1856-59, News Clippings

1856

July 10, 1856

100 sacks of salt just received – Norman & Sanders, Marion, Illinois

Elenor McElvoy Vs. John G. McElvoy, bill for divorce

Stop Thief! – Stolen from my residence on the 9th day of this month, a bright bay mare, five years old, supposed to be fourteen hands high, a long black tail and main turning to the left side; not a white spot on her, where the collar comes above, the mare is quite worn off. A liberal reward will be given for her by me in Jackson County. Jane Richert Continue reading

Duncan, Russell 1904-1991, Teacher

Jessie Russell (Gardner) Duncan, dedicated teacher for over five decades, was born on May 18, 1904 in Lexington, Tennessee, the late-in-life daughter and sixth child of Henry and Jessie Gardner. By the time the 1910 federal census was taken, the Gardner family had moved to Marion and was living at 514 W. Maplewood Street in a home which they owned with a mortgage.

Her 55 year old father, Henry, was working as a laborer at a railroad tie plant, which was likely the American Creosote Company on the south side of Marion on Rt. 37 where Short Brothers is now located. Continue reading

1960-62, Old Marion Armory

In early 2014, the old Marion Armory building at Vicksburg and DeYoung is being remodeled for use as the new Marion Police Department. The armory itself was vacated many years ago, when the reserve unit built a new armory west of the city close to the county airport property. The following is a series of articles related to the old armory land and building. Continue reading

1941, Marion Has Ample Water

City Reservoir Google image 2012While Carbondale, West Frankfort and Other Towns Suffer Marion Has Ample Supply

Residents of Marion, who can reflect back twenty-three years ago can sympathize with Carbondale, West Frankfort and other Southern Illinois cities who are now suffering from a water shortage.

Twenty three years ago, during WW I, Marion was only able to have water for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. You had to fill your bathtubs and surplus pans with needed water for drinking and sanitation. Citizens were patrolling the streets to prevent the possibility of a fire breaking out, and the community was in constant fear that what water they had would evaporate before rains filled the deep wells from which our water was then obtained. Continue reading

Egyptian Powder Company

The Egyptian Powder Company was a post turn of the century business that was the first known to manufacture explosives in Southern Illinois. It cranked out kegs of blasting powder for local and national mines, employed as many as 70 people, became part of the Olin empire and was a downright dangerous place to work.

Though at this point in time, the original owners of the Egyptian Powder Company are unknown, it is known that the company started producing blasting powder for coal mine operation in 1904. An article found in the March 12th, 1904, Carbondale Free Press stated, β€œThe first shipment of powder from the Egyptian Powder Company was made Thursday. This is probably the first powder ever shipped from Southern Illinois. It consisted of 200 kegs. The plant from which it was shipped is situated midway between Marion and Carterville.” Continue reading