Midwest Coal Country: County Histories of Coal and Lead Mining

Coal and lead mining built towns across the Midwest. These 43 pages tell that story county by county, written only from the old county histories, with every source cited.

Iowa

Iowa coal country: map and guide →

Coal Mining in Appanoose County, Iowa, 1870s to 1912How Centerville, Mystic, Brazil and Exline grew on coal, told through the 1913 county history's sketches of Welsh, Scottish, English and Swedish miners.From the 1913 county historyCoal Mining in Boone County, Iowa, 1850s to 1880Boone County, Iowa coal to 1880: Moingona, Coal Valley, Zenorsville and Milford mines, the 1879 and 1880 inspector reports, named miners and accidents.From the 1880 county historyCoal Mining in Dallas County, Iowa: Van Meter, Dawson, RedfieldWhat the 1879 and 1907 Dallas County histories record about coal: the Redfield banks, the Van Meter shaft, and Dawson's short-lived mining boom.From the 1879 and 1907 county historiesCoal Mining in Keokuk County, Iowa: What Cheer and ThornburgHow Petersburg became What Cheer, Keokuk County's coal town: its shafts, operators, long wall, North Star mine and miners, per the 1880 and 1903 histories.From the 1880 and 1903 county historiesCoal Mining in Lucas County, Iowa: Cleveland, Lucas and CharitonLucas County coal from the 1881 county history: creek-bank drifts, the White Breast company's Cleveland shafts, Lucas mine companies and Welsh miners.From the 1881 county historyCoal Mining in Mahaska County, Iowa: Muchakinock, Beacon, EvansMahaska coal from creek banks to Muchakinock and the Consolidation Coal Co., with Beacon, Evans, Lost Creek and named miners, per 1878 to 1906 books.From the 1878 and 1900 and 1906 county historiesCoal Mining in Marion County, Iowa: Flagler, Bussey, EveristMarion County, Iowa coal mines from Coalport's steamboat days to Flagler, Bussey, Everist and Electra, drawn from the 1881 and 1915 county histories.From the 1881 and 1915 county historiesCoal Mining in Monroe County, Iowa: Albia, Avery, Foster, HitemanMonroe County, Iowa coal history from the 1878 and 1896 county histories: Avery, Hynes City, Foster, Hiteman, their coal companies, and the 1894 strike.From the 1878 and 1896 county historiesCoal Mining in Polk County, Iowa: Des Moines to Saylor TownshipPolk County coal from Fort Des Moines' coal banks to 23 mines in 1898: Wesley Redhead's Black Diamond shaft, Sevastopol, Saylor township and Polk City.From the 1880 and 1898 and 1911 county historiesCoal Mining in Wapello County, Iowa: Ottumwa, Kirkville and KebWapello County coal from the 1857 bluff mines to 1913: Happy Hollow, Kirkville, Keb and Alpine, the Ottumwa Coal Palace, and the Welsh mine bosses named.From the 1901 and 1914 county historiesCoal Mining in Webster County, Iowa: Lehigh, Kalo, CoalvilleHow coal built Lehigh, Kalo and Coalville, from Major Colburn's 1856 mine to the 1902 peak of 140,000 tons, per the 1913 Webster County history.From the 1913 county historyMadrid, Angus and the Boone County Coal Camps, Iowa, 1880 to 1914Madrid (once Swede Point) and the Boone County coal camps of Angus, Zenorville, Moingona and Coal Valley, 1880 to 1914, from the 1914 county history.From the 1914 and 1914 county histories

