was victorious. "In Braidwood, the first games were played in an empty room on the ground .floor of the East School with little or no accomoda- tions for the growing group of interested spectators. The scene was soon changed to the Music Hall on Main Street, and Vacca's Hall on Main and Division Streets, where the Joliet Steel Works Club were often the outside attraction. "In Coal City, the first inter-school games were played up-stairs over a saloon, located where the tennis courts of the present high school are located, and which was locally known as 'The Crow's Nest', but later transferred to Borello's Hall on the corner of Broadway and Division. "In Braceville, the games were played in the old Ramsey Opera House and in Torino, in Vallero Hall. "Most of the coal field schools had very proficient Girls' Teams that added much to the attraction of the games. Among the early members of the Braidwood Girls' team are recalled — Josie Williams, Emily Dare, Agnes Crichton, Helen Smith, Jennie Dillon, Emma Edwards, Rose and Frances McGrath and others. "When high schools were established in most of the surrounding towns, the rivalries continued in the higher institutions. During World War 2, when J. Earl Smith was principal of the Reed-C Lis- ter Township High School here, and was in charge of that year's tournament, he and other principals did appropriate honor to M. J. Donna, Founder of Basketball in the coal fields, by delegating him to present the trophies to the winners, about 30 years after he first introduced this most popular winter sport in the schools of the community." BRAIDWOOD 'S GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM So popular did the game become among the high schools of the coal fields by the late 1930's, that the various schools took turns in providing regional champions. The Reed-Custer Township High School (Braidwood High) came into its own in 1938, when a team coach- ed by Principal Louis Bottino beat all opponents, winning all the district, 254 THE BRAID WOOD STORY regional and sectional trophies, entitling the team to join the Sweet Sixteen that played in Champaign, Illinois, for the State championship in March of that year. A team selected from a class of about 45 boys in the total school enrollment of only 96 pupils, won their way through the tournament, playing teams representing schools with enrollments more than 6 times as large as Braidwood High, losing only to the giants from Dundee by a score of Dundee 36, Braidwood 29, in the state finals. The basketball heros were given an enthusiastic welcome on their return, Monday, March 21, 1938, including Coach Bottino, in a program hastily arranged by M. J. Donna, master of ceremonies, with Coach Douglas Mills of Illinois University as principal speaker, and former coach of the Joliet High basketball team. He gave due praise to Coach Bottino and the members of the gallant team that gave such a good account of itself throughout the season and in the state tournament, being the smallest school in the state ever to enter the finals. The members of the Dundee High School championship team were honored guests that evening and the victors' coach, Eugene De- Lacey complimented the Reed-Custer players on their ability and sportsmanship, saying "Braidwood was the finest and toughest team that Dundee had played this season". THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY w 3 H CL i— i O 3 OJ 3 r o o o w o o tr o> p SI td o 01 O SI w o h^ 3* > cr h« o H 3 o 3 w *-r 0> 03 ^ o tf» H 0> »-♦■ tt> H w o 0) o o 02 o 3 w o o 3* 3 3 3 •-* ^ o 3 o h K o o f 3 r 1 td O i !-■• 3 > 0) O 3- 3 3. W M- o' fl o 3 o o H W > !-■■ 0J r 3 r * g o: ! » t-r 01 H 1 £ 3 3" 1 O CO CO # O *4 h; 3 OJ 0> w> CO 03 3 w o 3 3 P 3 3 | 00 256 THE BKAIDWOOD STOEY FAVORITE ITALIAN PICNIC GAMES At their picnics usually held at the Race Track or in Glackin's Grove, the Italians always had lots of fun playing their many strange games. BOCCI BALL, a Piedmontese or Northern Italian game, some- what similar to English bowling, was and is still played with a "king ball", two to three inches in diameter and two sets of four larger balls about five inches in diameter, one set of four being plain and the other set with grooved rings to distinguish them. The game may be played as singles with two players given four balls, or with partners, each with two balls. The plain ball holders were team mates against the holders of the ringed or marked balls. The two captains would toss a coin to determine who would toss the "kingball" for the first play, usually in a court or any level place. He w r ould then lag one of his balls as close to the kingball as possible, and it was up to his opponent to either lag one of his closer, or to knock the opponent's ball, or the kingball away. As long as the first players' ball remained closest to the kingball, the opponents must continue play- ing his balls until he got one closer. Then the starter must use up his balls. When all eight balls were played, the side with the ball or balls closest to the king ball would score one point for each closest ball. The winner then had the right to pitch the kingball for starting the second inning of the game, throwing it in any direction, but usually the reverse of the previous inning. Twelve points was the objective, the team making that number were declared the winners. The author still has a set of bocci balls, that are getting scarce and expensive. CLIMB THE GREASY POLE. A high tree or telephone pole was slickly shaved and greased with lard, axle grease or other slimey or slippery substance, was erected in an enclosure. Before raising it in a base hole, a hoop was nailed to its top and from the hoop was suspend- ed six or seven small sacks or containers, filled with valuable or booby prizes, water, sand, syrup or money, the chief prizes being a silver dollar or a five dollar bill. When ready for the game, the contestants took turns in trying to climb the pole. They were allowed to use sand or other ingredients to cut the heavy layer of grease, or to use short ropes overhead around the pole to pull themselves upward. When a contestant lost his grip and slipped to earth, another contestant was given a trial, paying the sum of a dime to do so. Each had the privilege of claiming any of the prizes that he could snatch from the prize hoop. THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY 257 "ROMPA la P'INIATA" A strong rope was strung between two trees about 10 feet or less above the ground on which were hung a half dozen or more earthen crocks filled with prizes, some booby and one that contained a $5.00 bill or a silver dollar. No one but the committee chairman knew which. A player, paying 10 cents for a try would be given a baseball bat, set himself at a starting line, then spun around several times to throw him off his bearings. He would walk cautiously to where he thought the crocks were, often directed by his friends' yells, and the deceptive shouts of the committee. He was then allowed to take a healthy swing often hitting only the air or a tree, but scattering the onlookers in every direction for safety. A LA MORA Little groups shouting their number guesses, were playing "La Mora" a game in which the players would indicate numbers with the fingers of their hands and the one who guessed the total of the number of fingers made by both players would win that inning. There were always partisans and side bets, increasing interest in the game, loud calling of numbers and loud cheering of fans. SOCCER FOOTBALL Specialists in this game were the Scotch and English who formed many (winning teams, attracting many professionals from Great Britain, which resulted in giving Braidwood a championship team in the year of the Columbian Exposition in 1893. QUOITS Quoit-pitching, a game similar to horse shoe pitching, using iron rings of certain size and weights instead of horse shoes was the favorite game of the Irish and English. Braidwood boasted of many champions in singles and doubles. CALISTHENICS The Bohemians were more inclined to body-building games, building Turner's hall or gymnasiums in which to practice. They were also great card players, preferably with a special deck for "Tarrochi" or "Tarroc" as the Italians called the game. 258 THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY CRAPS This game, widely played with dice, was the speciality of the colored men who played it in alleys, on pool tables, everywhere. CHORISTRY Group singing was a Welch specialty and during the '70's and '80's the Braidwood Welch colony formed groups of choristers that won many contests and provided musical entertainment throughout the coal field. CHAPTER 9 INDUSTRIES (Other Than Mining) Foundries Macaroni Factory Clothing Prior to its incorporation as a city in 1873, practically every business attempted in the Braidwood field, was connected with coal mining. FOUNDRIES To repair and to make machine parts, there was early set up foundries and shops, as follows: L. Barker, Theodore Finnett, John Chedister and others. Two brick factories, the first one near the "E" mine, to make bricks for encasing mine boilers and for domestic use. The second one near the "H" mine. Both went out of business in the '80's. There was a clay pit which supplied a grade of clay for making the high grade pottery for which it was specially suited. It was shipped to Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis. PETER ROSSI & SONS MACARONI FACTORY An immigrant from the Piedmont area of Northwestern Italy, Peter Rossi, Sr., came to America in the late '70's and after a period 260 THE BBAIDWOOD STOKY of employment in Chicago, came to Braidwood to set up a tinner's shop in Lower Braidwood, later a macaroni factory on 4th or Hall Street, East of Division, the first factory of its kind outside of Chicago. His macaroni manufacturing business was founded in Italy, only to be reactivated in his adopted country, truly his Land of Opportunity. The plant was small in comparison to plants of today. Power to operate it was provided by a blind horse that traveled in a circle turning a cap- stan to which were attached belts to distribute the power to the semo- lina mixer and kneader and to the screw press which fashioned the shaped doughs bearing descriptive names. There followed the steam engine and gasoline engine to replace the horse power, "as new and more practical equipment was made available. liilferri p ETER ROSSI & SONS MACARONI FACTORY First built as the Broadbent Hotel in 1871, purchased by the food con- cern in 1898 and extensively remodelled to serve its needs. By 1900, the business had so greatly improved necessitating re- moval to a larger plant in the Broadbent Hotel on the South side of Front Street, a site nearer the Alton Depot, for shipping its finished THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 261 products and receiving raw materials and supplies. New and more modern machinery was installed, displacing the screw presses, later the hydraulic, automatic presses and now the vacuum system of shaping the variety of products made from the best grades of good macaroni wheat. The Rossi factory was one of the first in the country 'to use semolina in the manufacture of its products a raw material similar to that he was accustomed to using in his plant in Italy. The firm presently employs over 35, and through the years has given them continuous employment. The plant produces nearly 5,000,000 pounds of the most popular shapes of macaroni, spaghetti and egg noodles for shipment to the North Central and the Mississippi Valley States. At the death of Mr. Peter Rossi in 1918, his sons, Stephen, Felix, Henry and Peter took over the operation of the factory. Presently (1956), it is owned and operated by Henry D. Rossi, Sr. Assisting him in its operation are his sons, Henry, Jr., and Albert. GRINCHUCK CLOTHING FACTORY Main Street, looking West, showing Grinchuck Clothing Factory at near left. The Nahas (old Jacobs and Motta store) and Dillon Barber Shop and Liquor Store on right. 262 THE BKAIDWOOD STOEY CLOTHING FACTORY Hoping to engage the services of men not employed in the coal mines, idle women and older miners, the city leaders joined in inviting outside industries seeking plentiful labor. Small factories showed interest in the possibilities offered by the local situation. J. I. Taitel, a clothing manufacturer in Chicago, was induced to open a pants-making factory in one of the triple-front brick stores on the South side of Main Street, in 1908. Machine operators had to be trained, small wages were paid, with resultant unprofitable turn- over in employees. Steady employment was given to only a few dozen people, mostly women. After struggling along for a half dozen years, the Taitel management gave up. During the next 5 years several others tried to operate the factory with little success, until Jerry Grinchuck resuscitated it, starting August 19, 1919, enlarging the factory to take in two of the three store fronts, in 1920. So successful was the venture, that in 1922, the Grinchuck Clothing Company took over the third store, the Gray building, which formerly housed the Martin Shoe Store, later the Donna Shoes and Furnishings Store and still later, both the >up-stairs and the ground floor Ovvned and occupied by a colored people's lodge. The 3-store building was remodelled with connecting doors into a complete factory, equipped with the most modern sewing and other machines now employing 125 operators. The upper floors were made into sumptuous living quarters for Jerry, his wife (formerly Miss Josephine Rink) and their daughter, Lois. The remainder of the upper floor supplied stockrooms for cloth worth many thousands of dollars. The Grinchuck Clothing Factory supplies principally boys' trousers to retailers in almost every state in the Union, and is one of the most successful of its kind in the mid-west. Mr. Grinchuck is also president of the State Bank of Braidwood. THE OLDE ICE HOUSE You are getting old if you remember the old ice house on the West side of East Main Street several lots South of the East School, a large barnlike wooden structure with no partitions. In the days before the invention of machines for making arti- ficial ice, long before refrigeration, the cutting, storing and delivery of ice was each community's important winter business for summer com- THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 263 forts. Braidwood's leading icehouse was built in the late seventies and for many years was operated by the John Beland family. In January or February, the ice thickness was measured on the "L" pond, the "Q" slough and the Kankakee River. When it had at- tained a thickness of at least 8 inches, often 16 inches, the snow was swept off the surface and a horse-drawn saw cut the ice into 30 inch strips and then into 30 inch blocks. With grappling hooks, the blocks were pulled ashore on a ramp, loaded on special ice drays and hauled to the icehouse, where tons of .sawdust and wood shavings were placed between the layers and blocks to prevent their freezing together. It was a cold winter job usually done in zero temperatures. As the need for ice arose in the Spring, the covering was swept off the top layer, the ice cleaned, and the blocks weighing 80 to 100 pounds delivered to the customers. By late Fall, the stored supply often became exhausted, causing many to worry about their ice needs. Shortly after the turn of the century, when ice-making machines and later, electric refrigerators were invented, natural ice-making be- came obsolete, and the old icehouse was torn down. THE GLASS FACTORY DREAM About 1910, the people of the community, anxious to get started here some new industry to give employment to miners made idle by the dwindling of the extensive mining operations, were aroused to fever heat by promoters who planned to build a glass-making factory. A 40-acre plot, known as the Commercial Subdivision was pur- chased and subdivided into lots and blocks. It was the aim to sell enough lots to finance the building of the factory. A local committee aided in the sale, and soon enough money had been realized to start building the walls of concrete blocks and tile, but late in 1912, the walls were flattened by a heavy wind of cyclonic proportions, and thus was shattered the dreams of the promoters. The lots, even though purchased at a reasonable price, proved a poor investment. (Yes, the author bit, too, by becoming one of the local supporters and investors). CIGAR FACTORIES Cigar-making flourished in Braidwood's early days. Some of the local brands gained statewide reputation. Among them, "The Sena- tor". Among the factories recalled and in order of their establish- ment are: Jake Wience, Robert Voight, Wm. Hardy, James Ruzek, An- 264 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY tone Heileman, Charles Frasca, James Yaros and J. Reha. Charles Frasca experimented in growing his filler and wrapper tobacco quite successfully, too, on North Center Street, near First Street. None of the factories are presently operating. BRAIDWOOD THRESHOLDS To manufacture and sell a unique threshold or iron door-sill patented August 21, 1838, the Braid wood Threshold Company was orga- nized that year by a group of progressive citizens who formed a stock concern. The device, made of iron, had a movable part that tripped-up an iron bar against the bottom of a door to eliminate drafts. It was manufactured in a local foundry and hundreds of these patented thres- holds were sold. Though it seemed practical, the company failed after a few struggling years, causing heavy loss to stockholders. The author found one of the patented thresholds in his present home on "E"' Street, when he purchased it in 1912. A rare few of them are still preventing drafty winds from entering the older buildings in the vicinity. One was recently picked up by John N. Ghilain, plasterer, when remodeling an old farmhouse in Reed Township, and placed on display in the author's office window during the winter of 1954-1955. THE PRIMA DONNA RABBIT COMPANY In the late '20's a costly venture was undertaken by a group of enthused citizens to raise rabbits for human consumption. The Prima Donna Rabbit Company was formed with M. J. Donna as president and Ludovico Berta as vice president. It issued capital stock totaling $25,000.00. The old Beland property on Front Street was purchased and about 1,000 hutches constructed, populated with over 3,000 rabbits of the most popular breeds. The rabbits did their part, multiplying as fast as expected, but the manager, Olaf Land'borg's sales efforts were weak, so when the in- famous stock market crash occurred in November, 1929, the concern was unable to continue. It merged with "Lapin, Inc," of Wisconsin, which later went into bankruptcy, with a total loss to stockholders. CREAM AND CHEESE FACTORY The Braidwood Dairy Association was formed by a group of citizens in 1877 to process local milk into butter and cheese for local consumption and export to Chicago and St. Louis markets. Duncan Rankin was the first chief executive. Its plant was not far from the THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 265 Alton Depot. At its peak of operation, the firm processed 9,000 pounds of milk daily into 1,500 pounds of butter and 900 pounds of cheese. It continued in operation until destroyed by fire in the late '80's. FLOUR AND FEED MILL Braidwood became quite a grain shipping center in the '80's, and had a hustling Flour & Feed Mill on a side track, supervised by Joseph Shenk. later a renowned Supervisor of Custer Township, and father of Arnold Shenk, who now resides on the old homestead. The mill specialized in handling the grain grown on the fertile "Grand Prairie" in the Essex-Reddick area. THE LITTLE MACARONI CAPITAL Donna's office, in which this book was prepared for printing, and also the World War II Memorial LITTLE MACARONI CAPITAL From 1919 to 1953, and even to date, Braidwood was known throughout the Macaroni manufacturing industry of the United States 266 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY and Canada, as "The Little Macaroni Capital of the Big Macaroni World' because our city was the headquarters of the three functional depart- ments of the organized industry, namely: a — The National Macaroni Manufacturers Association. b — The Macaroni Journal, the industry's trade paper. c — The National Macaroni Institute, the industry's promotional and publicity division. On the recommendation of Henry D. Rossi, Peter Rossi & Sons, Braidwood, 111., charter members of the Macaroni Association, the author, M. J. Donna was named Secretary-Treasurer of the Association and foundation editor of the Journal in 1919. All the requisite activi- ties of the organization and its trade paper, eminated from the author's office on Main Street (see cut) from 1919 to 1953, and those of the Institute since 1937 reached all the manufacturers in the States of the Union, and provinces of Canada and in 32 foreign countries, hence the title which was given our city is well deserved. On the same lot, on the East side is the Memorial to the Veterans of the Second World War, conceived by the author and dedicated November 15, 1952. THE GREER INSTITUTE The latest and a most promising industry to make Braidwood its headquarters is Greer Shop Training, Inc., with offices at 2230 So. