This photo was submitted to the Marion Living Magazine by Geneva Stahlhut and was dated 1939. Since the photo was taken in front of the F.W. Woolworth store on the square and includes the store manager of the time, Virgil A. Jones, I can presume that all of these ladies are Woolworth employees posing for a group photo during the Williamson County Centennial celebration in 1939. Especially, since they are all in period costume, which was common for store employees and normal citizens during the celebration held August 26, 1939 through September 1, 1939. Continue reading
Category Archives: County
Ethel Ashby was born on Sunday, March 7, 1920, at Creal Springs, Illinois, to Walter Tanner and Ethel Davenport. Her mother died the day Ethel was born. Due to a fear that the baby would also be lost, Belle and Roy McGowan, aunt and uncle of the child, volunteered to love and care for the little girl at their home in Carterville. Continue reading
J.C. Mitchell was born in Marion on February 2, 1925, the son of Everett Edward and Margaret Helen (Hartman) Mitchell.
One of Mitchell’s great-grandfathers, William N. Mitchell, first moved to the Williamson County area near Corinth about the year 1830. He was a school teacher at the time. He later studied surveying and when Franklin County split in two and formed Williamson County in 1839, Mitchell ran the survey line between the south boundaries of Franklin County and the present north boundary of Williamson County. He also served in the Civil War as Captain in the Union Army. He was a postmaster and after service during the Civil War was County Clerk of Williamson County. Continue reading
Ralph W. Harris was born November 20, 1904 in Creal Springs to Willis T. and Emma (Schafer) Harris.
The 1910 census revealed that Ralph’s family was living in Marion at 201 S. Market Street. Ralph’s father, Willis, was managing a livery stable. Ralph was 5 and shared space with six siblings. His older sister, Minnie L. Harris, was a public school teacher. The census indicated that Ralph’s mother had given birth to ten children and that eight of them were still living. Continue reading
Thomas Joseph Redickas was born April 11, 1927 in Chicago to Charles V. and Mabel M. (Harvey) Redickas. His father, Charles, was a Lithuanian immigrant and his mother, Mabel, was born in Illinois to full blooded Irish immigrants.
In the 1930 census, Tom was three years old. His parents were renting a home at 5629 Elizabeth St. in Chicago and paying $40 per month for rent. His father was a typesetter at a printing shop. Continue reading