John Bailey Peyton Boswell, was born in Grassy Township on February 13, 1863 to Bailey Peyton Boswell and Martha C. Huffines. His father, Bailey Peyton Boswell, enlisted in the 128th Illinois Infantry Company G on September 28, 1862 and died of pneumonia in the Regimental Hospital at Camp Butler of pneumonia on November 13, 1862 only 3 months to the day before John’s birth. His father’s body was returned home and buried in Skinner Cemetery. After his father’s death, his family was taken in by John Skinner, another Grassy Township resident. The 1870 federal census located John, his mother Martha and his remaining siblings living in the home of the widowed 60 year old Skinner in Grassy Township with his two daughters and using Makanda as a post office.
By the time the 1880 census was taken, 73 year-old farmer John Skinner had married John’s mother, who was now Martha C. Skinner aged 51. Children in the home were John’s children from his earlier marriage, Melvina Skinner 23 and Cordelia Skinner aged 12. Martha’s children present were Filbert E. Boswell 25 and John B. 17, also present was Skinner’s granddaughter Mary A. Pine aged 10.
On December 6, 1882, 19 year-old John married 22 year-old Lydia A.J. Trull, daughter of W.C. Trull and Telitha J. Barnett in Williamson County at her parent’s home.
Several years after their marriage, when the 1900 census was taken, John 36 and Lydia 40 were living in a rental home in Carterville. John was working as a carpenter and they had two children, Daisy 16 and Lawrence 13. Lydia reported that they had birthed 2 children and both were living.
By the 1910 census, John 47 and Lydia 49 had moved to Marion and were living at 305 S. Bentley, a home which they owned free of mortgage. John was listed as a carpenter and the couple had one child left in the home, Lawrence, aged 22 and also working as a carpenter. The only change when the 1920 census was taken was that the couple were now in their fifties and no children were left in their Bentley Street home.
In 1923, John was elected to the city council as a commissioner under Mayor James H. Clarida. An article in the Marion Daily Republican dated September 5, 1923 noted that John’s son, Lawrence was resigning as the city building inspector. His father accepted the motion.
One year later, nearly to the day, on September 8, 1924 John passed away at Marion hospital, which would at that time been in the 200 block of E. Main Street. His death was due to complications of surgery a few days before. Shortly after his death, his son Lawrence Boswell was approved by the Marion City Council to take his place on the council as commissioner of city streets and public improvements to finish out John’s term to 1927.
According to John’s obit in the Marion Daily Republican, He had lived in Marion for 22 years, was a member of the First Baptist Church and had followed the building occupation all of his life and was a member of the Carpenter’s Local Union and Masonic order. Surviving him was his wife Lydia and children, Lawrence of Marion and Mrs. Ira Davis of Christopher. One brother, Henry Boswell lived at Phoenix, Arizona. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery with Masonic rites.
John’s wife, Lydia, born May 19, 1860, lived in Marion until her death on May 10, 1934 with burial at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on Children:
Daisy Olive Boswell Davis, born October 13, 1883, married Ira Jay Davis on September 12, 1904, died of myocardial infarction at Belleville, Illinois on March 18, 1967
Lawrence Boswell, born June 2, 1886, married Ida May Clarida on September 4, 1916, died in Marion on November 1, 1972
(Sources: Federal census records, Marion Daily Republican, Williamson County Marriage records, Marion City street directories, Illinois Civil War records, FindaGrave.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 6/01/2024)