Edward M. Spiller was born at Carbondale, September 28, 1865. Spiller lived most of his life in Williamson County where he became a leading citizen early in a brilliant career. He was the son of Elijah Spiller and Parazetta Edwards.
After attending school in Marion he studied at the Northern Indiana University and was graduated from Valparaiso University in 1888 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. After teaching one term of school at Carterville, he began the study of law in Marion under W.W. Duncan, later justice of the State Supreme Court.
On February 5, 1890, when the Knights of Pythias formed Monitor Lodge #236 in Marion, Ed was a charter member and served as their Keeper of Records and Seal.
Spiller was married October 22, 1890 to Miss Nannie A. Edwards, daughter of Charles M. Edwards. In 1893, the couple gave birth to their first son, Charles Spiller, who died in infancy.
In 1891 he was admitted to the bar and entered into a law partnership with R.R. Fowler, who in 1934, served as City Judge.
Edward ran as a Democrat in the race for States Attorney in 1892, he ran 115 votes ahead of his ticket in the county but was defeated.
Three years later, in 1894, this firm was dissolved and Judge Spiller formed a partnership with DeWitt T. Hartwell, who later became a Circuit Judge.
In September, 1897, they moved into their permanent family home at 811 N. Market Street.
When Ed’s law partner, became States Attorney three years after their partnership was formed, Spiller formed another partnership with George B. White, a Circuit Judge in the early 1930’s.
When the federal census of 1900 was taken in June, the couple was occupying 811 N. Market Street. Ed and Nannie were both 34 years old. Edward’s father Elijah had just passed away and his mother Parazetta, 57, was living with them in the home. This was not a good year for the couple, since they had just this year given birth to their second child, a daughter named Laura Spiller. The infant did not survive the year and made their second attempt at parenthood resulting in infant mortality.
In 1904 Ed served on the County Board of Education.
A partnership with Edward E. Denison, congressman and son of Charles Denison, formed around 1905 when Spiller broke his eight year partnership with George White. A 1906 city directory lists the Denison Spiller law firm as having offices at 301 Public Square which would have been an office in the second floor of the old Denison building that used to sit where the Bank of Marion is now located. The Denison Spiller partnership would endure until Spiller’s death.
In the 1910 census, the couple is in their N. Market Street home. They are now both aged 44 and Ed’s mother Parazetta is still living with them, however, she died four years later in 1914.
Spiller was appointed States Attorney, in 1915, to fill the unexpired term of D.T. Hartwell who had been elected Circuit Judge. After completing Judge Hartwell’s term as States Attorney, Ed Spiller was elected in 1916 to a full term in that office and completed his term in 1920.
In the 1920 census, the childless couple, now aged 54, have taken on a full blooded Scottish, 26 year old housekeeper named Jeanie Morton who lives with them in their N. Market home. It would turn out that this relationship would become permanent and she would be, later, accepted into the family as their foster daughter. By the 1930 census, at ages 64, the couple is still listing Jeanie, 36, as their maid.
A 1922 Marion directory found that the Denison Spiller law firm had moved to Rooms 22 and 23 on the second floor of the Marion State and Savings Bank building, where the Hotel State is now located on the square.
Re-entering politics in 1930 as the Democratic nominee, Judge Spiller was elected County Judge. Soon after entering upon the duties of his office he became ill. A man of robust constitution and indomitable spirit he refused to give way to the severe attacks of illness which were visited upon him. After his first year in office, it became apparent that his appearances in court were not made without sacrifice of his physical strength.
Sometime later after heart specialists had been consulted, Judge Spiller became acquainted with the certainty that he could not recover, but he continued to conduct his court whenever it was possible for him to appear. On occasions he was stricken ill in the court room. At other times, attacks which followed exertion in court, gave evidence, of the penalty in strength which a conscientious man was paying for his devotion to duty.
When he was unable to take care of the many trying details of his office, Judge Spiller’s responsibilities were assumed by his lifelong friend, City Judge R.R. Fowler.
Finally, when it became certain that he would be unable to carry on his work on the bench, Judge Spiller submitted his resignation, and Governor Henry Horner named E. N. Bowen, present County Judge, to complete the few months remaining of Judge Spiller’s term.
Although he achieved recognition as a prosecutor, it was as a civil lawyer that Judge Spiller spent much of his practice. He was attorney for the Marion Trust and Savings Bank for many years, a building and loan association director, attorney for various corporations, including railroads and insurance companies. One of the insurance companies he represented was Germania.
At one time Spiller handled one of the largest law practices in this section and during the 16 years Mr. Denison was in congress (1915-1931), that work was handled for most part by Mr. Spiller.
Some of the most important criminal cases, however, found the name of E.M. Spiller among the counselors at the bar, particularly in the early years of this practice. Among them were the trials growing out of the Carterville mine riots that occurred in 1899, which were tried in Johnson County on a change of venue and consumed three months in trial.
In 1926, after he had retired from criminal practice, Judge Spiller was recalled into criminal court by the Williamson County Board which paid him a fee of $1,000 as special prosecutor in the case of Ruby Herrington Tate and Robert Tate, who were convicted of the murder of Mrs. Tate’s first husband, Jody Herrington at Stiritz.
During his long career, Judge Spiller rendered other public services aside from that of judge or attorney. He had served as a member of the City School Board years ago and as Chairman of the Township High School Board.
Judge Ed M. Spiller, former Williamson County States Attorney and county judge, died at his home at 811 N. Market Street at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 11, 1934. In Ill health for three years, Judge Spiller was forced by illness to resign August 27, 1934, as County Judge. He had been confined to his home practically ever since and growing weaker gradually from the succession of attacks with which he had been stricken. He had been but partially conscious for several days prior to his death which was attributed to heart disease. At death, he was 69 years, 2 months and 13 days of age.
He was survived by his wife, with a foster daughter, Miss Jeanie Morton, both of whom had been devoted companions to him during his long affliction. The couple had two children who died in infancy. Judge and Mrs. Spiller had lived since September, 1897, in the home on North Market Street where death occurred.
Funeral services were held at the residence on North Market Street at 2 p.m. Thursday with Rev. Warner Muir, pastor of the First Christian Church in charge. Interment followed in Rose Hill Cemetery.
He held the office of City Attorney for two terms prior to 1905 and was a member of Monitor Lodge 236 K. of P., and Marion Camp Modern Woodmen.
Ed’s wife Nannie passed away in 1954. Ed, Nannie and his parents are all buried in one family plot in Rose Hill.
(Data extracted from Marion Daily Republican Obituary, December 1934; Williamson County in the World War, 1919; Federal Census Records; Illinois Death Records; Marion City Cemetery Records; Marion City Directories; 1905 Souvenir History; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 08/31/2013)