Illinois

Illinois coal country: map and guide →

Coal Mining in Bureau County, Illinois: Sheffield, Mineral, PrincetonCoal mining in Bureau County, Illinois, to 1885: the Sheffield company town, Mineral Township's seven shafts, Bourbonnais, Princeton and Hollowayville.From the 1885 county historyCoal Mining in Christian County, Illinois: Edinburg and PanaWhat the 1880 History of Christian County says about coal: Pana's Stone Coal Precinct, White's bank on Coal creek, and Dr. Greenwood's Edinburg shaft.From the 1880 county historyCoal Mining in Fulton County, Illinois: Canton, Cuba, AstoriaFulton County, Illinois coal in the 1879 county history: seven seams, Avon's coal-oil retorts, Cuba's horse-drawn mine track and Astoria's coal shippers.From the 1879 county historyCoal Mining in Grundy County, Illinois: Morris, Gardner, BracevilleGrundy County, Illinois coal mining in the 1882 county history: Morris coal banks, the Gardner shaft, flooded Braceville mines, Coal City and the Diamond.From the 1882 county historyCoal Mining in La Salle County, Illinois: Streator, La Salle, PeruCoal mining in La Salle County, Illinois, from the 1877 and 1906 histories: Streator and La Salle shafts, Cherry, Howe and Atherton, and the 1894 riot.From the 1877 and 1906 county historiesCoal Mining in Livingston County, Illinois: Fairbury to StreatorWho mined coal in Livingston County, Illinois in 1878: shaft owners at Fairbury, miners at Coalville and Streator, from the county history's tax rolls.From the 1878 county historyCoal Mining in Macoupin County, Illinois: Staunton to VirdenMacoupin County, Illinois coal mining from the 1879 and 1911 histories: Staunton, Mount Olive, Carlinville and Virden shafts, owners, and the 1910 report.From the 1879 and 1911 county historiesCoal Mining in Madison County, Illinois: Collinsville to WordenMadison County, Illinois coal history from the 1882 and 1912 county books: Coal Branch, Collinsville and Edwardsville shafts, Glen Carbon, Worden.From the 1882 and 1912 county historiesCoal Mining in Sangamon County, Illinois: Riverton and DawsonCoal in Sangamon County, Illinois, from the 1881 county history: Riverton, Dawson and Springfield Junction mines, their operators, workers and families.From the 1881 county historyCoal Mining in St. Clair County, Illinois: Belleville to FreeburgSt. Clair County, Illinois coal in the 1881 county history: Fowler's 1825 mine, Caseyville's 1849 coal town, the Yoch and Reinecke mines, Freeburg shafts.From the 1881 county historyCoal Mining in Vermilion County, Illinois: Grape Creek to WestvilleVermilion County, Illinois coal from 1853 drift mines to Grape Creek, Catlin and Westville shafts: operators, mines and miners in the 1911 county history.From the 1911 county historyCoal Mining in Will County, Illinois: Braidwood and Reed TownshipBraidwood's coal boom in the 1878 Will County history: first shafts, the Eureka and Wilmington companies, the pool, and the Scots and Irish who mined.From the 1878 county historyCoal Mining in Williamson County, Illinois: Carterville and MarionWhat the 1876 History of Williamson County says about coal: ten veins, the Carbondale Coal and Coke Company at Carterville, 60,000 tons a year.From the 1876 county history

Ohio

Ohio coal country: map and guide →

Coal Mining in Belmont County, Ohio, 1832 to 1902How Belmont County coal was mined and shipped from Capt. John Fink's 1832 river boats to the 1902 land rush: seams, mines, operators and mining families.From the 1903 county historyCoal Mining in Perry County, Ohio: Shawnee, New Straitsville, CorningWhat the 1902 History of Perry County, Ohio says about coal: the Great Vein, Col. James Taylor, Baird Furnace and the founding of Shawnee and Congo.From the 1902 county historyCoal Mining in Tuscarawas County, Ohio: Mineral Point to DennisonCoal seams, mines and miners of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, from the 1884 county history: Mineral Point, Dover, Port Washington, Uhrichsville, Dennison.From the 1884 county historyCoal Mining in the Hocking Valley, Ohio: Nelsonville and BuchtelWhat the 1883 History of Hocking Valley says about Nelsonville coal: the great vein, the Brooks and Poston mines, Buchtel, Floodwood and the miners.From the 1883 county history

