Author Archives: wcihs

Stewart, James H. 1827-1902, Marion Trustee & County Treasurer

Posted on by September 21, 2023

James Holiday Stewart, Marion trustee and Williamson County treasurer, was born on December 28, 1827 in the Northern Precinct of Williamson County, Illinois, the son of James S. Stewart (1773-1834) and Rachel Salina Roberts (1787-1875).  They lived just south of … Continue reading →

Hudgens, Robert L. 1866-1939, Marion Merchant & Alderman

Posted on by December 30, 2023

Hudgens Robert LRobert Lee Hudgens, Marion Merchant and city Alderman, was born in Williamson County on February 24, 1866. He was the son of Zachariah Hudgens and Mary Jane Cooksey, who had 14 children. Zachariah Hudgens was the founder of Hudgens, Illinois which used to be located next to the railroad tracks that cross Hudgens Road south of Marion but no longer exists. He also was a mill operator, merchant, Goreville banker and served as Williamson County Sheriff from 1872 to 1874.

In the 1870 census, Robert was 4 years old, living with his parents, brothers and sisters. They lived in what is today Southern Township in Williamson County, Illinois near Pulley’s Mill.  His father, Zach, was listed as a farmer.  Continue reading →

Allen, Robert M. 1840-1885, Marion Alderman & County Sheriff

Posted on by June 30, 2014

Robert M AllenRobert M. Allen, Marion Alderman and county sheriff, was born about 1840, the son of Willis Allen (1806-1859) and Elizabeth Joiner (1803-1862).

Robert’s father, Willis Allen, was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and worked as a farmer in Tennessee before moving to Franklin (now Williamson) County, Illinois in 1830. There he studied law and became a practicing attorney in Marion. Willis was elected sheriff of Franklin County in 1836 and served as the state representative in 1838. Continue reading →

Kern, Charles M. 1837-1906, Marion Trustee & Merchant, Young and Kern Dry Goods

Posted on by June 12, 2014

Charles Kern 1904Charles M. Kern of Marion was born in Monongalia County, West Virginia on July 18, 1837, the son of James and Mary Goosman Kern, natives of West Virginia, of German and French stock respectively.

In 1860 Charles was living in Monongalia County, West Virginia near Morgantown.  His parents, James and Mary Kern had five children at home: Charles, 23; Margaret, 21; Francis, 17; Caroline, 14 and George, 11.

Charles was reared in his native county, and was married and engaged in milling there.  In 1863 he went west, located at Marion, Illinois and engaged in mercantile pursuits.  Continue reading →

Early Marion Baseball Teams

Posted on by June 11, 2014

1908 Marion Baseball Team
1911 Marion Baseball Team

Little is recorded about the early Marion baseball clubs so I wanted to get this out there in hopes that someone may still have some knowledge of the early clubs. According to Bob Jackson, a huge baseball fan and Williamson County Historical Society president, the later teams were called “hard road clubs” and the competitions fell among city teams spread from Murphysboro to Harrisburg. Unfortunately, the first real hard road (old route 13) didn’t become a hard road (concrete) until 1922 and was only completed at the beginning of the Herrin Massacre times so I’m not sure if the term applies to these early teams or not. Continue reading →