HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      165

known as “Ben Davis.” It was the fancy of the founders of the place
to honor and perpetuate the memory of their friend Davis in the naming,
by simply and befittingly combining the abridged fore part of his name
with “wood”—Benwood.
    During the time of the operation of the Vandalia switch from
Knightsville out to the mines thereabout, Benwood did considerable busi-
ness. The first merchant was A. P. Hand, succeeded by F. M. Sigler,
Harry Hice, John Murphy, John M. Marks, M. H. Johnson & Co. The
growth of the place during the period of its prosperity so developed in
school population as to necessitate the building of a two-story house with
four apartments. Benwood had a postoffice for a year or more at some
time under the Arthur administration, which, when discontinued, was
merged into the Cardonia office. John Evans was the only postmaster.
There has been no merchandising done here since the loss of the M. H.
Johnson & Co. business by fire.

                            COALMONT.
    Coalmont, a town and postoffice in the southwest corner of the
county, in Lewis township, on the Southern Indiana Railroad, founded
by John R. Walsh, in the year 1900, so named from its being in the coal
belt and from the comparative elevation of the site, of which the altitude
is perhaps the greatest of that of any point on the line of this railroad
between Terre Haute and Bedford. The original town plat comprised
twenty acres of the former Uriah Coulson farm, to which have since been
platted Coulson’s 1st and 2d additions and Neal’s addition. The first
buildings on the plat were erected by John W. Kester and Oscar Briley,
at practically the same time, Kester engaging in merchandising and Briley
in the saloon traffic, who named his place “The Belmont,” from which
the impression was made, at that time, that this was to be the name of
the future town and postoffice. This office dates from April 1, 1901,
Miss Julia Kester first postmaster, succeeded by William Sargent, who
was followed by S. F. Auld (present incumbent). It was made a money
order office, October 1, The first carload of freight shipped to this
place was a lot of building stone, consigned to John W. Kester.
    There have been three practicing physicians here: J. W. Davis, H.
H. Ward, W. D. Asbury.
    The United Brethren and Missionary Baptists maintain churches
here, the former having built and dedicated their house of worship in
the year 1903, the latter, in 1906-7, dedicated October 12, of the latter
year, by Rev. Hemans, of the First Baptist church, Terre Haute, when
$500 was contributed in liquidation of indebtedness.
    The merchants and dealers of the place from the time of its found-
ing to the present have been: John W. Kester, J. E. Kitchell, Thomas
Mitchell, T. H. Cochran, Goble & Crist, — Sinclair, S. F. Auld, Asbury
Drug Co., Miller Drug Co., William Carlisle, Elihu Puckett, William
Heady, Jeffers & Sears, Griffith & Compton, C. D. Pierson Lumber Co.
The original fiouring mill, Griffith & Compton, proprietors, was destroyed
by fire in 1907, Compton rebuilding the present mill in 1908.
    The coal mining industry in the immediate vicinity of this place has
been operated by the Big Vein Mining Company, the United Fourth
Vein Mining Company, the Green Valley, Golden Knob and Alum Cave
shafts, of which the last two are not now running. There are also two
mines of less capacity, from which the product is wagoned, operated,
respectively, by Gordon and Bolt, proprietors.