A bit of town history gifted to Coal City

During his final meeting as mayor of Coal City, Terry Halliday was presented with a unique gift of historical significance. The Marketti brothers—Ron and Dean—arrived at the meeting carrying a wooden box with a glass lid. The contents inside a part of not only their family history, but that of the home town. At just the right time in the meeting, Ron and Dean stepped forward to present the box to the outgoing mayor. “Within this case we have some objects which are part of Coal City’s history,” Ron Marketti said. The contents included a hand gun and billy club belonging to their great-grandfather, Henry Facinelli. During the village of Coal City’s Centennial in 1981, local historian Dick Joyce research the community, going back into the town minutes. Ron said the Joyce, “found that Henry Facinelli was very active in our village affairs.” In 1896, Facinelli served as a trustee on the town board and in 1902 he was elected constable and became the village’s police chief one year later. The gun and billy club were utilized by Facinelli in his work with the town’s police force. Ron said the gun was handed down by his father, Marcus Marketti, and the billy club gifted to them by their aunt, Bertha McMillin. “Dean and I talked over this and felt these objects are part of Coal City’s history and we would like to permanently donate them to the village,” Ron said. Dean adding, “And to present them to you, because you have family history here and we do too. We want this to live on and we ask you to accept this on behalf of Coal City as a gift." With a wide smile on his face, the mayor reached out to accept the gift that also included a black and white photograph of Facinelli and a historical timeline. “Wow, wow this is awesome,” Halliday said looking down into the box that will be placed for public viewing inside the Village Hall meeting room. Just outside the meeting room is a wall featuring the photographs of the village’s former mayors and Marcus Marketti is among those who served the town. It was during their father’s four year term as mayor—1979-1983—that the village celebrated its 100th Anniversary and the depth of service provided by Facinelli was discovered. Contained within the box is also a business card bearing the name of Marcus Marketti, who along with serving as mayor, was a town commissioner and held the position of plumbing inspector for Coal City and Diamond well into his 80s. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 93. “Dean and Ron, thank you and thank you for all your family has done for the community,” Halliday said.