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 111. In a news release dated January 1, 1957, the firm quotes from a story in the November 28, 1956 Wall Street Journal, in part, as fol- lows: "Anticipating an acute shortage of experienced construction equipment operators when the new 41,000 mile Federal Express-High- way program gets underway, the Greer Technical Institute, founded in 1902 by Erwin Greer, president, has taken steps to aleviate the situation by starting and operating an earth-moving school near Braidwood. Illi- THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 267 nois, October 28, 1956, according to Keith M. Hutchinson, manager of the school's Heavy Equipment Division. "Located near Braidwood, Illinois, 20 miles South of Joliet, on U. S. No. 66, on a 600 acre tract, the school will teach men to operate a complete line of earthmoving and motor equipment. Students will be given instructions in the operation of the new Internatioal Model 12 Payloader, a rear engine crawler tractor, equipped with IV2 cubic 3'ards, front-end shovel; and Model 65 Payloader, a newly designed New home of ihe Greer Institute North of Braidwood, where the world's largest Earthmoving Machines are housed and on which stu- dents will be trained in four, five and eight week courses. off-highway truck for use in the heavy construction industry and other designed heavy equipment." Situated in the extensive strip-mine spoils North of Braidwood, in buildings that formerly were the headquarters of the Northern Illi- nois Coal Corporation, the school will train its students to do constructive work while learning to operate these gigantic machines, leveling the spoils dumps, landscaping the area into lakes and forested spots, thus 268 THE BRAID WOOD STOEY beautifying the many thousands of acres of waste land into suitable home and building sites. T% One o nechanicai monsters used in the Greer Training School SYLBEN MANUFACTURING CO. A small, little known but very important and well equipped factory has had a quiet existence in Braid wood since 1921. It is called the Sylben Manufacturing Company and is owned and operated by Sylvester Fallada. It specializes in the making of parts and repairs o: such delicate machines as printers' linotype and small parts of most all machines in use and numbers among its clients in almost every state in the Mississippi Valley. The plant is located on Illinois Route 113S and East Main Street. ■Mr. Fallada is on the engineering staff of the Braidwood (Mcllvaine) Coal Mining Company and is kept busy keeping trucks and mining equipment in running order. While small, and its operations little known even to the people of Braidwood, this rather new plant performs a service to users of delicate machines. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 269 PICKLE FACTORY The Braidwood Pickle Factory was one of the community's many dreams of industries that never materialized. When the big deep- mine companies abandoned their operations here at the turn Of the century, many of the unemployed miners, with land holdings, turned their attention to truck gardening, raising potatoes, tomatoes and melons for shipment to other parts. Braidwood became one of the biggest producers of sweet peppers, shipping them each fall to upper Michigan and Wisconsin in barrels, necessitating extra baggage cars on the railroad to meet the needs of shippers. Among the earliest to enter into pepper products were Peter Rossi, Sr., Bartholomeo Ellena, Antone Bergera, Sr.. John Ghiglieri, James Berta the First, Antone Defendenti and Peter and John Donna. Appreciating the fact that Braidwood's light sandy loam was ideal lor truck gardening, the Heinz Co., of Pittsburg, Pa., attempted to en- courage the growing of cucumbers on a large scale for pickling, passed out seeds under contract to purchase the gardners' entire production, and later to put up a pickling plant here. Large vats were placed in the abandoned Alton Round House on "B" Street, into which the cucumbers were to be graded. The test proved disappointing, in that the growers did not pick the crop when small enough and when they delivered their wagon loads, most of the products were thrown out as too large and not worth a cent. Disgusted, the truck gardners refused to sign con- tracts the next year and so died the pickle factory craze, as did the idea of a local factory. CHAPTER 10 NOTES and ANECDOTES Helpers Nationalistic Influences BRAIDWOOD CITY HALL After its incorporation in 1873, Braidwood's first city hall was on the East side of South Center Street. An adequate jail house was attached and a small fire station was built nearby to house the man- drawn, mounted tank of fire-extinguishing liquid and the other meager equipment. CITY HALL Present Ciiy Hall, built in 1881, wiih ground floor converted into a fire station about 1920. At rear is the old Electric Light and Water Plant. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 271 BRAID-WOOD'S INCORPORATION AS A CITY In the early days it was the habit of the miners to buy lots and build their homes around the different mines where they were employed. The settlements in Reed Township were for about 18 years under the township rule so the community that was later to become Braidwood never had the status of a village organization. With a population more than enough to deserve city status, a primary was 'held March 4, 1873 to determine whether or not to set up a city corporation. Luke H. Goodrich, H. H. Brown and William C. Mooney were appointed judges and Thomas Walsh and James H. Roseman as election clerks. While over 1,000 citizens had a right to vote, little interest was taken in the primary, the result being only 185 voted, with 139 For and 46 AGAINST. Application was immediately made for a city charter which was granted by the Secretary of State, and an election set for April 15, 1873, in which 940 votes were cast for the first city administration, headed by Luke H. Goodrich as Mayor and William Chalmers as City Clerk, together with ten aldermen from the five wards into which the city was then divided. BACK TAXES The number of lots in Braidwood on which excessive back taxes are unpaid is the bane and has long been the bane of all taxing bodies and prevents the getting of clear' titles to fine building lots, for which there is a great demand. The situation is the outgrowth of bad con- ditions created by the abandonment of deep shaft mining here at the turn of the century. Owners of lots and houses just moved away, giving title to no one and ceased paying taxes. Neighbors began using the abandoned property and assumed it was theirs, without title. By 1915, the back taxes amounted to many thousands of dollars, seriously effecting the income for school, city and road operation to the extent that the County and Circuit courts entered into an arrangement with the Reed Town- ship Republican Club, whereby a special committee was authorized by the courts to sell specified back-tax property at very reasonable prices with the assurance of good court titles. The committee consisted of Archibald C. Jeffrey, Llewellyn Rogers, James B. Howatt, Fred E. Boehm and M. J. Donna. It sold over 500 parcels of land to buyers who promised to obtain tax titles and to pay future taxes. The tax income was helped materially for a time, 272 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY but at a .recent meeting of the Braidwood Rotary Club, it was noted that the back tax situation was again effecting the income of the taxing bodies, especially the schools, and a study was proposed to see what can be done to relieve the situation with the aid of the courts, now that land values have increased materially. BRAIDWOOD HOMECOMINGS For more than a decade, Braidwood was known for its most successful homecomings, usually staged on Labor Day week-ends. They attracted as many as 10,000 to 12,000 visitors to 3 days of civic, religious, sports and memorial pageants, and filled practically every home in the community to bursting. The first such affair promoted was the Lower Braidwood School Homecoming, July 3-14, 1916, headed by Dominick (Muck) McElroy. It was most successful from the point of interest and attendance, attracting such outstanding speakers as John Mitchell and William D. Ryan, of the United Mine Workers Union; John Cunningham of the Iowa Grocers Association; John P. Keevers, long principal of the Lower Braidwood School; George E. Brennan and others. After World War One, the idea caught on to welcome home the veterans from Europe and Asia, in 1922, sponsored by a volunteer com- mittee. The affair was so successful that a permanent Homecoming Committee to supervise bigger and better affairs was appointed to plan for annual celebrations on Labor Day week-ends. This continued for nearly a decade when it petered out as personal interests replaced civic pride in the affair. As late as 1927, the homecoming fervor was at its height as attested by the following program for the September 3-4-5 affair, excerpts of which are noted. PROGRAM Saturday, September 3, 1927 — The Callahan Shows, 2 daily. Band Concert on Main Street — Pontiac Concert Band. The John Sheridan Dancers. Dancing in K. of C. Hall — ■ Faletti's Orchestra. Sunday, September 4, 1927 — The Callahan Shows Program Honoring Anlone J. Cermak of Chi- cago, Candidate for Governor of Illinois. Free Entertainment and Concert. Gigantic Parade of Floats. THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 273 Address — Hon. Antone J. Cermak Address — Hon. George E. Brennan. Daylight Fireworks with prizes. Monday, September 5, 1927 — Memorial Exercises at Diamond Monument Program Chairman — M. J. Donna Master of Ceremonies — ¥m. H. Steen Invocation — Rev. L. A. O'Sullivan Oration — Wm. D. Ryan, Springfield, 111. Quartette — George Barton, Emery Miller, J. S. Mainwarning Thomas Reed. Numbers: — "The Beautiful Land" "Home To Their Rest" "Resurrection Morning" Organist — Anna Watson Placing of Wreath, donated by W. C. Wunderlick, Joliet. Benediction — Rev. Robert Burns Gigantic Parade of Floats. Free Concert, including band Baseball Game, at Old Race Track — Chicago Union Giants vs. Braidwood Grays Calahan Shows Double Dance (9:00 p.m.) K. C. Music Hall, Upstairs and Downstairs. "The popularity of the Braidwood Homecomings rests upon the successful efforts of the Directors, backed by the sacrificing business- men and proud residents." .... Parkinson & Co., (Mule Ear Print). The famous homecomings of the 1920's inspired many poets to prepare poems concerning the events that created much wide-spread interest. Among the many poems prepared, only one comes now to the attention of the author, by an adopted son of our city, the husband of one of the pioneer Bain sisters, P. W. Hoover, who annually attended the affairs. As it shows the spirit that prevailed in those days, his poetic effort is produced below: THE OLD TOWN OF BRAIDWOOD Dedicated io Braidwood's 1921 Homecoming Did you ever stop and fancy just how you'd love to be, Back there in that home town that's dear to you and me? 274 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY I often have a longing for the scenes of my childhood, That's why I say let's take a trip to the old town of Braid wood. Suppose the town ain't just the same as days when we were there, The folks of old are just as true though time has changed their hair. And they'll be glad to see us and to see them will seem good, And we'll have one jolly visit in the old town of Braid wood. They're going to have a Coming Home and want us all to come; Let's go and be just kids again and make the old town hum. You know we could go down once more if only we would, And there's no place that's more like home than the old town of Braidwood. There's Tom and Will and Pete and Joe and Jack we loved so well, And Kate and Sue and Fannie too, and Anna, Bess and Nell, I'm sure that they'd not miss this chance if they but understood, The good things that's prepared for them in the old town of Braidwood. Now time is passing, and as he goes, he calls the young and old; And some will not be there this year who were there last year, I'm told; But we can only pray the Lord that He will be so good And let us meet old friends once more in the old town of Braidwood. By P. W. HOOVER If This Voices Your Sentiments COME HOME Sample of Official Letterhead of the 1925 Homecoming Committee 1925 1925 BRAIDWOOD HOMECOMING SATURDAY, SEPT. 5, SUNDAY, SEPT. 6, LABOR DAY, SEPT. 7 N. P. KEYES, General Chairman M. J. DONNA , Vice Chairman T. L. FRANCIS, Secretary-Treasurer DIRECTORS M. J. Donna Publicity T. L. Francis Finance W. H. Steen Reception J. Crichton Concessions A. Ruva Entertainment N. P. Keyes Music J. Rogers Decorations T. Shaunnessy Parade J. Holman Sports J. Lestina Dancing BRAIDWOOD, ILL 1925 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 275 BRAIDWOOD FOSSILS To Braidwood and Coal City residents, fossils are common- place, but to the leading geologists and other scientists of the world, the Braidwood - Mazon River areas are recognized as the leading fields of small rock formations produced by nature during the coal-forming period of about two hundred million years ago. The swampy regions North of Braidwood, Diamond, Coal City and Carbon Hill to the mouth of the Mazon River, Southeast of Morris, 111., at that time provided just the proper conditions for the formation of these rock fossils of plants, animals and spiderlike creatures. These fossil beds, considered the best in the world, were first discovered in the rocks and earth debris hauled up from the deep mines and scattered ever the dumps. Long before the end of the last century, scientists were at- tracted to the area to search for specimens. Later geology professors from the University of Chicago, Chicago, 111., notably Prof. Coe, ar- ranged for annual pilgrimages of his geology classes to go down into the early Braidwood mines and to comb the dumps for these peculiar rock specimens. The result is that the Chicago Natural History Museum has one of the finest collections of Braidwood fossils in the world, and there is hardly an important geological museum anywhere that does not include samples of these rock specimens. During the coal stripping operations in this field that started in 1927, hundreds of thousands of acres of surface land was upturned to remove the coal from depths up to nearly 100 feet deep, a veritable bonanza in fossils resulted, attracting fossil hunters from all over the world. In that hey day, fossils were shipped world-wide to museums. John McLuckie of Coal City, a strip miner, early became in- terested in fossils and today possesses one of the greatest collections of some of the finest specimens. Peter Enrietta, also of Coal City, has an outstanding collection of fine and rare specimens, and like Mr. McLuckie, has supplied samples of Braidwood fossils to many of the leading museums in our country, in Europe and the other American countries. The supply is by no means exhausted, though digging in the spoils or dumps is now necessary, as most of the specimens on the sur- face have been picked up and found their way into museums and private collections. It is estimated that many millions of rare speci- mens still lie in the rock formations over the unmined coal strata. 276 THE BRAID WOOD STOEY "Fossil Ridge", in the Braidwood Recreation Club area, East of Braidwood, was so named because of the many fine fossils found there. To arouse greater interest in the wonderful geological deposits in the Braidwood-Mazon River Mouth area, said to be the best in the world, the Author, as Historian of the Braidwood Rotary Club, planned and presented the program below as a good public relations affair to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Rotary Inter- national in Chicago, in 1905. This unique promotion attracted nation- wide attention and drew an audience of several hundred fossil en- thusiasts. Souvenir Program BRAIDWOOD FOSSILS and FAUNA CLINIC Story of World-Renowned Braidwood Fossils Lectures — Color Slides — Exhibits By BRAIDWOOD ROTARY CLUB HONORING 50th ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING ROTARY INTERNATIONAL Reed-Cusier High School Auditorium WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1955, 7:45 P. M. Program Master of Ceremonies M. J. Donna, Club Historian Remarks John Steel Sprouls, Rotary District Governor Lecture Dr. Eugene S. Richardson, Chicago, Executive, Natural History Museum Lecture Dr. Robert H. Whitfield, Evanston, Associate, Natural History Museum Remarks John McLuckie, Coal City, Leading Fossil Collector A Free Public Relations Promotion and Study Braidwood Rotary Club Committee Floyd Nielsen, President Paul Hileman, Vice President James Patterson, Program Chairman John F. Bottino, High School Principal M. J. Donna, Program Planner All Welcome No Admission Charge THE BRAID WOOD STORY 277 As a result of the above program and exhibit, Miss Estherlee King, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leo B. King of Chicago, and grand- daughter of the author, took it upon herself to present an exhibit and essay on Braidwood fossils as her thesis in the geology class of the Aquinas High School in Chicago, with showing in Chicago, in the Northern Illinois district meet, and finally in the State meet, where she was given a first award for her educationol presentation. BRAIDWOOD'S OLD INDIAN CEMETERY (?) Besides the three well-filled large cemeteries, — Bohemian, Catholic and Protestant — on the Essex Road Southeast of the city, and still in use, there is a small private burial plot on the South side of Illinois Route No. 113 S, East of the Essex Road, that has been in disuse for many decades. Many call it an old Indian cemetery, but from the names on the old tombstones, they would indicate that it is the burial plot of some pioneers. Some call it the "Brown" Cemetery. It is located on a high sandy knoll, bordered by old Oak trees, and once contained twenty or more head stones, most of them badly crumbled. Three seem well preserved, bearing the inscriptions. Mary Grover, 72 years old, died May 17, 1856, over 100 years ago; Children of the J. F. Frankey family — Francis Frankey, born 1837, died 1867; Lucy, daughter of J. L. Brown, Died January 19, 1864. CITY FACTS * Braidwood was never a village but was granted a city charter in 1873, under the new law passed that year by the Illinois Legislature. * Prior to its incorporation as a city, the community was operated under the Township form of government. * With a voters registration of over 1,000 in the primary to vote on the city's incorporation, there were 940 votes cast. * To the Braidwoods, after whom the community and city was named at the suggestion of Mr. John H. Daniels, leading coal operator and business leader, was born the first miner's child in the community, and that this couple also had the first child to die in the town. * Braidwood's son, James, Jr., was killed one Sunday morning when lightning struck the chimney, while the unfortunate young man was shaving. He was 22 years of age and thus became the first person to be buried in the new Protestant Cemetery. 278 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY * Before coming to this section, James Braidwood built the first Chicago tunnel under the Chicago River in the early '60's. * Luke Goodrich was the city's first Mayor elect, and William Chalmers its first elected City Clerk. Among the other clerks may be mentioned: Wm. H. Steen, James Weir, Antone Ruva and George Boyd, who is presently serving. INTEEESTING FACTS MAYOR AND LAMP POST When Superintendent of the Chicago, Wilmington and Vermillion Coal Company, Mr. T. V. Corey, was elected Mayor of Braidwood, he wired the glad tidings to his Chicago office. Mr. Sweet, the president of the coal company wired back: "Congratulations! But I'd rather be a lamp post in Chicago". CRACKLINGS AND PIG TAILS Fortunate, indeed, were the Lower Braidwood School children who were friends of Jack Terando, butcher-boy in the Thomas Connor meat market on Fifth Street near "E" Street, on lard-rendering days, the appetizing aroma of which permeated the air for blocks. All one had to do was to follow one's nose, with mouth watering, to the shanty behind the shop, where Jack was busy tending the large vat full of boiling pork bits being rendered into lard. Jack was most generous with cracklings, crispy boiled fat pieces from Which the lard has been extracted, veritable tid bits. To his favorites, he would reserve a special treat, a well-rendered pig tail, and eating delight. Jack was the only son of the pioneer Italian immigrants, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Terando. He moved to LaSalle, 111., area where he worked in the mines and did butchering work until his death. BRAIDWOOD BATHS Bathrooms in the homes of the early miners were very few. They were luxuries that only a few owners could afford to build into their small homes on their meager income. Bedrooms were normally only 8 feet by ten in size. The toilet was usually a small out-building and the bath the housewife's wash tub. Bath water was heated in pails on the kitchen stove and carried to the tub. