Category Archives: County

Williamson County Related

1877, News Clippings, January thru June

Posted on by January 30, 2017

1877, News Clippings, January thru June

See also, 1877, News Clippings, July thru December

____________________   January, 1877  ______________________

4 Jan – The Governor denied pardon for Sam Music. MM

We learn from W.M. Wilhelms that scarlet fever is raging in Vienna. John Hartly lost 3 children last week (only ones he had.) KM

8 or 10 years ago a man and wife in company with a young woman made an appearance in Spring settlement, a few miles west of this place … stopped at residence of Mr. Stanfield and remained for some time … went to DuQuoin where the young woman gave birth to a child…the couple returned to the settlement with the child and made arrangements with a man named “Check” Overturf to keep it until called for Continue reading →

Williamson County Historical Points of Interest

Posted on by March 16, 2014

I have been doing double duty by adding to this site as well as rebuilding a new permanent website for the Williamson County Historical Society. One of the history pages that I have been working on is a compilation of all of the cities, villages, ghost towns, post offices and various historical points of interest within the county. Keep checking on this link to the county website as it will be filling out over time.

Williamson County Historical Points of Interest

Williamson County Museum

Posted on by March 16, 2014

The old county jail at 105 S. Van Buren Street in Marion was built in 1913 and served 16 sheriff’s terms and housed most of their families. When a new county jail was built and occupied in the early 1970’s the old jail was handed over to the Williamson County Historical Society for safe keeping. It has since been converted into a county museum and genealogical/historical research library. The following link will bring up a description of the museum with some photos. If you haven’t been to the museum, you should make it a point to take your family, most of the possessions on display came from old Williamson County pioneer families.

The Williamson County Museum

Hartwell, Joseph W. 1839-1903, Marion Mayor & Civil War Veteran

Posted on by July 5, 2017

Joseph W. Hartwell 1839-1903
Joseph W. Hartwell 1839-1903
Joseph W. Hartwell 1839-1903

Marion, Illinois became an incorporated city in 1874 with a mayoral system of government.   Joseph W. Hartwell became the first mayor elected to the town in 1874.  Later he served in several positions in the city and county government:  County Treasurer, 1865; Circuit Clerk 1868-1872; and States Attorney 1875-1880.  In a special election for states attorney in June 1875, he was “an able young lawyer and a man of courage.” He was elected to the vacancy left by State’ Attorney, J. D. F.  Jennings, who had left the county after embezzling $927 from the school fund and was the father of Al Jennings, Joseph W. was then elected to a full term. He also served on the state Board of Equalization in Springfield and U. S. Special Pension Examiner in Fulton, Kentucky. Continue reading →

Whitcomb, Charles H. 1890-1969, Mayor & County Commissioner

Posted on by May 30, 2018

Whitcomb, Herb 1967Charles Herbert “Herb” Whitcomb, mayor of Marion from 1931-1935 during the heart of the depression and two term County Commissioner, was born April 22, 1890 in Paducah, Kentucky to Charles Herbert Whitcomb, Sr. (1860-1896) and Mary Elizabeth Stanley (1863-1932). Continue reading →