William Levi Durham was born October 10, 1874 in Franklin County. The first record found on William was a Marion city street directory from 1907 that listed William as proprietor of the West Side Barber shop with a residence at 411 W. Main Street.
The 1910 federal census listed him as a boarder in a home located at 509 E. DeYoung Street in Marion. Interestingly enough, one of the other single boarders in the home was future county 1920’s State Attorney Delos Duty who at the time was a druggist. William listed his occupation as a self-employed barber. Later that year on October 16, 1910 William married Blanche Ferguson in Marion. Blanche was born in New Burnside on February 2, 1889 to James Ferguson & Minnie Waters. The couple’s one and only child, Ruth, was born to them on April 20, 1911.
In 1913 and again in 1914, William was elected as city Alderman under George B. Calhoun.
When William filled out his WWI Draft registration in 1918 he was 43 years old and living at 402 E. Warder Street with his wife Blanche and working as a barber. He was physically described as medium height, medium build, with gray eyes and dark hair.
When the 1920 census was taken, William was 44, Blanche was 30 and their daughter Ruth was 8 years old. The couple were living in a rental home at 107 S. Burr Street. A 1922 city directory found the couple living at 1008 W. Main with William operating his own barber shop called Durham’s Barber Shop at 102 W. Main Street. By 1927, the couple had moved into a home at 522 S. Market St.
An article appearing in the Marion Evening Post dated January 28, 1926 reported that William and his brother Ed will become owners of the C.W. Fowler Barber shop located under the Citizens Trust & Banking Company at 101 E. Main Street. Only three years later, the Marion Weekly Leader paper dated June 13, 1929 reported that William’s brother E.T. bought his interest in the Durham Brothers Barber Shop at 101 E. Main Street.
By the early 1930’s, William and Blanche had purchased their permanent home at 524 S. Market Street where they would live out their lives. It would appear that in the 1930’s, the family came up with a way to secure extra income by operating a Popcorn and Peanut Stand located on the square in the 600 block. An article in the Marion Weekly Leader from January 12, 1933 reported that Mrs. W.L. Durham asked the city council to not raise the license fee for her popcorn wagon on the square from the current $60 per year.
When the 1940 federal census was taken William was then 65 and Blanche 51. They were living in the home they owned at 524 S. Market Street and valued it at $5,000. They indicated it was the same home they lived in during the year 1935. William indicated he was working a 40 hour week. Health appears to have been an issue for Blanche in the latter 1940’s since there were two articles in the paper reporting that her daughter had come to stay with her due to health in April 1945 and February 1946.
The couple were living in the same location when the 1950 census was taken except William was then 75 and Blanche 60. He listed no occupation but Blanche indicted that she was still working the popcorn stand on the square.
William L. Durham passed away on January 27, 1956 at the Marion Memorial Hospital after failing health over the previous four years. Durham was survived by his wife, Blanche, daughter Ruth Mason of Carterville and one brother. He was a member of the Marion Elks Lodge for 52 years. Burial was in Old Rose Hill Cemetery.
William’s wife, Blanche passed away at her home at 524 S. Market St. and was dead on arrival at the Marion Memorial Hospital on July 7, 1967. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Mt. Carmel, American Legion Auxiliary of Marion, Senior Citizens Club and the Gray Ladies Organization at the Marion Veteran’s Hospital. She left a daughter, Mrs. Harold (Ruth) Mason of Marion. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on Children:
Ruth Durham Mason, born April 20, 1911 in Marion, married Harold Mason who died on July 29, 1977, she died October 28, 1990 in Goreville, lived in Carterville most her life. Burial in Hillcrest Cemetery.
(Sources: Federal census records, Marion Street Directories, the Southern Illinoisan, Marion Weekly Leader, Marion Semi-Weekly Leader, Marion Evening Post and World War 1 Draft Registrations. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 12/12/2024)