Category Archives: All Marion Content

All content related to Marion Illinois

The Hosea Wilson Family in WWII, Lest We Forget

Posted on by November 10, 2013

Hosea Wilson 1878-1954
General Russell Wilson 1906-1944
Ronald Wilson 1910-1966
Lowell Wilson 1916-1940
Jack Wilson 1917-1945

There are probably not many, if any, who remember the Hosea Wilson family of Marion and their contributions to the war effort during WW II.

Hosea Wilson was born in Marion in 1878, graduated from Marion High School and Southern Illinois Normal University. Hosea’s father, Allen Wilson served in the Civil War in the 31st Illinois Infantry. It should he added that O.M. Wilson of Marion was a brother of Hosea. O.M. Wilson had a son, Virgil, who later became the noted athletic coach at Marion High School. Continue reading →

Caplinger, Leslie O. 1879-1943

Posted on by April 18, 2014

Leslie Caplinger 1879-1943Leslie Otto Caplinger was born February 2, 1879, on a farm seven miles southeast of Marion, the son of Theodore Perry Caplinger and Mary L. McDonald. Leslie was the great grandson of Solomon Caplinger, blacksmith and early settler to the Caplinger Pond area, just on the southeast outskirts of Marion.

The family was captured in the 1880 census, when Leslie was 1 year old and the family was living on a farm in the New Denison area. Later plat maps indicate the family’s 66 acre farm was just east of Route 166, near New Denison. Continue reading →

Fosse, Raymond E. 1947-XXXX

Posted on by November 7, 2013

Ray Fosse
Ray Fosse
Ray Fosse
Ray Fosse
Ray Fosse

Raymond Earl Fosse was born April 4, 1947 in Marion, Illinois, the son of Wayne and Pauline Fosse. Ray had an older brother Jerry, and younger brother Jim.

Ray played the infield his freshman year at Marion High School, but his second year moved to catcher and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player all three years. He hit .475 his sophomore year and .535 as a junior. In his last season, Fosse posted a .465 mark, with four home runs, and led Marion to the Illinois Regional Finals. Ray also lettered in football as a fullback and in basketball as a forward. Continue reading →