The first American Legion Post in Williamson County had its beginnings shortly after the St. Louis Caucus in May of 1919. The Marion Daily Republican newspaper announced the St. Louis Caucus that month and reported that “plans soon would be made for a local chapter.” John Steele had already made contact with Oldham Paisley of the Marion Daily Republican newspaper. John Steele (later a National Commander) was determined that Chicago wouldn’t control the American Legion in Southern Illinois., therefore he made contacts throughout Southern Illinois to insure that many posts were formed in Southern Illinois. He contacted all recently discharged veterans that were newspaper editors, politicians and business men to assist in forming posts in as many communities as soon as possible. Others did the same in the center of the state. Therefore, any post in Southern Illinois that has a number of 400 and below is known as a “John Steele Post.”
The first post meetings were held in the courthouse, Elks Home and individual member’s homes. They elected A.A. Mozley as temporary chairman and Robert Williams as temporary secretary-treasurer. On September 9, 1919, the charter application was notarized and sent to Chicago to the secretary of state organization with 47 names as new Legionnaires. This was accepted and the post received #147 with the first name choice of “Williamson” on September 11th. On September 15, 1919, Williamson Post 147 was issued a Temporary Charter.
The two above mentioned temporary officers continued in that capacity until the first convention of the American Legion was held in Minneapolis in November of 1919. The post received a permanent charter on September 28, 1920. Two members of our post were present at the first Department of Illinois Convention in Peoria on October 17-19, 1919, that being Carl Bradbury and Oldham Paisley. Both served on convention committees and took part in the deliberations. This convention was instrumental in setting the ground work of the American Legion to begin work for the War Veterans, their widows and the children of veterans.
Even in these very early years the post functioned for the veteran and community. When the first WWI soldier was brought back to Marion after September of 1919, the Marion Daily Republican read, “Williamson Post 147, The American Legion, will have charge of the funeral and will be assisted by the Marion and Ann Odd Fellows Lodges. The American Legion is not able to conduct a full military funeral because of the fact that their rifles have failed to arrive, but they voted at a special meeting on Sunday to wear uniforms, if they have uniforms. They will conduct the military funeral as far as possible without a firing squad.”
In its infancy the post was drawn into the turmoil of the violence that was taking place in Williamson County during the Herrin Riot in 1922. Oldham Paisley related an incident during this period, “…telephone calls from Herrin ….. indicated that mobs were looting hardware stores for guns and ammunition. Oldham Paisley arranged to have the American Legion’s ceremonial rifles concealed in the police station, only minutes before the group on miners arrived and asked for them.” Sources indicate later the rifles were taken by Paisley to his home and were hidden in the coal bin for a year to insure they remained safe. Incidentally, those same rifles still remain at the post.
The first post home was a gift from the Marion Elk’s Club in 1935, it was a small white house located on the Elk’s property and served as the post home until 1948. On December 7, 1948, the post purchased a building at 105 S. Franklin Avenue that was right off the public square for $14,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Oldham Paisley. A loan of $6,500 was taken out for the purchase with monthly payments of $127.71 for 60 months.
The 1940’s and 1950’s were a great growth period for the Post. Returning WWII veterans, the GI Bill and the Korean War veterans brought new life and membership to Post 147. At this time, everyone was a member, politicians, professional people and business owners; membership was at an all-time high. The all-time high membership for Post 147 was 674 in 1958. The post during these years had money in the bank, a large burial fund established in 1950 and assisted the community with many requests. It has even been said that loans to the City of Marion were made to help with purchases of police or fire fighter items. The post downtown was also located next to the Draft Board Office. Many members remember receiving before leaving before war, free drinks, a bible and a toiletry kit containing a Zippo lighter and a comb, that comb sure was not needed for long.
In 1955, the Post formed a baseball team made up of members and in 1956 to 1959 they played in the Southwestern Illinois Egyptian League. The team broke up in 1959. In 1960, the Post began to sponsor a Legion baseball team that continues today.
Through the late 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s, times were tough for the Post. The Post began to see a decrease in membership. The Vietnam Veterans that were returning from an “unpopular war” and not treated as heroes by the public at large, were not joining veteran’s organizations like those in the past. Understandably, a different mindset took place about community organization membership and involvement. The Post turned to Bingo for income. Many of the commanders (especially B.J. Simmons and Woody Almon) and other officers worked to keep the doors open by all means of personal sacrifice and finances.
