The Old Gravois Coal Diggings

Mary Joan Boyer’s “The Old Gravois Coal Diggings,” published by The Tri-City Independent in Festus, Missouri, in 1952, provides a comprehensive historical account of a once-thriving coal mining locality in St. Louis, Missouri. This photocopied book, consisting of 107 pages with irregular pagination and faint photos and text, preserves the history of an area that has largely faded from contemporary memory.

The genesis of this work can be traced back to Janet Graham Stockwell, whose notes in a personal notebook expressed a deep-seated nostalgia for the area known as The Old Gravois Coal Diggings. Located between Arsenal Street, Gravois Road, Grand Avenue, and Kingshighway, this part of St. Louis was once known by various names, including Beckville, Miners’ Town, and Gravois Coal Mines. Stockwell’s homesickness and recollections of her childhood there inspired Boyer to document the rich history of this coal mining community.

This history captures the stories and experiences of the early settlers who lived through the area’s coal mining and fire clay discovery periods. Despite the challenges of Indian hostilities, diseases, and the harsh environment, these pioneers established plantations, orchards, and gardens, contributing to the area’s development. The names of families such as the Russells and Christys, now memorialized in streets and public places, are a testament to the enduring legacy of these early settlers.

Boyer’s work aims to ensure that the memories and contributions of the people who shaped The Old Gravois Coal Diggings are not forgotten. Through detailed research and a dedication to preserving history, this book offers a valuable glimpse into a significant yet overlooked chapter in the history of St. Louis.

Table of Contents

1. The Old Gravois Coal Diggings — Its Eearly Name
2. How Some Early Settlers Acquired Land
3. A Russell Arrives in St. Louis
4. James Russell Acquires a Plantation, Discovers Coal, Marries a Second Time
5. More Russell History
6. The Parker-Russells
7. The Christys
8. The Binghams
9. St. Louis Coal Mines and Their Owners
10. Coal Miners and Early Settlers
11. The First School of the Coal Diggings
12. The First Church of the Coal Diggings
13. Fannie Wade Gutgesell, First Woman Principal of Oak Hill School
14. The Horace Mann School
15. History of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Morganford and Chippewa
16. The Alley
17. Early Settlers and Descendants of Early Settlers of the Diggings
18. Conclusion, or Final Jottings
19. Acknowledgments

Source

Boyer, Mary Joan, The Old Gravois Coal Diggings, Festus, Missouri : The Tri-City Independent, 1952.