Gucker Coal Company Office: History of Coal and The Office, Part 2
The Gucker Coal Company building (formerly Marceline Mercantile and Randolph Coal Company), at 125 E. California Ave., Marceline, Linn County, Missouri, is the last extant property associated in any way with Marceline’s coal industry. It is located one block east of the north end of the downtown commercial district. The Period of Significance is 1924 (the year the building was erected by Joseph Hemmings, a Marceline businessman who owned a mercantile store; the nominated property was opened as his mercantile office and as a coal office) until 1952 (the year Frank Gucker retired which is the same year the local coal industry had started to diminish to the point the new owners, the Hughes, switched almost exclusively to fuel oil and gasoline). 1941 is also significant because it is the year Mr. Gucker purchased the property from the Randolph Coal Company, a local businessman who first worked for Hemmings and then, at some unknown time, took over Hemmings’ office and opened his coal supply company. Gucker continued selling both local and non-local coal to the city, township, the railroad, citizens and others. It qualifies for the NRHP under Criteria A: Commerce/business.
MARCELINE’S COAL INDUSTRY & EVOLUTION OF COMMERCIAL COAL SALES
The importance of coal cannot be understated. Each community and state and the entire nation relied heavily on coal for heat and power and to keep commerce moving.
Marceline was a significant part of this national movement. In Missouri, coal mining started in the 1840s,[1] but it wasn’t until the 1880s that bituminous coal was discovered in Linn County.[2] The first car of Marceline coal was loaded and shipped from a mine on Thursday, December 12, 1889, and “marked the beginning [sic] of the carbosiferous epoch in Marceline’s history.”[3]
It was soon discovered that the seam of coal ran between Bucklin (5.5 miles NNE of Marceline) and Marceline and was about 2’ 4” to 3’ thick.[4] One report in the Compendium goes on to say, “Vast fields of coal are known to underlie this section of the state, and our Linn County mines already produce each year about 80,000 tons. (The actual tonnage as shown by mine inspector’s last report is 86,774, the value being $187,913— Editor History.).”[5] This is the vein all Marceline area/Marceline Township mines mined.
One report indicates that the Tebo bed is the vein being mined. By the 1890s there were two large shipping mines with short spurs from the Santa Fe railroad—Marceline Coal and Mining’s Mines No. 1 and 2. There was a third, smaller mine operated by the Landreth Coal Co. that did not have a spur. Furthermore, “Much of the product not sold locally is utilized by the railroad.”[6]
This discovery led to multiple mines being sunk in and around Marceline, all of which supplied coal to consumers (commercial, private, homeowners, etc.).
Early Marceline-Area Coal Mines that Supplied Coal Directly to Buyers Prior to POS
Between 1888 and 1923, Marceline had multiple mines. The largest during this time were Mine No. 1 and Mine No. 2 owned by Marceline Coal and Mining. Another mine, the Landreth Coal Company owned the eponymous Landreth Mine was listed as being in Brookfield, though it was only a mile westerly of Marceline. Two other mines were reported near Marceline during his time: Hier Coal Mine and Chariton Coal Mine, but these appear to not been in business long.
Marceline Coal and Mining Mine Nos. 1 (1889-1915) and 2 (1905- 1923)
Originally, the Kansas & Texas Coal Company purchased property to prospect for coal. This company operated until October of 1893; later that year, C. J. Devlin began operating it under the name of the Marceline Coal Company. He ran it until 1907, when he went broke during the 1907 Bankers’ Panic or Knickerbocker Crisis. Devlin’s former Mines No. 1 and No. 2 went to the Marceline Coal & Mining Company after the properties were closed out in bankruptcy.
Throughout all the changes, Joseph Hemmings, who was appointed superintendent of Mine No. 1 in 1889 and Mine No. 2 when it opened in 1905, remained superintendent, “and under his masterful direction the properties are still yielding enormous quantities of fuel to drive the wheels of commerce.”[7]
In Marceline, Mine No. 1, located about one mile southeast of downtown Marceline near the Chariton County line (Figures 16-17, 20), opened in 1889[8] and closed in May of 1915.[9] Mine No. 1’s coal “is largely used by the Santa Fe Railroad.”[10] In 1899 it employed 299 people.[11] This mine appears to have been purchased by Home Coal Co., a new building erected and reopened. That mining company is seen on the 1930 and 1939 Sanborn maps (Figures 18-19). The company supplied coal directly to the government of the City of Marceline. It is unknown if it supplied to other consumers, such as homeowners.