Even with the hardships mentioned, the Post still supported Veterans causes. The post held a catfish tournament on Crab Orchard Lake every year at The Haven. At the end of the day, the drawing proceeds went to The Haven. Many from the Post, Auxiliary and SAL continued to assist at the Marion V.A. Scholarships were also still given out at the local schools. If a veteran was in need he would never go away from Williamson Post 147 without his or her immediate needs being provided.
In April of 2005, the Post moved and dedicated its new post home at 11720 Longstreet Road. This new home was built and furnished with much volunteer labor and has allowed the post the benefit of hall rental and Post sponsored charity events.
The Old Post home on Franklin Avenue was put up for sale. In December of 2007, it was sold to a couple from St. Louis, Missouri for $6,000. The building at this date (2019) us still standing but remains empty.
Two arms of the Legion family exist at Williamson Post 147, The American Legion Auxiliary (chartered in 1928) and The Sons of the American Legion (chartered in 1985). Both of these organizations have been a great asset in assisting the Post in helping veterans and the community at large. In addition, from the time of the organization of the Auxiliary and later the S.A.L. both have been instrumental in keeping the doors of the post home open and the business end viable. As the oldest veteran organization in the city, the entire Legion family at Williamson Post 147 continues to carry on strong for God and Country.
(Source: American Legion Williamson Post 147, Celebration of the Centennial Year of our American Legion, September 21, 2019; compiled by Jeffrey Roscow)
Charter Members of Post 147
Aikman, Eliab J. Azenus, John Baccus, Luke P. Bradbury, Carl
Brigham, Leslie D. Chamness, Guy Cirrito, Evo. B. Cochran, Charles B.
Davis, Lester Disalvo, Joe Dunaway, Sam Durham, John E.
Felts, Harvey Ferguson, J.W. Fischer, O.R. Forker, William H.
Fowler, Charles H. Fowler, Loran Gravanis, Arthur Hampton, Jim
Hendrickson, J.H. Holliday, Leo Howells, Thomas H. Jeter, Herman
Jones, William B. Lough, Leland F. McCluskey, Howard Mitchell, Leroy S.
Mitchell, Paul J. Moore, C.H. Mozley, A.A. Musgrove, Hugh
Otey, John L. Paisley, Oldham Parks, Harry Pirrello, Joe
Price, Lory Reed, Ben F. Roberts, H.L. Russell, James W.
Sanders, Willis H. Sheretz, Ira D. Thurmond, Ralph Walker, Aaron L.
Whitlock, Fred C. Williams, Carl Williams, Robert M.
Past Commanders of Post 147
Almon, Woodrow P. Alvis, Kenneth E. Baumler, Charles Beasley, Norman
Below, William M. Bittikofer, Max Blakely, Matthew Boswell, Arlie
Bryan, Louie Burkhart, Ralph, Dr. Burnett, J.W. Carnaghi, Mario
Carpenter, William Chatham, Jeffery Clark, Jerry Copeland, John W.
Courtney, J. Leo Eubanks, Fred H. Evans, Ray Ferguson, J.W.,Dr.
Fosse, Wilsie Fruge, Dan Garrison, Herman Goddard, James
Hartwell, Timothy S. Hartwell, Tom Hilliard, J.D. Hinchliff, Harry
Hudgens, Claude H. Johnston, Tommy Jr. Jones, William Jones, William A.
Lambert, Lyman Love, V.L. Mandrell, Gary McKinney, Harvey L.
Morgan, Thomas Mozley, A.A. Mozley, J.M. Norris, Oel
Oburn, Elmer Osborne, James Paisley, Oldham Pettus, Hugh
Phillips, James Price, Lory Ragel, H.W. Reynolds, John D.
Reynolds, William H. Rushing, O.L. Russell, David Russell, Ron
Schafer, Joe Simmons, B.J. Sink, Lenora Stevens, Charles
Stewart, Billie D. Stewart, Bobby L. Stroh, Walter S. Taylor, Donald
Taylor, Glen Turner, Orel W. Whitcomb, C.H. Whitlock, Fred C.
Wicker, William M. Williams, James E. Woodward, James L.
(Sources compiled by Sam Lattuca, 07/22/2021)