The family settled on the west side of Marion before the town was platted or built, while this County was still a part of Franklin and entered a strip of land from the government, half a mile wide and a mile and a half long, lying along where the C. & E. I. railroad (now Missouri Pacific) runs. It is known to have extended as far west as the VA hospital ground and as far east as Court Street.
To purchase this land then would have involved getting on horseback and riding to the government land office located in Shawneetown, Illinois to file a deed. It is likely that Samuel would have paid $1.25 an acre at this point in time.
This tract of land was one of the finest in the county and formed the original foundation for the prosperity of the Aikman family and its descendants.
William married Mary Elizabeth Cox March 3, 1847 in Marion, Illinois. Mary Elizabeth (Cox) Aikman was born in Caswell County, North Carolina, March 17, 1827. Her father’s name was Thomas Cox. According to the 1905 Souvenir History of Williamson County, “She was a worthy helpmate of such a man as William Aikman, and kept her house and reared and educated her children in the same thorough, systematic and workmanlike manner which characterized all that he did. The home was the abode of peace and love, and the benediction of heaven rested upon the household.”
The couple secured a farm outside the city limits of southwest Marion in the area roughly from the end of South Vicksburg and extending east to around South Court Street. There were only 35 acres of land which belonged to the farm and only 15 acres or so of that was cleared and in cultivation, the other part being thick woods and bushes. The couple moved into their house on April 1st, 1847 on the farm where they spent the remainder of his days. Water had to be hauled from Crab Orchard Creek about ¼ mile or less south of the home.
A description of their original home and livelihood is given in an earlier post “Aikman’s Starting a Marion Life in the 1840′s” recorded by his wife Mary as follows. “We moved into our little hut. It was about eight by 20 feet, built of round logs or poles and hewed down a little with a broad-axe outside and inside, and chinked and then daubed with mortar to keep out the cold winds in winter. The chimney was built of split sticks and daubed with mortar. The hearth was made of mortar and let dry to make it hard so we could step on it without making tracks.” There were no windows in the home so there was no light except when the one door was opened or lanterns were lit.
Their property would later fall into the possession of their daughter Rosalie and her husband William Hendrickson and one of Marion’s main streets which ran through the property, Hendrickson Street, would be named for them.
It was noted that one of Aikman’s first enterprises was the purchase of two horse wagons and two good horses which made a fine team. Then they would haul goods to Vienna and other towns at about $1.50 a day. When they had to go to town, they would haul firewood and sell it to a few families as coal was an almost unknown article in those days.
In the federal census of 1850, William and Mary, both 23, were listed as farmers with a real estate value of $600. They had two children at the time, John aged 4 and Elizabeth aged 2. There was a 20 year old female named Julia Cox living with them, presumed to be Mary’s sister.
William was described as a man of unusual power, both of mind and body, and of inexhaustible vitality and unwearied activity. He owned and run a large farm, built two saw-mills and a planing mill, manufactured brick, built and run the first steam roller mills, now known as the Marion Flouring Mills on N. Market St., owned and run by W. W. Whittington & Co.
It was noted in Butler’s article about them that, “About the year 1858, he was engaged in the sawmill business, but sold his mill to J.H. Duncan & Company. Later, he engaged in the first flour mill business and operated the first roller mill in this county.” (This was the original mill in the 500 block of N. Market St.)
He was enterprising and progressive and always foremost in all measures looking towards improvement. He always bought the best of everything. He bought and used up-to-date machinery and improved stock of all kinds. He kept no scrub horses, cows or hogs, but was always on the lookout for something better. He bought the first steam thresher ever used in the County.
He was a man of energy and of strong will and steadfastness of purpose. Whatever he undertook he completed, whatever the obstacles might he. He kept many men in his employ and was of a generous and kindly nature, giving freely and liberally for all good purposes.
When the census of 1860 was taken, the family had grown by four children. William and Mary were about 33. Their children present at the time were John now 13, Nancy R. 9, Sarah C. 5, Louisa 4, George 2 and an unnamed infant of three months. Whereas, they were listed as farmers, their net worth had increased considerably by this time. They claimed a real estate worth of $12,000 and personal estate of $3,000, a considerable amount of money for the times.
When William registered for the Civil War draft in June of 1863, he claimed an age of 35. He was married and a farmer born in Indiana.
When he began housekeeping he erected a family altar, and he and his faithful wife had family worship morning and evening for the 43 years and six months of their married life. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, of which Rev. X. A. Hunt was the pastor, and with their children were regular attendants while it stood.
When the commotions attendant on the Civil War reduced and finally brought the little church to an end they joined the Methodist Episcopal Church that they might have a religious home and center. He continued in full fellowship with that organization until his death and his wife stands connected with it until her death.
In the 1870 census taken in July, the couple was then in their early 40’s. There real estate vale was at $10,000 and personal estate at $2,000. Children present were Rosalie (Nancy R.) 20, Nellie 17, Ida 14, Jerome 12, Theodore 9 and Fannie aged 7.
On Sunday, September 25, 1870, their daughter, Miss Rosalie Aikman, was united in marriage with William Hendrickson.
In the 1880 census, William and Mary were 54 and still listed as farmers. Children present were Jerome, farm hand aged 22, Theodore, farm hand aged 20 and Fannie aged 15 attending school. Also present in the home were Lizzie Cleveland 12, John Roa 10 and Ed burrs 23. John and Ed were live in farm hands, not sure about Lizzie’s role.
William Aikman died on June 12, 1890 and was buried in the Aikman family’s cemetery alongside his lost children. This cemetery was originally a personal family gravesite on Samuel Aikman’s original property under a grove of trees. It later housed the graves of numerous friends of the family and ended up being Marion first city cemetery, now known as Old Marion Cemetery. Property was later added, sold or donated to the city by Robert M. Hundley. Some of the inhabitants of the cemetery were later moved when the city established the Old Rose Hill Cemetery. To my knowledge, none of the early Aikman family was moved.