Mine No. 2,[12] located 1.25 mile north of downtown Marceline (Figures 15-17), opened in November 1905.[13] When Mine No. 1 closed in 1915, the Mine No. 2 owners purchased more land around their mine to expand, going from 5000 tons to 7000 tons a month, it ended up hiring an additional 50-60 men, increasing the payroll to about $250,000 a year.[14] Soon after Mine No. 1 shut down, the Marceline Coal & Mining Company changed its name to Miners Co-Operative Coal Co.[15] The mine later changed hands, with the Jackson-Walker Coal Co. taking over and shuttering it in April of 1923 when they started “dismantling Mine No. 2, and much of the machinery [was shipped] to their mines in Illinois.”[16]
In 1907, the state inspector’s annual report noted the company “capitalized for $30,000.” that it owns 40 acres with “control under lease” of another 1200 acres around Marceline. On this land, the company runs two mines, both working a 27 inches thick coal seam. The combined output of the mines in 1905 totaled 80,371 tons of coal valued at $167199.[17]
Further research is needed to determine if the coal from both mines were sold separately or if the coal sold to local consumers was combined and sold together.
Hier Coal Mine (1905- circa 1908)
News reports state a fourth nearby mine, Hier Coal Mine, was opened circa 1905, one mile east of Marceline on 80 acres owned by Hugh Green and run by James Hier. As noted above, Hier originally worked for Landreth Coal Mine. Hier employed 2-4 miners at this time and had an output of 847 tons of coal valued at $2416.[18] The inspector reports that when he visited it on 12 July 1907, he “found it idle, owing to a depressed local market” and the mine was full of water, making work difficult.[19] The company was run by the Hier brothers who owned Hier Bros. Grocery Store at 109 S. Kansas (Figures 17 and 23).[20] It appears they supplied directly from their mine.[21]
COAL SUPPLYING COMPANIES (MINES and COMMERCIAL)
As the coal industry picked up in Marceline, so did options for coal delivery.
Mines Supplying Coal During the POS
Several local mines existed during the POS (1924-1952) and most of them appear to have supplied coal to the community, though records are vague and it’s unknown what the coal was used for or to whom it was most often sold (i.e., commercial, household, private, etc.).
Home Coal Co. Mine No. 2 (circa 1917 – post-1939)
This company took over the Marceline Coal and Mining Company’s Mine No. 1 (Figures 15-17), 21) shortly after Marceline Coal and Mining shuttered its doors in 1915. The first ads for the company appear in 1917. The company mined there until at least 1939 (Figure 20). But no records exist discussing when it closed and why.
Landreth Mine (1889- post-1942)
Around 1889, J. L. Landreth, dropped a shaft with the aid of Rush Floyd and son Joseph, assisted by their neighbor, Mr. Anthony Eligman. The Landreth mine became the second coal mine in the Marceline vicinity.[22] The mine was originally referred to as the Landreth-Eligman Mine and, after two years in business, was reported to have ten miners, one of which was Jas. Hier, who was “in charge of the underground work.” Landreth supplied domestic coal to the city, rather than shipping it elsewhere.[23]
This coal mine was located one mile southwest of Marceline,[24] but not within the city limits of Marceline; therefore, it is not seen on the Sanborn maps. It was reported to be a successful and that Landreth sold almost exclusively to local consumers.[25] A 1907 inspection report indicates Landreth Coal Mine (not to be confused with the Landreth Coal Co. which supplied coal) employed 12-25 miners plus additional staff. Its 1907 output was 2,500 tons worth $6875. The coal from this mine was “hauled in wagons to Marceline, where it is used for domestic purposes.”[26] The mine was wrought with trouble. Several fires plagued it. For example, a major fire in the Landreth mine in 1934 shut it down for a while.[27] A 1942 article indicates the mine had a fire in 1942 and that the repairs were quick, and the mine re-opened.[28] The year the mine shut down is unknown.
