Melvin Lloyd Pulley was born in Crab Orchard Township on December 11, 1875. According to his obit, he was the son of Samuel Pulley and Ellen Scoby, however, his marriage records indicate his mother was Nancy Blackburn. On May 28, 1899, 24 year old farmer Melvin married 20 year old Elsie Norman, both from Crab Orchard. Elsie’s parents were Roy Norman and Nancy West.
When the 1900 census was taken the next year, Melvin 24 and Elise 19 were living in Crab Orchard Township in a home they owned and Melvin listed his occupation as a barber. They had had no children at this point, but by the 1910 census the couple had moved to Marion and lived in a home they owned free of mortgage at 300 E. Boulevard St. Melvin, a 36 year old painter, and Elsie 30 had two children in the home, Aston 10, Christeva 5 and Norman aged 11 months. Elsie indicated that they had birthed 3 children and all 3 were living.
A 1907 Marion street directory located the family living at 300 E. Boulevard St. with Melvin working as a painter and paper hanger.
In 1914, Melvin was elected as city alderman under Mayor George B. Calhoun and re-elected the following year of 1915 under Mayor D.D. Hartwell.
When Melvin filled out his WWI Draft card in 1917-18, he was still living at the same address but had started working as a grocery merchant. He was physically described as medium height, medium build with grey eyes and brown hair.
In the 1920 federal census, Melvin 44 and Elsie 39 were still living at 300 E. Boulevard near their grocery business. They indicated that they owned their home mortgage free and had three children in the home, Afton 19 working as a book keeper, Christeva 15 and Norman 10.
An October 1921 article in the Marion Semi-Weekly Leader paper indicated that Simon Tidwell had purchased the grocery and meat market of Melvin Pulley, located at the corner of E. Boulevard and N. State Streets. Another article from 1921 listed Melvin as having made a donation to complete walkways at the Reservoir Park in Marion on Boulevard St. The article stated that the park board was working on the bandstand and preparing to repair the walkways at the park.
Earlier in 1921, preparations were underway for an event to be held on June 9,10 & 11 to receive a large convention of the Egyptian Hustlers, a group of Southern Illinois traveling salesmen. Melvin was listed as serving on the reception committee. Also, that same year, Melvin was listed in the paper as serving as an elder at the First Christian Church in Marion and as having married off his daughter Afton while they were still living on E. Boulevard.
Articles appearing in the Marion Daily Republican paper in 1923 and 1924 reflected Melvin’s involvement in the formation of the Marion League for Law Enforcement. In June of 1922 a meeting was held at the First Baptist Church in Marion to discuss general lawlessness in the city in the form off bootlegging and gambling. It was generally agreed by those present that elected officials were not enforcing the law to their satisfaction and that other means of enforcement would have to happen. This would turn out to be the first steps to falling in line with the tenants of the forthcoming Ku Klux Klan who would proclaim law and order as their principle function. By 1924, Melvin was listed as Secretary/Treasurer of the Law Enforcement organization in Marion. John H. Campbell was President and J.H. Felts, Vice President.
City directories, locate the family from 1925 and into the 1930’s as living at 202 N. Liberty Street which is where they were in the 1930 federal census. Melvin 54 and Elsie 49 had only one child left living at home, their daughter Christeva, age 24, who was working as a salesperson. Melvin indicated that they owned the home on Liberty Street and valued it at $3,000. He was listed as a grocery merchant and said they had no radio in their home. A directory from 1934 located his grocery business under Pulley & Company at 301 E. Boulevard St. The business was run by Melvin and his son Norman.
In March 1933, Melvin ran for the city grade school board of education and won in the April election. He would go on to serve into the 1940’s.
In the 1940 census, Melvin 64 and Elsie 58 were living in a home at 305 N. Van Buren St. which they rented for $22.50 a month along with their 31 year old son, Norman. At this point, Melvin had returned to painting for a living and his son Norman was a laborer. Disposition of their grocery business was likely related to the depression economy. Melvin indicated that he had worked 39 weeks out of the previous year. His education level was stated to be 8th grade while his wife Elsie had completed high school. They also stated that they had been living in this location in 1935.
By 1943, the Pulley’s were living at 623 N. Madison St.
In April of 1947, Melvin’s wife, Elsie, went to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri for a checkup. She was later found dead in a concrete parking lot after having fallen from a second floor sunporch. She was pronounced dead on April 31st. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion.
Melvin L. Pulley, 77, of 715 E. Main Street died at his home on October 26, 1953. Pulley was a grocery proprietor for the last 25 years, a city alderman for two years and a member of the grade school board of education. He left three children, Melvin N. Pulley of Camp Polk, La., Mrs. Paul Poe and Mrs. W. Henry Rix both of Marion; brother, Oral G. Pulley of Marion and sister, Mrs. Dave Wilcox of Seattle, Washington. Pulley was an Elder in the First Christian Church. Burial was in new Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on Children:
Afton Zada Pulley Poe, born July 9, 1900, married Paul Poe in June 1921, lived at 106 E. Stockton St. in Marion in 1956, worked at the Marion State and Savings Bank, died in December 1987 in Dayton Ohio
Christeva Pulley Rix, born September 6, 1904, married W. Henry Rix in September 1938 and died September 30, 1991, no children, burial in Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion
Melvin Norman “Spud” Norman, born April 15, 1909. Married Loudine Pritchett in January 1929, WWII Veteran, served in 79th Division of 313 Infantry in France during WWII, received Purple Heart, died June 18, 1965 in Gettysburg, Pa.
(Sources: Federal Census records, Marion Street Directories, Marion City Cemetery records, FindaGrave.com, WWI Draft Card records, WWII Draft Card records, Williamson County Marriage records, Southern Illinoisan, Marion Daily Republican, Marion Evening Post, Marion Weekly Leader, Marion Semi-Weekly Leader papers. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 4/19/2024)