Shannon, William C. 1888-1976, Marion Mayor 1951-55

William Shannon 1888-1976William Clark Shannon, who held public office in Williamson County for more than a quarter of a century, including those of Marion Mayor, City Magistrate, County Sheriff and County Treasurer, was born in Cannon City, Colorado to Abraham and Mary Shannon on March 13, 1888.

William’s father, Abraham was a full blooded Irish coal miner who was born in Northern Ireland in 1861 and immigrated in 1876, at the age of 15 to America to work the mines. He became a citizen in 1884. William’s mother, Mary, was full blooded English, but was naturalized by the process of her parents becoming citizens. Continue reading

Notes on the Old Williamson County Jail

Williamson County Jail Post Card 1920'sThe following post was printed in Footprints, the quarterly publication of the Williamson County Historical Society. It notates historical background on the old Williamson County Jail that was in use from 1913 to 1972 and now houses the Historical Society. The article was titled “This Old House” and follows: 

This building that houses the Williamson County Historical Society has an interesting past. It was one of only five such buildings in the United States that combined the jail and sheriff’s quarters. As I look around at the beamed ceilings, pocket doors, leaded glass and other objects of beauty, I realize that this would have been elegant living in 1913. Continue reading