Anderson Macklin “Mack” Garrison was born in Saline County to Thomas Wilkerson Garrison and Sarah Jane Miller on February 10, 1862. In the 1870 federal census, the family was living in Saline County and using the Bankston Post Office. Thomas 39 and his wife Sarah 33 then had five children, William J. 18, Lemuel J. 12, Anderson M. 9, Eliza E. 4 and Lucella aged 4 months. The farming family lived on a farm that they valued at $800 and claimed $300 in personal estate.

In the 1880 census, the family was found to be farming in Douglas Precinct in Saline County. Thomas 50 had since remarried after his second wife died. Thomas 50 and Serena 36 then had 3 children in the home, Anderson 17, Elizabeth 14 and David aged 8. Anderson was working as a farm laborer and the family was housing Serena’s mother, 82 year old widowed Elizabeth Forister.

Anderson was reared on the farm and attended local district schools and finally Crab Orchard Academy after which he went on to teach public schools in Saline and Williamson County for 15 terms.

On April 14, 1892, Anderson who was then living in the Crab Orchard area married 19 year old Elmora Absher who was living near Cawthon, an area around the Williamson/Saline county line east of Crab Orchard. Elmora was born April 30, 1873 to John Wesley Absher and Mary Stockdale. An article appearing in a local paper when they were married indicated that the couple would be moving to his farm near Union Grove, near Pittsburg, Illinois.

Anderson’s obit indicates that he came to Marion in 1899 where he resided until his death. The obit stated that he first taught school and sold real estate and insurance. Which seems to be confirmed by the 1900 census. In that census, Anderson 39 and Elmora 27 already had three children and were living in a home they owned with a mortgage in Marion while Anderson was working as a schoolteacher. The children in the home were Verdie 7, Myrtie 14 and Oral aged 4 months. Elmora indicated that they had birthed 3 children and all of them were living.

Not long after coming to Marion Anderson was elected secretary-treasurer of Local Union 382 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters established October 1, 1903.

A 1907 Marion street directory indicated that Anderson and his wife were living at 209 W. Stockton Street and he was working in a real estate and insurance firm named Binkley & Garrison comprised of himself and A.J. Binkley.

According to the book “Williamson County in WWI” and his obit, after engaging for a time in real estate and insurance, Anderson and his brother D.M. Garrison established a furniture store called Garrison Brothers on Franklin Avenue just off the square in Marion in 1908 and later purchased the stock of Vance & Goddard and moved their stock to the latter in the northwest corner of the public square and later on N. Market St. where after 12 years they sold out in 1920.

In the 1910 census, Anderson listed himself as a 49 year-old self-employed retail furniture merchant living at 207 W. Stockton Street. Elmora was 36 and their children were Verdie 15, Myrtie 14 and Oral 10. Also, in 1910 Anderson was elected town clerk in West Marion Township and served one term.

When the 1920 census was taken, Anderson 57 and Elmora 46 still had their 3 children in the home, Verdie 26, Myrtie 24 and Oral 20. The family was living in a home they owned free of mortgage at 911 N. Monroe St.. Anderson was listed as a self-employed merchant of a furniture/hardware firm. Verdie was a saleslady in her father’s business, Myrtie was a public school teacher at McKinley school and their son, Oral, was a stenographer having attended Brown’s Business College in Marion. This is also, the year that Anderson and his brother closed the Garrison Brothers store and Anderson retired.

His retirement from working life was confirmed in a 1922 Marion street directory which listed himself and his wife as living retired at 911 N. Monroe St.

Even though, Anderson was retired he maintained involvement in community affairs in 1923 by serving a 4 year term on the Williamson County Board of Supervisors during the Ku Klux Klan years and prohibition. One year he was a clerk of the Board of Review.

In 1923, when those people who were indicted for the “Herrin Massacre” that occurred in 1922 were taken to trial, Anderson was questioned as a potential juror but indicated that he had personal knowledge of the defendant (Bert Grace) and didn’t believe he could make a “fair” judgement so he was excused.

In the same year as a member of the county board he and others passed a resolution to firmly enforce prohibition laws, a view that fell squarely in line with the KKK’s views. In the 1923 Marion spring city elections, members of the local Law Enforcement League wanted to select candidates in the city election that would reflect their views. Among them were James Carter, A.M. Garrison and Harry Peebles. Throughout 1923 and 1924, Anderson was closely associated with local Klan leader Sam Stearns. In March of 1923, Anderson posted bond for Klan members accused of assault with attempted murder and in June of that year posted $25,000 bond for Klan members, including Klan leaders Sam Stearns and S. Glenn Young.

As a member of the county board in 1924, Anderson was among those who petitioned the Governor of Illinois to replace the then county sheriff George Galligan, who the Klan felt wasn’t falling in line with prohibition laws.

In 1927, Anderson was elected city commissioner under Mayor Elisha M. Thurmond and served until 1931 as safety and health commissioner.

When the 1930 census was taken, Anderson 68 and Elmora 56 still had one child living in their home at 911 N. Monroe St., Myrtie, a 34 year-old school teacher. Anderson was long since retried by then. The family valued their home at $4,000 and they had a radio in the home.

In January 1933, Anderson became ill and later checked into St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois where his son lived to have an operation which at first appeared to be favorable. Anderson passed away of February 5, 1933 and was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery. He was an active member of the First Baptis church and a member of the board of trustees. He was survived by his wife, Elmora, and two daughters, Mrs. Verdie H. Dungey and Miss Myrtie Garrison of Marion and one son, Oral Garrison of Springfield, Illinois.

Elmora continued living in Marion along with her daughters until her death in Fountain Nursing Home in Marion on February 21, 1967. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.

Notes on Children:

Verdie May Garrison Dungey, born near Pittsburg, Illinois on April 29, 1893, worked as a Marion teacher and clerk in Wallace store on N. Market St., married Vernia H. Dungey in July 1922, died at age of 65 of cerebral hemorrhage at her home at 1005 N. Monroe Street on July 3, 1958. Burial in Rose Hill Cemetery

Myrtie F. Garrison, born May 27, 1895, never married but taught school in Marion at McKinley school, died in Creal Springs Nursing Home at the age of 93 on February 25, 1989, burial in Rose Hill Cemetery

Oral Leon Garrison, born in Marion on December 20, 1899, married Lucille Hunter of Willisville, Illinois in 1923. Went to work as private secretary to Warden White of the Menard penitentiary. Several months later became the private secretary to John L. Lewis, President of the U.M.W.A., died in Tampa, Florida on September 21, 1972

(Sources: Federal census records, Marion Weekly Leader, Southern Illinoisan, Marion Daily Republican, The Leader, K.K.K. in Williamson County, 1905 Historical Souvenir of Williamson County, Williamson County in WWI, Williamson County Marriage records, Marion city street directories. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 6/08/2024)