John W. Spiller was born in Spillertown on February 21, 1872 the son of William J. Spiller and Susan E. Goodall. William J. and his wife produced 14 children, but 3 of them died in infancy. In the 1880 census, the couple had 9 children including John.
On March 29, 1899 John married Eliza Burnett, 29 year old daughter of John H. Burnett & Mary Ann Davis. By the 1900 federal census, the newlywed couple were living in Marion in a home owned free of mortgage. John was 28 and Eliza, listed as Lizzie, was 30 years old. John recorded himself as an implement dealer. The couple had a live-in servant named Martha Phillips aged 35.
The 1905 Historical Souvenir of Williamson County book stated that John W. was an active member of the Marion Elks Lodge and in 1904 was serving in a position called “tiler.” Also, in 1904 and 1905 John was elected Marion city alderman under Mayor Charles H. Denison.
In the same year, 1904, John left his wife and she filed for divorce in September 1907. A 1907 street directory listed Eliza Spiller as a widow (not true) and living at 107 W. College St. which is likely where the couple were living when the 1900 census was taken.
John served again on the city council as alderman in 1909 under Mayor J.C. Mitchell.
One month after the divorce was filed, on October 6, 1907, John remarried a second time to an Essie Spiller (No marriage record found). This was documented in the 1910 census when they were found living at 608 N. Monroe St. At that time, John was 35 and listed as an oil dealer. They owned their own home. In October 1913, John left Essie and she eventually filed for divorce from him in July 1919.
In 1917, John was elected to the city council again as city commissioner under Mayor E.B. Jackson during the changeover from the aldermanic system of government to the commissioner form serving two years from 1917 to 1919.
When the 1920 census was taken a 48-year-old, twice divorced John was living in the home of Elmer and Adie Atwood at 1313 W. Cherry St. in Marion.
A 1922 city directory listed John as a coal mine operator with an office at 906 Public Square. Somewhere in the early to mid-1920’s John married a third time to Fern Sumner and purchased a home at 1007 N. Market St. By 1928 he was listed as owner of the Spiller Coal mine with his residence at 1007 N. Market St. with wife, Fern.
It is vital to mention that in October 1926, John’s sister Susan Myrtle was married to William O. Potter and living on N. Market St. when Potter killed his entire family before taking his own life.
In the 1930 census, John was 58 years old and a coal mine operator living in his home on N. Market St. with his 56 year old wife Fern. They owned a radio and valued their home at $6,000. By the time the 1940 census rolled around John was no longer in the mine business and was now selling real estate.
When John’s final census record that he would appear in occurred in 1950, he was 78 years old, his wife was 64. They still lived in the home on N. Market and John was not working or seeking work, obviously in retirement.
On September 1, 1957, John’s car ran out of gas on East Main Street just across the road from the entrance to the Fair Grounds. After pushing his car off the road, he suffered a heart attack and fell dead at the age of 85 ½ years old. Spiller was a member of the First Christian Church. Spiller left his wife, and children; Mrs. Pauline Klopfenstein of Niles, Michigan and Captain John H. Spiller of Gulfport, Florida. Services were at Mitchell Funeral Home and burial was at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on Children:
Pauline Burnett Spiller Klopfenstine, born Nov. 21, 1900, married Herman Klopfenstine, died Sept. 25, 1988 at Ruskin, Florda, burial in Ruskin Memorial Park.
John Herman Spiller, Captain, born June 26, 1904, married Hazel, died June 29, 1971, veteran of Korea war and WWII
(Sources: Federal Census Records, Williamson County Marriage records, Marion City Street Directories, Southern Illinoisan and The Leader newspapers, Ozment Funeral Home records. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 9/23/2023)