General Policy Statement

Anna Quarries, Inc. is one of the oldest continuous businesses in Southern Illinois. It was established in 1855 and has undergone many owner and name changes. The quarry has always been an important part of Anna's community, contributing to the economy of the area (Bicknell 34). The limestone is a very high quality and meets state quality specifications. Anna Quarries, Inc. is able to extract material from several benches allowing us a great deal of flexibility for various quality requirements.

History

In 1855, E.H. Finch settled in Anna and joined into partnership with his friend Cyrus Schick, who owned Ullin Quarry. Together, they began digging stone at the north end of the present quarry, an area now taken over by mosses and brush. Along with the quarry, Finch and Schick acquired 160 acres of land and opened a dairy farm on the property (Bicknell 35).

Finch and Schick began quarrying to provide lime for their neighbors' agricultural needs. They built kilns at the spot for burning the limestone. Eventually, they set up a crushing machine, but the rock continued to be loaded on carts by hand and pulled out of the pit by mules. In 1879, Finch and Schick were producing five hundred bushels of burned lime a day. The quarry employed fifteen men (Parks III, 1168).

After the death of Finch and Schick, Robert Burns Stinson, a relative of Schick, bought the quarry and farm from the men's descendants (Parks II, 615). Stinson was one of the community's largest contributors to educational and charitable funds. He died in 1903, leaving his entire estate, including the quarry to the people of Anna (News and Views 1).

In 1905, fulfilling the request of Stinson's will, the quarry was sold to Swan Creek Phosphate Company of St. Louis. Within the next ten years, it was operated by Peabody Coal Company of Chicago, C.F. Massey Company of St. Louis, and Central Illinois Public Service Company (Bicknell 35).

Ownership

• Lonnie Dunn, Blaster of the Year 2002

  1855 - Anna Quarry was started by E.H. Finch and Cyrus Schick. During the years following their deaths, the children and grandchildren of the two men inherited the quarry and farm. A relative of Cyrus Schick, Robert Burns Stinson, eventually bought the quarry and farm from the descendants of Finch and Schick.
• 1903 - Robert Burns Stinson died leaving his entire estate, including the quarry, to the people of Anna, with which to build a public library.
• 1905 - The city fathers, in order to fulfill the request of the will, sold the quarry to Swan Creek Phosphate Company of St. Louis, Missouri.
• 1910 - Swan Creek Phosphate Company sold the quarry to Peabody Coal Company of Chicago, Illinois.
• 1913 - Peabody Coal Company sold the quarry to C.F. Massey Company of St. Louis, Missouri. C.F. Massey Company operated the quarry for an undetermined period of time and then sold it to Central Illinois Public Service Company.
• 1921 - G. ll. Rippetoe, an employee of Central Illinois Public Service Company, resigned from CIPS and bought the quarry. After the purchase of the quarry, Mr. Rippetoe organized a stock company, bought the entire property and renamed the quarry Anna Stone Company. At this time, the quarry production was approximately 500 tons per day.
• 1929-1930 - In late 1929 or early 1930, Rippetoe resigned from the holding company and sold out his interest in the quarry to the other members of the firm.
• 1936 - Mr. Rippetoe repurchased the quarry and reorganized the company. At that time the quarry took on the name of Anna Quarries, Inc.
• 1960 - Midwest Stone Company started a quarry next to Anna Quarries, Inc. and in 1964 bought out Anna Quarries, Inc. The two owners of Midwest Stone Company were Henry Barkhausen and Holbert Heal.
• 1969 - The quarry continued to operate as Midwest Stone Company and in December 1969 was sold to E. T. Simonds and H.H. "Sam" Barter. Mr. Simonds and Mr. Barter then continued to operate the quarry as Midwest Stone Company until 1971 when the name was changed back to Anna Quarries, Inc. Mr. Simonds died in 1989 leaving his part of the ownership to his family. The Simonds family continued in business with Mr. Barter until November 1992.
• 1992 - The Simonds family purchased Mr. Barter's interest in the quarry and now operates it as sole owners. At the present time, Anna Quarries, Inc. and four sister companies comprise Simonds Group, Ltd.