At some time after his death, Mary moved down Vicksburg Street a bit north to live with her son Jerome Aikman. The old home site was occupied by her daughter Rosalie and her husband William Hendrickson. This is confirmed in the 1900 census when she was living with Jerome and his wife Sarah and their children George 18 and Fannie 16. Interestingly, another person was boarding with them named O.S. Tippy, aged 50, a saloon keeper who also was a partner earlier in Tippy and Goodall Dry Goods in Marion.
In the 1905 Souvenir History, it described their children thusly, “The Aikman’s were the parents of nine children, of whom three are now living. Their names were: John Newton Aikman, who died at the age of 20; Rosa Lee, now the wife of William Hendrickson (they bought the old homestead and built a new house, where they now reside); Thomas Samuel Aikman, who died in infancy; Sarah C. (Aikman) Ingram, the wife of George Ingram: Louisa (Aikman) Mitchell, who died in May 1888, whose only son, George, was murdered by a drunken wretch at West End, Illinois; George Jerome Aikman, with whom she makes her home; Theodore Aikman, who died at the age of 23: Francis (Aikman) Kimball, who married Dan Kimball and died in 1885, at the age of 23. Mrs. Aikman is now in her 78th year, and wonderfully well preserved for one at her age.
In the 1910 census, Mary, at age 83, is still living with her son Jerome at 902 S. Vicksburg Street. George and his wife, Sarah, were both then 52 and still had their daughter Fannie, 26, living with them. George was listed as a gardener.
Mary (Cox) Aikman passed away on March 23, 1913 and joined the preceding family in Aikman Cemetery.
Sam’s Notes: Children are as follows:
John Newton Aikman was born in December 19, 1842 and died at the age of 19 years, 9 months on September 30, 1862. Burial was in the Aikman family cemetery. This son is specifically mentioned in the 1905 book but his birthdate counters his parent’s marriage date? Not sure about the conundrum.
Nancy Rosalie (Aikman) Hendrickson was born February 17, 1850. She married William Hendrickson on September 25, 1870. She died on January 7, 1935 and William died March 2, 1922. They had five children. For more info, see the post William Hendrickson.
Jennie (Hendrickson) Hentz was born in Marion on October 3, 1871. In 1904, Jennie married Archibald C. Hentz but they divorced in 1919, she never remarried. Jennie was very active in Marion organizations, for more information see the footnotes on the post “Hendrickson, William 1845-1922” and also the post “Hentz, Archibald C. 1867-1941.” She died in a Vienna nursing home at age 91 on October 16, 1962.
William McKendry Hendrickson was born December 30, 1875 in Marion. He spent his life as a farmer living in Marion and passed away at age 61 on February 16, 1937. He doesn’t appear to have married or had children.
Fred Lee Hendrickson was born August 1, 1881. In 1907 he married Daisy M. Nelson. They had one child named Jack Warberg Hendrickson (1916-1988). The couple spent most of their lived living the Rockford, Illinois area but he passed away in Tombstone, Arizona on January 30, 1963.
Nellie Hendrickson was born in August 1882. No death date found.
Frances Wood Hendrickson was born in Marion on March 9, 1889. She married Allan Weston Capron, Sr. on April 12, 1957 at age 68. She died in Visalia, Caifornia on September 3, 1972 at 83.
Sarah Cornelia (Aikman) Ingram was born in August of 1854 in Marion. She married George Ingram on March 14, 1878. She died on April 1, 1925 in Johnson County.
Louisa Ida (Aikman) Mitchell was born about 1856. She married George Hunt Mitchell (1852-1939) on March 10, 1875 in Williamson County. Louisa died on May 1, 1881 with burial in Aikman Cemetery. They appear to have had one child, George, who was murdered by a drunken wretch at West End, Illinois
George Jerome Aikman was born in March 1858. He was a farmer and lived at 902 S. Vicksburg Street. He first married Susan Elizabeth (1856-1883), last name unknown, who died on September 18, 1883 in Williamson County. They had three children Mary Ida Aikman (1883-1885), George William Aikman (1881-1944), and Fannie Aikman (1883-1973) who married Arthur Miller on May 23, 1912. Fannie lived at 802 S. Vicksburg St. and had one son named George Miller. George had two children named Beverly Reeves and Becky Duckworth. Beverly had a son named Brian Reeves.
George remarried after Susan’s death to Sarah Jane Hunter (1856-1941) on December 23, 1885 at age 27. He passed away on January 15, 1934 at age 75. Burial was in Aikman Cemetery.
Theodore Aikman was born around 1861 and lived to the age of 23 dying about 1883 or so. Little is known of him except he is mentioned in the 1905 Souvenir history as their deceased son and he shows up in two census records.
Fannie A. (Aikman) Kimmell was born on July 29, 1862. She married Daniel L. Kimmell in Marion on June 25, 1884. She passed away on April 13, 1887 at age 23 and buried in Elkville Cemetery, Elkville, Illinois. They had one daughter, Launa Lucille Kimmell (1882-1962).
Thomas Samuel Aikman died in infancy, dates unknown.
William Sherman Aikman was born about 1865, and died at 4 years old on February 1, 1869. Only known by a marker in Aikman Cemetery saying he was the son of William and Mary.
(Data extracted from the 1905 Souvenir History; Glances at Life by Homer Butler, 1978; Federal Census Records; Illinois Death Records; Findagrave.com; Civil War Registration Records; WWI Draft Records; Marriage Records, IRAD; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 11/15/2013)