From a Pictorial History of Sesser IL 1904-2004 Vol II pj18 - unknown author

This was purchased at sale at the home of Doctor Ward's house in 2003 by Joyce Gunter

Shortly after the turn of the century, in 1905 to be exact, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad decided to extend its track system into the then booming and rich Southern Illinois coal fields. The impetus of railroad expansion was the deciding factor in the founding of what is now the city of Sesser.

The acreage on which the original plat of Sesser is situated was owned by Matthew Cockrum. Mr. Cockrum, like many other farmers in this district, planted his wheat crop. As his wheat was harvested, John Sesser, an official surveyor of the C B & Q railroad, laid out plans for the town and this is how the city received its name. The first lots of the village were sold by John C. Elliot, another official of the railroad. The original plat of Sesser was four blocks square, running from the railroad to the City Hall and two blocks each side of "main street". The first lot of the new town was sold to Laura B. Murry, mother of the late B.A. and Edgar Murry. The first house was built by Jim McCollum.
The railroad grade between Centralia and Sesser was started in the early part of 1905 and was completed in October of the same year. Track foreman Bill Garrison and his crew began to lay the rails in November, 1905. The work was completed in January, 1906. The first passenger train passed through Sesser in May of that year. Sesser's first station house was a little boxed-up building also erected that year. In 1907 the building that is now in use was completed. The first agent was Mr. Tye. H. S. Kirkpatrick, agent for many years, helped to grade and build the road. Later he worked on the section until he was hired as freight boy, then third, second and first tricks in the office; cashier, and then clerk. In May, 1917, Mr. Kirkpatrick was made agent. Mr. Kirkpatrick served as agent until time of sickness in August, 1950. Hiram, as he was known to his many friends, passed away December 8,1950. Henry Cook, a long time resident, served in the capacity of agent until ?
For many years Sesser was served twice daily by the "Dinky". Loss of mail revenue, encroachment of the automobile into the use of rails for passenger traffic, and the changing American scene sealed the death of Sesser's only passenger train. Mail service by rail was discontinued June 30, 1955, and the last passenger train through Sesser made its final run on Saturday, April 27, 1947. The mainstay of the railroad in Sesser for the past several years has been those local businesses that purchase supplies in carload quantities. The newly developed mines around the city has added measurably to rail traffic.
As the village developed, the railroad gradually took up the duty of carrying mail which had previously been carried on horseback from Waltonville by Harvey Ward, now W.H. Ward M.D. Mr. Ward was employed by W.A. Willis who was appointed postmaster in 1906. Mr. Willis conducted a general store and the post office was located in the corner of the store. The location was where the old Van Horn's Cafe now stands. The Willis store was the first one built on the new town site of Sesser. The original owner of the establishment was John Bates from whom Willis bought the store.
Postmasters for Sesser over the years have been Bill Willis, George B. Gray, Roy A. Gulley, B. A. Murry, Brooks Hutson, Winsor Brayfield, Harl Thompson and
Randall D. Page. The city is now served by two mail departures daily, all by truck .
There were only 17 people in Sesser in December, 1905. By March 1906, the population has grown to around 600. The rapid growth in population was because of the sinking of the Keller Mine in 1906. After five months of working on the mine, hoisting was begun. T. C. Keller was the first owner. His two representatives, Thomas Jordan, Mine Superintendent, and Charles Herbst, Mine Manager, came to live in Sesser from Indiana. The mine was purchased by the Old Ben Coal Company and was known as Old Ben 16. This mine has not worked since 1923.
The rapid development of the coal fields of Southern Illinois brought another mine to Sesser in 1916. Found as the Horn Parkhill and Diamond Coal Company, the mine was later known as the Modern Coal Corporation. Avis and Jones was the firm who contracted the work of sinking the mine, last known as the Southern Gem Mine. The plans for sinking the "new mine" were begun in 1916 and the actual sinking was completed in 1917. Bruno Schettler was Mine Superintendent. At peak employment there were 750 men and 50 mules working the mine. Daily production ran around 3,000 tons. The mortality rate at this mine was the lowest for any mine in the state. Elza Angle was the first man to lose his life in this colliery. The Southern Gem was operated under many difficulties due to the slump in the coal industry, mismanagement, and labor friction. The men first failed to receive their pay during the year 1923, and a delay was caused. The main building of the mine burned on the night of November 11, 1934. It seemed the consensus of many that the mine buildings had been purposely burned. The closing of both mines had a disastrous effect on the people of Sesser.
The recent development of Orient 3 of the Freeman Coal Mining Corporation, south of Waltonville and the 2 new Old Ben Mines, east of Sesser and the Inland Steel Mine, north of Sesser, have seen the rebirth of the Sesser area as an important coal producing area.
The demand for labor caused by the opening of the original mines prompted the arrival of many nationality groups. The last half century has seen the assimilation of the nationalities into our community. We are all Americans and citizens of Sesser.
Sesser was incorporated as a village in October, 1906 with A. A. Webb as its President. Those working along with Webb were R. D. Webb, Treasurer, and B.A. Murray, Clerk. Mr. Murry was made President of the Village in 1906 and also served as Postmaster for several years. In 1909 Sesser was incorporated as a city with A.A. Webb as the first mayor.
It was in 1912 that the city board decided that Sesser had been in darkness long enough, so they contracted with the Egyptian Light Company to furnish power for electric lights for Sesser. The Egyptian Light Company sold its contract to the Tyrone Light Company in 1913. That firm continued to furnish lights until July 1, 1916, when they sold their contract to Central Illinois Public Service Company, our current power source. Telephones went into operation in 1906. The office was in the home of Uncle Cassie Lewis, with Mrs. Myrtle Morgan as operator.

