O'Fallon Township

O'Fallon Township

received its name in honor of John O'Fallon, a prominent and wealthy gentleman of St. L )uis, and at that time an officer of the Ohio «& Mississippi Railroad company. It is located on the W. i of Sec. 29 and the E i of Sec. 30, T. 2 N., R. 7 W., embracing one mile square. The first improvements were made by the O. & M. company, in 1854, and consisted of a depot and water tank. The first sale of lots was made at public auction May -13th, 1854. There were but few disposed of in this way, and they were divided among Frederick A. Carpenter, Hugo O. Sheerbanh, and two or three others, Anderson llmbarger erected the first dwelling, in the place, in the fall of 1855. It was a small frame building located on the corner of Main and Cherry streets, aud now forms the front part of the neat residence still occupied by Mr. Umbarger. The post-office was established the same year, and Mr. Urabarger was the first post-master. He was also the agent for the R. R. company. The second building was a residence and store room, erected by Henry S. Gordon, of Randolph county, in the fall of 1856. It was a frame structure, ihe main part about 18 x 30 feet, one story high, with an L, and kitchen in the rear. The front room was used as a store in which he placed the first stock of goods. Mr. Gordon soon sold out to his son-in law, S. Mace, who ran the business. The next house, erected by Walter Westfield in 1856, is still standing, where it was built, nearly opposite the depot. William Peach built a residence, one block north of the depot, in the same year. In 1857 Peach & Simmons erected the next (fifth) building. It was constructed of brick, about 30 x 40 feet, two stories high, and stood on the lot where John Shinton's saloon now stands. On the night of June 3d, 1863, it was destroyed by fire, and Levi Simmons built another brick, which is still standing. Peach & Simmons placed a complete stock of general goods in it as soon as completed. John and Robert R. Salter erected the store and residence now occupied by R. Kampmeyer, in 1867, in which they resided and kept store.

The next store was kept in the room of what is now Fischer's saloon, by Herman J. Blanck, in the spring of 1859. The building was erected the year before by Henry Stocker, for a hotel, and has always been kept as a public house. Henry Stocker, Phillip Schildknecht and John Distler, who located here in 1859, were the first German residents of the village.

In July of that year Dr. Columbus Hixson, became the first resident physician, and is still engaged ito practice here. In 1859 the following families were the only residents of the place : Anderson Umbarger, Wm. Peach, Mrs. C. Kolowlton, John Daily, John Salter, Dr. C. Hixson, Henry Stocker, Phillip Schildknecht, Cornelius Neville, Henry Farr, John Disler, C. Powell, Benjamin Orcutt, Henry Mace, and G. W. Rawson. From this date the village has grown gradually, and the population, as taken in 1880, was 960. About two-thirds are Germans, and they control the place.

Schools. - At the laying out of the village there was a small frame, district school-house, within its limits, where the children first attended school. The first school-building, erected in the village, was in 1861, when the main part of the present house was built. Since then an addition has been made to it. It is a brick structure. There are also two German parochial schools, both well attended.

Incorporation. - It was incorporated under the general law as a village January 27, 1874, and the first election for oflBcers held April 21, of the same year. The following were elected : Frank Poigne^, President ; Charles Tiedemann, Daniel Schafer, Thomas Mackin, John Feder, and John Powell, Trustees. The present board are Ertst Tiedemann, President; Evan Davis, Thomas Mackin, Joseph Landgraf, William Wittig, D. D. Gartside; Henry A. Schildknecht, Clerk; Herman Obst, village Constable. The Justices of the Peace are Philip Schildknecht, James Owens, and G. W. Bowler.

Cliurches. - The village is supplied with four churches. The Baptist church was organized in 1865, and their house of worship was erected the same year. The Methodist church was built in 1866. The Catholic in 1867, and the German Lutheran in 1879. They are all neat and commodious edifices.

Lodges. - The Royal Templars of Temperance was organized in February 1880. The Independent Order of Good Templers in February, 1881. The O'Fallon Lodge, No. 576, A F. and A. M., was chartered Oct. 6, 1868. Treu Bund, W. O. T. B., was organized May 6, 1871. The German Lodge No. 463, L O. O. F., organized in 1872. The 0 Fallon Lodge No. 431, I. 0. O. F., was chartered in 1869. St. Clair Lodge, K. of P. No. 40, chartered in 1875. German Lodge, K. of H. No. 878, chartered February 4, 1878. They are all well attended, and have a good membership.

Business Trade Of 1881

building was then only a small one, with but two run of burrs. It has since been enlarged to 65x75 feet, three stories high. The building is brick. It contains eleven run of burrs, with a capacity of 400 barrels per day. Mr. Tiedemann intends changing the mill to the Roller process this spring, which will enable him to compete with the best mills in the country. He also has in connection with the mill an elevator with a capacity of 60,000 bushels storage. The cooper-shop is 24x140 feet, frame. He employs in all about forty men. The mill is connected with two railroads, and with Belleville by telephone.

Hotels. - " O'Fallon House," Charles F. Fischer, proprietor. It is a neat frame building, near the depot, and is well conducted. "St. Clair House," Michael Bernhard, proprietor. "Farmer's Home," C. Link, proprietor.

Alma

Is a coalmining village, situated in section 25, T. 2 N., R. 8 W., on the line of the O. & M. railroad,and contains about 100 houses belonging to the Gartside Coal Company. The first shaft was sunk here by the above company in 1851. They now have three shafts. The average depth of the mines is a little over two hundred feet, and the vein is full seven feet. The coal is of an excellent quality. They employ in the operation of the mines about two hundred men. The company have a machine shop, a blacksmith shop and a carpenter's shop, and there is one general store, kept by Joseph Taylor, which constitutes the business. Ridge Prairie post-office is also located here.

There are also two more coal mines in this precinct, east of O'Fallon, the Van Court mine, and the Nicholas mine. The former was sunk in 1863 by Sharp and Thompson. It is now owned by B. J. Van Court, and operated by Savitz Brothers, of St. Louis. The mine is 207 feet deep, with a seven foot vein. The Nicholas mine was sunk about 1870, by Nicholas and McCoy. It is now owned and operated by Joseph Morris. The shaft is 212 feet deep, and the vein the same thickness of the above.