Cox, Danny, Fighter Pilot & Motivational Speaker

Danny Cox, jet fighter pilot and motivational speaker, was born in 1934 to Virgil Cox and Zella (Smothers) Cox on S. Madison Street. Danny’s father, Virgil, at one time owned Madison Street Market at 601 S. Madison, which is now long gone and also worked in the coal mines. His mother, Zella, was the sister of Ralph “Speed” Smothers, owner of Speed’s Confectionary on the square in Marion for years and J. Paul Smothers, postmaster at Marion for years. The father of all three was John H. Smothers who served on the Marion Police force in the 1920’s and the mother was Edna (Tippy) Smothers. Continue reading

Miller, John K. 1918-1993

John K. Miller, active Marion Lion, Shriner, Fair Board and Marion Park District member, was born on March 3, 1918, in Marion on S. Court Street to Ray Miller and Ruth Kilbreth. Miller received his education in Marion schools and also attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Continue reading

The Stockton Bell Factory

William StocktonThe following post is a reproduction of an article appearing in the Marion Daily Republican dated March 22, 1940. It summarizes the presence of the bell making, Stockton family who were a very early pioneer family that settled in Marion and distributed their bells all over the west and midwest from their home and factory on North Market between E. Boulevard and W. Stockton Streets. 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

Maynard, Clyde O. 1912-1999, Civic Leader

Clyde Owen Maynard, one of the original Marion Park District Commissioners in 1957 and an active civic leader, was born April 18, 1912, in Herrin to Otis A. Maynard (1882-1926) and Nellie Williams (1887-xxxx).

The 1920 federal census found 7 year old Clyde in his parents’ home at 1004 S. 13th Street in Herrin, Illinois, which they owned free of mortgage. His parents were aged 36 and 32 respectively and his father was working as a mine boss. Siblings of Clyde living in the home were Ruth 14, Leonard 13, Paul 11 and Marvin age 4. Continue reading