HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                              9

engaged in clerking for Robert Wingate. with whom he continued for
some time and then bought out the business of his employer. For a num-
ber of years thereafter he conducted the store, but in 1873 turned his
attention to the development of the rich coal deposits of this part of the
state. He began mining coal, and sunk one of the first shafts here and
opened what was known as the Briar Hill mine. For twenty years or
more he carried on mining operations and in this business was very
successful, after which he turned his attention to farming. In 1884 he
entered the banking business, though at that time banking in Brazil
was a difficult problem. He from the start had, as in former years, and
in fact throughout all his life, the absolute confidence of the people, and
made the banking business a success, as in fact he had all enterprises to
which he gave his support. In 1900 he retired and enjoyed in well
earned ease the fruits of his former toil until he was called to his final
rest, July 29, 1904. For a long period his political allegiance was given
to the Democracy, but during the last twenty years of his life he voted
with the Prohibition party, being a stalwart advocate of its principles.
He was strongly in sympathy with the temperance cause, and his influ-
ence was ever found on the side of right, justice, truth and improvement.
He belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, and his daily conduct
was an exemplification of his religious faith. His wife was born in
Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of May, 1842, and died
December 30. 1890. They were married in Jackson township, this county,
June 4, 1859. and their children, four in number, were: William M.,
whose name introduces this record; Clem M. ; Charles H.; and Minnie
E., the wife of William J. Snyder.
    William M. Zeller in his boyhood clays attended the public schools
and received his business training through the assistance which he ren-
dered his father in carrying on the store at Harmony. When twenty-
five years of age he became connected with coal-mining interests, and
has since been connected with this business, which is one of the most
important resources of Clay county. He is now president of the Zeller-
McClellan Coal Company, which ships its output to all parts of the coun-
try, especially through Indiana, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. The
company mines the lower vein Brazil block coal, which is unsurpassed and
almost unequalled in the entire Mississippi valley. Mr. Zeller is also
president of the American Coal & Mining Company, and extending his
activities to other fields, has become the president of the Brazil Clay
Company and also of the Citizens’ National Bank, of which he has been
president since the organization, May 15, 1907. This corporation is
capitalized at one hundred thousand dollars.
    Mr. Zeller was married September 22, 1887, to Miss Mary M. Herr,
who was born in Greencastle, Indiana, January 22, 1866. a daughter of
Simon and Drusilla (Hurd) Herr. Her father was born in Washington,
Pennsylvania, January 9, 1838, and in 1870 arrived in Brazil, where for
two years he engaged in merchandising as a dealer in shoes. Since that
time he has been engaged in the drug business, and is one of the well
known and representative merchants of the city. His wife, who was
born in the state of New York in 1835, died in 1870.
    Unto Mr. and Mrs. Zeller have been born five sons: John Herr,
Simon, Lawrence Willard, William McClellan and Richard Douglas. The
parents arc identified through membership relations with the Methodist
Episcopal church, and Mr. Zeller belongs to Central lodge, No. 541,