Goodspeed’s history of Williamson County includes him as among the current merchants in 1894, prior to the history’s publication in 1895. Gent was listed as a grocer doing business as Davis & Gent and also as a livery operator. Flem Gent, as he was called, served as a Marion Alderman in 1891 and 1892.
On October 28, 1888 Charles Gent married Luella F. Simmons. Louella was born in Illinois in the same month and year as Charles. In 1889 they had their first child, a daughter by the name of Alma Gent. On January 28, 1891 they had a son by the name of Dennis S. Gent
Like father, like son, Charles Gent also served the City of Marion as Alderman in 1895, 1896, 1899, 1900 and 1901. I am certain that when Charles arrived in Marion that he was involved in business, I just haven’t discovered what his first enterprise was yet from a lack of information.
I know that Charles speculated in land and in the late 1890’s was organizing the Chicago and Marion Coal Company.
It is certain that he and his family were living on the second floor of the 900 block of the square in 1899. A fire report related to the F.M. Westbrook building on the square on Feb. 2, 1899 relates, “The flames soon enveloped the stairway and cut off that means of escape of the families of Dr. Casey and Chas. Gent, who lived in the second stories of the doomed buildings. These families were almost suffocated when they awoke and as they could not escape by way of the stairway, they were forced to let themselves down from the window. They all escaped without injury, but saved nothing except what they had on as clothing.”
In the 1900 census, Charles and Lou are both 35, Alma 10 and Dennis 9. Charles lists no occupation and they are renting their living space, location unknown. The following year in 1901, the couple purchased and occupied 306 E. College Street.
Around the year 1901, Charles, secured land in Lake Creek Township from Samuel Casey. Samuel had inherited his grandfather’s land from the maternal, Binkley side of the family. The land had originally been granted to his grandfather George W. Binkley in 1837.
After Gent bought the land from Casey he sank a mine shaft. The town that grew up around that mine was given the name White Ash, the trade name used for the coal mined there by the Chicago and Marion Coal Company, which Mr. Gent organized. In 1905, the village of White Ash was incorporated.
The Chicago & Marion Coal mine had a depth of 110 feet working an 8 ft. vein. It had a wooden tipple with a capacity 1500 tons and began operating in 1903.
In May of 1903, Gent organized the Marion Pressed Brick Plant, in which he was President, and the same year he purchased a home from Otis Williams on E. College St. It is unknown whether he occupied it or purchased it for an investment.
On January 6, 1902 the couple has a third and last child, a daughter named Mary Louise Gent.
In September of 1903, Gent used his capital to help start up the Marion Steam Marble Works, a business specializing in granite and marble monuments. Gent served as its President initially, but by the end of 1904, William O. Potter, by a late purchase of the stock of the Marion Steam Marble Works, held by Charles A. Gent, became sole owner and manager of the plant serving as their superintendent and general manager for a period.
In this same time frame, John Colp was eyeing land east of Marion for development as an industrial village. The village that was surveyed in June of 1906 was named Pittsburg after the industrial city and its street names reflected this fact.
John Colp and Samuel T. Bush sank one of the first mines in Pittsburg. Colp formed a partnership with Charles Gent toward the developing of Pittsburg and it was called Pittsburg Development Company. They maintained an office in the second floor of the Charles H. Denison building at 300 Public Square where the Bank of Marion now stands.
The 1907 Marion directory show Gent as having the office mentioned above, in addition to being President of the Marion Pressed Brick Plant and owning a store called Gent & Willeford Dry Goods in the bottom floor of the Denison building.
The directory also indicates that the family has found a home at 301 S. Market Street by this year. Charles’s parents, Fleming and Sarah, are now retired and living at 308 ½ N. Market St.
On January 2, 1907, the Citizens Trust and Banking Company was organized with a capital stock of $100,000.00 by the following officers and directors: Miles Parks, president; W. W. Clemmons, vice-president; Roscoe Parks, cashier; William Hendrickson, assistant cashier; William 0. Potter, attorney. Directors: Albert L. Cline, Archibald B. McLaren, A. C. Hentz, John W. Gray, E. T. Gallagher, Charles A. Gent, T. N. Cripps and A. R. Chamness. The bank was located in the corner of the Goodall Hotel building at 1105 Public Square and can be seen in photos of the hotel taken after 1907.
An Illinois Secretary of State report for 1907 indicates that Charles licensed a Reo automobile in the year 1907, making Charles one of the first auto owners in Marion.
In the 1910 census, Charles and Lou are now 45 years old and daughter Mary Louise is 8. They are living at 301 S. Market St. Daughter Alma is out of the house and Dennis is attending Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois. The family home is large enough to take in boarders and there are four present when the census was taken. Charles lists his occupation as real estate agent.
I am not sure when the Gent addition was platted to the City of Marion but it was C.A. Gent who owned the land. Gent Addition was primarily that section of land bordered on the west by the old C & EI RR tracks next to South Court Street and on the east by S. Van Buren Street. The southern border was Boyton Street and the northern border was W. College Street.
Around 1910, Gent developed the property as low-income housing.This addition eventually became delegated to the segregation of African-American families though originally it doesn’t appear to have been so. I suspect the reason was initially tied to low income jobs and the frequent flooding issues experienced in the cities early history in this section of land and how it influenced its land value.
Unfortunately, this segregation continued well into the 1970’s or 1980’s before African-American families were able to start buying outside of this area of Marion. I am sure there are those who would dispute this, but segregation is segregation no matter what label you put on it. Interestingly, there are statements from older citizens, especially black citizens, who indicate that segregation didn’t exist prior to around 1914 or so when the railroad tie and ice plants came to Marion. See the post interview of Powell Barnett.
The 1920 census found the family still in their home on S. Market. The couple was in their mid-fifties and their youngest daughter was 18 and ready for college. Charles listed himself as a coal mine operator, undoubtedly the Chicago and Marion mine. They owned the home free of mortgage.
In 1921, their daughter Mary Louise enrolled in Northwestern University so the entire family, now ready for retirement, sell their home and move to Evanston, Illinois to be close to her and their son Dennis.
Dennis had remained in Evanston after graduation, married and was employed as a mine operator there. He eventually, like his father, became proprietor of a coal mine.
While attending Northwestern, Mary Louise Gent was fortunate enough to take a pleasure trip. Her passport dated June 19, 1924 indicates that she is going to visit England and Western European countries. Mary was described on her passport as a single student, 5’7”, blue eyes and red hair.
Charles A. Gent died in Evanston, Illinois on August 22, 1942 but was returned to Marion for burial at New Rose Hill. Louella Gent died on March 18, 1958 and was buried with Charles.
Sam’s Notes: I was unable to find death dates on any of the children. I am certain that Charles Gent had his finger in many business ventures that will be revealed as time goes on.
(Data from 1905 Souvenir History, Federal Census Records, Marion City Directories, Marion City Cemetery Records, Williamson County in the War, WCHS; Pioneer Folks and Places, Barbara Barr Hubbs; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 04/29/2013)