The original land grant from the United States of America to Elijah N. Spiller was on July 1, 1841 signed by President John Tyler. Then on October 25, 1849 a parcel containing 61 acres plus was transferred to James P. Thorne. At his death in 1852 this land was left to Sarah Thorne and Virginia A. Thorne, wife and daughter. Later Virginia A. Thorne, daughter, married Samuel W. Dunaway.
On July 5, 1906 Virginia A. Thorne Dunaway, widow of Samuel W. Dunaway, deceased, transferred the land to James C. Mitchell. The land was then surveyed and platted and dedicated as “Thorne Place,” to the city of Marion, Illinois by J.C. Mitchell and Julia A. Mitchell, his wife. This plat of Thorne Place was accepted by the Marion City Council, C.H. Dennison, mayor on July 30, 1906. Specifically Lot 1 and 2 Block 7 Thorne (601 East Thorne) was transferred by J.C. Mitchell and his wife Julia A. Mitchell to Hosea V. Ferrell, Leon A. Colp and Paul R. Colp on September 29,1906.
On December 10,1906 James A. Rose, Secretary of State of Illinois certified the organization of “Thorne Place Club” as a legally organized corporation of the State of Illinois. Hosea V. Ferrell, Leon A. Colp, and Paul R. Colp transferred Lots 1 and 2 Block 7 Thorne Place to the Thorne Place Club on January 1, 1907. Thorne Place Club consisted of five men – Hosea V. Ferrell, Leon A. Colp, Paul R. Colp, Dr. Dausa D. Hartwell, and Frank Powell. On January 1, 1907 the Thorne Place Club voted to mortgage the property. The club negotiated and issued “First Mortgage Gold Bonds” in the amount of $6,000 payable at the First National Bank of Marion, Illinois. The rate of interest on the bonds was 6%.
Leon A. Colp was President of Thorne Place Club and Hosea V. Ferrell, Secretary at the time. The building located at 601 East Thorne Street was then constructed in 1907 and used as a social club and residence by the five men owning the club. Sometime later Dr. Dausa D. Hartwell became President of Thorne Place Club and Rita D. Hartwell, Secretary. Dr. Hartwell used the building as a hospital from about 1915 to 1920. It was then called the Marion Hospital.
On February 2, 1920 the Thorne Place Club, D.D. Hartwell, President and Rita D. Hartwell, Secretary sold the property to O.A. Morgan. On April 5, 1922, O.A. Morgan and Addie Morgan, his wife, sold the property to F.E. Parks, a Marion druggist. On July 30, 1957 the property again was sold by Pearl Parks, widow of F.E. Parks, to Harold and Geneva Chase.
Note: This building is referenced in Historical Architecture of Marion
(This history appears to have been written around 1980 for the Marion Daily Republican in conjunction with an historic home tour; archived at the Williamson County Historical Society)