William J. Aikman, was born in West Marion in 1854, and became one of the largest owners of Marion real estate during a long career which included farming, raising livestock and banking. For years he was vice-president of the Marion State and Savings Bank. For two decades he was a member of the Williamson County Fair Board and served part of that time as president. He served several terms on the school board, and was a leading member of the old M. E. Church, South.
The Aikman home has 12 rooms beginning with an entry hall 11 feet wide and extending 30 feet north from the front door which has the original cut glass panes.
Members of the Aikman family lived in the house until 1930 when it was acquired by the Lunde family. In 1938 it became the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Melvin but for eight years prior to its purchase by Wayland Sims in 1969 it stood vacant.
A show place which has all the attributes of a comfortable home was transformed by Sims from a substantially built and solid product of building craftsmanship which had been long vacant.
There are five bedrooms, three bathrooms, art gallery, music room, dining room, kitchen, family room and full basement. Several of the rooms have crystal ceiling chandeliers, and furnishings and decoration throughout the large house reflect the good taste and ingenuity of the owner who lived there with his mother, Mrs. Troy Sims. Beautiful antiques and a vast collection of pictures are seen throughout the house.
The transformation which had taken place inside the house was complemented by the change in appearance which had been accomplished by landscaping which added 50 shrubs and 12 trees to the lawn surrounding the main house and was accompanied by conversion of an original carriage house into an apartment.
In 2003 the home traded hands, this time to Laura Walstrom, then a month later was taken over by the Heartland Regional Medical Center for a doctor to occupy. Legend has it that the doctor’s wife believed the house to be haunted by ghosts, so the couple left the home.
The house stood vacant until purchased in March 2010 by Debbie Hayes who has since renovated the mansion, adding wheelchair accessible bathroom additions, three bathrooms for the bedroom suites, two commercial kitchens, a concrete patio and more.
The house has been renamed “Jasone’s” in memory of Debbie’s son Jason Rowcliffe who passed away December 24, 2002. Jason planned to attend Johnson & Wales Culinary Institute to become a Master Chef with the dream of opening his own 5-star restaurant.
Debbie’s business named Jasone’s Bed and Breakfast and Restaurant operates at 1414 W. Main Street in Marion, Illinois and is still active as of this writing in March 2013.
In August 2012, a gathering of the Aikman family was held at the old family home. The meeting was arranged by Vick Aikman, great grandson of William J. Aikman, and a family photo that was taken on the steps of the front porch 100 years ago was recreated by today’s descendants.
(Data from 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; 1989 Sesquicentennial History; www.jasones.com ; compiled by Sam Lattuca 03/22/2013)
Visit to Jasone’s on July 5, 2013
Debbie Hayes, owner of Jasone’s Bed and Breakfast, allowed me in on July 15, 2013 to take photos of the interior of the house that now serves as her home and business.
Debbie had been living in upstate New York as a finance manager and returned to Marion, Illinois with her parents in 2010. Her parents had originally lived here as well as her sister Vebbie who is married to Bruce Troutman.
Debbie said that the Aikman house presented itself to her and that is how she got started on her current business.
She has done considerable remodeling and restoration of the house since her arrival by updating the electrical, installing numerous bathrooms, modifying the house for business use and installing handicap accessible fixtures.
Debbie said that the location of what is now dining room 1 was originally the den for the home. What is now dining room 3 was the original dining room and dining room 2 was containment for the family’s cattle. The family chickens lived in the basement of the home.
She indicated that ex-owner Wayland Sims conveyed the story of two bullet holes in the beveled glass next to the front entry door. Sims told her the story was that a disgruntled housekeeper fired off some shots at Aikman in anger. Whether it’s true or not, it makes a good story.
(Taken from conversations with Debbie Hayes by Sam Lattuca on July 15, 2013)