Chariton County Coal and Coke Company (1921- post-1940)
In 1921, The Chariton County Coal and Coke Company opened. By this time, only two other mines appear to have been operating both the Home and Landreth mines. Reports state the company “struck a thirty-inch vein of bituminous coal…one mile south of Marceline [in Chariton County]” and was mined primarily for commercial use.[29] This mine was a re-opening of an old mine shaft, the Mullen Coal Mine, that had been abandoned.[30] It operated until at least the late 1940s based on ads (Figure 20). Like the Landreth mine, it delivered to consumers directly from the mine.
Nearly all these coal mines supplied coal to various businesses and entities. A more in-depth discussion of coal delivery from and by these mines follows below.
By 1941 when Fred Gucker purchased the coal office from Randolph Coal Company, the Marceline area still had two coal mines operating in the vicinity— Landreth, Chariton County—and perhaps a third (Home Coal Co.). These mines employed over 100 people.[31]
Non-Mine (Commercial) Coal Suppliers
During the period of significance, several coal supply companies dealt with the hauling of coal out of town. Randolph Coal, which occupied the property from 1924 until 1941, was the supplier out of the current building and then, after W. J. Randolph sold it to Fred Gucker, the Gucker Coal Company carried on the supply of coal to various entities in the city and township, including, but not limited to Marceline Township, the City of Marceline, the Santa Fe Railroad, the Masonic Lodge, and citizens for heating their businesses and homes.[32]
The mine owners sold coal directly to the city[33] but later seemed to favor distributors like Randolph and later Gucker to move the coal by truck to other parts of the county. According to Lewis, the train would back into the spur running north to south located along the unnamed alley to the east of the property and coal would be unloaded into the temporary wood coal bins. Then crews from supply companies would pull into the property from the south (California Avenue), position themselves over the scales, and Gucker would load their trucks. The trucks would either back up into East California Avenue or travel forward and turn into the alley.[34] The spur has never been associated with the nominated property as it is in a public right-of-way.
To move the product, mine companies relied on not only their staff but smaller local companies to move the product. The three most short-lived companies where:
- Landreth Coal Co.: For a short time, this coal company was known as Wine & Landreth Coal Co., later becoming S.A. Landreth Coal Co. until the Landreth Mine closed and S.A. Landreth took over control of the Chariton Coal Mine just south of Marceline.[35] The coal was sent directly from the mine to local users.[36] Based on ads in the Marceline newspaper, the delivery company was sometimes listed as “S.A. Landreth Coal Co.”, but usually as “Landreth Coal Co.”
- Chariton Coal Co.: Like the Landreth Coal Co., Chariton coal, based on ads in the local newspapers, seemed to primarily sell direct to consumers from its mine (Figure 20).[37]
It was typical during this time for coal suppliers to supply a variety of coals to their clients. The reason is that various coals work better in particular instances. Often, the company would contract with one brand, but continue to sell others. The following companies were no exception.
The History of the Marceline Mercantile & Supply Company Office
After shuttering his large downtown Marceline J. Hemmings Mercantile & Supply Company store in 1924, Joseph Hemmings, the co-founder and superintendent of the Marceline Coal and Mining Co. and who is credited with selling the first lot in Marceline, opened this office at 125 E. California Avenue.[38] Hemmings ran the Marceline Mercantile & Supply Co. out of a downtown office,[39] but decided to close it. He was granted a building permit to erect an office building on lots 17 and 18 in block 172, according to plans and specifications[40] and designed to “be a fireproof structure, build of brick with stuccoed walls inside and out” from which Hemming’s would use as his private office; it appears it acted as William (J. (W.J.) Randolph’s coal office (Figure 18), too. Randolph managed Hemmings Mercantile at the same time.[41]
From this property Hemmings ran his own mercantile and coal supply company under the same name as his larger store until some point in the future Randolph opened his coal office, taking over Hemmings’ fuel delivery.[42] Over the course of years, ads show he sold “Marceline” coal (unknown source, but most likely from Mine No. 2 or Landreth), “Big Ben” / “Old Ben” (Illinois) coal, Miners Co-operative Coal Company (Mine No. 2) coal, Landreth (Brookfield, MO.) coal and Pennsylvania Anthracite (source unknown).
