Davis, Thomas 1840-1910, Marion Alderman, Civil War Veteran, Davis Livery Stable

Thomas Davis, Marion Alderman, merchant and Civil War veteran, was born September 18, 1840, the son of Oliver H. Davis (1805-1885) and Rebecca Ann Baker (1809-1885). Oliver Davis came from Tennessee to Illinois about 1828 with his wife and baby daughter Jane.  His wife and daughter rode on a horse, and he walked by their side.  He settled on the bank of Crab Orchard Creek in what is now Williamson County Illinois, about 1/2 mile East of Pittsburg, Illinois. Continue reading

Davis, William M. 1841-1929, Confederate Soldier

W. Mart Davis, Civil War Vet, Died Tuesday

Was Resident of Community for Seventy Five Years

Death at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday closed the long and interesting life of Uncle Mart Davis, one of Marion’s oldest and most beloved citizens. He was 88 years, four months and eight days of age. For several months his health had been poor, and it was realized that he could not live much longer. He passed away at his home at 412 E. College Street.

William Martin Davis was born on May 9th, 1841, in Knox County, Tennessee, near Knoxville and moved to Illinois with his parents, William and Elizabeth Ann Hunter Davis at the age of 14, but returned to Tennessee later and at the age of 20 years joined the 15th Tennessee Volunteer Regiment, Company G, under H.B. Cunningham of this city on June 5, 1861. Continue reading

Robertson, Martin W. 1839-1906, Merchant and Trustee, 403 E. Main St.

Martin Wiley Robertson, Marion Trustee and merchant, was the son of Henry Robertson (1775-1845) of Nashville Tennessee and Mary Spiller (1798-1853) of Virginia by way of Tennessee. Mother, Mary, was the daughter of William Spiller and Winifred Benson.

Martin’s father, Henry Robertson, came to this part of Illinois, about 1818, returned to Tennessee, then came back in 1823, and settled three and a half miles northwest of Marion, filing his first land claim in 1836, where he farmed successfully until his death in 1845. Henry bought one of the original lots in Marion when the land for the town went up for sale. Continue reading

Calvert, Jerome B. 1846-1904, City Attorney, Calvert Law Firm

Jerome Bonaparte Calvert, Marion lawyer and city attorney, was born on October 12, 1846 in Williamson County, Illinois, the son of Napolean “Bone” Bonaparte (1822-1882) and Sarah Reynolds  (1823-xxxx ) Calvert.

His father, Napoleon B. Calvert, was the son of John N. Calvert who traveled from Alabama to Massac and later to Pope and Williamson County.  In 1845 he was one of the first elders when a Presbyterian Church was organized in Marion. Continue reading