Bricklayer/Furnace Builder/Musician

Simion Bunn, a foundryman from Pennsylvania, was a bricklayer in his youth. He became a furnace builder for Belleville Steel Co. which operated two mills in the city -- Valley Mill and West Mill. In 1871 Bunn patented a Puddling Furnace and in 1886 a "double decker" Nail Plate Furnace. His sons followed him in the stove and foundry industries of Belleville. Simion enjoyed and worked at a long career. At the age of 65 he was still installing furnaces. In 1910, Simion Bunn Sr., installed an annealing and smelting furnace for the Allegheny Valley Malleable Iron Co. of Missouri. In his spare time he led a brass band, playing the trumpet and bugle. He died October 11, 1913.

Printer/City Assessor/Labor Activist
 

Dietrich was born at Belleville in 1872 and at the age of 13 he was on his own. His father was a coal miner from Germany. Henry's working career began with a printing apprenticeship to Hans Schwarz, Editor of the Arbeiter-Zeitung. Schwarz, a spirited and vigorous editor of the German language newspaper was continually involved in the controversial labor issues of the time and active in the Illinois Association of German-American Press. Dietrich, also a labor activist was elected President of West Belleville's Workingman Society and Typographical Union 18. He was elected City Assessor in 1902, a position he held until 1920.

Workingman/Foundry Owner

George Flach, molder, led Belleville's First Labor Day Parade in 1895. Apprenticed as a molder at age 15, he learned everything he needed to know at Rogers Foundry & Stove Co. and its successor Excelsior Foundry, both of Belleville. In 1898, after 27 years as a molder, he opened Richland Foundry at Centreville Ave and the IC Tracks. As a foundry owner, he retained his membership in Molders Local 182 and in 1901 he was elected his union's financial secretary. A 56 year membership did not immune Flach from the labor problems of the times. At Richland Foundry, in 1908, 14 employees were held under $1,000 bond for rioting. The incident involved a double shooting. The company was exonerated but two years later, Flach returned to his workingman job as a molder. He leased his plant to Karr Range Co. of Belleville. (See Wilderman's History of St. Clair County, pub 1907, p 1013.)

Coal Miner/Hauler

Samuel and Sarah Goalby and their daughter, Sarah Ann, from England settled at Ogle Station. They were a coal mining family who entered the coal hauling business. Their second daughter, Adalaide, was born at Belleville in 1857 and Clara in 1960. The Goalby brothers, Albert and Samuel, carried on the business after their parents died in 1878. They also purchased as much land as possible. The Illinois & St. Louis Railroad Co. ran between Belleville (TN1NR8W) and New Pittsburgh along the Ogle, Goalby and Gartside coal lands (TN1NR9W). By 1874, there were 90 coal mines in St. Clair County delivering three million tons annually. (See 1874 Atlas of St. Clair County, p 9)

The Nesbit brothers, Walter and Charles, followed the coal mining heritage of their Father, Charles, a pioneer union organizer and charter member of the Illinois Association of Mine Workers. Beginning in 1883 he served as President of Belleville Sub District 4. His sons "cut their teeth" in benevolent organizations. As young coal miners, Charles joined the Coal Miners Protective Association and Walter joined the German Beneficial Union. Locally, Walter served as a Fifth Ward Alderman and the Treasurer of the Blleville Trades & Labor Assembly 1910-1911. His state and national offices, however, made a difference for the soft coal miners of Illinois. Walter Nesbit served the UMWA as a traveling auditor and as Secretary/Treasurer of the Illinois State UMWA for 18 years. In 1930 he was elected President of the Illinois UMWA and in 1932 a US Congressman. Walter S. Nesbit continually appealed to local, state and national leaders to address the needs of Illinois miners. His concerns were safety, health and wages. In 1933 news reporter, Walter Winchell, lauded Nesbit as a "hero of the common man" and presented him with a bouquet of orchids. Nesbit died in 1938, age 60.

 

Glasshouse Worker/Laborer/Union Organizer

John Totsch, a laborer in various capacities for 40 years felt very lucky when he found employment at Belleville's Glass Works in 1891 as a glass gatherer. Five years later, he achieved the prideful distinction of "Glassblower". In 1903 he was elected Vice President of Glassworkers Union 9509. Trouble loomed. Adolphus Busch was building a "state of the art" bottleworks at St. Louis, MO. It was to be operating in time for the St. Louis World Fair in1904. Glassblowers could not conceive of a machine that would replace mouth blown fruit jars and beer and soda bottles. The bottle works was built and Busch closed his plants at Belleville and Streater, IL in 1910. Many glass house workers went to plants in Indiana for employment but Totsh remained in Belleville. He worked as a porter, a stoker -- whatever he could find. He found a nitch as a union organizer and was instrumental in the formation of Federal Labor Union #7087, a union that covered all outside laborers. He was elected President in 1912 and again in 1915. Note: Building and common laborers were members of the already established Labor Local 459 which is in existence to this day.