“The Williamson County Agricultural Society was incorporated in 1856, with the following gentlemen as its first officers: Willis Allen, President: John H. White, secretary: James D. Pulley, treasurer. Its Directors were: John Goodall, J. H. Swindell, O. H. Pulley, R. M. Hundley and George Willard. Continue reading
Category Archives: All Marion Content
Robert Green “Bob” Ingersoll (August 11, 1833 – July 21, 1899) was a Civil War veteran, American political leader, and orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought, noted for his broad range of culture and his defense of agnosticism. He was nicknamed “The Great Agnostic.” Continue reading
“Nobody in this county ever dreamed that Abraham Lincoln would be elected President; and though there were less than one hundred Republicans in the county, yet the excitement ran higher than usual. When Lincoln was elected, many of our people felt it their duty to stand by him. John A. Logan openly declared that he would shoulder his gun to have him inaugurated. Continue reading
Though technically not a Marion citizen, it would be remiss not to recount the life of John A. Logan. He was a Williamson County Circuit Clerk, prosecuting attorney, practicing lawyer in the County courthouse and an influential civil war military leader and political figure in the Democratic party of this county for decades and therefore shaped the course of Marion, Illinois and Williamson County history. Continue reading
“I was born in Petersburg, Boone County, Missouri, on the 15th day of August, 1838. The town in which I was born is no more, but in its stead there has arisen the present flourishing town of Sturgeon. I am of Irish-French descent; my mother’s maiden name being La Fontaine, my father’s that of Cunningham. My father was Captain John M. Cunningham. My mother’s maiden name was Elizabeth Hicks La Fontaine. Continue reading