Randolph Coal Co.[43]
In 1926, Randolph officially purchased Hemmings’ company.[44] Ads started showing up in the local newspaper (advertising the W. J. Randolph Mercantile Co. showing the types of coals they offered, which included Marceline coal (Figure 19).
Randolph was a local businessman whose family owned several buildings and businesses in Marceline. The first business they owned, a brick and tiles manufacturing company, was operated by E.M. Randolph, W. J. Randolph’s father.[45] Randolph also ran the family hotel.[46] He was the trustee of several businesses that were going out of business, such as a grocery store in 1927.[47] In 1928, the company was also appointed distribution agent by the Home Coal Company running their mine southeast of downtown.[48] The 1939 annual Marceline Township statement of disbursements published in the newspaper indicates Randolph Coal Company[49] was the sole supplier of coal to this township[50] and had supplied it with 1100 pounds of coal.[51] This deal was lucrative. The following year the city announced that it had accepted Home Coal Company’s bid to be the sole coal supplier to the city.[52] While running the coal company, Randolph diversified into heating and cooling services as well, becoming a Green Colonial Air Conditioning and Heating System dealer.[53] Like other coal supply companies, Randolph also sold other brands, like Pennsylvania Anthracite and Old Ben (Illinois) (Figure 19).
The annual report from the City of Marceline shows that during his last year in business (1940), the Randolph Coal Co. was paid $2.20 for supplying 1100 pounds of coal to the city; a second entry on this report lists a $4.00 reimbursement for coal, no weight is given.[54] He sold the property to Frank Gucker around 3 October 1941 (Figure 21).[55]
According to Linn County Recorder of Deeds information, Randolph never owned the property. Gucker purchased the property from Hemmings, not Randolph.[56]
Gucker Coal Company
Like Hemmings and Randolph, Frank Gucker was an extremely important and integral part of Marceline’s business and political environments as well, even before he purchased the Randolph Coal Company 1941 and changed the name to Gucker Coal Company.
After buying the Randolph Coal Company in 1941 (Figure 21),[57] the Gucker Coal Company appears to have been the sole supplier of coal to the community, city and the Santa Fe depot. While the S.A. Landreth Coal Company existed at this same time, no evidence has been found to definitively claim that Landreth supplied coal to the city or to the railroad.
Like its owner, the Gucker Coal Company was active in the community. For example, the company participated in the World War II efforts by selling War Bonds and supplied one ton of Green Marked coal to one of Marceline’s war bond auction events.[58] Such involvement in the city meant that Gucker’s company was helping move the city and the nation forward at the same time. While people bought bonds for the war, Gucker supplied free coal so those donating might still be able to afford to heat their homes.
Gucker’s private records (See Figures 9-11) show he supplied coal to the City of Marceline (Figure 6), residences, and several major businesses in the city such as the Santa Fe Depot, [59] Marceline Post Office, the Masonic Lodge and others. The 1945 Annual Financial Statement for the Township of Marceline indicates the township paid him $7.14 for an unspecified amount of coal.[60] The company’s main customer base, though, were private citizens in the area,[61] whereas the only other company running at the time was doing business only with homeowners. Gucker was a Mark Twain Coal (Illinois), Eagle-Cherokee (Kansas) and Bee-Veer Coal (Figure 22), sourced from a mine south of Bevier, Missouri, 25 miles east of Marceline in Macon County. He had also contracted with Old Ben as a supplier (Figure14) to diversify as others did before him.
Frank Gucker retired in 1952.[62] After his retirement, Glenn Hughes and his wife, Anna Margaret Gucker (Frank and Inez’s daughter), leased the coal business.[63]
The Hughes’ Take Over and The End of the Period of Significance
The Hughes’ took out an ad in the same 1952 issue that discussed Gucker’s retirement to announce they had assumed daily operations and were keeping the Gucker Coal Company name. Due to the decline in the coal industry for several reasons, particularly in the Marceline area, the Hughes expanded the company to include Phillips 66[64] fuel oil and gas almost exclusively. The coal they did supply was Bee-Veer coal.[65] Because the Hughes switched to a focus on supplying a different fossil fuel primarily, the end of the POS is 1952, when they purchased the property, that happens to coincide with Gucker’s retirement. The Hughes’ continued running the coal company into the 1960s, well beyond the Period of Significance (1924-1952).
