Baker, Dr. Griffin J. 1870-1925, Baker and Baker

Mary Lee Baker 1929Dr. Griffin Jonathon Baker was born March 14, 1870, in Grassy Precinct, Williamson County, Illinois, among the spurs of the Ozarks.  He is the son of Dr. Alonzo P. Baker and Martha Jane Matheney, and nephew of his namesake, G.J. Baker. Sr., M.D. of Anna, Illinois.

He comes of a family of physicians of good reputation, and widely known for their professional skills. Very naturally he took to “the healing art” as a duck to water, and his education was intended to prepare him for that noble profession. Continue reading

Sanders, James W. 1923-1990, Sanders & Associates

James W Sanders 1923-1990Marion has had its share of heroes over the years. The subject of this work is World War II and how one of our local citizens answered the call.

We had a family here in Marion that sent four of its sons to the service and only one survived. In Williamson County we had two sons from Paulton that died in prisoner of war camps. We have other families that sent four and five of their sons to the effort. The first casualty of the war from Marion was a man who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan and he is still entombed in the Battleship Arizona. Continue reading

Illinois Ordnance Plant, Ordill

The handwriting must have been on the wall for U.S. involvement in World War II prior to 1939 when war broke out in Europe. News articles from 1938 noted our vulnerability in placing our air corps bases and armament stockpiles in coastal locations. In those times, Southern Illinois had 61 percent of the population on welfare, one of the highest in the nation and more people in this end of the state were out of work than those working. Continue reading