Boone County Missouri - Brown's Station
The following is quoted directly from The History of Boone County
Missouri by W.F. Switzler originally published in 1882, page 739-741.
The hamlet know as Brown's Station is situated on the northwest quarter of section 10, township 49, range 12, and is quite a shipping point -- the leading one, in fact, on the Columbia branch of the Wabash railway between Centralia and Columbia. Its founders were Reese, Goodding, and Hubbard, the proprietors of the coal mine.
The first house was built by John W. Hubbard, and A. E. Burnam, and the first store was owned by these gentlemen. The post-office was established in 1876, and A. E. Burnam was the first postmaster. The first marriage was that of Ralph Hayworth and Miss Lizzie Goodding, by Stephen J. Bush. The first death was that of Chas. Hockry, who was buried in Gilead cemetery, three miles north of Brown's Station. The first physician was Dr. L. B. Brown, who is still actively engaged in the practice of his profession. The first religious services were held in Burnam's warehouse, by Rev. Stephens, a Baptist.
The Coal Mines at Brown's Station and Persinger.
The Boone County Coal and Mining Company was organized in the year 1875, by Alfred Rees, W. A. Goodding, Allen E. Burnam and John F. Burnam, for the purpose of mining coal in the northern part of Columbia township. Previously, in 1872, a mine had been opened at Brown's Station by J. W. Hubbard, Alfred Rees and W. A Goodding. This mine is now the property of the Boone County Coal and Mining Company. Its shaft is about 177 feet in depth. The vein averages about forty-two inches in thickness, and the coal is of excellent quality. The first shaft was practically abandoned in February, 1882, after producing nearly 2,000,000 bushels.
The company's mine at Persinger station was opened in May, 1881. The first considerable quantity of coal was taken out the following October. The shaft is 80 feet deep; depth of vein, 42 inches; average number of men employed, thirty-five. The mine is located in section 28, township 49, range 12, on land leased for twenty-five years, the lease expiring in 1906. Altogether, the company is in possession by lease of 290 acres of land, in section 28, 29, and 33, in township 49, range 12. The present capacity of the mine is 1,200 bushels per day. The coal is shipped to the gas company at Columbia, also to the mill company, and to various points o the Wabash railroad, notably to Warrenton. It bears an excellent reputation as to quality, and the mine itself, generally speaking, is the best in this section of Missouri. At present it is in a highly prosperous condition. The firm is now composed of Alfred Rees, and W. A. Goodding, the firm name being Rees & Goodding.
In connection with the history of the mines of the Boone County Coal Company it is proper to note the terrible accident in the Brown's Station mine, Friday, April 21, 1876. On the morning of that day the miners began to descend the shaft to go to work. Twenty-one of them had gone down in safety by means of the tub, such as is ordinarily used in coal shafts, and four more stepped in to make the descent. The names of those in the tub were Charles C. Stewart, W. H. Cannon, Joseph McIntyre, and Robert L. Palmore. When the men were about forty feet from the top, the post on the outside that supported the apparatus by which the tub was raised and lowered broke and fell. This caused the rope by which the tub was suspended to fly off the drum wheel through which the post passed and it (the rope) was cut in two. The tub with its inmates fell a distance of about 135 feet, alighting on the solid rock. Palmore, an eleven-year-old boy, was killed instantly. His throat was cut, and his teeth were knocked out. Cannon exclaimed, "Tell my wife 'farewell' for me," and died in a few moments. He was a young married man of aged 25. McIntyre died in 24 hours. Stewart lived nineteen days, suffering intensely all the while. J. H. Truby, who was in the mine was slightly injured. The scene a few moments after the dreadful fall was terrible. The screams of women and children, the wives and other relatives of the poor miners, were heartrending. Men ran wildly to and fro and the wildest rumors and conjectures as to the number killed and injured were prevelent for a time. Burnam Bros. generously opened their store and told those engaged in caring for the victims of the accident to take anything they wanted. The first three that died were buried in Mt. Gilead cemetery, the next day. No blame for the disaster attached to any one. The post broke because it was badly worm eaten.
Messrs. Dysart & Henry have a very good mill near Brown's Station, eight miles north of Columbia. The bulding covers an area of 30x36 feet, and is two and a half stories high. The machinery is driven by an engine of 25-horse power. There are two run of burrs, and the grinding capacity of the mill is about 35 barrels of flour or 300 bushels of corn meal per day. The machinery is from Logansport, Indiana, and is called the automatic grinding mill, the only one of the kind in the county except at Sturgeon. The saw-mill can turn off from 4,000 to 5,000 feet of hard lumber per day. The size of the engine house is 17x46 feet.
During the civil war, September 4, 1864, a squad from Capt. Carey's company of the Third M. S. M., rode out from Columbia and shot and killed Maj. Wm. Cave, who then lived a mile north of Columbia, on the farm now owned by Col. E. C. More. The look-out in the cupola of the court house reported that he saw a squad of bushwhackers ride up to Maj. Cave's residence about noon, and after remaining long enough to eat a hearty dinner, came out again, and rode away into the brush. The squad was immediately sent out, and soon returned, reporting that the "old devil" would feed no more bushwackers.
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