The Marceline Mercantile & Supply Company property extant remnant of the coal supply company—or of any part of the coal industry—in Marceline and Marceline Township.
While the coal companies that occupied this office (Marceline Mercantile & Supply Company, Randolph Coal Company and Gucker Coal Company) had local competition, the building and its property ultimately survived until now, outlasting all its competitors. No known remnants of other suppliers exist, making this property the last extant remnant of this aspect of the Marceline-area coal industry.
During its time in operation, the companies in it supplied both locally mined and imported coal to the city and township and to residents (domestic use). When the coal mines in the area began to shut down, the final owners during the POS pivoted and supplied out-of-town coal too to meet the demands of the area.
While one other coal supply companies existed (Landreth, Hier, Home (supplied straight from mine), and Chariton) at the same time during the POS (1924-1952) and some updates to the building, the removal of the outhouse, the filling-in of the external scales, the removal of the temporary wood coal bins, and some landscaping, the nominated property has survived with its integrity largely intact.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] “History of Mining.” Missouri DNR. Accessed 18 September 2023. https://dnr.mo.gov/land-
geology/mining-land-reclamation/history-mining.
[2] Compendium of History and Biography of Linn County, Missouri. 1912. Archive.org. Accessed
21 September 2023. https://archive.org/stream/compendiumofhist00chic/ compendiumofhist00chic_djvu.txt.
[3] Untitled. The Marceline Mirror, 19 Dec 19, 1889.
[4] Compendium.
[5] Compendium.
[6] “Coal Mining in Linn County.” Rootsweb. Accessed 19 September 2023.
https://mogenweb.org/adair/www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/_molinn/coalmine.html.
[7] Compendium.
[8] Untitled. The Marceline Mirror, 11 March 1892 and “The Early History of Marceline.” The Marceline News,
7 November 1930.
[9] “Mine No. 1 Shuts Down.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 21 May 1915.
[10] “Marceline’s Coal Mines: Inspectors’ Annual Report.” The Marceline Mirror, 21 February 1908.
[11] Untitled. The Marceline Mirror, 13 January 1899.
[12] See Figure 11 for photo of this mine.
[13] “New Mine Ready for Work.” The Marceline Mirror, 17 November 1905.
[14] “Mine No. 2 to Make Big Increase in Force.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 21 April 1916.
[15] “City Council Let’s Coal Contract.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 5 March 1926.
[16] “J.H. Hemmings Buys Company Store.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 2 November 1923 and
“Mine No. 2 Closed Down Temporarily.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 20 April 1923.
[17] “Marceline’s Coal Mines.”
[18] “Marceline Coal Mines.”
[19] Ibid.
[20] Heir Coal Ad. The Marceline News, 22 June 1906.
[21] “Marceline Coal Mines.”
[22] Landreth Coal Mine. RootsWeb. Accessed 22 September 2023.
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sturnbo/folklore/files/landreth/coalmine.htm.
[23] Untitled. The Marceline Mirror, 27 August 1891.
[24] “Marceline’s Coal Mines.”
[25] Compendium.
[26] “Marceline’s Coal Mines.”
[27] “A $10,000 Fire at The Landreth Mine.” The Marceline News and the Bucklin Herald, 20 July 1934. This
information is the same given in The Magic City, Marceline, Missouri: Diamond Jubilee Celebration, June 29, to July 4, 1963. Walsworth Pub., 1963.
[28] “Fire at Landreth Mine.” The Marceline News and The Bucklin Herald, 31 July 1942.
[29] “Struck a 30 Inch Vein of Soft Coal.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 26 August 1921.
[30] “Open the Old Mullen Coal Mine.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 1 October 1920. This is the first and last
mention of this mine in the newspapers.
[31] “Industrial Survey of This City is Being Made.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 25 March 1927.
[32] See Figures 7-9.
[33] The city minutes for December 1910 show Marceline Coal and Mining Co. supplying “one Car coal” to the city
for $109.90. “City Council Minutes.” December 1910.
