Category Archives: All Marion Content
Oscar Schafale, the son of a blacksmith, was born September 11, 1897 in Cherry Valley, southwest of Marion. He moved with his parents, Mike Schafale and Mary Weilmuenster, to Marion when he was 6 years old. His father later started an International Harvester farm implement dealership in Marion.
He began working at the Schafale Brothers International Harvester farm implement dealership when he was 11 years old, working there until he was 42 years old.
Schafale attended Marion schools through the eighth grade. He took a short business course at Brown’s Business College in Marion, as well as attending bank courses at the University of Wisconsin for three summers. Continue reading
Crab Orchard Lake was formed by bottling up Crab Orchard Creek and 22,000 acres were purchased by the U.S. Government starting in 1936 as part of a W.P.A. project. As the new lake was filling up with water in 1940, it had already been decided to establish a military reservation in the form of the Illinois Ordnance Plant or Ordill. Many of the properties were purchased in 1940 and 1941.
The following list indicates the properties that were purchased in conjunction with Ordill. Continue reading
Lemoine Henry “Lee” Crouse was born September 7, 1912 in Council Bluff, Iowa, the son on Don B. Crouse (1884-1970) and Sarah Nancy Ansberry (1884-1935). Sarah’s mother was born in Ireland.
In the 1920 census when Lee was only 7, his father was a self-employed farmer and the family lived on a farm at Notch, Wyoming. Lee had two brothers sharing the home, Don B. Jr., 10, and John B., 5. Continue reading