Wilbur A. McNeill was a successful businessman in the coal mining industry. Born in 1843, McNeill gained his early education at Sandstone Seminary until 1861, when McNeill enlisted in the Fourth Illinois Cavalry to fight the Confederacy. McNeill…
African-Americans played a very serious role in Mahaska County, Iowa history. From its early inception, African-Americans have participated in major events that determined the prosperity of the county. When Mahaska County was a major coal extractor…
Beacon, once known as the town of Enterprise, did not fully switch its name over until 1874. Beacon's success revolved around its coal mining connection and proximity to the railroad lines. Before Oskaloosa established a railroad line through its…