[34] Lewis, Michelle. Personal Interview. 27 July 2023.
[35] “Stephen Landreth Funeral Services Held Monday.” The Marceline News and Bucklin Herald, 10 May 1962.
[36] Ads for S.A. Landreth Coal Company give no indication the coal is local despite being the operated of the Chariton County mine. Given the proximately of the mine to surrounding local areas, its most reasonable that it was moved by truck.
[37] Chariton Coal Co. Ad. The Marceline News and Bucklin Herald, 13 December 1940.
[38] “Joseph Hemmings Sold the First Lot.” The Marceline News, 14 June 1935.
[39] According to the 13 April 1909 City Council minutes, Hemmings’ mercantile company at one point supplied the
city with coal, presumably from the mines for which he was superintendent. At this time, have as paid $5.25. “City Council Minutes.” 13 April 1909.
[40] “Council Grants Building Permits.” The Marceline Herald, 20 June 1924. Rich Hoon, Marceline City Manager,
indicated that the city had no formal zoning laws until 1980. All records prior that, therefore, are inconsistent. Most records are missing due to no formal laws. 13 December 2023.
[41] “BBuilding [sic] New Office.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 11 July 1924.
[42] There is a discrepancy here. County records do not show Randolph ever owning the property yet county records
show him selling it to Gucker.
[43] A “trustee” is an individual put in charge of the assets of a failing business, not someone who has several failed businesses.
[44] “W.J. Randolph Buys Coal Office.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 8 January 1926.
[45] “Marceline Locals.” The Marceline Journal, 6 January 1898.
[46] “’Old Timers’ Here Still in Business.” The Marceline News, 14 June 1935.
[47] “To the Public.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 17 September 1926.
[48] “Notice.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 7 September 1928. As noted before, records in Marceline are
inconsistent at best. The length of this relationship is unknown and out of the scope of this nominations focus.
[49] More research is needed to determine when Randolph changed the name of his company.
[50] Marceline Township includes the City of Marceline and a great deal of the surrounding city. Thus, Randolph supplied all the municipal needs for the area, not just the city.
[51] “Annual Township Statement.” The Marceline News and The Bucklin Herald, 7 April 1939.
[52] “City Will Buy Home Mined Coal.” The Marceline Journal-Mirror, 22 March 1929. This is supported by the 4
November 1929 City Council minutes confirming the Home would be the sole supplier to the city.
[53] An ad in the 6 October 1939 edition of The Marceline News and The Bucklin Herald states this.
[54] “Annual Township Statement.”
[55] An ad in the 3 October 1941 edition of The Marceline News confirms the Randolph coal company was sold (Figure 12). The sale is also referenced in “Frank Gucker Has Decided to Rest.” The Marceline News and
The Bucklin Herald, 11 July 1952.
[56] Waddle, Tanjua. Recorder of Deeds, Linn County, Missouri, Interview. 2 December 2023.
[57] “Purchase Ad.” This is confirmed by his granddaughter Michelle and in “Rites Wednesday for Frank Gucker.”
The Marceline News and The Bucklin Herald, 19 December 1952.
[58] “A War Bond Auction Will Be Held Here Night of June 16.” The Marceline News, 8 June 1945.
[59] His logs do not specify what the railroad and others used the coal for, just that they purchased directly from him.
[60] “Annual Financial Statement.” The Marceline News and the Bucklin Herald, 6 April 1945.
[61] Lewis and the records indicate this is a true statement.
[62] “Frank Gucker.”
[63] “Lease Gucker Coal Business.” The Marceline News and The Bucklin Herald, 18 July 1952.
[64] “The Hughes Oil Company Operated by Anna and Glenn Hughes.” The Marceline News and the Bucklin Herald.
27 June 1963. An ad in the 14 May 1959 edition of the same newspaper shows the name had been changed by at least 1959.
[65] This information comes from the synthesis of various company ads.
[66] All Marceline area mines did direct sales to customers, often cutting out the middleman completely. Since they
too were suppliers, the term “coal industry” has been used to include all suppliers, regardless of whether they mined too. Additionally, the scope of this research was focused on Marceline and its immediate surroundings.