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 279 However, many of the barber shops operated bathrooms in the rear, for the convenience of the miners who felt in need of a bath after a hair cut or shave on Saturdays. The barber charged a dime for a shave and the same amount for a bath, but for fifteen cents, soap and a towel was provided. The demand for bath privileges was so great on Saturdays, that the barber was compelled to pass out numbers to give patrons their turns. About the turn of the century, the miners' union w;as able to have the Illinois legislature to pass a law requiring mine owners to erect shower rooms at the mine, which alleviated the bathing problem, though by that time, most of the homes had added bathrooms of some kind. Indoor toilets developed more slowly in Br aid wood because of the lack of a public sewer system, which is still the city's greatest need. WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN DAY Though strongly Republican until the '40's, Braid wood citizens were all Democrats for a day, when the train bearing William Jennings Bryan, made a half hour stop here during the 1894 campaign to give the members of that party a "whoop-La" day. The schools were dis- missed for the occasion and several thousand people gathered at the depot to greet the candidate. Despite that demonstration, the city and township again went Republican the following November. OUR "CULL'D" FOLKS Before 1877, there were no Negro miners in the Braidwood coal fields, nor any colored residents. There have been few if any in Wilmington, Coal City and Braceville, but they were forced on Braid- wood by the action of the Chicago and Wilmington Coal Company. The year 1877 is known among the miners as "The Year Of The Nine Months Strike". The miners were paid so low a tonnage rate that only the best, the strongest miners were able to average a maxi- mum of $2.50 for a 10-hour day. Almost every summer, the coal companies lowered the tonnage rate when there was little demand for coal, the miners would go on strike, a means that had previously proven fruitless in gaining higher tonnage rate and better working conditions, so in 1877, they struck in earnest, refusing to work even when the operators needed them in the fall and early winter. So the year 1877 became to Braidwood one of a slight increase in Negro population and one of a far greater loss in whites. The coal 280 THE BRAID WOOD STOEY company imported 200 or 300 Negro laborers from Virginia and nearby states, but soon found out that they were mostly unfit for the laborious work of the coal miner, and they slowly migrated to other cities and other work, with the result that by 1915, only about a dozen of the better families remained in Braidwood. In the mining work, David Preacher attained about the highest rank, having become a licensed mine hoisting engineer at the "O" and "P" mines, later moving to South Wilmington with his family and serving as a hoisting engineer there. "Spike" Davis, also a horse fancier, became a licensed mine fireman. Other families that stayed in Braidwood through its boom or bust days must be mentioned: The James Carringstons, the Jasper Karris', the Charles Custis', the William Pinnicks and Robert Johnsons. REV. T. C. FLEMING came to Braidwood in the late Seventies to work for several years in the mines and later to enter the ministry, supervising the building of the First Baptist Church (colored), on Fifth Street in Bucktown, East of Division St., and served as its minister for several decades. He did a little farming on the side and became a true lover of fine driving horses, frequently appearing on Braidwood streets and in parades with a colorful carriage and beautiful horses, a sight that was a joy to behold. MALCOLM CLARK, a colored barber, whose shop was in a brick building on the Northeast corner of Second and Division Streets, a popular gathering place for his race. In the back room, would practice the Colored Band, that frequently took part in political rallies and which furnished the music for practically all the social functions of his people. RUN SHEEP RUN! A well-liked colored family was Mr. and Mrs. C. Custis, who operated a small neighborhood store on Fourth or Hall Street, West of Division, (home-made ice cream being their specialty). They were among the first to start raising melons as was their practice in Vir- ginia, where they came from. Every fall, the kids would try to raze the patch. The Custis' would close their store, place themselves in different parts of the melon field to catch the melon-hungry thieves. The author, who is lame, and could not run fast, was often caught and punished. "Run Sheep Run," THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 281 was a popular game in that day and he adapted a plan to get the kids into the patch by using the signals of the game to advise the out-team as to where the watchers were located, enabling the out-team to go to the unprotected patch to steal armfuls of ripe melons and to run for the goal on hearing that shouted signal of "Run Sheep Run". When he heard that signal, Mr. Custis would throw up his hands and say, — "Run, Sheep, Run and there goes my melons". MEMORABLE STATEMENT Reverend Dominick J. Spellman, a pious Catholic Priest, who served as pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church here from October, 1893 to February, 1910, in a sermon on "Life" made a state- ment that has often been commented on by local people of all religions, when he said: "The minute one is born, he begins to die. Some die early; others live to middle age, while a few live three score years or more. Nobody but God knows when, — so always be prepared in the way you know best to do so!" THE LAMP LIGHTER Like all other towns in this part of the country, before the coming of the electric lights, our streets were lighted by kerosene lamps placed atop 8 or 10 foot posts at all important corners, which officially op- pointed Lighters were obligated to tend daily, — cleaning the hexagonal glass shades, trim the wicks and fill the fluid bowls. Just before sundown, the Lamp Lighter would start on his rounds tending about 100 lamps, carrying a short ladder with which to reach the lamps in rain, snow or wind, thus providing light for pedes- trians, as were most all the people in those days. The job was usually awarded by the city mayor on a bid basis for his term of office. Among the Braidwood Lamp Lighters remembered were, John Bambrink, a one-armed man, and Mr. Murphy and Sons, Braid wood's first lamp lighter. PATENTED LAWN MOWERS Irving Barker, owner of the first foundry, near the "E" mine, which specialized in making mine machinery and equipment, patented, built and sold one of the earliest push lawn mowers, in the early '80's. 2*2 THE BRAID WOOD STORY PERSUASIVE PREACHER Many will remember Rev. T. C. Fleming, amiable but persuasive pastor of the First Baptist Church, for several decades. He was a typical southern preacher, who could be heard at great distance from the little church on West Fifth Street, especially on some Sundays when he really warmed up on his preaching. His congregation was small, and not too possessed with worldly goods, requiring preaching - too for money. As an example of how he sought to inspire his somewhat apathetic congregation, his sermon would run along these lines. "The Church needs your financial help this morning. Our Church must get up and walk!" "Amen", exclaimed a pious brother, "let her walk". "This Church," added the minister, "must run". "Amen, let her run", was the saintly reply by the congregation. "More than that", shouted the preacher, encouraged by the response, "this church must fly". "AMEN", ejaculated the pious leader in the appreciative audience, "Let her fly". "But, Brethren, it takes money to make a church fly" climaxed the minister. "AMEN", shouted the saintly leader, "let her Walk". OLD ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS As "SIGNS OF THE TIMES", a few programs of interest to oldsters are presented to bring out names and events. BOYD CHARITY CONCERT One of the first public affairs I remember attending is the one referred to in the following program. Research, not memory, shows that the affair was for the benefit of a Mrs. Boyd, whose son was killed in the Braceville mine in the summer of 1896. Attorney A. J. Garrity did a dancing act, and he identified the purpose of the benefit concert not mentioned in the printed program, copy of which was handed my by "Nobbs" Howatt, an old-timer, who visited here while attending the funeral of the late Tina Patterson Howatt, in the summer of 1954. Mr. Garrity was on the sponsoring THE BRAID WOOD STORY 28; committee and recalls handing the proceeds of the concert and dance, to the deserving and thankful Mrs. Boyd. The net proceeds were $248.00, a neat sum in those days of scarce dollars. William H. Steen, a pioneer of Braidwood was master-of-cere- monies at both the concert and supper. As was customary in that day and for years later, many of the people danced until the wee small hours, when the men went home to change their clothes to report for work at the mines at 7:00 a.m. You are n earing or past your three- score-years-and-ten if you can remember this occasion, or even identify any of the entertainers. BENEFIT CONCERT, BALL AND SUPPER Music Hall, Braidwood, Monday Evening, November 9, 1896 Programme Opening — The Wilmington Quartette: Frank Krause, Wallie Warner, Joe Trowbridge and Dr. Webb. Recitation — Mamie Kelly Violin Selections — Robert and John Voight Song— Willie Elliott Recitation — Mrs. Robert McNulty Cornet Solo — N. Bicholas Song— Belle Steen Recitation — Venus Williams Song — Maggie Dixon, Clemence Charlier, Erma Charlier, Mamie Kelly and Maggie Kelly Instrumental Music, on Glasses — Nicholas Cordano Recitation — Mary Connor Violin Solo — Mae McLindon Song — Willie and Maggie Watson Step Dancing — Henry and Charles Lazier Recitation — Maggie Dixon Song — Dan Dennison Hand-Balancing Act — John Evans Song— Alice and Edith Hufford Recitation — Laura McLindon Clog Dance — Crawford Allen Song — Belle Littlejohn Recitation — Josephine Stewart Clog Dance — Tony Garrity 284 THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY Song — (Pearl Peart Recitation — Daisy Barr Song — Wilmington Quartette Doors open at 7:00. Concert ai 8 sharp Admission 25c Children 15c Ball Tickets — 50c per Couple SUPPER WILL BE SERVED AT COTTAGE HOTEL PRESBYTERIAN PROGRAM Annual Jubilee, The Men's Club of the First Presbyterian Church of Braidwood Rev. Robert L. Burns, Pastor Presenting the Roaring Farce Comedy "THE SOVERIGN UNION OF THE EMANCIPATED HUSBANDS" Lovingly dedicated to the Ladies Aid, K. of C. Music Hall, Friday Night, July 8, 1927 — Admission 25 and 50 cents PROGRAM Curtain Eight O'Clock P. M. Musical Extravaganza Novelty Orchestra Piano — Miss Mabel Moreau Saxaphone — Marshall Hynd Concertina — Edward Voboril Piano-Accordion — Robert L. Burns Drums — Dan Walker Specialty Solo Clifton Young Mrs. Knock-em-Flat Charles Roe Grand Ensemble Robert L. Burns William Jack Jim Patterson A. J. Patterson Chas. Lazier, Sr. Chas. Lazier, Jr. George Young James Carter Joe Pearson Matthew English Jim Boyd Tom Strahan Harvey Boyd Dan Walker Joe Kalal Buster Brown Clifton Young Marshall Hynd Alex Stewart Art Stone Arnold Shenk Craig Kilpatrick Malcolm Patterson Tom Jackson Jack Nelson Charlie Clark Dr. A. D. Howatt Art Nelson THE BRAID WOOD STORY 285 Scene 1 — Open Lodge "The Trial of Tom Strahan" Lord High Cockalorum Robert L. Burns Grand Panjandrum, Past Worthy Wra, Jack Right Mystical, Quillscratcher Alex Stewart Most Wonderful Walletholder Joe Pearson Steerer of the Innocent James Crichton Imperial Executioner Matthew English Royal Padlock of the Gate of Freedom Jim Boyd Brother Spouter With Something to Suggest Jim Patterson Brother Timid, Baldy, Henpecked Tommy Strahan Brother Doolittle Craig Kilpatrick Strummin Daily on his Ukelele Charles Lazier, Jr. Burlesque Vaudeville — "Whoa Napoleon" Hiram Birdseed Art Nelson Homer Spivins Robert L. Burns Napoleon Half Brother to Spark Plug "Git Up Napoleon" Burns and Nelson Scene II — "Riding the Goat" Manager of the Menagerie Dr. A. D. Howatt Sam Johnson, Candidate for Initiation Arnold Shenk "Mr. Shenk Recently Married" The Man-Eating Goat From Borneo . . . .Fire, Brimstone and Dynamite (Entire Cast Supporting This Act) Sweet Liza Mrs. Sam Johnson Singing — "The St. Louis Blues" Burns and Lazier, Sr "Alabama Bound" Scene III — "The Unexpected Happens" Mrs. Lord High Cockalorum Malcolm Patterson Mrs. Grand Panjandrum Joe Kalal Mrs. Spauter Harvey Boyd Mrs. Sam Johnson Marshall Hynd Mrs. Imperial Executioner James Carter Supported by Entire Cast Grand Finale Ensemble Chorus Good Bye 286 THE BRAID WOOD STORY Program Advertisers William Jack's Hardware Store; Charpenter & Son; Dr. W. C. Frick; Hynd's Carbonated Drinks; John N. Nelson; Dr. A. D. Howatt; Royal Tea Co.; Thomas Bergera; Dillon's Parlor; H. A. Ma tone; John Davito & Son; Barr's Drug Store; Patterson & Sons, Undertakers, (A. J. and Malcolm); James Barrowman, Jr.; Joseph Pearson, Tenn's Store; Williamson & Son; Stephen Rossi (Eagle Park); Silver Gasoline Co.; T. L. Francis; Nahas Store; Dr. R. Arnold; John N. Ghilain, Lumber; Harris Bothers; N. P. Keyes; Frank Vlach; Wm. H. Steen; George Donetella's; T. Shaunnessy & Sons; B. Lapkiewicz, Bakery. THE TOWN CLOCK "TICK-TOCK" still sounds the clock in M. J. Donna's office, showing the time of day and night to oldsters and youngsters, — all time-minded citizens for over four-score years as of this day, 1957. It still keeps most accurate time. The story has it that the few volunteers from this area who marched off to the Civil War, kept in step with the tick-tock of this familiar stem- winding, pendulum-swinging clock, operated by weights on cords that wind and unwind around small capstans which supply the operating power. To its measured ticks walked those from here who served in the Spanish-American War, just before the turn of the century, and volunteers and the draftees who served in two World Wars. What will become of it when its adoring owner is no longer around to wind up the weights, to give the parts doses of castor oil to keep it running smoothly, — only God knows. Tick-Tock-Stop! HISTORIC CLIPPINGS Space does not permit the reproduction of hundreds of news- paper clippings recording important happenings in the past 85 years or more of Braidwood's history, but here are a few that bring back pleasant memories: BRAIDWOOD GETS V-BANNER From the August 19, 1943 issue of The Braid wood Index Four Illinois counties and twenty-four communities are proud possessors of the V-Home Community Banner by the Illinois War Coun- cil. Sixty per cent of the homes in a community must be V-Homes to qualify for the award. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 287 V-Home awards are made to households which pledge to engage in wartime activities, (World War II), to raise and share food, to walk and carry packages, to conserve and salvage, and to save 10 per cent in War Bonds. Braidwood was honored, (presented with a V-Flag), for being one of these patriotic communities. Incidently, Braidwood also won the $100 Lambert Flag, donated to the community that purchased the largest number of Victory Bonds, per capita in Will County, during World War One. Quite a patriotic iittxe place. BISHOP GRIFFIN REMEMBERS A clipping of much personal and some general interest from the July 11, 1941 issue of The Goal City Courant. M. J. Donna, of Braidwood, whose picture appeared in the July 4, 1941 issue of The Coal City Courant, in connection with the story of his re-appointment as Secretary-Treasurer of the National Macaroni Manufacturers Association at the Pittsburg, Pa., convention, June 23-24, has been the recipient of many congratulatory messages from his many friends. But the one which he says he will preserve and forever cherish is one from an old friend, former pastor of The Assumption Church, Coal City, the Right Reverend Bishop James A. Griffin, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois. The letter which Mr. Donna will treasure the rest of his days is reproduced herewith to show this successful and highly honored Churchman's continued interest in the folks "back home", and of his friendliness which has endeared him to all parishioners and friends who loved him for his thoughtfulness and kindly consideration. The letter: BISHOP'S HOUSE 801 South Sixth Street Springfield, Illinois July 7, 1941 Mr. M. J. Donna, Braidwood, Illinois Caro Amico: I have the July 4 edition of The Coal City Courant 288 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY featuring your picture and the news item of your success as a successor of yourself for the past twenty-three years as Executive of the Macaroni Makers. Congratulations and all good wishes and may the Lord love you always. It seems to me that your picture reveals the fact that you have very few teeth left and that bald spots are very much in evidence. I recall very well the first year that you were selected as Executive of the Macaroni Makers Association, I was very proud of you then and I am still proud of you. Kindliest regards to the Rossi family and all our mutual friends in Braidwood, Coal City and Joliet, and in union of prayer, I am, Sincerely yours in Christ, (Signed) James A. Griffin Bishop of Springfield, in Illinois GOOD OLD "SHAVE" DAYS Chicago union barbers, who now rarely have a "shave" customer, and who charge for hair cuts as much as a Braidwood miner used to make for ten hours of laborious work, will be interested in this fact: A sign in the Canfield Barbershop on Main Street, and in others, too, read — 10 SHAVES for a Dollar; 7 HAIRCUTS for a Dollar. Regular customers would buy tickets for a dollar, a shave ticket with 10 dots and a haircut ticket with 7 dots which the barber would punch out each time the customer was worked on. DOLLAR A MONTH DOCTORS As late as 1900, it was the practice of some of the local doctors to contract with families to serve their health and accident needs on a Dollar-a-Month basis. When they found it necessary to increase this service premium to $2.00 a month, the doctors lost most of their insured. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 289 BAKED BEANS In Lower Braidwood it was almost impossible to get the soft water with which to bake beans. Wherever a well existed that con- tained good bean-baking water, it was the mecca of miners wives, especially on week-ends, as baked beans was a Sunday delicacy. The Peter Rossi Bakery, just off Division Street, was most popular because of the generosity of its owner and his baker. After getting a supply of bean-baking water in which the beans were soaked over Friday night, the miners' wives placed the beans in earthen crocks, took them to the baker after the bread was baked and removed, and the heat in the over would fully and deliciously bake the beans in plenty of time for Sunday dinner. COMMUNITY SINGS During and following World War One, Americans voiced their patriotic feeling in song. In this manner, Braidwood citizens did their part. A community building was set up with a piano, with tables and chairs on Main Street near Railroad Street where the office of M. J. Donna and the Frank Davito Hardware and Home Furnishing Store now stands. There the volunteers and draftees were feted on both departure and return, with patriotic and popular songs. The idea caught on. There were daily and nightly song-fests. A public choral group solidified with weekly chorusing, later in the open in front of the K. C. Music Hall. Among the popular songs favored were: "School Days' 7 ; "Till We Meet Again"; "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"; "My Home Town Is A One Horse Town, But It's Good Enough For Me", and such. With the coming of peace, the singing fervor subsided, but it was thrilling and pleasing while it lasted. THE FREE GARDNERS HALL In the Seventies, the Society of Free Gardners, with a large membership in Braidwood and vicinity, built a 2-story brick building on the North side of Main Street, East of Center. It was 22 feet wide and 70 feet deep. The ground floor was for business purposes, and the up-stairs, a full length hall, except for entry rooms at the rear reached by a steep open wooden stairway, was for lodge purposes, 290 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY dancing, concerts and other public affairs, being second only to the Music Hall in popularity. Among the occupants of the business floor were: Lou Kellogg Meat Market; Louis Frasca, Tavern; Simon and Gordon, Drygoods; Spring Valley Jack's Tavern; Anderson's Bowling Lanes, — the first in the coal fields; Dixon and Dando Billiards; Diamond Coal Co. Store, and Peter M. Dillon Barbershop. When the lodge disbanded, the building was sold to Alexander Kilpatrick. On September 18, 1911, the Catholic Church was struck by lightning and destroyed. Masses were held downstairs until the present new church was erected in 1912, dedicated on December 8. In 1917, the Immaculate Conception Parish, Catholic Church, purchased the building and adjoining home at the rear. It was con- verted into a school hall, both up-stairs and down-stairs for the first Catholic school in the coal fields. The home was moved up front ond made into a convent for the Dominican Sisters, who had charge of the teaching work. Rev. Patrick J. Hennessey conceived and built the school, supervised its operation until his removal to Elmhurst: then by Rev. L. A. O'Sullivan, until the building was condemned by the State Fire Marshall. The building was sold and torn down brick by brick about 1930. The Convent was sold to the Joseph Tenn family and is still used as a family home. THE TOWN PUMP A myslerious Correspondent, later identified as The Author of this publication, prepared a series of "chummy" articles in the Eraidwood Index, starting August 19, 1343, giving names of public spirited citizens. The Pump's Installation The Braidwood Index, August 19, 1943 The Servicemen's Memorial Park at Railroad and Main Streets, dedicated November 15, 1942, is taking on more and more of a "home-y" appearance that acclaims the spirit of the citizens of Braidwood and vicinity, who are behind the local boys and girls who composed the Braidwood contingent in the Armed Services. A new attraction was added Saturday, August 14, — a town pump — under the supervision of the planner of the Memorial, — M. J. Donna. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 291 A new pump was purchased with voluntary contributions by interested citizens. It was installed by Andrew T. Pomatto, assisted by Ralph Culiey. Besides supplying cool and pure drinking water to appease the thirst of children and adults, it will furnish water for sprinkling the beautiful fresh flowers that adorn the urns or vases in season. A rustic bench has been placed nearby, where the weary may rest while refreshing themselves with waters from the town pump, a habit that will become increasingly more popular as the pump's presence and purpose become better known. "Willing citizens have agreed to paint the bench, to tone-up the colors on the "V" at the base of the flag pole of the Memorial; also to paint the box in which are cards giving names of the 144 Braidwood youth now enlisted. At the suggestion of many well-wishers, Mr. Donna began soliciting funds and materials last week and within a few days was able to order the installation of the pump. Wm. B. Higgins made good use of his "water-witch" proficiency, using a willow crutch in locating an underground stream of water that insures a steady and plentious supply of fine drinking water for which Braidwood is famous. The charter membership of "The Braidwood Order of Town Pumpers of the Servicemen's Memorial", contributors to the fund making possible the installation of the pump are: (Alphabetically): Fred Coeayne,. Ralph Culiey, Frank Davito, Alice Dillon, Daniel Dillon, M. J. Donna, S. V. Donna, Edwin G. Francis, Edward Jaros, James Nahas, Rev. Paul J. Nolan, John O'Malley, William J. Oswald, James R. Patterson, Frank D. Peyla, Albert Peterson, Andrew T. Pomatto, Mrs. George Poppleton, Sr., T. Frank Shaunnessy, Frank Sinkular, Mrs. Blanche Schutten, Thomas Strachan, Mrs. Frank Trofimchuk, Mrs. Lena Viglia, Edward Vobortil and Vincent Wagner. THE TOWN PUMP SPEAKS (Just in fun column) Excerpts from The Braidwood Index issues of August 19 and 26, 1943 — The City Water Department is in for some serious competition now that I am on the job supplying good refreshing drinks for the mere pumping. — One of the first imbiders was Pete Dillon, who arrived home this morning from the army station at Stuggart, Arkansas. 