During the six years subsequent to the locating of the town here, it was deemed necessary to provide a burial ground to be used by the community. The location was selected atop a small hill overlooking the city from the north. This land was owned by Ruth Ann Jones, and during the year 1911 the city purchased five acres and laid out lots, planted trees and shrubs and laid the foundation for Maple Hill, known as one of the prettiest cemeteries in this part of the state. Since that time additional acreage has been acquired and other improvements have been made which have induced many people from neighboring communities to select Maple Hill as their burial place.
The first church in Sesser was the Missionary Baptist, having been organized by Labur Estes. There were 17 original members. The building, or the first part of the church, was built in 1906 at the cost of two thousand dollars, and dedicated in 1908. The church was recently enlarged.
The second church to be built in Sesser was the First Methodist. This church was organized in 1909 and dedicated in 1910 by John Harmon. There were only 12 charter members with an attendance of 19 at Sunday School the first Sunday. The church recently erected a new building as part of its continued growth.
The Sesser Christian Church had its founding with the Fairview Christian Church originally located northeast of Sesser. The Old Fairview Church had become in need of repairs, so the congregation decided to move to Sesser. Lyle Collins, Mt Vernon, was the first minister. First services in Sesser were held in the upstairs section of a building where Marlow's Tavern now stands. Those quarters were also shared with the Freewill Baptist Church. The Christian church building was started in 1909 and completed inl910, with the dedication being held Mar. 26 of that year.
St Mary's Catholic Church was founded by Monsignor B.H. Hilgenberg, who had established ten or eleven churches throughout the state. Among them were St. Mary's of Sesser and also churches at Carbondale, Johnston City, Herrin and Christopher. St. Mary' s was founded in 1910. Prior to completion of the church building, Father Hilgenberg conducted services in a vacant business building on North Main Street. There were approximately 17 families in the congregation at that time.
Father Hilgenberg was a gifted linguist and during his pastoral stay in the coal fields of Southern Illinois had eight different nationalities under his care and preached in four languages. He could speak 10 different languages. There being no rectory and due to the lack of facilities, Father Hilgenberg stayed at the J.E. Jorden residence.
In the early part of the fall of 1920 some ministers came to Sesser and conducted a tent meeting in the park. The outcome of these meetings was the interest in starting the Church of God. With the arrival of cold weather the group moved to the city hall to continue services. The Church of God building was first used on January 1,1921, with the Rev. J.E. Attey, West Frankfort, ministering the church.
The Church of Christ's congregation had its founding in Sesser in 1940. Minister Wiley Mathis headed the original congregation.
The first doctor to come to Sesser was Dr. E.E. Ward, father of Dr. W.H. Ward. Dr E.E. Ward and B. A. Murray operated our first drug store. The first baby boy born in Sesser was Sesser Bates, the first girl was Viva Harrison, now Mrs. Bert Cockrum.
Sesser's first entry in the newspaper field was the Sesser Herald. The paper was edited by Charles Turner and it was printed upstairs in a frame building on the Mario Tavern site. The first edition of the Herald was printed March 18,1909. W.D. Higdon, a Sesser school principal, also was publisher of the newspaper. W.A. Mintern, another publisher of the Herald, later sold the newspaper to Thurlow G. Lewis and about two years later Lewis helped form Lewis Brothers Publishing Company. During the depression the newspaper equipment was moved to Christopher and the Christopher Progress and the Sesser Herald were published in the same plant. Publication of the Herald was later discontinued. In April, 194i, the Sesser Review was founded by George T. Slankard. The Review was published by the Slankards for 18 years. The Review was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Davison in October, 1959, and is now put into type at Christopher and is printed by the Call Publishing Company, DuQuoin.
When the City of Sesser was just beginning, the boys and girls from town had to go to Mt. Tabor, a small school about one mile Northwest of Sesser. The first school in our city was held in the house where Mrs. Joe Thompson now lives, the first teacher being Harley Lewis. The first full term of school taught in Sesser was in the new Baptist Church building and was taught by C.A. McBride and Mrs. Carrie Sulser. At a later date a new public school building was built upon land donated by Eben Fitzgerald. When the building was first erected it was only a four - room school. Subsequent rebuilding and moderation has produced a new Washington School, the result being most noticeable is the rebuilding done in the early part of the 1940's.
The Wilson School was erected on the north side of town in 1924. The Harding School, situated on the east side of town, was the third building serving Sesser's elementary school needs. Use of Harding school was discontinued and the building was torn down.
By 1915 the population of Sesser had increased to 2,000 and the educational minded citizens saw the need for a high school system. The first high school classes were held in the Washington school building and were later moved to a building down town. The erection of the high school was completed in 1921. The building has since been enlarged and remodeled. The first principal of our high school was Professor Higdon. Another well known and long time principal was Mr. Lewis C. Robey. Brooks Hutson and Harry Britton were among the first graduates.
From this brief history of the founding and development of the City of Sesser, we see that our history is the history of individuals and families. Many of the old families are with us still. Others are among those mounds in Maple Hill and other church cemeteries nearby. Those of us living today will be remembered as those who have gone on before are remembered here. There are many "firsts" that remain to be developed in our city.