The Marion Development Co. was formed in 1913 by progressive Marion Business and professional men, and was the community’s Chamber of Commerce of that day. It continued until July, 1916 when World War I which had enveloped Europe was threatening to involve the United States, and preparedness in this country was taking first place in demands upon the public’s thinking and investment capital. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: December 2013
William Jackson Spiller was born at the old Spiller home north of Marion on October 4, 1833, when Williamson was a part of Franklin County. He was the son of Elijah Nicholson Spiller (1803-1867) and Elizabeth Powell (1810-xxxx), both representing prominent pioneer families in Illinois and was raised on a farm at Spillertown where he and his wife lived, worked and raised their family of fourteen children. Continue reading
Homer Lee Askew was born August 17, 1913 to Edward Eugene Askew (1882-1972) and Ava Narcissus Johnson (1887-1947) in Tunnel Hill, Johnson County, Illinois. Homer was only one of thirteen children belonging to the large farm family.
In the 1920 federal census, Homer was aged 6, living with his parental family on the family’s Tunnel Hill farmland. Siblings present in the home were Raymond Askew 14, Gomer Askew 12, Allen Askew 10, Beatrice Askew 8, George Askew 4, Mildred Askew 2 and Otto Askew, 8 months old. Continue reading
Over Two Million Dollars in Improvements For Marion and Vicinity Planned For 1954
Over two million dollars will be spent in Marion and vicinity during this year on new construction and the purchase of right–of-way for relocating of State Highway 13, according to figures compiled this week by the Marion Daily Republican. Continue reading
Senior Citizen’s Will Give Up Meeting Place
Today there are twelve unhappy “old men” for the Old Men’s Club, located at 104 East Main Street, was forced to close its doors and these men are now without a meeting place. The irony of the situation is that construction has just started on the Greenburg building on the east corner of the square, and the Old Men’s Club had a choice location for the “sidewalk” engineers to sit and watch the work progress. Continue reading