Samuel Aikman and his wife were early arrivals in this county. In 1837, they brought with them nine children. Aikman was smart enough to invest himself in real estate, so he rode horse-back to the federal land office in Shawneetown, Illinois in 1840 and bought 640 acres at $1.25 per acre. The land he purchased started at the north-south bound railroad tracks that parallel Court Street and ran west to about where the Interstate is located. Because of his foresight and the ingenuity of several of his sons, the family did very well.

One of Samuel’s sons was named James Monroe Aikman, who in turn, had a son named James Monroe Aikman who was born, in June of 1856.

J.M. Aikman Jr. married Ida Missouri Gallagher in 1879. In the 1880 census, the newly married, J.M and his wife Ida, were living on the west side of Marion somewhere between the Junior High on West Main and the Interstate. I only know this because of proximity to W.J. Aikman, Willis Aikman and Isham Blankenship, all of who lived and farmed in that area. Monroe listed himself as a farmer in that census and was 23 years old; his wife was only slightly older by about six months.

In 1880, Aikman entered into partnership with William Gallagher, his brother-in-law, to form Gallagher & Co., lumber dealers, which by the turn of the century was located at 405 N. Market. 

The 1890 federal census was destroyed by fire, but by the 1900 census, the couple had a 17 year old son named Arthur B. Aikman, born on May 4, 1883. You will be interested to know that also by this census, Monroe had gone into the lumber business and the couple were living at 501 S. Market and very likely built the home. The census does not list any addresses, but his neighbors were William H. Bundy, Judge Washburn and more, indicating his presence on S. Market.

Also, in the home when the 1900 census was taken, was Mollie Gallagher, Ida’s 30 year old single sister.

Monroe was noted in 1904 as being a board member for the First Christian Church on N. Market Street and is also listed as a member of the Board of Education in 1907.

His address is re-confirmed in a 1906 Street Directory which also indicated that he owned Gallagher and Company, a lumber and building materials company located at 405 N. Market St. 

In the 1920 census, Aikman was 62 years old and listed as a self-employed lumber man for a lumber yard, the family business. Their only child, Arthur B. Aikman, was still living in their home at age 36 and was working in real estate and insurance. Arthur worked at 1100 Public Square, which was the Goodall Hotel that contained numerous business offices. The family had a 17 year old; live in housekeeper named Clara Wall.

In 1921, James passed away and Ida and Arthur continued living in the home.

When Ida died in 1932, the home went to their son Arthur Bartley Aikman. In the 1940 census, Arthur was the sole occupant of the home. He was a 57 year old insurance agent and valued the home at $5,000. This was the depression and that amount was actually quite a bit for a home in Marion at the time.

In 1942, when Arthur signed up for the WWII registration, he was described as 5’ 9” tall, 140 lbs., blue eyes, grey hair and a light complexion. He was self-employed and had an office in the Hotel State Building. The Goodall Hotel had burned the previous year, 1941. His contact person was Jessie B. Mitchell living at 200 E. Thorn Street who was believed to be his secretary.

Later, between the late 1940’s or early 1950’s, Arthur married Jessie, sold his home and moved into her home on Thorn Street. Jessie died on September 15, 1972 and was buried in Edwardsville at the age of 76. Arthur passed away the following year on April 17, 1973 at the age of 88 and was buried in Edwardsville beside his wife.

The house, around 1950 when Arthur moved out, went to Barney Russell.  Barney served as a fireman for the Marion Fire Department and attained the rank of Captain and Ass’t. Chief, he retired around 1968. Barney was an avid fisherman.

Barney lived in the home until his death on September 22, 1987, at which time it appears to have passed to his wife, Eulala Russell. Eulala Russell died on December 31, 2004.

In 2000, the home appears to have changed ownership to Jo A. Haubold, who held the home until 2004 when Daniel L. Snow came into possession.

In January of 2014, the house was in the possession of Sam and Cheryl Warner, who talk of restoring the home to its glory days and what a beautiful home it is.

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(Extracted from Obituaries, Federal Census Records, S.S. Death Records, Marion City Directories; Marion City Cemetery Records; Southern Illinoisan articles; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 01/16/2014; revised 8/24/2023)