Silver Moon Restaurant
The Silver Moon Restaurant served train travelers from 1902 to 1915. It was located at 701 W. College St. next to the old Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad track just south of the depot on the west side of the tracks. Pictured from left to right are Anna Cox, owner Thomas A. Elliott, and Josephine Evans. The restaurant was open day and night, and rooms were available upstairs. Over the years this location appears to have served as a residential home, dry goods store, restaurant, hotel and boarding house.
It appears from research that Thomas A. Elliott owned the lots from 701 to 707 W. College Street prior to 1900. The Elliott family was living at 701 in the 1900 and 1910 censuses.
Thomas and his wife Elizabeth Jane had nine children but over time lost two of them to death. In 1910 the Elliott family at 701 consisted of Thomas A. Elliott 55, his wife Elizabeth 53 with two widowed daughters Lilly 30 and Mary 28. They also had a son by the name of Ivan Green 24, a teamster and a young daughter Josephine 14. They were renting the home at 707 to Charles F. and Anna Cox, one of the women shown in the photo.
In 1920, the Elliott family was occupying 707 W. College and 701 W. College was rented out to John Ice who housed his three children, widowed mother Sarah and five boarders. A home at 705 W. College was being rented to Earl and Josephine Evans, the other lady shown in picture. Thomas had returned to farming and his son Green was a chauffeur. By 1922, 701 was listed as the Star Hotel where Green Elliott was then living.
In 1925, Thomas Elliott died at age 70 and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery. 701 W. College became the property of his son Green which became his residence. His mother was still living at 707 W. College. Between 1927 and 1928 Elizabeth temporarily moved from 707 into her son’s home at 701.
In the 1930 census, Green and his new wife Elsie were residing at 701 and running a restaurant there. He valued the property at $1500. His mother Elizabeth had returned to the 707 address and claims its value at $1200. The home at 705 was still being occupied by Earl and Josephine Evans but now they own it and value it at $2200.
On November 18, 1936 Green Elliott died at age 51 and was buried at Rose Hill cemetery.
It is believed that the home later burned and was demolished.
(Data from 1995 Marion Daily Republican History Edition, Federal Census Records, Marion City Cemetery Records, City Directories; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 01/21/2013)