The following post is a compilation of newspaper accounts from 1875 recounting the individuals and events that constituted the event commonly referred to historically as “the bloody vendetta.” It includes some firsthand interviews of those involved and having knowledge of the events at the time. Continue reading
Category Archives: Court House
James Bishop Morray was born in Kentucky in 1821. Due to the early deaths of his mother and father, he was raised by an uncle, William Bishop, in Pope County, Illinois. While still a young man he returned to his home state of Kentucky to work for William Wyatt, eventually marrying his daughter, Izzarilda Wyatt in 1842.
In 1844, the Morray and Wyatt families moved to Illinois, purchasing several parcels of land in Creal Springs and Stonefort Townships. During the 1860’s and 1870’s James became the largest landowner in Johnson County, eventually owning thousands of acres in Johnson and Williamson Counties. Continue reading
In 1953, the clock on the County Court House which was originally installed in 1907, quit working and the following two articles relate to its replacement with a newer, more modern electrically operated version. Continue reading
“Here is a fine view of the Williamson County Court House, made possible for the first time, due to the fire on May 6 which destroyed the Cox Building and other buildings on the south side of the square. Continue reading
The following article was extracted from the Marion Daily Republican of July 10, 1963 and reports on the clearing of the 900 block of the public square following the Cox Hardware/ Goss Appliance fire on May 6th 1963 that decimated that block of the square. Continue reading