292 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY Should have said "Corporal Dillon. "Wonderful," that's what he whispered as he gulped down my refreshing waters. Fortified by copious quaffs of the delicious water; Postmistress Alice Dillon departed for the lakes in Northern Minnesota on a well-earned vacation. She will return before Labor Day. Father Paul J. Nolan tested the water as soon as it was flow- ing clear. Rumor has it that he will use the water exclusive- ly in sprinkling the youngsters who are brought to his at- tention during the coming weeks. Welcome babies, my future consumers! Ann Brown Moreau has requested a supply of my thirst-satisfy- ing liquid to serve the Rotarians and their guests at the party on Mayor W. C. Frick's lawn Wednesday of this week. I will supply enough to fill Art Nelson's 10-gallon hat, quench the thirst of all Rotarians and their ladies to clear their voices for the community sing-fest. Another important "enrolee", a real water expert, who sailed the seven seas in the U. S. Navy, — Thomas Fitzpatrick, brother of William Fitzpatrick of Guadalcanal fame, both just back from the Southern Pacific area. "Kako" Davito fills his thermos bottle here before every trip he makes in his favorite chariot, — his truck, believing that it is not wise to drink too many kinds of water while running around the country. He can seldom be found at home. "Casey" Clark, the genial stationmaster at the Alton depot visits me at noon daily, partaking of my bubbling goodness as the finishing touch of his lunch. What's the matter with the water in your neighborhood, Tom? Yes, mine will blend nicely with milk. Welcome! Well, a lot of things worth reporting were whispered to me during the week of August 15. My many friends are getting quite confidential and are bubbling the happenings while en- joying my refreshing water, knowing that I'll tell their tales of happiness or woe, exactly (?) as told to me. The Champ! For this I'm in a position to vouch. Braidwood has the champion water-drinker in three counties, — probably in Illinois. He's gleeful, but dry Bill Oswald. He's in the pint-a-gulp class. Keeps me pumping. THE BBAIDWOOD STORY 293 Alex (Fat) Patterson tried my water and said: "Excellent, but not quite up to the goodness of that in our alley pump near our livery barn". Well, I hear that Braidwood has done it again. Civilian De- fense Chairman Donna received a beautiful pennant from the Illinois Council of Defense for the fine part played by the people of this community in defense work. Braidwood is one of only three towns in Will County so honored. The pennant proudly flys from the flagpole beneath Old Glory. I'm proud. The city water is fine, but hardly in my class. Just heard that the State water specialist gave the city water another dose last week. Well, I stand on my own, — can hold my own, — needs no purging. Eh, lads and gals. A sweet young thing, while enjoying a cooling drink, con- fided in me the fact that she is engaged to the nicest young fellow. Congrats, Theresa. The best of luck to you and to that lucky fellow! WOW-EE-E! A gorgeous maid dressed lightly to withstand the blistering hot weather paid me a visit the other day. As she bent over to partake of my famous liquid refreshment, a gust of wind blew her light skirt over her head. Honestly, I closed my eyes. The metal vat into which is spewed the surplus water for later use in watering the fine flowers in the vases that adorn the World War Two Servicemen Memorial is a donation by Frank D. Peyla, of Joliet, formerly of Braidwood. To keep someone from making too ardent love to the vat, Peter Rossi supplied the chain, John Charpenter did the welding, and M. J. Donna supplied the lock. A neighbor, Jennie Francis Cherrie, is a regular visitor. She says: "What a Godsend!" Who the devil put a lighted cigarette on Tony Spezio's straw hat? A spurt of flames and there's nothing left but a charred skeleton. . . . And the straw hat season has still two weeks to run. "Grandpa Science" Hynd whispered in my ear that he cele- brated his "umteenth" birthday August 18. But the tickler under his nose gave me goose pimples and I just couldn't catch his age. "Stop talking through your whiskers, Mar- 291 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY shall". — ' Info Wanted. Tell it to me just as it happened, — and I'll tell it as I feel like, — cheery and newsy, all in fun. BRAIDWOOD — A TROTTING HORSE CENTER Throughout all its days, the city was and is classed as a sporting town. In the '80's and '90's, the sportsmen turned to race horses, trotting and pacing. Some of the "nags" could turn the Braidwood Jockey Club's half mile track in 1.10. One speedster named "Hiram H", owned by William Shenk, popular baker, did a mile here in 2.06 minutes. Among other owners of fast horses were: Dr. E. E. Greene, Will Watson, John O'Connor and Rev. T. C. Fleming. BRAIDWOOD GOLD RUSH In the 1890's, Braidwood suffered a mild gold-mining craze, fomented by Joseph Shenk, a farmer, and John Gillson, a merchant. Quite a lot of stock was sold on a Klondike proposition which was headed by the promoters who headed overland to the Artie Circle hoping to reach the Klondike through the back door from Edmund- ton, Calgary, Canada. It did reach its destination but gold was hard to find and the promotion fizzled out, as did the capital invested by the stockholders. "TELEPHONES At the turn of the century, Braidwood residents were served by two telephone companies, the Illinois Bell Telephone Company, and the Northwestern Telephone Company. The latter no longer exists having been absorbed by the former. The Illinois Bell Telephone Company established an exchange in Braidwood on September 23, 1897, in the Daniel S. Barr Drug Store, which Mr. Barr managed until he resigned October 1, 1910. Miss Mary L. Sheridan was appointed exchange manager October 1, 1910, and the exchange was moved upstairs in the brick building on the' South side of Main Street, next to the William Jack Hardware Store. She served as manager to January 21, 1921, then as Chief Operator until the Dial System was installed here, March 23, 1939. A. H. White was appointed District Manager and John Mack as Commercial Manager, January 1, 1921. George E. Corke became manager June 18, 1943. The present manager (1955) is A. J. Swans- THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 295 boro, who supplied this data. The Northwestern Telephone Company never had an exchange in Braidwood, but served its subscribers here through the Wilmington exchange. James A. Smith, well-known Braidwood druggist was that tirm's representative here and the central service phone was in his drugstore until the Northwestern Co. was bought and melded with the Illinois Bell. Incidentally, John Parsons, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Parsons, well known Braidwood florist and gardner, was the District Manager of the Northwestern Company with headquarters in Joliet. February 24, 1955 ILLINOIS BELL TELEPHONE CO. Mr. A. J. Swansboro The Braidwood Exchange was opened September 23, 1897 in the drug store of D. S. Barr, who managed it until he resigned October 1, 1910. Miss Mary Sheridan was appointed manager October 1, 1910, and the exchange moved upstairs in the brick building next to Wm. Jack's Hardware Store. She served as manager, until January 1, 1921, then as chief operator until the Dijal Service was established in Braidwood, March 23, 1939. A. H. White was appointed District Manager and John Mack as Commercial Manager, January 1, 1921. George E. Corke became manager on June 28, 1943 and followed by A. J. Swansboro, current manager (1956). BRAIDWOOD TIMBER TO THE RESCUE Stewart Grove, a firewood supply station for the Chicago and Alton Railway, located about a half mile North of the present railway station, long supplied the fuel for the wood-burning freight and pas- senger engines commonly in use then on railroads in this section of the country. The story is told that shortly after the railroads began operating, a heavy snowstorm in the winter of 1854-1855 stalled its deluxe Alton special or Capital Limited in a snow drift north of Dwight, Illinois, exposing its 300 passengers, including many state legislators and other 296 THE BR AID WOOD STOKY officials for a number of days to the rigors of the storm, — no food, no protective clothing, no heat and a frozen engine for lack of fuel. Rescue engines went to the scene with food and clothing from Joliet and with piles of Braidwood wood. In time the frozen engine was thawed out, enabling it to buck the snow drifts and make its way slowly to the state capital at Springfield, Illinois, which was reached nearly a week behind time. Stewart Grove's good oak logs to the rescue. HOMES AND COW SHEDS The earliest miners were mostly single men, carefree and happy- go-lucky fellows who called "home" wherever they hung their hat. When summer shut-downs or strikes occurred, they left for parts un- known rarely to return . These were followed by married men and their families who bought acre or half acre lots from the coal companies and built homes of whatever kind or size they could afford, adding rooms as families increased. They were mostly of wood as that kind was known to best withstand the sinking of the surface over the undermined areas. As home owners, they found it practical to have fine gardens, to own a cow, goat, pigs and chickens to help feed growing families during the summer, when work was slack. They worked in the mines when the whistle at 8:00 p.m. blew THREE, indicating that there was work there the next day, and tended their gardens and flocks when the whistle blew ONE, meaning no work tomorrow. The wooden homes, the cowsheds and the well-tended gardens pointed out the homes of the permanent and substantial citizens. THE "CLAN-NA-GAELS" This was an Irish Revolutionary organization with a branch among the Irish in Braidwood, aimed at the security of English institu- tions. In 1887 the city had a mild sensation when newspapers told of Dr. Le Caron going on the stand in London, England, in the famous Charles Stewart Parnell's suit against the London Times for libel. Thus was revealed the fact that for years, Dr. Le Caron, trusted local druggist and physician had held a membership in the "Clan-Na-Gaels" spying on the actions of the group here and elsewhere in Illinois, and laying bare their secrets to the British Government while pretending to be one of THE BRAID WOOD STORY 297 the rebels. When his duplicity became known, he had fled during the night, fearing death as a spy on his friends, and they next heard of him as a witness in London. He never returned, abandoning his drugstore and practice. Mr. Le Caron first came to Braidwood in 1873, set up one of the first drug stores in the city, on the Southwest corner of School and Fifth Streets in Lower Braidwood in the building now housing the Koca Market. MAIN STREETS UPS AND DOWNS In 1878, when Main Street in the Grove became the center of business, the stores were at diffrent levels, the sidewalks would be high in one place, at ground level at others, and even lower elsewhere. The buildings were either raised or lowered when the brick pavement was first laid. FIRST WORLD WAR I CASUALTY Private Albert Koca was the first war casualty in the first World War, having died in France, September 7, 1918. He was born in Braidwood April 14, 1891. He was a member of Ambulance Com- pany No. 131 of the 108th Infantry. He was buried in Braidwood after the war, September 26, 1919, with full military honors. The Braidwood American Legion was named in his honor. WATER MAINS Braidwood long had a good water supply from sand points at the rear of the City Hall, and later by a deep well, drilled to a dep'th of 1,600 feet, after many difficulties, including the loss of drills at depths too far to be recovered. This operation cost several thousand dollars and served the system for only a limited period. Presently, the water department reverted to shallow sandpoint wells, with an up-to- date filter to provide very good water to about 300 homes and places, at a cost of $30.00 a year. Braidwood's first water mains were laid on most of its main streets in 1889, to provide water for domestic use and fire protection, at a cost estimated at $9,000. Fire hydrants on street intersections were protected against freezing by a four foot square w T ooden box that ex- 298 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY tended about three feet underground and which was filled each fall with protective materials. The mains have been replaced several times. Two such replace- ments recalled are during Mayor James Crichton's term and later in Mayor Joseph Hurst's term. New replacements and repairs, when extensions were made about ten or twelve years ago, give the city the service expected by the patrons. FOLK DANCES Dancing was the principal diversion of both the old and the young, among, the early pioneers and their descendants, featuring the folk dances of the many countries in Europe from which they migrated to this locality . Many of the nationality groups practicing and enjoying them in lessening degree until now they are but a pleasant memory. Among them are the Bohemian Cjadios, long danced in the Bohemian Hall in Lower Braidwood, the quadrilles, danced in the Free Gardner's Hall, Music Hall or K. C. Hall, the Polish polka, Irish Jigs, Italian waltzes, Scottish reels, Negro hops and Hoe-downs. Cjadios were usually danced to brass bands, under such leaders as Petrik and Malek. The oldsters will remember the Italian minstrel, Gasperdini, and his violin, who usually played in taverns on week-ends, where such entertainment was featured. Then there were the Negro Hoe-downs in Bucktown. Th early colony had its usual crop of clog and busk and wing dancers, among the best known being Antone J. Garrity and the Lazier Brothers, Henry and Charles. NATIONALISTIC INFLUENCES' As might be expected, there were sayings and doings of local significance derived from the nationals who made up the cosmopolitan population. It would be interesting to know how many recognize and can interpret the following: ITALIAN Bagnia Calda Polenta Quietta Fruzzie THE BKAIDWOOD STORY 299 Zabaglione Caramella Vent, vent al sold! BOHEMIAN Knedlicky-Zeli in many combinations Bramborovy - Knedlicky SOCCER A Carbon Hill Kick DANCING Kaijdo One More Carbon Hill this way SCOTCH Skiddery Winter First Footing Hogmaney NEGRO Festivals ZABAGLIONE This Italian delicacy was made according to each family's much guarded secret recipe. Ma Donna's speciality was: 6 egg yolks 5 tablespoons sugar Few grains of salt 6 tablespoons Marsala wine Combine the egg yolks, sugar and salt in the upper part of a cold double boiler. Beat with rotary beater until thick and lemon color. Gradually beat in the wine. Place over hot (not boiling) water and beat with rotary beater until thick and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Serve immediately. 300 THE BBAIDWOOD STORY THE LAST TORNADO The environs of the city have occasionally been the scene of damaging tornadoes, but one of the worst in present day history, occurred on April 7, 1948, coming out of the West-Southwest in the early evening hours, destroying entirely the Joseph Tryner home and the farm buildings on North Division Street and several other farm homes and buildings in its path in Grundy County, including those on the Cherrie and the Vota farms. The storm splattered the home of Anton Kriz, adjacent to the Tryner home, with clay, whipped up from the high "H" mine dump. There were on human casualties, though a number of animals were killed. OFFICIAL STARS Very early in its history, the city was proud of its officials, suf- ficiently so to present its officials with an authorative star. As late as July 24, 1954, the author saw one of the relics, — a five pointed gold star which had been presented to Alexander Patterson, alderman from the First Ward, with his title and name engraved thereon and bearing the year 1878. Mr. Patterson long operated the official city scales on Main Street. He passed away April 1, 1946. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS The following was contributed by Attorney Antone J. Garrity, one of the oldest and highly respected citizens. DITTO In the early days, the miners were only paid monthly, but many would get "stickers" on their earnings as needs arose for money to be spent in stores other than the company stores, where company checks were honored. It was also the custom for merchants to give credit to customers who settled monthly. Patrick Garrity, my father, one of the oldest and best known store keepers in the early days, operated a grocery store on Main Street with a side door to his tavern, on a side street, (Center Street), where he sold 5c and 10c drinks as well as whiskey by the gallon from a 55- gallon hogshead, almost for what it now takes to buy a loaf of bread. THE BBAIDWOOD STORY 301 Among his customers was a Scotch couple, later pioneers of South Wilmington, and very good customers. The good wife did most of her trading in the store, but her husband preferred to patronize the back room. A careful record was made of all sales to be paid for on paydays, but out of consideration of his customers, he would list all drinks under the general title of "ditto." For a beer the entry would be "ditto" — 5c; for a shot it was "ditto" — 10c; for a gallon jug it would be "ditto" — 2 or 1 or V2, meaning $2.00 for a gallon, $1.00 for a half gallon or 50c for a quart. Pay-day arrived and the lady of the house came in to pay the bill as presented and which was marked "paid". On reaching home she studied the bill and was furious to find so many charges for "ditto". She returned to the store, storming to my dad, saying, "See here Pat, I've always thought you. were an honest man. I trusted you implicitly, but I've just now found out that you are not. In this bill which I paid this morning, I find that I've been charged $7.30 for "ditto", "ditto", "ditto". I want you to understand that I have never bot a cent's worth of that thing in my life." TRICKS ON FATHER Another store incident that many of the oldsters will remember. My sister, Kate, was dad's chief clerk, a tricky little miss, who enjoyed nothing better than to play tricks on father. Once there arrived a shipment of fine pears and dad proudly placed the box on the counter with a proper price tag, and set back proudly thinking of the profit he would garner in supplying his customers with such a delicious tid-bit. Unbeknownst to father, she added the words "try one" to the price tag. Imagine dad's consternation at the end of the day, to see all his fine pears gone, but nothing in the cash box for them. On another occasion, he received a shipment of imported dried codfish, greatly loved by his Italian and Irish customers. Mysteriously, a "try one" sign again appeared on the box. A well-known Braidwood character, who probably did not realize that she was doing wrong, slipped a large codfish slab under her coat, only to be caught at the door by angry Pat. Realizing the situation, the always generous and con- siderate Pat, let her keep her ill-gotten meal. PATRICKS My name might well have been Patrick, but it's Anthony. During the 1880's, there were by actual count, more than 50 Patricks in our 302 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY city. As of 1956, there is only one resident of that name in our com- munity. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS By James B. Howatt, Merchant James B. Howatt, life-long businessman, came to Braidwood in 1869. He married Miss Annie Brayden, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Brayden, Sr. He and his wife long operated the city's leading millinery and drygoods store. He served as Alderman from City Ward No. 1, and as president of the high school board. They had two children, — Miss Margie, a school teacher, now (1955) in the Chicago schools; and William, of Indianapolis, Indiana. Here are some of his recollections: OAKS ON MAIN STREET "On our arrival, we settled in 'The Grove', now Main Street." Large trees were growing on the business street. Homes were few and far between, with fewer than a half dozen small stores. COLD AND WET Winters were very cold, with deep snow. It was hard to keep our poor "shacks" warm. When it rained in the spring, the women had to wear rubber boots when shopping. BAIN GOT LOST One cold wintry and blustery night, a relative left our house to go to his home less than 200 yards distant. It was very dark, with a snowy blizzard blowing. He lost his way. After wandering about an hour, he saw and made for a small light. A little old lady answered his knock. He asked if she could tell him where James Bain lived. "Lo and behold, he was talking to his wife's mother, my grandmother". THE 17TH OF MARCH That day was always a great day for the Irish. One of the annual highlights was the spectacular parade with bands and flags. One year it was extremely cold, with about 18 inches of snow on the ground. The band started; the faithful Sons of E'rin followed. They had gone only about 200 yards when the big tuba froze. The parade THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 303 continued. One by one the other horns followed suit, until only the two drums struck the beat, — but nothing could stop the Irish. REDMOND'S POND How different is the Braidwood Recreation Beach from the "Ole Swimming Hole" of my days. We swam in a slough at the foot of School Street near the Alton mine line, but we had to share it with the cows, with parental admonitions to stay out of the water for at least an hour to let it settle. It's a wonder some of us lived. THE 1877 MINER'S STRIKE That strike was the worst of its kind to date, not only in the local coal fields, but in the country. Soldiers were sent here to qupll the rioting. They were unloaded about three-quarters of a mile out of town, with guns and cannons, marched into town and issued a com- mand to all citizens to remain in their homes. The next day in squads of two, they searched every home for weapons. When they reached my house, they asked mother if she had any weapons. She said she had and went to the table, picked up the family Bible, and told them that it was the only weapon her family needed. CHURCHES There were no church edifices in the area wlhen we first came to live here, and people of the same faith would gather in one-another's home for worship. Tlhe first real church was built in Lower Braidwood by the Catholics. Next was built the Methodist Church on School Street, near the old John McKenzie home; then was built the Presby- terian Church where it now stands, and later the P. M. Methodist Church on "E" Street, that ended its days as a hay barn on tlhe Henry Roe farm, South of town. (Incidentally, Mr. Howatt was a pillar of the Presbyterian Church, its leading "basso prodondus" of the choir for years. He also served with distinction as City Alderman and School Director for many terms.) BY WM. D. RYAN, FAMED MINE LEADER "Dear Mod: It is edifying for me to recall the following facts:" That I had the pleasure of serving as president of the District 304 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY No. 7, Board of Education during the years you served as our principal of the Lower Braidwood School. That I had the pleasure of presenting your humorous skit, "The Mischevious Nigger ); at the 17th of March concert in the Music Hall in 1894, in which you starred in the black face part to the delight of the several hundred Irish citizens and their friends. That in the 1870's, two Braidwood men represented our district in the Illinois Legislature: Luke Goodrich, the city's first mayor, and William Mooney, our leading attorney. That in 1888 it was Wm. Mooney again and Daniel McLaughlin, then came Wm. H. Steen, Joseph Kain and Samuel J. Drew. That Braidwood furnished two County Superintendents of Schools (third one later in the person of Louis F. Bottino. — The Author), three sheriffs and two county treasurers. That John James, a former Braidwood miner was elected National Secretary of the early miners' union at a convention in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1874. That John Mitchell, Braidwood born leader, was elected as Vice President of the new and potent United Mine Workers of America, at the Columbus, Ohio Convention, April 1, 1898. He advanced to the presidency April 1, 1899, to serve in that capacity until April 1, 1908. That I had a part in the miners' unionization, serving first as Secretary-treasurer of the Braidwood Local No. 1, until elected as District Secretary-Treasurer, later as State Secretary-Treasurer of Illi- nois district, with offices in Springfield, starting April 1, 1908, until advanced to the Secretary-Treasurer of the National organization, with office in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 1, 1908. On retiring, I accepted a position with the Federal Coal Commission, with headquarters in Pittsburg, Pa. That presently my biggest thrill, (letter dated September 14, 1942) is to attend your Braidwood Homecomings where I meet so many of my old friends. