201 E. Allen Ave., Marion, Illinois

This home at 201 E. Allen Ave. in Marion, Illinois appears to have been built right at the turn of the century. One of its first, if not the first, occupant was Oliver J. Page. Oliver was an educator, author, editor, publisher, legislator and businessman. He and his family moved here from Metropolis, Illinois around 1902. He was active in the Marion newspaper business as well as state level politics.

Oliver and his family appear to have moved out around 1908 when their new home at 519 S. Market St. was built only a block away.

Between 1908 and 1920, I draw a blank on this home.

In 1922, the home was occupied by Robert L. Kingsland and his wife Meta. Robert who had just moved here from St. Louis, Missouri to work for Allen Motor Sales Co. located at 512 W. Main Street. By 1927, they had sold the home to Mark McAlpin and moved to 611 Pleasant Court.

Mark L. McAlpin and his family appear to be the longest inhabitants of the home.  They purchased the home in the mid 1920’s and occupied it until at least the 1970’s.

Mark was the son of Joseph McAlpin who operated McAlpin & Company, a grocery and meat store located at 111 S. Market Street. Mark was born May 16, 1970 and grew up at 1010 N. Monroe St. He and his wife Eliza occupied the home with one son named Joseph who was born around 1925.

In the 1930 census, Mark, who was then 32, valued the home at $7,000. He was still working the family grocery business. His wife Eliza was 27 and their son Joseph was 5. The McAlpin’s had a live in servant name Ida Dettmer, aged 19.

The 1930 depression put an end to the family grocery business. In the 1940 census, Joseph has become an office worker and the home is now only valued at $3,000.

Mark’s wife Eliza passed away on November 17, 1957 but Mark remained in the home until his death on December 14, 1970.

The home is listed as vacant in the 1985 directory and by 1990 is occupied by Richard Dial.

As of this writing in February 2013, the home is on the market for sale. It has four bedrooms, two baths, 2, 850 square feet and sits on a lot that is .33 acre.

(Data from 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; Federal Census Records; Marion City Directories: Ancestry.com; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 02/19/2013)

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