John Kaeser and his wife, Emelia Walther moved from St. Morgan, Illinois, to Williamson County in 1884 and settled on a farm east of Marion at the old Moeller Crossroad (Rt. 13 and 166). They brought with them their two sons Louis, ten years old, and Fred, eight years of age, along with daughter Emelia who was then six years of age. John Kaeser’s parents came from Switzerland in a sailboat during the late 1700’s or early 1800’s. Continue reading
Category Archives: Military
Samuel Lum Dunaway, Marion businessman, civic leader, WWI veteran and grandson of early county pioneer Sam Dunaway, was born on April 12, 1895, in Marion to Thomas Dunaway and Emma Benson.
Sam descended from one of the families that lived at Old Bainbridge, the village that served as the seat of county government, west of Marion, prior to creation of the county seat in Marion.
His father, Thomas Dunaway, retired Marion merchant, who died in 1921, was the son of Samuel Dunaway, one of the settlers of Bainbridge. Thomas Dunaway was born near that pioneer village in 1848, the last of 15 children in the family. Continue reading
Lack Bradley “L.B.” Hunter, Marion Chief of Police from 1968 to 1985, was born June 21, 1930, in Marion to George Hunter and Lelle Bradley on N. Madison Street. Hunter attended Marion schools and graduated Marion Township High School. His father, George Hunter, was a full blooded Scotsman who came to America in 1902 to work the local coal mines.
When the 1930 census was taken, the Hunter family was living at 913 N. Madison Street which they owned and valued at $2,000. George and Lelle were both 33 and their only child, Lack, was an infant. George was working as a coal miner for the Wallace Coal Company. Continue reading
Jackie Dean West was born on October 23, 1946 in Herrin to Dean West and Vada Newton. Jack’s father, Dean West, served as Williamson County Sheriff from 1958-1962.
He was a graduate of Marion High School in the class of 1965 along with his sister, Judy, and was on the MHS football team all four years.
Jack was in the United States Navy and served two tours in Vietnam and was a lifetime member of the Marion VFW. Continue reading
Logan’s Regimental Flag Taken to Illinois Capitol
Battle Torn Emblem of the 31st Illinois Unearthed Among Possessions of 14-year-old Private
Marion, Ill. — The old battle torn regimental flag carried by Gen. John A. Logan and his valiant 31st Illinois Regiment through the Civil War was uncovered here a few days ago and will be placed in the Logan Memorial Hall in Illinois capitol. J.M. Young delivered it at Springfield Monday night. Continue reading