In 1925: ‘Uncle’ Joe Taylor, a man known to every man, woman and child in O’Fallon, dies
Looking back at stories that appeared in the O’Fallon Progress 100, 75, and 50 years ago:
100 years ago, Feb. 12, 1925
“Uncle” Joe Taylor is dead.
In these brief words is summed the end of a man – one who was known to every man, woman and child in O’Fallon – a man that (has) done more for the upbuilding of our city than any other individual – a big-hearted man whose interest in the welfare of his city will stand as a monument in years to come.
Death has robbed O’Fallon of one of its greatest benefactors, whose life work was done but which is not forgotten by the thousands who knew of his many kindly deeds to the city and the many inhabitants who at one time knew him as their best friend.
Mr. Taylor answered the final summons on Monday afternoon at 1:15 o’clock at the home of his nephew, Samuel Taylor, on East State street, after a lingering illness which extended over a six months’ period, one day after he had attained the age of 86 years.
The remains reposed at the Taylor Opera House from Wednesday afternoon until this afternoon at 2 o’clock when services were conducted by the Rev. Frank E. Harris, pastor of the M. E. Church. Hundreds of friends paid their final respects to the peaceful corpse. The services were largely attended and the remains were followed to their last resting place in the Shiloh cemetery, by a large legion of friends.
Mayor Kampmeyer, as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, issued a proclamation and all business was suspended in the city during the hours of 1 to 4 o’clock while the funeral services were conducted.
The life story of Joseph Taylor reads like a romance and it is truly a romance of the business world and of a man who, equipped with a stout heart and a great amount of ability and pluck, rose to heights of financial eminence in the commercial life of the central west. In the year 1839, on the eighth day of February Joseph Taylor first saw the light of day in Oldham, England.
The parents of this English-born lad were of sturdy hard-working English stock living in moderate means. Joseph received a meager public school education and was then started on the pathway on which he was destined to rise to success by employment in the coal mines. He received most of his education at night school. He worked in the English mines until he reached the age of 21, when he left the land of his birth and came to America.
Arriving in this country 64 years ago he journeyed to the Pennsylvania coal fields and worked in those mines until 1864. It was in that year that Mr. Taylor became dissatisfied with life in Pennsylvania deciding to travel west to seek a better location for a permanent home. In his wanderings he reached O’Fallon. He liked the village with its hustling citizens and decided to tarry a while. He worked in the mines a short time and then left for other fields.
During his stay at O’Fallon he saw the opportunity which St. Clair county’s inexhaustible supply of coal presented to a man of ambition and the proper incentive. Although he left O’Fallon it was not for long. His further search for a location in which to direct his efforts toward fortune convinced him that O’Fallon was the ideal place for him. Accordingly he returned to O’Fallon in 1866 with the determination to stay and help build up the city. He secured employment until 1878 when he decided to venture into business and bought the general merchandise store and saloon then conducted by Charles Gartside at Alma, a small mining settlement west of here.
In 1881 he purchased his first mine which was operated under the name of Taylor mine. He succeeded in the mining business and a short time later purchased the Ridge Prairie mine. In 1904 he purchased and opened the St. Ellen Mine. All of these properties were worked and the large output was easily marketed.
In 1905 he incorporated all his mining properties under the firm name of Joseph Taylor Coal Co. At that time Mr. Taylor had other interests besides his mining enterprises and was a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of O’Fallon, the owner of a prosperous merchandise store and the owner of a beautiful residence in addition to valuable farming land.
Mr. Taylor had always taken a great interest in his adopted city and (had) done everything in his power that might redound to the benefit of O’Fallon. He had erected some of the biggest and best commercial buildings in the city, one of them being the Taylor Opera House which is a structure of which O’Fallon can be justly proud.
Politically he was always aligned with the Republican party. He served his city as mayor for one term, and as city treasurer for 10 years. He was one of St. Clair County’s best citizens. He (had) done much for this county and was highly honored and respected wherever he was known.
Mr. Taylor retired from active business in 1916. Mr. Taylor was married to Mary (Whitehead) Gartside at Alma in 1872. They had no children and his wife preceded him in death. He leaves one sister, Mrs. Ellen Gartside, of St. Louis, several nephews and nieces, besides a large legion of friends in whose memory his kindly deeds will long endure.
(The coal mining village of Alma, later known as Carbon, was located just northwest of the intersection of Highway 50 and Venita Drive in west O’Fallon. The Taylor Opera House building still stands at 220 E. State Street.)
75 years ago, Feb. 9, 1950
St. Ellen mine was inoperative from Monday to today and Black Eagle mine was idle Tuesday when the men failed to go to work. Both mines are under the Progressive Mine Workers.
Black Eagle, after a meeting of Local No. 8, resumed operations yesterday and St. Ellen was scheduled to open today. The St. Ellen miners, belonging to Local No. 75, had a meeting Tuesday at which it was decided to return to their jobs but with inability to reach all the men in time, work resumption was deferred until today.
John Marchiando, president of the Progressives, in a statement at Springfield Tuesday said some of his miners are staying away from their jobs because of application of Taft-Hartley in the nation-wide strike of the rival United Mine Workers.
St. Ellen employs about 225 miners who produce a daily average of 2300 tons. About 200 men are employed at Black Eagle which has a daily average of 2200 tons.
50 years ago, Feb. 13, 1975
The geology and earth science classes at O’Fallon Township High School have expanded greatly since 1968, when the school offered just one class on the subject.
Today, OTHS’ earth science division offers a complete four-year course, which instructor Rion Turley believes may be the only four-year course of study in the science in the state.
Turley and his partner, Mark Wolf, have put the course of study together, which is being presented throughout the state and in Michigan. The course outline is a simple one. The study offers a year of earth science, two years of geology and a year of physiography, offered every other year.
And Turley says there are various areas of geology to be explored in the courses. The areas of study include: historical geology, physical geology, geophysics, environment geology and engineering.
“For a long time there were no earth science classes for the average or below average student except for general science. Now all students can take an interest in the subject,” Turley said.
One of the more interesting aspects of the course is the field experience. Field experience takes the students to where “the action is.” Caves, mountain areas and other places where the study of geology is direct are places where Turley takes his students. Caverns in Missouri and Illinois are explored and studied by the students. Students are required to evaluate, compare and relate their classroom learning to the field experiences.
“High school teaching of geology in our concentrated method can benefit the student when he or she goes to college to study geology,” Turley said.
And the classes are growing in popularity. Only 58 students were enrolled in classes in 1968. This year, 230 students are enrolled in the geology classes. Turley will be presenting the course outline and history to the National Geology Convention in Michigan in April. Turley considers it a highlight in his teaching career.
“Not bad for a guy who started out as a government teacher,” Turley chuckled.