Indiana

Indiana coal country: map and guide →

Coal Mining in Knox and Daviess Counties, Ind.: Cannelburg, BicknellCoal in Knox and Daviess counties, Indiana, from the 1886 and 1915 histories: Washington's 1857 find, Cannelburg cannel coal, Montgomery and Edwardsport.From the 1886 and 1915 county historiesCoal Mining in Sullivan County, Indiana: Shelburn, Hymera, DuggerHow coal built Shelburn, Hymera, Dugger and Farmersburg in Sullivan County, Indiana, from the first 1855 mine to the 1906 strike, per the 1909 history.From the 1909 county historyCoal Mining in Vermillion County, Indiana: Clinton and GenevaVermillion County, Indiana coal and iron in the 1888 county history: the Indiana Furnace, the Norton Creek Coal Mines and the company village of Geneva.From the 1888 county historyCoal Mining in Vigo County, Indiana: Seelyville, Fontanet, Coal BluffVigo County, Indiana coal mining from the 1908 Greater Terre Haute history: veins, Coal Bluff Mining Co., Seelyville, Fontanet, Burnett, miners.From the 1908 and 1908 county histories

Missouri

Missouri coal country: map and guide →

Coal Mining in Lafayette County, Missouri: Lexington to CorderLafayette County, Missouri coal from the 1881 and 1910 histories: Lexington's 1,000-man company, the 46 mines of 1908, and pits at Higginsville and Corder.From the 1881 and 1910 county historiesCoal Mining in Macon County, Missouri: Bevier, Lingo and KeotaHow coal built Bevier, Lingo and Keota in Macon County, Missouri: first shafts, Welsh miners, strikes and 1908 mines, from the 1910 county history.From the 1910 county historyCoal Mining in Randolph County, Missouri: Higbee, Huntsville, ElliottCoal mining in Randolph County, Missouri, from the 1920 county history: mines at Higbee, Huntsville, Elliott, Renick and Yates, and the men who ran them.From the 1920 county historyLead and Zinc Mining in Jasper County, Missouri, 1848 to 1883How lead and zinc built Joplin, Oronogo, Webb City and Carterville, from William Tingle's 1848 find to 1883, as told in the 1883 Jasper County history.From the 1883 county history

Kansas

Kansas coal country: map and guide →

Cherokee County, Kansas Coal, Lead and Zinc Mines, 1877 to 1904How the 1904 Cherokee County, Kansas history tells it: the Scammon coal shaft, Weir City and Mineral City camps, and the 1877 lead strike at Galena.From the 1904 county historyCoal Mining in Crawford County, Kansas: Pittsburg, Frontenac, MidwayHow coal built Pittsburg, Kansas: the 1877 Coyle shaft, Carbon creek strip pits, company camps like Frontenac and Chicopee, and the miners who worked them.From the 1905 county historyCoal Mining in Leavenworth County, Kansas: Leavenworth and LansingHow Leavenworth, Kansas found coal 713 feet down in 1870, plus the Lansing penitentiary mine and the Riverside, Home and Carr mines, per the 1906 history.From the 1906 county history

Michigan

Michigan coal country: map and guide →

Coal Mining in Bay County, Michigan: Monitor, Williams, SalzburgHow coal mining began in Bay County, Michigan, after 1894: the Monitor, Wenona and Wolverine mines, named miners, wages and deaths, per the 1905 history.From the 1905 county historyCoal Mining in Jackson County, Michigan: Jackson and WoodvilleDe Land's 1903 history on Jackson County, Michigan coal: the 1857 shaft on the Jonathan Wood property and the Woodville, Porter and Big Slope mines.From the 1903 county historyCoal Mining in Shiawassee County, Michigan: Corunna and OwossoHow coal was found and mined near Corunna and Owosso, Michigan, from 1839 to 1880: McArthur's Coal Creek find, the Corunna Coal Company, and Ohio miners.From the 1880 county history

Tracing a coal-mining ancestor in the Midwest

• Federal census. From 1850 on, the census lists each man's occupation. Look for "coal miner" or "miner," the township, and his birthplace and his parents' birthplaces, which often point to another coal region or another country.
• Death records and cemeteries. Search our the Midwest database by surname. Many coal camps had their own cemeteries, which outlived the towns.
• Mine inspectors' reports. State mine inspectors published regular reports on the mines in their districts, including accidents.
• The county histories. Each page here links the books it was written from. Their biographical sections name operators, superintendents, and miners, with parents, spouses, and where the family came from.
• Newspapers. Local papers carried mine openings, strikes, accidents, and obituaries. Chronicling America, from the Library of Congress, is free to search.

Frequently asked questions

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