Pottstown, Illinois

Hales Mill. - In 1834 William Hale, then sheriff of Oswego county, N. Y., being West on official duty, visited the Kickapoo valley and selected a mill site at what is now the upper end of Pottstown. He returned home, resigned his offioe. and in the Spring of 183."> came back accompanied with George Greenwood, John Kasioii, and Waldo Holmes, and erected a saw mill on the site that year. The following Winter material was jjrepared, and in the Spring of 183o a flouring mill was raised. He brought the necessary machinery and his family by wagon from Albany, N. Y., that Summer, and the mill was completed and set to running in tlie Spiing of 18;iT. It was visited liy settlors for a radius of thirty miles, and was crowded with Inisiness. The water supply giving out in 1848, steam was substituted, and Mr. Hale controlled the property until his death, in 18.')9. Tiie mill was converted into a ilistiller}', which was destroyed by tiie in 1807.

Passage source: The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a History of the Northwest--history of Illinois--history of the County, Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Etc. .., published 1880.

Ooal Mines and Mining. - At the site of the old mill there is now quite a village, whose inhabitants derive tiieir subsistance from mining the coal that abounds in such measureless profusion beneath tlie hills of the Kickapoo. The first coal mining done at that point was by Jacob Darst about 1849 or '50. In minec's parlance, he began "stripping" about that date and continued it about five years. Frederick Ruprecht and John Woolenscraft purchased from him some bluif land and commenced "drifting" the same 3'ear. In 1851, Ruprecht bought his partner's interest and operated the mine two years, when he sold out to Anderson Grimes and Judge Bryant ; they in turn sold out to Samuel Potts, who has been the heaviest operator since that time. By reason of his large mining interests, the place has become generally known as Pottstown. Henry Vicary operates a mine which was opened about 1850, and known as the Vicary lower vein. Mr. Potts and Mr. Vicary, who represent the leading coal banks, are both Englishmen and had mining experience in their native country. Until within the past two years the product of these mines was exclusively sold at the Peoria market, and hauled by wagons; but having constructed a tramway to his mine, Mr. Potts ships by rail to various points abroad. Tiie supply is thought to be inexhaustible. Parker & Clifford operate a mine, employing eight men to whom they pay $5,184 per annum.

Passage source: The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a History of the Northwest--history of Illinois--history of the County, Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Etc. .., published 1880.

grocer and wliolcsale and retail dealer in coal, I'oltsto»n, I', O, Peoria. The subject of this sketch is the architect of his own fortune and essentially a self-made man. He is Ihe son of Joseph and Bridget Middleton, ttte Connors, and was born in the city of Peoria 23nd September, 185$. His mother died when he was about seven years ol age. Soon after, he quit the common schools and commenced to earn his own IiTing by working among fanners and whatever he could find to do. In 1874 he came to Pottstown and engaged to drive a coal-hauling team, in which capacity he continued lor some time ; then formed a partnership with Frank Stcmplin, and commenced the manufacture o brick. In 1878 Stcmplin was succeeded by George Potts. In 1879 Middleton withdrew from the business and, with other parties, leased a coal bank from Samuel Potts, senior, and commenced business as above. His wife I.ucy, to whom he was married on the fourteenth of November, 1876. is the daughter of Samuel and Ann Potts, nte Padgeter ; was born 24th July, 185S, They have one child, John Henry, who was born 25th August, 1877, Mr. Middleton is an advocate of morality and temperance in all things.

Passage source: The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a History of the Northwest--history of Illinois--history of the County, Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Etc. .., published 1880.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Kickapoo Township - it names this place 7 more 7 times.