History of

1889-1904 1904-1910 1920's 1930's 1940's 1950' 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's

1872	note: during time brick typically made 'on site' of construction John Wesley Heller makes brick to build home 1-1/2 miles south of Brownstown.

1879	Farmer John Wesley Heller said to have started making brick from his home and selling them.

1903	Will Hughes (is in Brownstown) from Medora. He has with him a fine pressed brick made from clay taken from his father's place. It is rich in color and very hard. A company will probably erect a brick plant in Medora, as there is plenty of money to be made in the manufacture of this kind of brick - Jackson Co. Banner 18 March 1903

1904	Plenty of brick now on hand at the Brownstown Brick and Tile Co's yards. Jackson Co. Banner 29 June 1904

July 1904	July 8, 1904 - formed stock co. July 15, 1904 - signed articles of incorporation

1904	The Medora Shale Brick Company, of Medora, was incorporated, with a captial of $30,000. The directors are: G.W. Jollman, C.V. Trautman, J.L. Hunsucker, John H. Sutton and William T. Branaman. The Indianapolis News 21 July 1904

Aug. 2, 1904 8:00am	Incorporation recorded and officially organized as "Medora Shale Brick Company"

1908	Articles of Incorporation filed with Sec. of State show directors: N.V. Trautman, J.L. Hunsucker, C.C. McMillan, H.M. Smith and D.M. Hughes. Indianapolis News 18 August 1908

1908	Neal Trautman and Howard Smith and others went to Crawfordsville last week to examine a brick plant and to acquaint themselves with such machinery before purchasing for their plant here. Jackson Co. Banner 26 August 1908.

1908	The brick plant company are installing their machinery and will soon be ready to make brick. Jackson Co. Banner 23 December 1908

1909	The B&O has put in a switch to the brick plant. Jackson Co. Banner 27 January 1909

1909	The brick plant is in operation now and doing splendid work. Jackson Co. Banner 24 February 1909

March 1909	The brick plant company are burning their first kiln of brick. Jackson Co. Banner 31 March 1909 (paving brick)

1909	The Jackson Brick & Tile Co. ... are preparing to double their present capacity by bulidning a new round kiln. It will be thirty feet in diameter with a capacity for 80,000 brick. ... With such an experienced brick manufacturer asThorton Heller as manager of the plant ....this bids fair to be one of the best industries of the kind in Southern Inidan within the next few years. Jackson Co. Banner 31 March 1909. (kiln completed in June 1909.)

1909	The Medora Brick Plant Co. are building some round kilns for the burning of brick. Jackson Co. Banner 5 May 1909

1909	The Tribune (Seymour) September 29, 1909 article headlined as Paving Brick Manufacturer by Company at Medora tells of the quality of the first batch of 65,000 paving bricks made at the Medora plant. Discussion of the potential for paving brick manufacturer given the only the Southern Indiana plant making paving brick is in Evansville.

1909	The brick plant company are building another large round furnace. Jackson Co. Banner 27 Oct. 1909.

1910	The brick plant is running a full blast. Have three round kilns for use. Jackson Co. Banner 26 January 1910