James Martin Williams was born October 16, 1878 to Xerxes Marcus & Sarah F. Williams in Townmount Precinct in Franklin County. The 1880 federal census located the family in this location when his father was only 22, his mother 19 and James was just 1. By the 1900 census, his mother, Sarah was no longer in the equation and his father had remarried Lucinda Cash Buchtenkerchen on April 16, 1893. The family had relocated from Franklin County to live in Marion. At that point in time, Marcus 41 and Lucinda 40 had two children living with them, sons undoubtedly belonging to his first wife, Sarah. They were Harry H. 25 and James M. 21, both working as a coal miners just like their father. Also living in their home was Ethel aged 5, reportedly the sister of Marcus but doubtful.
On January 23, 1900, James married Margaret “Maggie” Voss from Shawneetown in Saline County. A 1907 Marion street directory indicated that James and Margaret were living in Scotsboro, an outlying unincorporated village of Marion in the early days.
By the 1910 census, James 31 and Margaret 32 had four children and were living in a rental home in west Marion. Marge indicated that they had birthed 5 children and that 4 were living. Those children in the home were Lloyd 7, John 5, Vernon 3 and Paul still an infant. The young girl, Ethel, who was with the family 10 years ago, is now 13 and still living with them.
An article appearing in the Marion Evening Post in July 1914 reported that James Martin Williams, the 20 month old infant son of Rev. James M. and Maggie Williams had died and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
In 1915 and again in 1916, James was elected as city alderman under Mayor Dausa D. Hartwell. When he filled out his WWI Draft record in 1917, he was a 39 year-old coal miner working at Peabody Coal Company. He and his wife were living at 807 N. Vicksburg St. and he was physically described as medium height, medium build with brown eyes and light colored hair.
When the 1920 census was taken James 41 and Maggie 42 were living in a home at 207 W. White Street that they owned with a mortgage. Children in the home were Lloyd 17, John L. 14 and Vernon 11. Both James and his 17 year old son, Lloyd, were working as coal miners.
By the 1930 census, James 51 and Maggie 52 along with their 24 year old son, John, were living in a rental home at 117 N. Virginia Ave. in Belleville, Illinois. Both James and his son were working as coal miners.
Around 1934, James and Maggie moved back to where he grew up in Franklin County which is where the family was found in the 1950 census living at 126 S. Pine Street in Zeigler, Illinois. By this time, James is not working and was 71 years old, Maggie was 72.
James passed away on January 10, 1954 in the Herrin Hospital in Herrin, Illinois after an illness of three years. According to his obit, he was a former resident of Marion and had lived in Ziegler for 20 years. H was a member of the South Side Baptist Church of Christopher, the Zeigler !.O.O.F Lodge, and local union 40 of the United Mine Workers of America. He was survived by his wife Maggie and sons, Lloyd of Zeigler, John of Pana and Vernon of Murphysboro, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion.
Maggie Voss Williams was born December 12, 1877 and died in Zeigler on August 4, 1960. She was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery next to James.
Notes on Children:
Iva Lloyd Williams, born August 9, 1902 in Marion, married a Thelma E., died September 2, 1974, burial in Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion
John L. Williams, born April 28, 1905, married Mabel, died August 11, 1966 in W. Frankfort, burial in Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion
Ronald Vernon Williams, born July 15, 1907, married Opal M. Prost, died April 30, 1966 in Murphysboro
Paul Williams, born about 1910
James Martin Williams Jr., born 1913, died at 20 months of age in July 1914, burial in Rose Hill Cemetery
(Sources: Federal Census records, Saline County Marriage records, Williamson County Marriage records, The Southern Illinoisan, Marion Evening Post, Marion Daily Republican, WWI Draft records, Marion street directories, FindaGrave.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 4/27/2024)