Lorenzo Dow Hartwell Jr. was born May 6, 1843, in Williamson County, Illinois, and reared on the paternal farm five miles northeast of Marion, Illinois. He was the eighth in order of birth and the seventh boy in a family of twelve children born to Lorenzo Dow Hartwell Sr. and Sicily Hodge. Lorenzo Sr. emigrated from Virginia with his family in 1839. Continue reading
Category Archives: Military
George Washington Pillow began life at Metropolis, Massac Co., Illinois, May 15, 1850. He was the son of Capt. Parker B. Pillow, of Columbia, Tenn. who died in March, 1883, at Shawneetown, to which place he moved in 1852. The mother was Elizabeth Braisier a native of this state and lived at Shawneetown. Continue reading
George Ralph Thurmond was born in Ewing, Illinois on January 6, 1896, the son of Elisha M. and Ida A. Ingram Thurmond. His father, Elisha, taught school and engaged in farming and raising livestock prior to bringing his family to Marion on October 1, 1909 to engage in the monument business by buying the Marion Steam Marble Works (monument makers). Continue reading
Bill L. Bainbridge was born July 8, 1922, in Marion, to Lawrence and Lottie Mae (Eyre) Bainbridge. Having been born into a family of merchants, Bill was a WWII veteran who spent his life in the family jewelry business and was the great-grand-son of J.B. Bainbridge, an early pioneering Marion merchant. Continue reading
Harry W. Beneke was born in Burlington, Iowa, July 3, 1926, to Harry W. and Catherine (Rohleder) Beneke Sr. His father was killed in an elevator accident when Harry was in the fourth grade. After the accident, Harry began his working career early as a butcher for Benteco Chain Stores of Burlington, Iowa. Continue reading