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 305 SUBMITTED BY JOHN P. KEEVERS "Dear M. J. I don't know what kind of a fist I'll make this. My right side is palsied and I have to have Elsie write for me, but I may get a few kernels of some sense, doing the best I can." DO YOU KNOW: That Arvid E. Olson, Jr., the Chicago Flying Tiger, whose war experiences in China ond Burma, reported in the Chicago Sun, Septem- ber 2, 1942, was the son-in-law of Mike Kelly, a former Braidwood citi- zen, a brother of Joseph and Patrick Kelly, also of our fine city. Mike Kelly was an outstanding traveling shoe salesman, and his son-in-law, Arvid E. Olson is one of the most distinguished of the Flying Tigers. That in the '90's, we had a mild gold craze fomented by the Shenks, Joe and his brother and Jillson. Quite a bit of stock was sold in the Klondike proposition and an expedition sent on its way to enter the Klondike overland, by the back way, from Edmonton, Canada. The whole thing fizzled out. That there was a time when Braidwood was something of a trotting horse center with likely nags owned and tracked by Dr. Greene, Will Watson, D. J. O'Connor, Will Shenk. That among the leading old-time mine superintendents were Messers Hall, Corey, Kain, Zoller, Maltby, Crombie, Skinners and others, not forgetting the more recent ones such as Murphy, Ptogers, O'Connor, Oswald. That among the gin shaft operators were Messers Joyce, Haley, O'Connor, Joe Kelly, McManus, Cruise, Keevers, Charles McDermitt, Robert Crichton, Jack Stewart and others. That Braidwood once had two newspapers, one of which was called the Mule's Ear. That as many as 30 coal trains a day were made up in The Yards or Five Tracks, West of town. That Hugh Mulligan, president of the Chicago Asbestos Workers Union was the grandson of the owner of Glackin's Grove, west of town. That the municipality of Braidwood once subsidized a brass band which flourished for years. ;)06 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY That the old Braidwood Soccer team won the National Champion- ship in games at Fall River, Mass. That before the J. Hynd Pop Factory, Mr. Blood operated such a business, with its establishment between The Grove and Lower Braid- wood. That in the same vicinity was our first brick yard getting its raw material from the old "E" mine dumps. (Another brick works was just South of the "H" mine — Author). That in the late '80's or early '90's, Braidwood had a mild sensa- tion when the newspapers told of Dr. Le Caron going on the stand in London, England in the Charles Stewart Parnell's suit against the London Times for libel, it being made known that for many years Le Caron held membership in the Braidwood "Clan-na-Gaels" laying bare the secrets of the Irish Revolutionary organization, whose endeavors were aimed at the security of English Institutions. That our citizen, Dan McLaughlin, militant trade unionist, was for some years, the head of the Knights of Labor, then the foremost trade union in the U. S. A. That for long years among the Irish, there flourished the Saint Patrick Society, a purely benevolent lodge. That Cheap Charley's was for years the city's leading clothing store. That the wooded district South of town was known as "The Brush" where Will Ryan, prominent mine union official, played as a boy. That "The Logs" were two tree trunks that fell across a stream that flowed Westward, just North of Lower Braidwood and South of Keeversville, and you either crossed on the logs or waded up to your middle in going to work or to reach the business places. That Hugh Nevins served longest in the early days as depot master and dispatcher for the Alton. That at one time, over 50 saloons were licensed by our city. That early students went to colleges in Onarga, Illinois, to Val- paraiso, Indiana, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and Illi- nois Wesleyan, in Bloomington, Illinois. That the Music Hall, now the K. of C. Hall was the most popular THE BKAIDWOOD STOEY 307 theatre between Chicago and Bloomington, and attracted some of the best traveling shows and concerts. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Llewellyn Rogers, former Mayor) "Dear M. J.: I hardly know anything that you do not already know. To me, most of those who now live in my home town are strangers, so anything you tell them about the history of Braidwood, will be new to them". JOHN STANSBURY left Braidwood at the turn of the century and settled in Douglas, Wyoming, where he served as County Judge for 25 years. His wife was the daughter of David Paden, Sr. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Jack Stansbury on a commission to investigate the coal mining industry and everywhere the commission met, Jack Stansbury met someone lrom old Braidwood. One of his fellow commissioners said to Judge Stansbury, "Braidwood from whence you came, must be a big town, you meet so many from there, but I don't think you'll meet anyone from your home-town in the next town we make". "Where is that?" asked Stansbury. "Seattle, Washington," divulged the commissioner. Well when the commission reached there, they found that the meeting under the auspices of the Association of Commerce, in Seattle, was headed by T. B. Corey, former superintendent of Braidwood mines, who greeted him "Hello Jack". Another man representing the Associa- tion, was Jim Anderson, a mining engineer, who had managed the C. W. & V. Coal Co. mines in Braidwood. Then there was Samuel J. Drew, a self-educated Braidwood miner later served for many years as Probate Judge, of Will County. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Dr. W. C. Frick, former Mayor) Braidwood's peak population about 1878, was just under 8,000. Its smallest population was about 1,200 in 1920. It then increased slowly until it reached 1,350 in 1940. Present population (1956) estimated at about 1,800, and growing. Braidwood has the Commission form of Government. The author, M. J. Donna, paid the ten dollars required by the County Judge to authorize the election for its establishment, in 1919. THE BEAIDWOOD STOBY Dan Ghilain placed one of the new small dollar bills in the cornerstone at its laying at the high school in 1916. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Hugh Young, who recently passed away at his home at 245 W. 103rd Street, Chicago 28, Illinois.) "Dear Mr. Donna: After my very pleasant visit with you, I will attempt to tell you of some incidents that may have escaped your eagle eye." MULE CEMETERY This is or was located at the North end of the street on which you live, a'.bout a block North of your home, which, by the way, was built by a pioneer, Mr. Thomas O'Neil, about 1875, the mine officially called the "E". When the old "G" mine experienced a bad fire on the bottom, suffocating about 30 of the company mules, their bodies were loaded on flat cars and dumped into the abandoned "E" shaft, which was later called the Mule Cemetery Mine. The "J" mine fire took place in 1889, destroyed its tipple, which was later rebuilt to serve that mine until it was dismantled a few years later. The Garibaldi incident also took place around the "J" mine. The miners were on strike and because some maintenance men remain- ed at work in the "J" mine, a crowd of strikers from Clarke City, under the leadership of one nicknamed "Garibaldi," dressed fully in white, descended on the mine and dumped the coal cars into the mine and otherwise damaged the tipple. The Governor ordered out the militia to restore peace. In the early '70's, when strike breakers were imported, the soldiers marched to the threatened centers singing, "Hold the Fort, the Soldiers are coming to drive the strikers out." The brick yard near the "E" mine was promoted by three pioneer miners, Joseph Peart, later Mayor of Braidwood; Thomas Raey and Robert Harrop. The other brick yard near the "H" mine was under the supervision of Mr. Conklin. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 309 HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Michael J. Sullivan, long-time postmaster and one of the oldest living miners, 1956), MINE WITHIN A MINE In the '80's, the C. W. & V. Coal Company conceived the idea of extending its working underground far beyond the natural mining limits under the Long Wall system. While many of the mine officials thought the plan impractical, the majority felt that it was worth a trial. Both the U G" and the "H" mines, west of Division Street were ideally located for the experiment. Both had extensive coal areas to the West. The plan was to drive a long entry to a point where a new shaft would have been practical, make a new bottom there about a quarter mile from the old shaft bottom. From there, headings were started in all directions and from such headings, branches were set off as would be in a new mine, with cross roads as provided for in the long wall system of mining. Drivers, with their old faithful mules, would pull the loaded coal cars from the working face to the new bottom where the cars would be formed into long trips for their journey to the main shaft bottom for hoisting to the surface and unloading into flat and box cars, Air shafts were sunk about a half mile West of the main shaft to insure fresh air to the working faces. The inovation involved the long trips to the natural bottom, necessitating a system of signals for out- going loaded cars and the returning empties. Bells were set up at each end, one bell meaning stop and two bells to proceed. The experiment proved successful, as it greatly decreased the expense over the cost of sinking a new shaft. George Beverley was the trip rider in the "G" and Pat Knowles had the same job in the "H". HELPERS (Conclusion) Practically everybody I asked, aided materially, as did some volunteers. It is almost impossible to name all who assisted for fear I may omit some more worthy. Among the additional helpers were: Miss Alice Muldowney, Miss Kathryn Fallon, Mrs. Barbara Ethridge, Archie and John Jeffrey, Henry D. Rossi, Sr., Mrs. Agnes iKilpatrick) 310 THE BBAIDWOOD STOBY Miller, Mrs. Joseph H. Hurst, Miss Mary Barr, Mrs. Charles (Oliver) Mohr, Daniel Ghilain, Charles Frasca, Mrs. Kit (Maltby) Hardy, Mrs. Elsie (Keevers) McVeigh, Mrs. Winnie (Casey) Morelli, Joseph Faletti, Mrs. J. R. Campbell, Mr. Isadore Di Bernardi, Miss Alice Moran, and Dominic (Muck) McElroy. RAILROADS The first main railway line through Braidwood was built in 1853, by the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad Company, later the Chicago and Alton and still later the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio. The first stopping place in the vicinity was at Stewart's Grove, located East of the Braidwood city limits on the property now (1956) leased by the Braidwood Recreation Club. This particular location was chosen by the railroad management for the station stop, because it was adjacent to a heavily wooded area, mostly oak trees, — a source of fire wood for the wood burning steam engines of that day. The first train through this vicinity was on August 24, 1854. After the discovery of coal in 1864, Braidwood became one of the most important shipping centers on the railroad, south of Chicago. With coal easily available along its route, the railroad changed from wood to coal for fuel for its engines. In 1865, the station was moved from Stewart's Grove to its present site just East of Main Street and Illinois Highway No. 113S. Thomas Kennedy was the first depot agent here and Hugh Nevens served longest in that capacity when coal production was at its height. Before and during World War Two, Elmer Gentz served as the local agent, and for years was among the best known telegraphers in these parts as an official of the telegrapher's union. Arthur Stone, also was agent for years in the late '30's and early '40's. Presently, Ray Magee looks after the railroad's interests here, as agent. The first switch lines, notably the one that ran West from Stewart's Grove, at Reiley's crossing to the first mines in the Northern part of Braidwood, — 1865 anon, — had rails of wood instead of iron or steel, over which the 15 ton gondolas were pulled to the main line for reloading on regular railroad flat cars for shipping to Chicago and parts North and West. The Alton, at one time had from 25 to 30 miles of trackage here, in addition to its main lines, with spurs to the Murphy, Linskey, Kasher Coal Company mines, the C. & W. mines "L" and "N" to the North; Northwest to the "J" mine; West to the "O", "P" and "R", West across the county line in Grundy County; South to the "Broady" and "Q" THE BKATDWOOD STOEY 311 mines near Braidwood Driving Park; Southwest to the Reliance mines south of the city limits; the "K" and "M" mines in Godley, and the Rixon and Torino mines in Southern Reed Township. The Alton for years operated daily passenger and especially excursion trains Northwesterly through the city to the C. & A. branch in Coal City, thence North to Joliet and South to Mazonia. In the city's heyday, Braidwood travelers were served by more than a dozen passenger trains daily and as many as 20 freight trains of coal, wood, hay, pottery dlay and sand to outside markets, and brought to the city all foods, materials, machinery and such as was required by a rapidly growing city. There were several important switches off the main line near the depot. One that started West of the depot bisected Main Street at Railroad Street just East of Donna's office, going Northwesterly. An- other started East of the depot and ran in a Westerly direction to the Roundhouse, just behind the Union Brick Block, where it connected with the one previously mentioned, thence North and West, one branch going through "The Yards" or "The Five Tracks" and on to the Diamond Mines towards Coal City and Suffernville. The "Yards" or "The Five Tracks" in the Northwestern part of the city was a grouping of five tracks about a half mile long where the railroad company maintined a sub-station long in charge of Edward Linskey, where switch engines assembled the flat cars and the box cars loaded with coal and other materials for shipping to different destina- tions. The "Five Tracks" were torn up in the '90's. The Alton also built a switch line to the high sand hill West of the racetrack and hauled thousands of carloads of sand to Joliet to elevate its tracks through that city. Later two other switch lines to the tipples of the Wilmington Coal Mining Company and Northern Illinois Coal Corporation strip mine tipples, both of which are in use today, (1956). Among other properties owned and operated by the Alton were: a A large coal chute for coaling freight and passenger engines on the main line and the paralleling passing tracks. The chute was torn down in the '90's. b A water tank East of the depot that supplied water to pas- senger and freight engines until about 1942. "Water was pump- ed from the abandoned "Eagle" or "A" mine on the west side 312 THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY of Main Street. U. S. Route 66 passes directly over the mine shaft. c A round house on the East side of "B" Street, just North of the Rossi Motel. The half moon shaped building housed four or more steam engines needed to haul coal from the mines and to assemble the cars into trains. It was demolished about the time of the First Columbian World Fair, circa, 1893. In front of it was &. turntable for turning engines to face the desired direction. Two well remembered switchmen who operated out of the roundhouse, were James and Frank Kinsley. d It operated several "miners' trains" to carry the mine em- ployees to mines built beyond easy walking distance from the residential sections. e In the late '70's and early '80's, the Alton transported over a half-million tons of coal annually to near and distant markets. THE ELGIN, JOLIET AND EASTERN RAILROAD COMPANY It built a line that tapped the Braidwood Mines, the "O", "P" and "R" from the West about 1890 from its main line that extended South from Carbon Hill to Custer and South Wilmington. This very efficient freight line operated for about a dozen years, being torn up shortly after the turn of the century. THE WABASH RAILROAD COMPANY Seeking to get some of the coal hauling business from the mines in Braidwood, Godley and Braceville, it built a long switch Westward from its main line South of Custer Park, through Custer and Reed Townships into Grundy County. This was in the late '70's, and not proving profitable, it was torn up in the '80's. BRAIDWOOD STREET CARS Yes, Braidwood did have a street car system, — two of them in fact, perhaps the first transportation of its kind in the county. The two car lines were in daily operating, not as public carriers, but for hauling miners to and from the mines, as the mining operations extend- ed far out. They rendered service until near the close of the last century. The Dixon Line, operated from the car barns near the "G" mine on West Church, now Third Street, to the "L" and "N" mines, North- west of the city. Robert Dixon was its owner. THE BRAJDWOOD STOEY 313 The Conboy Line's car yard was West of Division on First Street, and carried miners to the "O" and "P" mines west of the county line in Grundy County. John Conboy was its operator. The cars were of the "Toonerville Trolley" type, horse drawn, their number varying, according to the numbers of miners and em- ployees who patronized the service. All the oars were equipped with hand brakes which were very practical on down grades, to prevent the cars from running on the heels of the non-too-fast horses. Women riders were scarce as the seats, dirty from the miners' soiled clothes, were none too inviting. BRAIDWOOD'S FAMOUS GHOST STORY In the early 1920's, Braidwood made the headlines of county and metropolitan newspapers as possessing a mysterious "Ghost" or "Haunted House". From a mere item of odd news, the story blossomed out into special articles by ghost experts, that featured, particularly the Joliet papers, in continuing stories of the nightly appearances of apparitions that would appear only to certain people who alone could see the funny goings-on and report to credulous reporters. The locale was the empty home of the John Sebeck family, va- cated when they moved to Chicago. It was on North School Street. For several weeks, so-called ghost catchers secreted themselves in and around the old house both night and day, reporting imagined facts to credulous reporters whose papers gleefully gobbled up the strange tales, with the result that many local people were scared stiff by the printed facts, stayed off the streets for fear of having the spirit or phantom spring out at them. A local woman, with some journalistic training, was suspected of having started the ghost scare as a publicity stunt. A renowned women's page editor of the Joliet Herald-News helped to track down the story as the imagination of a fertile mind. Besides giving our city some ghostly notoriety, it served to put Braidwood "in the news". NATIONALISTIC INFLUENCES SCOTCH SHORT BREAD (Mrs. James Patterson Recipe) Ingredients: 1 lb. butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 4 cups flour. Method: Cream butter and sugar and add gradually 3 of the 4 cups of flour, reserving the fourth cup for working on the moulding board. Knead the mixture into a roll and cut the roll into 4 parts. 