Pork was free for a few minutes on the Public Square of Marion, Illinois, as George G. Champ, Marion farmer, kept his promise to give away 18 little pigs which he said he could no longer feed because of the government’s corn freeze order. One police chief and 17 youngsters, each with a pig in a sack, were the lucky ones in a crowd of 500 to get a shoat (a young, weaned pig) apiece. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: December 2013
When 48 year old, divorcee and mother of two, Virginia Barbaro, failed to show up for work at Tony’s Steak House on Friday, August 17th, 1973, her friends went looking for her. She was discovered to have been murdered at some time in the early hours of that day in her apartment located over Boatright’s Electronics on the public square. Suspicion shifted quickly to an ex-boyfriend, 43 year old, disabled coal miner Boyd Moore, who lived in Christopher. Moore’s body was found that same afternoon not far from his home, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Located near his body was a suicide note confessing to the death of Mrs. Barbaro. Continue reading
Of the many notable characters who have lived in Marion, Anderson P. Corder, could certainly be claimed as one of them. Notes taken from the Nannie Gray Parks files at the Williamson County Historical Society says of him, “Many stories are told about Anderson P. Corder; John Gray and Carey E. Wiley knew him well. They said he was a very tall man and dressed well. He wore a “Stove Pipe” hat, a Prince Albert coat with a fancy vest draped with a large gold watch chain. He was considered a wit and smart in a way. Continue reading
During our recent ramble in the field of medical science we have thought now and then of Dr. G.J. Baker, the family doctor of our youth, and his wonderful pocket knife.
“Doc Griff” Baker, who delivered all three of the Felts boys and wrestled them through most of the diseases of childhood plus a siege of typhoid, was Mother’s first cousin. Day or night, rain or shine, he came on foot, carrying a little black bag in his hand and wearing a leather medicine case slung by a strap from his shoulder. Once he arrived everybody felt better. Continue reading
When Sarah Goodall died, her funeral card read: Sarah A. Scates, wife of John Goodall. Born in Virginia August 1, 1825. Died in Marion, April 26, 1897. Aged seventy one Years, eight months, twenty five days. Funeral at the Christian Church, Tuesday, April Twenty-Seventh at One o’clock. Interment at New Cemetery (Old Rose Hill Cemetery).
Not many words for a woman who had traveled twice in ten years from Virginia to Williamson County, Illinois, both times as a new bride. Continue reading