Elisha M. Thurmond was born in Franklin County March 6, 1864, and was the son of William H. and Sarah Elizabeth Thurmond. He attended the public schools in Franklin County and went to Ewing College.
He was married on April 8, 1886, to Miss lda Augusta Ingram in Franklin County. Ida was born in Macedonia, Illinois on August 16, 1870. Their fourth child, Clyde Thurmond died in 1894 at the age of 1.
Fourteen years later, in the 1900 census, Elisha and his family were living in Franklin County. He was listed as a 36 year old farmer. The farm they lived on was owned by them free of mortgage and was located next to his wife’s family. His wife Ida was then 29 years old and they had the following children present in the home, Lena 13, Evalon 11, Alliba 9, Raph 5 and Edith aged 2.
He taught school and engaged in farming and raising livestock prior to coming to Marion on October 1, 1909 to engage in the monument business.
He purchased the existing business of the Marion Steam Marble Works which was located on N. Granite Street next to the intersection of the I.C. and C & EI railroad tracks.
This transaction is reflected in the 1910 federal census which listed him as owner of the marble works. The family had also purchased a permanent home located at 1118 N. Van Buren Street which was owned with a mortgage in that year. Three children remain in the home, Ralph 16, Alliba 18 and Edith aged 11.
In 1916, Mr. Thurmond & Son purchased the entire stock of marble and granite, also the equipment of Wright & Son, who then retired from business giving Thurmond & Son a larger field, which they catered honestly and fairly, according to his obituary.
Their daughter Edith Thurmond, married the son of A.B. McLaren in October 1916 and only nine months later in July of 1917, died in childbirth at the age of 19.
In 1920, Elisha sold his interest in the monument company to his son Ralph Thurmond, but Elisha continued working at the business with his son. The company was renamed Thurmond and Sons Monument Company and was listed at 608-612 N. Van Buren St. next to the I.C. tracks and the Bracy warehouse building.
The 1920 census found the family in their home at 1118 N. Van Buren. Elisha was aged 56 and his wife Ida was 49. Though all the children had married and left home, the death of one their daughter’s husbands had left Evalon Thurmond Adams a widow and was now back living with her parents at age 29 along with her son, Thurmond Adams, age 8. Elisha listed himself as a marble dealer and his daughter Evalon was listed as a music teacher.
Mr. Thurmond was mayor of Marion from 1927 to 1931. Prior to that, he had filled the offices of town clerk and school director. In addition to his many years in the monument business, he was also engaged in the automobile business for two years. The business was listed as Thurmond-Hay Oldsmobile Sales located at 616 E. Main Street in the 1927 through 1929 directories. The partnership was with his son in law Charles W. Hay.
The 1930 census, listed the couple still at their family home which they valued at $4,000. Elisha was then 67 and Ida 59.
By the 1940 census, Elisha had reached 77 years of age and listed himself as retired.
Elisha M. Thurmond, former mayor of Marion and founder of the Thurmond Monument Co. passed away Sunday at 2:30 p.m., September 26, 1943 at the home of his daughter Mrs. Ed Dobrey in Benton, Illinois.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife and one son, Ralph Thurmond, and three daughters, Mrs. Ed (Lena) Dobrey of Benton, Mrs. Joe (Evalon) Long of Marion and Mrs. C. W. (Alliba) Hay of Carbondale. There are also five grandchildren and one great grandchild. One sister, Mrs. Edgar Bain of Benton also survives.
One son, Clyde Thurmond, and one daughter, Mrs. Edith Thurmond McLaren preceded him in death.
Mr. Thurmond was a member of the First Methodist Church where his funeral services were held. Interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
In 1941, Elisha’s son Ralph Thurmond built the Motel Marion to accommodate veteran’s families at the newly erected Veteran’s Hospital across the road.
In April 1959, when Ralph died of a heart attack, his mother, Ida, was living at the Motel Marion. She passed away four months later in August of 1959.
Sam’s Notes:
Lena Thurmond Dobrey, born on January 13, 1887 in Macedonia, Illinois. Married to Edward Joseph Dobrey on September 7, 1909. Lived in Benton, Illinois. Died November 3, 1974 at Pasco County, Florida. They had three children, Meredith E. Dobrey (1910-1986), James M. Dobrey (1912-1931), Evalon Dobrey (1916-2011).
Evalon Thurmond Adams Long, born October 16, 1888 in Macedonia, Illinois. Married William Walter Adams (1882-1917) on December 19, 1909. They had one child named Thurmond Adams (1911-1990). First husband died in 1917, she remarried to Joseph Long in 1921. At the time of the marriage, he was a salesman for Howard and Casey wholesale grocers on W. Main Street.
Alliba Thurmond Hay, born on December 18, 1890. Married Charles W. Hay, a Marion merchant. They had one child named Betty Hay around 1929 and they lived at 513 S. Market which Betty still occupied at this writing in 2013. Alliba was a highly trained music teacher and taught in a studio over the Hay Mercantile Company store in the 300 block of the square, next to the bank. Alliba passed away in October of 1971.
Clyde Thurmond, born February 18, 1893, died on February 7, 1894 at age 1.
George Ralph Thurmond, born January 6, 1896. Married Helen Norris on July 27, 1919 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. They had one adopted son named Walter “Wally” Thurmond. Ralph operated the Thurmond Monument business with his father and opened the Motel Marion in 1941. He was a WWI veteran.
Edith Thurmond McLaren, born May 14, 1898. Married on October 14, 1916 at age 18 to William Sylvester McLaren, son of A.B. McLaren prominent businessman and coal operator. She died nine months later at age 19 from complications of childbirth on July 1, 1917. Her baby, however, survived and was named Edith after her mother. Daughter, Edith, went on to later meet Ken McGuire while in college and marry him. They did not remain in the area.
(Data extracted from Marion Daily Republican Obituary, 1943; Williamson County in the World War, 1919; Federal Census Records; Illinois Death Records; Marion City Directories; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 08/12/2013)