314 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY With rolling pin, roll each part into a circle about the size of a pie plate, about V^-inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges. Bake on a cookie sheet in 325 degree oven until a light brown. BAIGNA CALDA Here's a popular winter delicacy introduced by the Piedmontese colony of Italians, a treat that has became the favorite of all nationalities. There were almost as many recipes as there were families, but here's my favorite: Melt V2 pound of butter or heat 1 cup rich cream or 1 cup of olive or any salad oil in a pan. Chop fine two or three cloves of garlic, and fry in the butter, cream or oil until just turning brown. Add 2 small cans of Anchovie filets or about 1 dozen of salted Anchovies. Salt and pepper to suit, but be careful with the salt, as the Anchovies are always salty. Some add a spoonful or so of vinegar to cut the oily taste. Put on fire again and let simmer about a half hour. Sauce must be kept hot while dipping in stalks of celery, pickled peppers or leeks, eaten with bread. Personally, I prefer to chop the celery, peppers or leeks into inch pieces and let stew in the sauce. (No kissing games after eating this treat.) REAL PIONEER One of the real pioneers, who still resides here with her daughter, Mrs. John N. Ghilain (Delia), is Mrs. Llewellyn Rogers, formerly Sarah English, now 89 years of age. RED GATE Most of the present-day residents know of only one railway station on the Alton or G. M. & O., oh East Main Street, at which only one passenger train a day is scheduled to stop as of 1957, one that comes from Chicago and Joliet in the evening, but with no passenger service Northward towards Joliet and Chicago, any time of the day. Old railway time cards scheduled two other stations or stops in our vicinity. THE BE AID WOOD STORY 315 STEiWART GROVE, North of town at first crossing. RED GA^TE, South of town about where the McElvain strip mine tipple now stands. ROE CREAMERY One of the almost forgotten industries of the early days was the Roe Creamery, located along the railway between Main and Center Street, operated by Henry Roe, as reported iby his son, George Roe who still farms in Reed Township on the Essex Road. CHAPTER 11 REVIEW OF INTERESTING FACTS Did You Know or Do You Remember? Community People Things ABOUT OUR RAILROADS: 1. That the first railroad through what later became Braidwood, was built in 1853 by what was then known as The Chicago and Mississippi Railroad Company. 2. That the first train through our community was run on August 24, 1854. 3. That the first railway station in this vicinity was at Stewart's Grove, near the first crossing Northeast of our city, where ample wood was available for firing the wood-burning engines of that early day. 4. That Mr. Kennedy was the first depot agent and that Hugh Nevens served longest in that capacity when coal mining was at its peak here. 5. That the first switch lines, notably the one that ran from Riley's crossing to the first coal mines in the Northern part of Old Braid- wood, had wooden rails with a band of steel on top, over which the small gondolas or coal flats were transported to the shipping THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 307 theatre between Chicago and Bloomington, and attracted some of the best traveling shows and concerts. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Llewellyn Rogers, former Mayor) "Dear M. J.: I hardly know anything that you do not already know. To me, most of those who now live in my home town are strangers, so anything you tell them about the history of Braidwood, will be new to them". JOHN STANSBURY left Braidwood at the turn of the century and settled in Douglas, Wyoming, where he served as County Judge for 25 years. His wife was the daughter of David Paden, Sr. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Jack Stansbury on a commission to investigate the coal mining industry and everywhere the commission met, Jack Stansbury met someone from old Braidwood. One of his fellow commissioners said to Judge Stansbury, "Braidwood from whence you came, must be a big town, you meet so many from there, but I don't think you'll meet anyone from your home-town in the next town we make". "Where is that?" asked Stansbury. "Seattle, Washington," divulged the commissioner. Well when the commission reached there, they found that the meeting under the auspices of the Association of Commerce, in Seattle, was headed by T. B. Corey, former superintendent of Braidwood mines, who greeted him "Hello Jack". Another man representing the Associa- tion, was Jim Anderson, a mining engineer, who had managed the C. W. & V. Coal Co. mines in Braidwood. Then there was Samuel J. Drew, a self-educated Braidwood miner later served for many years as Probate Judge, of Will County. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Dr. W. C. Frick, former Mayor) Braidwood's peak population about 1878, was just under 8,000. Its smallest population was about 1,200 in 1920. It then increased slowly until it reached 1,350 in 1940. Present population (1956) estimated at. about 1,800, and growing. Braidwood has the Commission form of Government. The author, M. J. Donna, paid the ten dollars required by the County Judge to authorize the election for its establishment, in 1919. 306 THE BBAIDWOOD STORY Dan Ghilain placed one of the new small dollar bills in the cornerstone at its laying at the high school in 1916. HELPERS' RECOLLECTIONS (By Hugh Young, who recently passed away at his home at 245 W. 103rd Street, Chicago 28, Illinois.) "Dear Mr. Donna: After my very pleasant visit with you, I will attempt to tell you of some incidents that may have escaped your eagle eye." MULE CEMETERY This is or was located at the North end of the street on which you live, about a block North of your home, which, by the way, was built by a pioneer, Mr. Thomas O'Neil, about 1875, the mine officially called the "E". When the old "G" mine experienced a bad fire on the bottom, suffocating about 30 of the company mules, their bodies were loaded on flat cars and dumped into the abandoned "E" shaft, which was later called the Mule Cemetery Mine. The "J" mine fire took place in 1889, destroyed its tipple, which was later rebuilt to serve that mine until it was dismantled a few years later. The Garibaldi incident also took place around the "J" mine. The miners were on strike and because some maintenance men remain- ed at work in the "J" mine, a crowd of strikers from Clarke City, under the leadership of one nicknamed "Garibaldi," dressed fully in white, descended on the mine and dumped the coal cars into the mine and otherwise damaged the tipple. The Governor ordered out the militia to restore peace. In the early '70's, when strike breakers were imported, the soldiers marched to the threatened centers singing, "Hold the Fort, the Soldiers are coming to drive the strikers out." The brick yard near the "E" mine was promoted by three pioneer miners, Joseph Peart, later Mayor of Braidwood; Thomas Raey and Robert Harrop. The other brick yard near the "H" mine was under the supervision of Mr. Conklin. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 317 cars on the main line 6. That in the '70's and '80's, Braidwood was the most important rail- way station between Chicago and Bloomington. 7. That the Alton, as it was better known, built its first depot on its present site about 1865. 8. That among the railroad's other properties near the depot were: , (a) The Coal chutes on the North side of the main line and West of Main Street that supplied Braidwood coal to the freight and passenger engines. Demolished about 1900. (b) The Water Tank located just East of the depot into which water was pumped from the abandoned Eagle Mine for filling the water tenders of practically every engine, as all trains stopped in Braidwood for coal or water in the early days. It was torn down in 1942. (c) The Pumping Station was just West of Main Street, north of the depot switch track, now under highway U. S. 59, that parallels the railroad right-of-way. Among the pumpmen are recalled: John Garrity and Dominic Cinotto. (d) The Round House, North of the depot on the East side of "B" Street, built in 1369, that once housed three or more switch engines required to handle the switching requirements. It had a turn table for turning the heavy engines. The Round House was abandoned about the time of the World's Fair in Chicago, in 1893 and later demolished. 9. That the Alton at one time had more than 25 miles of trackage in the city limits in addition to its main lines and for years operated pas- senger trains in a Northwesterly direction through the city to con- nect with the Mazonia branch line near Coal City. 10. That the Alton operated a dozen or more passenger trains with regular stops in Braidwood, numerous freight trains and specials and that now (1957) only one passenger train, Southbound, is scheduled to stop, and not even one Northbound. 11. That the Alton once operated several Miners' Trains to transport miners to and from the mines located several miles from the resi- dential districts. 12. That the Alton built the "Five Tracks" or "The Yards" about 1870 in the Western part of our city, with five tracks over a halt mile 318 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY long, where loaded flat and box cars were processed into trains for different destinations. Edward Linskey was for many years the dis- patcher at the office there, before he moved to Colorado. The Five Tracks were torn up in the late '90s. 13. That two individually-owned street car lines, horse drawn, were operated to the U J", "L" and "N" and the other to the "O", "P" and "R", one by John Conboy and the other by Robert Dixon, until about 1895. 14. That the E. J. & E. Railroad extended its coal branch lines to reach the mines to the West, providing general freight service to our com- munity. 15. That when coal mining was at its height here, between 1375 and 1885, the Alton carried over three quarters of a million tons of coal annually to various markets. 16. That the Wabash Railroad, seeking to get some of the coal hauling built a switch in the '80's, from its main line South of the Custer Park depot, Westerly through central Custer and Reed Townships to the Godley and Braceville mines. It did not prove a profitable ven- ture and was soon abandoned. ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS 1. That the first school building in what is the City of Braidwood, was the one-room brick structure built by William Cunnea, Braid wood's pioneer settler in 1860, near the Southeastern corner of Section 6, — a little Southeast of the "H" mine? 2. That the North or Lower Braidwood School, containing six large rooms was built in 1871, on the East side of Center Street, North of the Lower Main Street? Original building, a 6-room, 2-story wooden structure was torn down in 1934, and replaced in 1935 by a 2-room school, itself abandoned in 1954. 3. That the Grove, the Eureka and the East Schools were built in the early Seventies, — (a) The Grove School on School Street South of Main Street, on the present site of the Reed-Custer Township High School, con- tained four large school rooms, some of which were occupied as late as 1905. It was torn down about 1915? THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 317 cars on the main line 6. That in the '70's and Ws, Braidwood was the most important rail- way station between Chicago and Bloomington. 7. That the Alton, as it was better known, built its first depot on its present site about 1865. 3. That among the railroad's other properties near the depot were: , (a) The Coal chutes on the North side of the main line and West of Main Street that supplied Braidwood coal to the freight and passenger engines. Demolished about 1900. (b) The Water Tank located just East of the depot into which water was pumped from the abandoned Eagle Mine for filling the water tenders of practically every engine, as all trains stopped in Braidwood for coal or water in the early days. It was torn down in 1942. (c) The Pumping Station was just West of Main Street, north of the depot switch track, now under highway U. S. 59, that parallels the railroad right-of-way. Among the pumpmen are recalled: John Garrity and Dominic Cinotto. (d) The Round House, North of the depot on the East side of "B" Street, built in 1369, that once housed three or more switch engines required to handle the switching requirements. It had a turn table for turning the heavy engines. The Round House was abandoned about the time of the World's Fair in Chicago, in 1893 and later demolished. 9. That the Alton at one time had more than 25 miles of trackage in the city limits in addition to its main lines and for years operated pas- senger trains in a Northwesterly direction through the city to con- nect with the Mazonia branch line near Coal City. 10. That the Alton operated a dozen or more passenger trains with regular stops in Braidwood, numerous freight trains and specials and that now (1957) only one passenger train, Southbound, is scheduled to stop, and not even one Northbound. 11. That the Alton once operated several Miners' Trains to transport miners to and from the mines located several miles from the resi- dential districts. 12. That the Alton built the "Five Tracks" or "The Yards" about 1870 in the Western part of our city, with five tracks over a half mile 3.18 THE BBAIDWOOD STOKY long, where loaded flat and box cars were processed into trains for different destinations. Edward Linskey was for many years the dis- patcher at the office there, before he moved to Colorado. The Five Tracks were torn up in the late '90's. 13. That two individually-owned street car lines, horse drawn, were operated to the (i J", "L" and "N" and the other to the "O", "P" and "R", one by John Gonboy and the other by Robert Dixon, until about 1895. 14. That the E. J. & E. Railroad extended its coal branch lines to reach the mines to the West, providing general freight service to our com- munity. 15. That when coal mining was at its height here, between 1875 and 1885, the Alton carried over three quarters of a million tons of coal annually to various markets. 16. That the Wabash Railroad, seeking to get some of the coal hauling built a switch in the '80's, from its main line South of the Custer Park depot, Westerly through central Custer and Reed Townships to the Godley and Braceville mines. It did not prove a profitable ven- ture and was soon abandoned. ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS 1. That the first school building in what is the City of Braid wood, was the one-room brick structure built by William Cunnea, Braidwood's pioneer settler in 1860, near the Southeastern corner of Section 6, — a little Southeast of the "H" mine? 2. That the North or Lower Braid wood School, containing six large rooms was built in 1871, on the East side of Center Street, North of the Lower Main Street? Original building, a 6-room, 2-story wooden structure was torn down in 1934, and replaced in 1935 by a 2-room school, itself abandoned in 1954. 3. That the Grove, the Eureka and the East Schools were built in the early Seventies, — (a) The Grove School on School Street South of Main Street, on the present site of the Reed-Custer Township High School, con- tained four large school rooms, some of which were occupied as late as 1905. It was torn down about 1915? THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 319 (b) The Eureka School was near the Southwestern part of Section 7, also had four rooms, some of which were occupied as late as 1904. Was torn down about 1910? (c) The East School is on East Main Street, Southeast of the Alton depot, was burned to the ground in the early '70 ! s, but rebuilt. It was vacated in 1954, it still stands vacant, as of 1957. 4. That there were 3 "Bucktown" Schools, on the West side, in Dis- trict No. 7, the first at the Northeast corner of Division and Church Street, — a one room affair — that was formerly a store building? (Incidentally, it was in that school that the Author first started his American education in 1885.) (a) The second "Bucktown" school was a specially built one on an acre of land on Hall Street, just West of Division Street. It was destroyed in 1897 by lightning? (Curiously enough, the Author was teaching that school when it was destroyed ). (b) The third Westside School was on the Lower Braidwood Main Street, near the C. & W. barns, West of the Colored Baptist Church. 5. That as late as 1898, Braidwood had six schools in operation, em- ploying fifteen teachers with supervision over more than 600 pupils. 6. That in the late Eighties, about 25 teachers were employed locally, teaching about 900 pupils in the first eight grades? 7. That the Braidwood High School officially termed Reed-Custer Township High ^School was built in 1929, on the site of the old Grove School, with six rooms and gymnasium, — a modern, fully accredit- ed school? (a) Started in 1930 with a staff of 4 teachers and about 75 students. Now has a staff of 9 teachers and an enrollment of 175. 8. That during the populous days of Braidwood, the school facilities were not sufficient to house all the children at one time, so pupils were taught in shifts, many for only half days to permit others to be housed. 9. That school financing was always Braidwood's big problem, pro- perty had little assessed value and the schools' shares of taxes were often too small to cover ordinary operating expenses, so . . . (a) In many instances, teachers were hired for 6 or 7 month terms and permitted to teach their classes in which were termed "select 320 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY schools" each pupil paying $1.00 a month direct to the teacher. (b) It was quite a common practice to dismiss school in the cold months oif January and Febraury as a coal saving, economy measure. (c) In the early Eighties, the City of Braidwood had so large an in- come from saloon licenses that Attorney Wm. C. Mooney, then a member of the Illinois State Legislature successfully sponsored a law permitting municipalities to divert part of their saloon license funds for educational purposes. (d) Just before and after the turn of the century, the Lower Braid- wood school Board No. 7 sanctioned and supervised School Fairs and Bazaars for fund-raising purposes? (Writer recalls several held in the old Bohemian Hall on Lower Braidwood's Main Street, over which he had personal supervision.) (e) That in addition to the American schools in the city, a Bohemian School was operated for years in the Bohemian Turners' Hall, at one time having nearly 80 students, — being the only school within the confines of Braidwood devoted to teaching a foreign language. ABOUT OUR CHURCHES 1. The first church built in the City of Braidwood was the first of three Catholic Churches, — a large structure built on the Lower Braidwood Main Street, just at the North end of Walker Street, by Reverend John McMullen, pastor of the Wilmington Catholic Church? This was in 1866 and was used as an out-mission until a permanent priest was assigned about 1870. This church was des- troyed by fire in March, 1877? The first permanent pastor was Father Thomas O'Gara. (b) The second Catholic Church was built at the Southwest corner of Main and School Street late that year? This, also was des- troyed by fire from a lightning stroke on September 11, 1911. (c) The third and present structure was built on the same site, and dedicated December 8, 1912. 2. That the second church built in the city was the Methodist Episcopal Church of Braidwood, organized in 1867, with Rev. A. C. Price, pas- tor, in charge. (a) That services were first held in a school; that the present THE BRAID WOOD STORY 321 church on the Southeast corner of Main and School Streets was biuilt in 1869. 3. That the third church structure was that of the First Presbyterian Church, and was founded here in 1872. Services were first held in the Grove School. The first permanent pastor was Rev. Wm. Penbalagan. (a) That the present church started building in 1873, and was several years before it was completed, at a reported cost of $5,000. 4. That the fourth church was that biuilt by the Congregationalists, in 1873, located on West Main Street, in what was known as Eureka. (a) That it was the only churc'h within the confines of the city to conduct its services in a foreign language, — Welsh? 5. That a small church was built on "E" Street, South of Main Street by the Primative Methodists, also in 1873. (a) This church was abandoned in the late Nineties and the build- ing moved to the Roe farm South of town for use as a granary. 6. That the Colored Baptist Church on Lower Braidwood's Main Street in Bucktown, was built in the Eighties, and is still serving a small congregation. 7. That in the Seventies, a Morman or Latter Day Saints Church flourished here, with services first in the Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street, just East of School Street, opposite the Methodist Church. 8. The newest church in the community is the Church of the Nazarenes, on Eureka Street, in the home formerly owned by Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Linskey, and later by Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Jones. It was established in 1953. 322 THE BKAIDWOOD STOEY We are regretful that the cut for the group picture that appeared on this page in the first edition of this book is missing. This picture of the Lower Braidwood School teachers taken May 1895 showing Misses Barbara Meleher, Frances Paletti, Mayme Keigher, Jessie Hunter, Alice Mul- downey, and Mary Mulroney, with the school principal Mr. John P. Keevers was used by the courtesy of Mrs. H. J. Fleishman (Pearl Dorgan) whom we are unable to contact at this time. With your kind permission it is deemed fitting to de- vote this available space to the memory of the author, Mr. Modesto J. Donna, who passed away Christmas Day 1959, and to all his friends, contributors and sponsors, who also may have gone on to their just reward since the book was first published. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 323 ABOUT THE BRAID WOODS 1. That the City of Braidwood was named by John H. Daniels, after JAMES BRAIDWOOD, a Scotchman Who came to Braidwood in 1865 and was one of the miners who sunk The Eagle Mine, in 1869, later sold to the Chicago and Wilmington Company to become its "A" Mine. 2. That James Braidwood is said to have built the first house in Braid- wood on the Nor tin side of what is now Main Street, just a few hundred feet East of its intersection with School Street. That it was destroyed 'by one of the earliest of the city's many fires; That his son, James, about 22 years old, was killed in that house by a stroke of lightning that came down the chimney as he was shaving one Sunday morning, and that he was the first to be buried in the Protestant Cemetery. 