John Coulter

The French name of Grand Cote was given to the prairie in the northeastern part of the county. It was on this prairie that John Coulter settled in 1822. Around his place a small village grew up and for a time was known as Grand Cote. When the town was platted in 1850, the name of Coulterville was given to it. Like Chester, it carries the tradition of an exciting storm. In the spring of 1860 a milder tornado visited the town uproofing many buildings. Its most spectacular feat was the havoc wrought to the rail fences that the settlers had, at much labor, built on the open prairies. Miles of these fences were leveled to the ground and the rails scattered far and wide.