This impressive Princess Anne style home at 903 N. Market Street sits on the northeast corner of Market and Boulevard. It was originally built in the spring of 1898 for Andrew J. Binkley and his wife Josephine by George F. Barber & Company of Knoxville, Tennessee, Architects, Contractors and Builders. The original grounds were 160 feet of frontage and 285 feet front to back. The tract of land was part of Joab Goodall’s addition which was platted in 1895.

Andrew Jackson Binkley was born and raised in Marion, Illinois. He was the son of George W. Binkley (1831-1911) and Hannah (Lowe) Binkley (1837-1909). Andrew was born on May 21, 1861 and married Josephine Scurlock in 1884. Josephine was the daughter of Allen B. and Jane Scurlock. They never had any children of their own.

Andrew got started in retail merchandise and in 1890 formed a partnership with J.M. Burkhart to operate Burkhart & Binkley Dry Goods in Marion at 600 Public Square. The partnership lasted 13 years till July 21, 1903, after which Andrew started up a coal company called Binkley-Miles Coal Company with an office at 504 Public Square. By 1920 he had switched his career to the real estate business and followed that till his death on September 22, 1933.

Josephine Binkley continued living in the home and took in boarders to supplement the home until her death on December 16, 1956. Both are interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.

After Josephine’s death in 1956, the home was purchased and occupied by William E. Kirby and his wife Mary Jean. Mary Jean ran a beauty shop out of the home during their occupation in the 1960’s.

In the late 1960’s, the home ownership shifted to Robert Leon McDonald and his wife Yuba. Robert was a heavy equipment operator at the Amax’s Delta strip mines in 1975 or 1976 and during his occupancy was responsible for placing the huge sandstone that sits in the front yard. After Robert’s death in 1983, ownership shifted to his wife Yuba A. McDonald. Yuba A. lived in the home until her daughter, Yuba D. McDonald’s graduation from high school in 1988.

In 1988, the home was sold to attorney Robert A. Drew and his wife Joyce. Robert in those days maintained a law office at 400 W. Jackson Street in Marion.

As of this writing in March of 2013, the Drew family is still in possession of the home.

Note: This building is referenced in Historical Architecture of Marion .

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(Data from 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; Marion City Directories; Federal Census Records; Marion City Cemetery Records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 03/25/2013)