3. That to his wife (Ellen Ralston) was born the first miner's child in the city; also that the couple had the first child to die here. ABOUT OUR CITY 1. That the City of Braidwood, Illinois is now (1957) nearly 84 years old. (The community is 92 years old). 2. That it was never organized as a village. 3. That it was incorporated directly as a city, under the Act of the State Legislature which became effective July 1, 1872, permitting all communities with a population of more than 1,500 to incorporate as cities. 4. That the primary, to determine whether or not the people of this community favored its organization under the city form of govern- ment, was held March 4, 1873. 5. That L. H. Goodrich, H. H. Brown and William Mooney were the judges of election, and Thomas Walsh and James R. Roseman were the clerks at this first primary election. 6. That a total of only 185 votes were cast at this primary, 139 in favor of organizing a City, and 46 against. 7. That the first City Government was set iu:p at the election held April 15, 1873. 8. That the voting population was estimated at 1,000 voters and that 940 citizens voted at that election. 324 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY 9. That L. H. (Luke) Goodrich was the City's first Mayor - - - William Chalmers was the first City Clerk Charles O'Connell was the first City Marshal. 10. That the City of Braidwood as first laid out, in 1865, comprised all of Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Reed Township, an area TWO (2) MILES long and TWO (2) MILES wide, comprising FOUR SQUARE MILES. 11. That the official platting of the city started in 1865, and was completed in the early SEVENTIES — and that late in that decade, its area was enlarged to include a few acres in Eastern Grundy County, known as GRAFF'S CORNER, near The Diamond, in order to license a saloon located there? And at Monkey Robinson's Cor- ner for the same purpose. 12. That before 1920, most of Section 6 and the Northern half of Section Five (5) were detached from the city — but that there is no record of "Graff's 1 ' Corner and "Monkey" Robinson's Corner, in Griundy County, being officially detached. 13. That the big majority of buildings in the City of Braidwood were and are of wood, because of a specific clause that appears in practi- cally every deed prepared by the coal companies in the sale of lots. Fact: Every deed contains a clause reserving to the coal company the right to mine the coal and other minerals thereunder. This affected the kind of buildings the lot :buyers would erect, be- cause when coal is removed there is a gradual settlement of the surface, and only wooden buildings will withstand this settle- ment. 14. That the first brick building and perhaps the oldest building in the city today (1957) is the Carlysle Bakery Building on Main Street, built on undermined land in the early Seventies, last operated as the Braidwood Bakery by Charles Mandat, proprietor, and now used as living quarters. 15. That The Union Block of brick, on the North side of Main Street, West of the Alton depot, still the center of business, was biuilt in 1885. 16. That the present City Hall was built in 1885. 17. That the first residence in Braidwood was built by Patty Nary. 18. The first store building was erected and operated by Daniel Small, and was later used as both a school and a church. THE BEAIDWOOD STORY 325 19. That the first hotel was The Eagle Hotel, built by William Benney, though the coal companies had provided many Boarding Houses. The Eagle Hotel was located near the present railway depot. It was destroyed by fire in the early Seventies. 20. That the Braidwood House, built by John Broadbent, in 1871, — the strlucture being at present owned by Peter Rossi & Sons, who converted the building, with many additions, into a macaroni factory in 1900, and now housing this leading macaroni manufacturing plant, (1956). INDUSTRY FACTS DID YOU KNOW . . . 1. That in addition to Coal Mining, Braidwood had varied industries: (a) Two Brick Yards in the early days, manufacturing bricks out of the clay taken from the mines? One was located near the "E" mine at the North end of "E" Street, and the other near the "H" mine, on The Company Section. 2. Two foundries specializing in mine machinery and equipment needs. One founded by Irvin Barker in 1873 on Center Street, near the "E" mine, later operated by Theodore Finnett; the ether on Main Street opposite the City Hall, operated by John Chedister. (a) That the Barkers patented a hand lawn mower that outdid any- thing of its kind in the Eighties. (b) That John Ray patented the famous Braidwood Improved Door Sill, a metal, rather rattle-y contraption that raised up on the outside as the door was closed, to exclude wind and rain, — and made in the Barker Foundry. 3. That the Peter Rossi Macaroni Factory, now in the old Broadbent or Braidwood House, was started in 1876, a large factor}' building specially built on Hall or 4th Street, East of Division Street, in 1886, moved to its present location in 1899. Probably the oldest, continuous industry in this community under one family manage- ment. 4. That in the early days of Braidwood, it had 3 bottling or pop fac- tories, — one operated by H. W. Blood, in 1873, on Center Street, just a block North of Main Street. (a) The Dougherty Brothers Bottling Works on Center Street, about a block South of Main Street, where the Carl Edmundson home now stands. THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY (b) Hynd's Bottling Works on Roundhouse Street. (All are now out of business). 5. Clothing Factories — Manufacture of clothing, chiefly pants, was started here about 1912, a small factory being opened by a Mr. Tatell, in a brick building on the South side of Main Street ... It changed hands several times, was acquired by Jerry Grinchuck in 1919, and greatly enlarged. It is operated as the Grinchuck Cloth- ing Company, and its output shipped regularly to twenty or more states. 6. Braidwood had a Cheese Factory and Creamery, started in 1877, by Duncan Rankin. Location — near the Alton depot. Production in first year, about 150 pdunds of butter daily, shipped chiefly to St. Louis, and 900 pounds of cheese, mostly for Chicago market. 7. That Braidwood almost had a GLASS Factory. Promoters came to the city in 1912, obtained some cash from local people, bought a 40 acre tract East of the City from Thomas Connor, well-known butcher of the early days. They divided the plot into lots and sold several hundred to local people. With the proceeds, they started to build the factory. When the unfinished walls were demolished by wind, the promoters vanished, as did the glorious Glass Factory Dream. 8. The Peter Rossi and Sons Factory, has the envioius record of giving employment for the longest continuous time to Braidwood workers, about 70 years, with several on its roll of employees with more than 35 years of service, producing macaroni products that made the city widely known as a food producing center. 9. After the turn of the century, our comiri'imity turned considerably to truck gardening and at one time controlled the green pepper market in the North Central States. Among the early growers and shippers, were: Peter Rossi, Sr., James Berta, Sr., Antone Bergera, Sr., Antone Eilena, John Ghiglieri and Peter Donna. ABOUT THINGS GENERALLY Fire destroyed wooden buildings East of Masonic Temple about 1890. The Messersmith fire, Jack Frier building, West of pants factory, about 1902. THE BRAID WOOD STOEY 327 Brick Pavement — Wm. Jack, contractor, and Charles (Chuck) McLean, bricklayer, about 1890. Joseph Peart was mayor. First water mains about 1889. First cement walks along Union Block, 1902. Cement sidewalks from R. R. St., to Center St., about 1904. Rossi Store Building, built by a Mr. Greeley. Was not finished after finances ran low. He moved to Carbon Hill. Completed and oc- cupied later by Mrs. John Broadbent, whose hmsband ran the Broad- bent Hotel, which the Rossi Factory now occupies. Patterson scales on Main Street, first built in late Eighties. Torn up about 1946, after Mr. Alex Patterson died. Thomas O'Neil owned building on Northwest corner of "E" and M;ain. Occupied by C. Chapin, wagon maker. John Ghedister set iron tires. Berta Blacksmith Shop. Thomas O'Neil built house now owned and occupied, 1912 - 1957, by M. J. Donna, the author. The Watson Building, with drug store downstairs, with Dr. Eldred office upstairs. Later Williamson G. Shaft Candy Shop. Eureka Coal Co. Company Store in Mooney Building, Southwest corner of Main and Center. Later occupied by Fassino and Cinotto general store, now owned by Dom McElroy. Saiiday managed Eureka Coal Co. store, also mine superintendent. The Broady mine, was owned by James Braidwood, after whom the city was named . . . Broady was contraction of Braidwood. Bank- rupt in late '70's. Will pay when Broady pays. No village organization. Settlements around mines were com- pany-ruled, under Township Officers. Joseph Shenk's Flour and Feed Mill. Ground corn and other grain into feed for local sale and export. On East Main Street. South of depot. John Walker's "Dew Drop In" tavern. S. E. corner East Main and Front St. His son and namesake, became Sheriff of Will Co'unty. Site now, (1955) occupied by Standard Oil Station and D. R. McElroy Garage. 328 THE BKAIDWOOD STORY Kelso Ballintine built a tavern on South side of Main Street, where it curves toward Railroad depot. Later by Alex Chiolerio, Anton Marca. Now site of Barnett Lounge and Restaurant. Peter and Robert Burt built tavern next to C. & A. tracks, near the coal chutes. Later run by Robert Bain, Nick Culley, Steve Rossi and William Cavallo. Mayor Luke Goodrich owned property on East side of Main Street where it curves toward depot, now occupied by U. S. Route 66, and the Stephen Rossi station and garage. Thomas Cook built tavern on Northeast corner of Main and Division, later operated by Vincent Terando and Frank Menietto and others. Canfield operated a combination barbershop and photogallery near Patterson scales. Then moved to south side of Main Street, west of clothing factory, later to Coal City. Anthony Costello ran a saloon in building on Southwest corner of Railroad and Main Streets, and general store in back. Later operat- ed by Gordon, and most recently a small store by J\>hn Charpentier. Jacowitz Barber Shop between Charpentier and Kain stores on Main Street. Vacca's Hall built on the corner of Main and Division Streets in the '90's. was the scene of dances, indoor baseball and basketball games. The Brennan Tailor Shop, a gathering place of the young bloods, was located in the Odd Fellows Hall on Main and Railroad Streets. It is now the residence of Raymond Sharp, operator of Sharp's Garage. The Rooney Delevenne emporium, which was the favorite hand- out of the wine and whiskey connoisseurs. The Mat Melcher Barber Shop and baths on Main Street. Patrick Nary built the first home within the city limits. Daniel Small built the first store, which was later used as a school on week days and as a church on Sundays. Andrew Bennett built the first hotel or boarding house. The oldest brick building still standing is the Carlysle Bakery on Main Street, across from the City Hall. THE BKA1DW00D STORY 329 In its heydey, Braidwood rivaled Joliet in size and importance, and it might have been the metropolis of the county had the Mossbacks not prohibited the steel mills from being built between Braidwood and Wilmington, Mossbacks who objected the smoke smelling industries in this neighborhood. Charles O'Connell was the first City Marshal. Among the many others may be mentioned Thomas Westmorland, "Tuchie" Harrop. Buster Brown, Jako Stewart. Braidwood's elevated city water tank was first built in 1910, and has been rebuilt several times, the last one in the early 1940's. Before the elevated water tank was built, the water was forced through the mains by a large force pump at the water plant. OLD MULE DRIVER Alex McElroy, who spent over a generation in the mines, is per- haps the oldest mine mule driver still residing in Braidwood. He was 82 years old last October, was one of the best known "mule skinners" among the Braidwood retired miners. ALEX B. GORDON Alex B. Gordon, one of the most colorful Braidwood citizens, who made good in the sports world, died in Lexington, Kentucky, March 29, 1957, aged 76 years. Born in Braidwood, December 13, 1881, he became a racing jockey on the Braidwood Race Track in his early teens, then managed the famous Braidwood Cubs, as pictured on page 248. He started his professional racing career as an exercise boy, then turned to horse training for such famous stables of Cartoonist Bud Fisher, Mrs. Vanderbilt's Fair Stables, the Goldstream Stud, Louis B. Mayer, the Movie Magnate and Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. He trained and saddled Nellie Morse, winner of the Preakness. He is survived by his widow, Anna, in Lexington, Kentucky; and his brother, Albert, of Baltimore, Md. He was one of the ardent spon- sors of "The Braidwood Story" book, a life-long friend of its author. FROG LEGS You are an oldster if you remember the unique restaurant operat- ed by Mrs. Slater in "Bucktown", whose specialty was roasted frog legs. As a boy, the Author earned spending money by trying to supply her with live frogs, at the price of 2 cents per frog. Her price for this luxury to the diners, was 25 cents per pair of legs. 330 THE BBAIDWOOD STOEY GLACKINS GROVE A crow's nest of trees West on Lower Braidwood's Main Street, (Fifth) in Grundy County about a mile and a half from Monkey Robin- son's Corner, was called "Glackins Grove". It was the scene of many picnics, one of the regulars being the "Gran Festa Campestra", held an- nually on St. John's Day, June 24th by the combined Italian societies of Braidwood and Coal City. Among the many festivities can be recalled two special Italian games, "Climbing of the Greasy Pole", and "Ronta la Piniata", break the bowl to win the prizes contained. Hugh Mulligan, long president of the Chicago Asbestos Workers Union of Chicago, was a grandson of the original owner of the grove. Higgln's Coal Yard on the East side of Main Street, on the rail- way siding, directly North of the Alton depot. Operated by William B. Higgins, who enjoyed a fine business until the advent of the strip mines North of the city. The mining firm sold coal at $1.50 a ton for less than he could have carloads delivered to his yard. He sold his business to Stephen Rossi, in 1898. James Carrington, Sr., who with his one-horse dray made most of the deliveries from the Higgins yard to townspeople, charging fifty (50) cents a ton for hauling. THE COAL COMPANY DETECTIVE All the coal that was brought out of the mines did not go to market. Miuch of it was pilfered from the flatcars by the very miners who dug it, and stored away for their winter fuel. Their neighbors, not miners, joined in harvesting their winter fuel, so much so that the C. W. & V. Coal Company found it necessary to appoint a detective to watch for the pilferings. His name was James Fairbanks, whose home was on Fifth Street, just West of the Preacher Fleming home and Baptist Church. No one was actually fined or imprisoned, but many were given great scares when calaght in their misdeeds, seeing a man with a deputy sheriff star, approaching. EARLY PHYSICIANS The community once maintained as many as a half dozen doctors. Some were company doctors, privileged to collect a dollar a month for services to the miners' families. Among those recalled are: THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 331 Dr. Normandie, Dr. LeCaron, Dr. Marca, Dr, Bachus, Dr. Arnold, Dr. Eldred, Dr. O'Shay. MINE SUPERINTENDENTS Among the many mine superintendents were: Messers, Hall, Corey, Kain, Braidwood, Zoller, Maltby, Crombie, Murphy and Skinner. TEN MINE BLACKSMITHS Some of the best remembered mine 'blacksmiths whose duties were keeping tools sharp, including picks and drills, and making mine equipment repairs were: John Krahulec, Joseph Faletti, J. Sebek, Harry Brown, Louis Kaiser, Sr., Thomas Dudek, Thomas Ross. PICTURE FRAMES SPECIALIST JOHN LANTRY, of Lantry and Leak, of Joliet, made his regular trips through the coal field selling picture frames. He visited here for years hiring a livery horse and buggy from Joseph Kain, Alex Patter- son, William Ferguson or John Berta livery barns, making Braidwood his base headquarters, driving to nearby towns in all directions, alter canvassing this city. GIANT MAPLE Braidwood and vicinity is noted for its black oak forests. Maples are quite numerous and grow to enormous size. One of the largest is on the parking side of East Main Street, fronting the property of John N. Ghilain home, opposite the East School grounds. Measured by Mr. Ghilain and the Author on February 2, 1955, the trunk was 12 feet one inch in circumference, five feet above the ground, with little signs of deterioration. It was cut down in 1956. PUT THAT CAR ON THE TRACK! All oldsters will remember John Hogan, the railroad section boss, whose gang kept the tracks to the coal mines in repair before the turn of the century. When the inspectors were around he would show his authority over his men, saying in loud tones: "Put that hand car on the track! 1 ' "Now take that car off the track, I'll show you whose boss around here." 332 THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY KASHER'S GAS WELL How many remember the gas well on the Kasher property in Eureka? Drilling too deep for drinking water, the drillers tapped tine old workings of the Eureka Coal Company mines in the vicinity, and accumulated gas flowed outward through the drill hole. When ignited, it proved a flame that lighted the neighborhood until the pressure was exhausted, and the gas well become only a memory. UNDERGROUND RIVER Very few Braidwood people realize that they resided on a veri- table underground river that is constantly flowing beneath practically the entire surface of the city. All of the half-hundred or so mines in Braidwood are inter- connecting at the coal level through the mine gobs and roadways, so that the water that collected therein, flows in a stream running general- ly Northward with the result that most every spring when the water level is at its height, it escapes to the surface from the coal and air shafts of the old "I" mine and others in that region. FINIS An appropriate ending would be to thus pay honor to the Chicago and Joliet politicians, who often jokingly referred to the Old Home Town as "The Capital of the World", a friendly name that stuck with some people. M. J. D. THE BRAID WOOD STOEY • DO PATRONS DIRECTORS Mr. Llewellyn Rogers, Sr., (In Mrs. Esther Donna King, Chicago, Memoriam) 111. Mr. Henry D. Rossi, Sr., President Mrs. Lucille Donna Krahulec, Macaroni Factory, Braidwood, Berwyn, 111. 111. Mr. Guido J. Donna, Braidwood, Mr. Wm. D. Ryan (In Memoriam) 111. Mr. Secondo V. Donna, Braidwood, 111. Mrs. Kate Donna Constantine, Tucson, Ariz. Mrs. Nellie Donna Cairns, Wil- mington, 111. Mrs. Josephine Donna Stolp, Vero Beach, Fla. Mrs. Rose Donna Riva, Spring Valley, 111. CONTRIBUTORS & SPONSORS Miss Elizabeth Bowie, Braidwood, 111. Miss Kathryn Fallon, Braidwood, 111. Mrs. Margaret Flynn Finn (In Memoriam) Atty. Anthony J. Garrity, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. James B. Howatt (In Memor- iam) Mr. Archibald C. Jeffrey, Joliet, 111. Mr. John P. Keevers (In Me- moriam) Mr. Dominic McElroy (Muck), Braidwood, 111. Mrs. Agnes Kilpatrick Miller, Wilmington, 111. Miss Mary L. Sheridan, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Michael J. Sullivan, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Thomas Bergera, Sr., Braid- wood, 111. Mr. John F. Bottino, R. C. High School Supt., Braidwood, 111. Mr. Louis F. Bottino, 111. State Legislator, Lockport, 111. John L. Lewis, President U. M. W., Washington, D. C. Noah M. Mason, Congressman, Oglesby, 111. Mr. George Boyd, City Clerk, Braidwood, 111. Mr. George Bohac, Mayor, Braid- wood, 111. Rev. Robert Burns, Presbyterian Minister, Braidwood, 111. Mrs. Barbara Melcher Ethridge, Joliet, 111. Miss Katherine Farley, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Charles Frasca, Joliet, 111. Dr. W. C. Frick, Braidwood, 111. Mr. William B. Higgins, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Joseph H. Hartlej', County Clerk, Joliet, 111. Mr. Leo B. King, Chicago, 111. Miss Alice Muldowney, Braid- Mr - Joh n Krahulec. Berwyn, 111. wood, 111. Mr. James Krahulec, Berwyn, 111. Mr. Arthur H. Nelson, Sr., Braid- Mrs. Antone Lavicka, Braidwood, wood, 111. 111. 334 THE BRAID WOOD STORY Rev. John C. Mayer, Catholic Priest, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Fred J. Nahas, Braidwood, 111. Miss Edith Peterson, Ass't. Supt. Co. Schools, Joliet, 111. Mr. Henry Rossi, Jr., Peotone, 111. Miss Mary Donna King, Chicago, 111. Mr. Thomas Strachan, Braidwood, 111. Joseph L. Honzik, Chicago, 111. Miss Estherlee King, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Patterson, Braid- wood, 111. R. C. High School, comp. Patterson Funeral Home, Braidwood, 111. Atty. P. F. Boetto, (In Memoriam), Joliet, 111. Atty. Dominic F. Boetto, Joliet, 111. Mr. James F. Keevers, Cedar Rapids, la. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Maly, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Arnett, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Kennedy, Braidwood, 111. Mr. C. V. Klepac, Traverse City, Mich. Mr. & Mrs. Ray Barnett, Braid- wood, 111. Mrs. Pearle Ferguson, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. C. Price, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Geo. Price, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Ray Price, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. B. A. Perona, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. W. C. Barry, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Fred Krahulec, Skokie, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Poole, Joliet, 111. Mr. Wm. C. Culley, Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. Lew Rogers, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jas. B. Kilpatrick, Braidwood, 111. Miss Alice Dillon, Postmaster, Braidwood, 111. Mr. John Perona, Coal City, 111. Mr. T. E. Joyce, Kankakee, 111. Mr. C. E. Rogers, Joliet, 111. Atty. R. V. Graham, Chicago, 111. Mr. Fred V. Weir, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. A. B. Gordon, Lexing- ton, Ky. Mr. & Mrs. J. A. Busaytis, Gil- lespie, 111. Mr. Carl R. Mcllvain, President Wilmington Coal Mining Co., Braidwood, 111. Mr. John R. Howard, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. James Baber, Sr., Braidwood, 111. Mr. Jas. A. Fleischman, Braid- wood. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Krai, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Thos. Serena, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. L. M. Frasca, Braid- wood, 111. Mrs. Evelyn Oliver Mohr, Wil- mette, 111. Greer Technical Institute, Braid- wood, 111. Miss Marion P. Keevers, Gov. Wm. G. Stratton's Secretary, Springfield, 111. THE BRAID WOOD STORY Mr. & Mrs. Jdhn Fassino, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. M. J. Sadie, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Anton Martikan. Braidwood, 111. Mr. Robert Bain, Hempstead, N. Y. Mr. & Mrs. Anton J. Novak, Chi- cago, 111. Mr. Rudolph Blecha, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jas. Moran, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. E. Freckleton, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jos. Kol.b, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. H. D. Brown, Gillespie, 111. Mr. & Mrs. J. R. Krahulec, Chi- cago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Isadore DeBernardi, Whittier, Calif. Mr. & Mrs. D. A. Bauter, Braid- wood, 111. Mrs. Agnes Brayden Howat, Pitts- burg, Kan. Miss Alice Moran, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Peter Cinotto, Thayer, 111. Mrs. Elsie Keevers McVeigh, Chi- cago, 111. Mrs. Jas. A. Conlisk, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Roland Jackson, Braid- wood, 111. Mrs. Elizabeth Tingle, Joliet, 111. Mrs. B. Krahulec Burroughs, Chi- cago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. J. Ralston Campbell, Monett, Mo. Mr. V. E. Crackel, Co. Supt. of Schools, Joliet, 111. Dr. R. P. Smyk, Coal City, 111. Mrs. M. Patterson Schmidt, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jos. Faletti, Lincoln, 111. Miss Mary Monaghon, Gillespie, 111. Mrs. J. Krahlulec Sinkular, Chi- cago, 111. Mr. Thomas Turigliatto, Benld, 111. Mr. Marvin Whiteman, Joliet, 111. Miss Jane O'Neil, Chappaqua, N. Y. Mr. P. A. Linskey, Chicago, 111. Mrs. Raymond J. Brehn, Joliet, 111. Mr. Mitchell C. Norton, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Dom Querio, Joliet, 111. Mr. David F. Root, Morris, 111. Mr. John F. Ruva, Braidwood, 111. Mrs. John Casey, Springfield, 111. Mr. Wm. S. Kilpatrick, Kankakee, 111. Miss Annabelle McDonald, Chi- cago, 111. Miss Murray Scott, Braidwood, Hi. Mr. Clem Bottino, South Wilming- ton, 111. Mrs. Threasa P. Baima, Toluca, 111. Atty. Dom Columbatto, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. D. V. Maltby, Plain- field, 111. Mr. Dom Favero, Braidwood, 111. Mr. W. H. Elznic, Lankin, N. Dak. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Constantine, Jr., LaSalle, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Constantine, Sr., Tucson, Ariz. Mrs. Lenora Gushing Grace, Joliet, 111. Mr. Mike Turigliatto, Benld, 111. 33(5 THE BKAIDWOOD STORY Mr. Russell W. Root, Chicago, III Mr. James Randack, No. Holly- wood, Calif. Mrs. Emily R. Vacha, Custer Park, 111. Mr. Jos. Kalal, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Edwin J. Sullivan, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Geo. (Mac) Stewart, Wilming- ton, 111. Mr. Dom. M. Stellon, Bowesmont, N. Dak. Mr. T. C. Brown, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Andrew M. Brown, Jr., Seneca, 111. Mr. W. C. Brown, Hammond, Ind. Mr. H. K. Brown, Hammond, Ind. Mrs. Isabelle B. Noland, Calumet City, 111. Mrs. Anna B. Matone, Wilming- ton, 111. Mr. Allen C. Brown, Seneca, 111. Mrs. E. Stevenson Thompson, Rockford, 111. Mrs. R. A. Dobin, Chicago, 111. Mrs. Susie Chase, Chicago, 111. Mrs. Sarah Best, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Fleming, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jos. Kelly, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Barnett, Braidwood, 111. Dr. Alex Viteri, Braidwood, 111. Mr'. & Mrs. John A. Evans, Joliet, 111. Mr. James S. Cavallo, Chicago, 111. Rev. Jas. A. Tucker, Oaklawn, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Anton Bergera, Wil- mington, 111. Pepsi-Cola Co., Aurora, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Ray L. Favero, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Andrew Danzero, Braidwod, 111. Mr. K. Ray Ballantine, Chicago, 111. Mr. Jos. J. Slow, Cicero, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Harry F. Rogers, Wil- mington, 111. Miss Ducile Leach, Wilmington, 111. Mr. Jeremiah J. Sullivan, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jas. Truby Hynd, Braidwood, 111. Mrs. Luella M. Hinsley, Chicago, 111. Mrs. Margaret E. Houchard, Holly- wood, Calif. •Mr. & Mrs. John Fornango, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Carry Peart Gowey, Joliet, 111. Mr. C. H. Root, Morris, 111. Mr. Frank Kriz, Berwyn, 111. Mrs. Fred Wilken, Crete, 111. Mar. & Mrs. Roy Perino, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. John S. Young, Fargo, N. Dak. Mr. & Mrs. Alex Rossi, Sr., Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Pomatto, Jr., Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Henry Rossi, Jr., Peo- tone, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Albert Rossi, Kanka- kee, 111. Dr. & Mrs. Chas. Allison, Kanka- kee, 111. Mrs. Josephine Gerardo, Washou- gal, Washington. Mrs. Marjorie Braidwood Veatch, Pittsburg, Kan. Mr. Robert Byron Braidwood, Dallas, Tex. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 337 Mrs. Lillian Braidwood Carlton, Fort Worth, Tex. Mrs. Helen Braidwood Curnow, Pittsburg, Kan. Mr. Fred L. Berta, Chicago, 111. Mr. Chas. L. Chaloupka, Berwyn 111. Mrs. Laura M. McElherne, Chicago, 111. Mr. Ernest S. Braidwood, Somer- ville, N. J. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. J. Bell, Wilming- ton, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. P. Faletti, Joliet, 111. Rev. Raymond V. Stonich, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. John Viano, Braid- wood, 111. Dr. Robt. W. McNulty, Glendale, Calif. Mr. Anton J. Matone, Wilmington, 111. Mr. John F. Lux, Ed. & Pub. Her- ald News, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Martin Rosengren, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Robt. Patterson, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Daniel B. Walker, New Lenox, 111. Mr. Frank Hula, Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. & Mrs. John Linskey, Kanka- kee, 111. Mr. John K. Jeffrey, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Victor Biasetti, Sir., Joliet, 111. Mr. George Ptaeek, Braidwood, 111. Miss Mary Berta, Rock Springs, Wyo. Mr. & Mrs. Louis Girot, wood, 111. Braid- Mr. Jos. Ricker, Cicero, 111. Mrs. Mary Young Kalec, Ottumwa, la. Mr. & Mrs. John J. McHugh, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Chas. Steffens, South Wilming- ton, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Edwin G. Francis, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Honzik, Chi- cago, 111. Mrs. Evelyn C. Joyce, Chicago, 111. Mrs. Robt. J. Smith, Bloomington, 111. Mr. Lawrence Ellena, Granville, 111. Mr. Pete Giovanini, Pontiac, 111. Hiram & Ann Williamson, Pied- mont, Calif. Mr. Wm. Jack, Jr., Cleves, Ohio Mrs. Rose Calahan, Braidwood, 111. Mr. James Toman, Berwyn, 111. Mrs. Perina Plambeck, Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. Alex Barrowman, Joliet, 111. Mr. Anton De Checko, Joliet, 111. Mr. Dean Hynd, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Zauratsky, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. John Serena, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Joseph Cerutti, Braceville, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. J. Oswald, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Robt. Oswald, Green- ville, Ky. Mr. James R. Turek, Chicago, 111. Miss Bernardine Tessiatore, Braid- wood, 111. Mrs. J. Krahulec Miezio, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Peter J. Yerly, Crosse, Wis. La O <■') Q THE BEAIDWOOD STOEY Mrs. Robt. A. Farnum, La Crosse, Wis. Mr. Everett Yerly, La Crosse, Wis. Mr. Thomas L. Barrowman, Youngstown, Ohio Mrs. Chas. Bersano, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Loretto Wierschem, Lockport, 111. Mrs. Chas. Vales, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Burns, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. E. G. Feddersen, No. Hollywood, Calif. Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Kinkin, Braid- wood, 111. Atty. Paul D. Perona, Spring Valley, 111. Mr. F. J. Berta, El Paso, 111. Mary Ann Girot, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Charles Girot, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Urwin J. Hepplewhite, Chi- cago, 111. Mr. John P. Keevers, Chicago, 111. Mr. John R. Braidwood, Berkley, Calif. Mr. John Roberta, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Barra, Joliet, 111. Miss Arlene Allen, Dwight, 111. Mr. Thomas J. Allen, Coal City, 111. Mrs. James Bambule, Berwyn, 111. Miss Mary L. Young, Oak Park, 111. Miss Emma Ferrero, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Jos. Trousil, Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Trousil, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Frank Perino, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Pearle Peart Jones, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Catherine J Liver Lind, Lock- port, 111. Mr. Wm. R. McGrath, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Ben Williamson, Thayer, 111. Miss Margaret B. Howatt, Indian- apolis, Ind. Mr. Wm. B. Howatt, Indianapolis, Ind. Mr. Edw. R. Mather, Joliet, 111. Mrs. Harry Mills, Wilmington, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Archie Favero, Wil- mington, 111. Mr. Alfred J. Berta, Edwardsburg, Mich. Mr. Mike Bucharme, Green Bay, Wis. Mr. Leo Cooper, Wilmington, 111. Mrs. Joseph Faletti, Braidwood, 111. Mr. James E. Krahulec, Jr., Chi- cago, 111. Miss Lynda F. Krahulec, Chicago, 111. Mr. William Walker, South Wil- mington, 111. Mr. Wm. Linsey Young, Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. Robert P. Young, Chicago, 111. Miss Margaret Perona, Ladd, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Menietto, Joliet, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph J. Leach, Braidwood, 111. Miss Trese Campeggio, Ladd, 111. Mr. Charles Kulishek, Chicago, 111. Miss Mary E. Kelly, Chicago, 111. Mr. Thomas F. Kelly, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Emil Zakovec, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Wm. Svejcar, Berwyn, 111. The Wakefield Family Mrs. Marie Carlson, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Frank A. Motta, Joliet, 111. Mr. Joe. Simandl, Braidwood, 111. THE BRAIDWOOD STOEY 339 John & Agnes Truby, Lansing, 111. Mr. & Mrs. John W. McGuire, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. George Honzik, Chi- cago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Louis Gustafson, Braidwood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Vincent Donna, Vero- na, 111. Mrs. Henry J. (Pearle Dorgan) Fleishman, Syracuse, N. Y. Mr. & Mrs. E. J. Kubalek, Wil- mington, 111. Mrs. Anna Barnett, Chicago, 111. Mr. Wm. iO. Stewart, South Wil- mington, 111. Northern Illinois Coal Corp., Braidwood, 111. Mrs. Sarah Jeffrey, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Clarence Hazelton, Wilming- ton, 111. Mrs. Margie E. Campbell, Tulsa, Okla. Mr. Donald J. Kane, Wilmington, 111. Miss Frances Schacke, Spring- field, 111. Mr. George Peacher, South Wil- mington, 111. Mrs. Gertrude Pinnick, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Wm. J. Berger, Berwyn, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Anton Kaiser, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Earl L. Kneip, Chicago, 111. Mr. & Mrs. George Roe, Wilming- ton, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Craig Kilpa trick, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Louis J. Ferrari, Braidwood, 111. Mr. Charles A. Rainville, Joliet, 111. Miss Frances Martin, Chicago, 111. Mrs. Margaret Ghilain, Chicago, 111. Mrs. R. E. (Rita Linskey) Williams, Chicago, 111. Mr. Frank J. Chiolerio, "Whiting, Ind. Emmett, Maurice & Mairy King, Reddick, 111. Carl & Sophie Johnson, Chicago, 111. Mr. Alex Densmore, South Wil- mington, 111. Mr. Wm. N. Glenney, Wilmington, 111. Mr. & Mrs. Dom A. Ruatto, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. & Mrs. John N. Ghilain, Braid- wood, 111. Mr. Francis B. McGuire, Joliet, 111. Mr. Frank Sinkular, Braidwood, 111. 340 THE BRALDWOOD STORY Errata and Apologies With humble apology for all errors, any omissions and the like, for which we assume entire blame, we ask that you concentrate your thinking on the correct things we tell in our long STORY encompassing nearly one-quarter million words, for which we may deserve some credit, making the ratio of right over error at least 1,000 to 1 in favor. Let's consider everything in the spirit of the popular modern song: "Me, You and Us, We Are the Favorite People." THE BRAIDWOOD HISTORY BUREAU Braidwood, Illinois CHAPTER 12 The " Grand Old Man" of the Macaroni Industry— Author's Biography The Story or Modesto Joseph Donna by Robert M. Green, Secretary, NMMA (Reprinted from The Macaroni Journal for April, 1953) The story of M. J. Donna is a typical American success story. Modesto Joseph Donna was born June 15, 1879, in the little village of Ganischio in the Piedmont Province of northwestern Italy. Canischio is in the foothills of the Alps near the borders of France, Switzerland and Italy. AUTHOR SEATED AT HIS DESK 342 THE BKAIDWOOD STOEY Soon after the boy was born, his father, Joseph Donna and: his mother, Lucia Crosetto Donna, moved to Courgne, county seat of the Piedmont Province. Here Joseph Donna was the agent for distribution of the government monopolies on salt and tobacco and incidentally, ran a "obergie", which is comparable to an inn or pub. He had still an- other trade: he was a custom shoemaker. With introduction of mass production of s'hoes and a change in government administration, Joseph Donna found himself in need of work. He went to Luxembourg in 1882 and sent for the family to join him in Esse, a sfuburb of the capital. Things weren't much better in Luxembourg, so when he heard of the fabulous coal mines of Braidwood, 111., this adventurer picked up his family and left for America in October, 1883. Modesto was four years old at the time, but he remembers land- ing at the old Battery in New York and riding on the train to Braid- wood, where the little family arrived at one o'clock one morning. They were unable to speak English, so a local policeman directed them to a tavern run by an Italian. By strange coincidence, the proprietor was a boyhood friend of Joseph Donna. Braidwood, at that time, was a busy place with great activities in the coal mines. Frenchmen, Belgians, Germans and Italians who migrated to the coal fields made the Donnas feel at home. Joseph Donna tried shoe making for a while and then went to work in the mines. Young Modesto was active as all children are. At the age of five, w'hile playing in a field he stepped on a broken bowl of a kerosene lamp hidden in the weeds. This cut the tendons in his foot and tlhrew him- self down with such force that his hip was broken. The doctors con- centrated on the cut, failing to note the broken hip. It was the break rather than the cut that gave him the limp which he carries today. M. J. got his sdhooling in the Braidwood system after a late start because of is childhood accident, but lie caught up quickly and graduat- ed in 1896. Upon graduation, he took an examination for teaching and obtained his certificate. He took post-graduate work in education at the University in Valparaiso, Indiana. On November 1, 1896, he started teaching school at the handsome salary of $33 a month for seven months out of the year. His first charges were 130 pupils in the first second and third grades. Two years later however, he became principal with responsibility for six teachers and earned a raise to $47 a month. THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 34,1 The coal veins in Braidwood, which had attracted so many immi- grants in the 1870's, started running out at the turn of the century and tax delinquency created a school problem. During the winter of 1902, Mr. Donna resigned as the principal of the school and became the "right- of-way" agent for a proposed electric line between Bloomington and Joliet. He also served as transit-man for a surveying gang on a power dam project for the Kankakee River. When this project was completed, he went back to school administration in the other section of town, District No. 6, at $60 a month, with three schools and fourteen teachers under his supervision. He stayed at this post until 1910. Business opportunity knocked at that time, and he took over a retail business in town, selling shoes and men's furnishings. He was a haberdasher until 1917, when war conditions became too difficult for further operations. On July 1 of that year, he was appointed payroll clerk for the State of Illinois and went to Springfield to issue all checks. He doubled in brass during the year 1916, when he served as mayor of Braidwood. He resigned when he got the state job. It was during World War I, that the National Macaroni Manu- facturers Association, led by President Jim Williams of the Creamette Co., Minneapolis, decided that the volume of work made necessary because of wartime regulations required the services of a full-time secretary. Henry Rossi of Braidwood, who had always been active in the association, was appointed to a committee, along with a Mr. Alexander of the Foulds Milling Co. in Liber tyville and Bill Tharinger of the Tharinger Co. in Milwaukee. The committee assignment was to find the man. Because Henry had been a lifelong friend and acquaintance of M. J. Donna and because he knew of his administrative ability, he recommended him for the job. It might be added that during the time Mr. Donna was in school administration he had been a contributor to several local newspapers which gave him some background for the assignment of putting o)u:t a trade journal. He was put on the payroll of the NMMA March 1, 1919. The first issue of the MACARONI JOURNAL appeared in May of that year. Henry Rossi says today: "M. J. has intestinal fortitude. He and Jacobs carried the association through the depression and hard times when someone else might have let it fail." Annual conventions and monthly publication of the JOURNAL were the essential activities of the association until a co-operative advertising campaign was established in 1929 and 1930. The campaign came crashing down in 1930, when there were wholesale defaults on the 344 THE BRAIDWOOD STORY JO 2 HH CO O H d) ^ ffl * (0 M g •: c -. les Sio ., all 1908. J S P 1—1 2 C Chai do J I in < O ■« ■M <1> lu 0) (A c hine (Mrs. ., and Gui assed awa; < O P .5 m g U X 5 01 PL* w • Jos ondo who O G E3 © « *i ■8 A w w c w fi * * c £ . £ ^ n E- Vail esio ph ] -o" tfl H THE BRAIDWOOD STORY 345 notes of acceptance which were financing the campaign. A contributing factor was the weakness of the advertising agency which folded, too. Despite the handicaps imposed 'by this fiasco, Donna worked on publicity releases which he sent out from time to time. In 1937, he brought his idea of a National Macaroni Institute before the NMMA Board of Directors. Jack Wolfe is quoted as saying. "M. J., you've got something there bigger than the association. In 1937 he organized The National Macaroni Institute, which he managed until 1948, when Robert M. Green w T as appointed a full-time employee of NMMA. Mr. Donna saw his initial efforts blossom into full bloom. He says, "Today you are doing with dollars what I tried to do with pennies." M. J. has always been an organization man. In 1906 he was made Grand Secretary in the State of Illinois for the Foresters of America, a fraternal and benevolent group organized' for mutual aid in sick and death benefits. He was made Supreme Past Chief Ranger in 1947 and has served this organization continously as its Grand or State for 50 years, (1906 - 1956). He is a charter member of the American Trade Association Executives, as one who attended its organizational meeting at Lennox, Mass., in 1920. A few years later, he also joined the Chicago Forium of Trade Association Executives, and continues his membership in both of these organizations today. In addition to being a school administrator and mayor, he served Braidwood for six years as city attorney, even though he had no legal training. He was a member of a citizens committee for homecomings after the first World War. He planned the first World War II memo- rials in his home county and city. He is a member of Rotary and takes a leading part in a re- habilitation program in Braidwood to convert the scars of strip mining into an attractive park area. A bathing beach, picnic grounds and plantings have already given the spot a resort effect. Mr. Donna is a good family man. He married a Braidwood girl, Esther Sheridan Donna, on Thanksgiving Day, 1904. Mrs. Donna passed away in July, 1945. His daughter, Esther (Mrs. Leo B. King) lives in Chicago and daughter, Lucille (Mrs. John Krah;ulec) lives in Berwyn. Both have served as registration clerks at Macaroni Conventions for nearly 25 years and are well known to most industry members. Both have two children and M. J. is in Chicago frequently to see his grand- children. 346 THE BEAIDWOOD STORY Several of his sisters and brothers live in the Chicago area: Nellie (Mrs. John Cairns) lives in Wilmington, 111.; Josephine, (Mrs. Charles Stolp) lives in Vero Beach, Florida; Rose (Mrs. James RivaJ lives in Spring Valley, 111., and Catherine (Mrs. William Constantine) lives in Tucson, Ariz. M. J.'s two brothers both live in Braidwood. Guido J. Donna works on the Alton Railroad as chief railway mail clerk, and Secondo V. Donna is a foreman at the Joliet Arsenal, former Braidwood postmaster. As secretary emeritus of the NMMA, M. J. will keep up his interest and lifetime contacts with his many friends in the macaroni- noodle industry. While he goes on retirement July 1 of this year, he will be called upon to be a regular contributor to the publication which has prospered under his constant care and attention for the past 34 years. The community of Braidwood will continue to receive his un- ceasing civic efforts. THE BRAID WOOD STORY 347 348 THE BRAIDWOQD STORY