James Silas Johnson was born in Brookport Illinois, Massac County, on June 21, 1900 to John & Mary Johnson. In the 1910 federal census, James was 10 year old. His father was a 41 year old insurance agent for Illinois Mutual Insurance and they were living in Brookport on Crocket Street. His 36 year old mother, Mary, claimed to have given birth to four children but only 3 were living in the home at the time, Paul 14, James 10 and John L. 7.
Articles later in life revealed that the family first came to Williamson County in 1912. When James filled out his WWI draft card in 1918 the family was living at 307 N. Van Buren St. He was an 18 year old student and described as medium height, medium build with blue eyes and light colored hair.
When the 1920 census was taken, the family was still living in a rental home at 307 N. Van Buren Street and his 51 year old father, John, was employed as an insurance agent. The parental family had the three same sons in the home as in the 1910 census, B. Paul 23, James 19 and John L. 16.
On August 5, 1923, 23 year old James married Marie Boyd, a 20 year old school teacher at the Jefferson School in Marion. Her parents were William Thomas and Grace Kate Boyd and were then living at 1001 N. Market Street. Marie was born December 8, 1902.
An article appearing in the Marion Evening Post in March 1926 indicated that James had been elected President of the Good Felllows of the First Methodist Church in Marion.
By the 1930 census, James 29 and Marie 27 were living at 106 E. Stockton in a home they owned and valued at $6,000. James was selling insurance and the couple had one son, John W. aged 3, born in 1926. The family had a radio set in their home.
In the 1930’s James clearly became politically active. An article in March of 1930 indicated that he was running for Republican Committeeman of East Marion Township. An article a month later of the same year, indicated that local insurance agents had gathered to form an association and that they had elected James as their President.
In 1932, James replaced John H. Youngkin on the city council as Commissioner under Mayor Charles H. Whitcomb and would serve as Commissioner of Public Property until 1935.
When the 1940 census was taken, 39 year old James and 37 year old Marie were living at 219 ½ N. Market and had one child, John W. aged 13. James was working as an electrician and claimed an income of $1,500 in 1939 having worked 26 weeks in that year. That figures out to about $57.50 a week income. James reported that he and Marie had both completed 4 years of high school.
When James filled out his WWII draft card in 1942 he was 41 years old and living at 219 ½ N. Market Street. He was working for Pierce Electric Company located in the Illinois Ordnance Plant (Ordil). He was physically described as 5’ 10”, 196 lbs., blued eyes, grey hair and a light complexion. In 1944 a local street directory places James as still living in an apartment at 219 ½ N. Market.
In the 1950 federal census, 49 year old James was working as an electrician for a construction company. He and 47 year old Marie were then living at 201 E. College Street.
An article in the Southern Illinoisan newspaper in January of 1960 announced that James was a candidate running for county commissioner on the Republican ticket. He was listed then as living with his wife at 904 Park Drive in Marion. Another article in April noted the recommendation of the Southern Illinoisan paper as commissioner. Elections later that year failed to get him elected.
More articles in the Southern Illinoisan from late in 1961 and early 1962 announced his candidacy to run for Marion Police Magistrate in the spring of 1962, which he won. A Marion street directory listed James as living at 904 Park Drive in Marion and working for Sangamo Electric Company which was then operating as a manufacturer of electrical components at the Crab Orchard wildlife refuge in the old ordnance plant (Ordill) area. By 1963 James was listed as retired.
James passed away on January 29, 1974 and was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery. He was a member of the First Methodist Church in Marion, the Elks club Lodge 800 and Masonic Lodge 89 in Marion and the Electrical Workers Local Union 702 out of West Frankfort who he served as Secretary for 12 years.
He was survived by his wife, Marie, and a son Capt. John Johnson, then serving with the Navy Medical Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, seven grandchildren; a sister, Bess Sims of Brookport and a brother, Luke Johnson of Marion.
James’ wife, Marie, died on May 18, 1894 and was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery with James.
Notes on Children:
Capt. John W. Johnson, born in Marion August 20, 1926, married Sharon DuPont on June 12, 1949 in Marion, was a veteran of WWII and Vietnam and died April 28, 2000.
(Sources: Federal census records, Williamson County Marriage records, Marion City Street Directories, WWI and WWII Draft records, Southern Illinoisan, Marion Evening Post, Marion Weekly Leader newspapers, FindaGrave.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 6/19/2024)