When Charles Boatright graduated from VTI (located in the old Ordill administration buildings) in May of 1958 and got married the following weekend, his direction wasn’t absolutely clear. He and his new bride drove to Cleveland, Ohio and applied for a job working in a factory. When that didn’t pan out he returned to Marion and went to work for Paul Gore who was operating an RCA dealership where Walt’s Pizza is now located. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: November 2013
Charles Wood Monroe was born on Sunday, Nov. 5, 1922, at home on South Future Street in Marion as the son of Charles Raymond and Ethel LaRue (Wood) Monroe.
Charles was educated in the Marion school system and graduated from high school with the class of 1940. After high school graduation Charles enrolled at Southern Illinois Normal University at Carbondale. The following year his high school sweetheart, Jacqueline Rott, the lady destined to be Mrs. Monroe, graduated from high school and also enrolled at SINU. Continue reading
The following article is an extract taken from the 1905 Souvenir History of Williamson County detailing the life of Judge James M. Washburn and is followed by collected data. Washburn was a Marion merchant, State Representative, Assistant Secretary of State, Master In Chancery, Attorney, member of the State Agriculture Board and one of the founders of the Egyptian Press newspaper. Continue reading
There are probably not many, if any, who remember the Hosea Wilson family of Marion and their contributions to the war effort during WW II.
Hosea Wilson was born in Marion in 1878, graduated from Marion High School and Southern Illinois Normal University. Hosea’s father, Allen Wilson served in the Civil War in the 31st Illinois Infantry. It should he added that O.M. Wilson of Marion was a brother of Hosea. O.M. Wilson had a son, Virgil, who later became the noted athletic coach at Marion High School. Continue reading
