Marion Illinois History Preservation

Kern, Charles M. 1837-1906, Marion Trustee & Merchant, Young and Kern Dry Goods

Posted on June 12, 2014 by wcihsJune 12, 2014

Charles M. Kern of Marion was born in Monongalia County, West Virginia on July 18, 1837, the son of James and Mary Goosman Kern, natives of West Virginia, of German and French stock respectively.

In 1860 Charles was living in Monongalia County, West Virginia near Morgantown. His parents, James and Mary Kern had five children at home: Charles, 23; Margaret, 21; Francis, 17; Caroline, 14 and George, 11.

Charles was reared in his native county, and was married and engaged in milling there. In 1863 he went west, located at Marion, Illinois and engaged in mercantile pursuits. Continue reading →

Longbons, Edward E. 1869-1944

Posted on April 17, 2014 by wcihsApril 17, 2014

Edward E. Longbons, the first president of the Bank of Marion in 1937, was born on May 18, 1869 near Albion in Edwards County, Illinois, the son of Thomas Longbons and Mary Jane Colyer Longbons. His mother was the daughter of Edward Colyer (1795-1858) and Jane Thread Colyer (1792-1860). She was born May 10, 1828 in Albion and died there Jul 24, 1895. Thomas, his father, was born on February 21, 1834 in Nottinghamshire, England and died in 1910 in Albion, Edwards County, Illinois. Thomas and Jane had at least nine children andEdward appears to have had a twin sister, Eliza. Continue reading →

Kaeser Family History

Posted on February 10, 2014 by wcihsFebruary 10, 2014

John Kaeser and his wife, Emelia Walther moved from St. Morgan, Illinois, to Williamson County in 1884 and settled on a farm east of Marion at the old Moeller Crossroad (Rt. 13 and 166). They brought with them their two sons Louis, ten years old, and Fred, eight years of age, along with daughter Emelia who was then six years of age. John Kaeser’s parents came from Switzerland in a sailboat during the late 1700’s or early 1800’s. Continue reading →

Jones, John W. “Willie” 1912-1968, Civic Leader

Posted on January 30, 2014 by wcihsFebruary 28, 2014

John William “Willie” Jones, beloved Marion citizen, active civic leader and the first black man to obtain membership in any Marion service club, was a native of Marion born on January 12, 1912 to William Jones and Mrs. Alice Crossland. Jones was hailed by Marion editor and news publisher, Oldham Paisley, as being a force of one in maintaining racial tension in Marion and promoting development of the black community. Continue reading →

Johns, Harold Gene 1927-1984, State Senator 1971-1984

Posted on January 27, 2014 by wcihsJanuary 27, 2014

Harold Gene Johns, State Senator of the 57^th and 59^th District from 1971 to 1984, was born October 6, 1927 in Carrier Mills to Christopher Columbus Johns and Mabel Stricklin.

When the 1930 Federal Census was taken, the Johns family was living in the city of Harrisburg at 620 S. Main Street, which they rented for $15 a month. His father, Columbus, was 32 years old and a native of Alabama, who worked as a room boss for the Sahara Coal Company in the Sahara No. 7 mine. Gene’s mother, Mabel, was only 26 and was born in Illinois. There were three sons in the home, Bronzel Johns, the oldest was 7, Tommy Johns was 5 and Harold Gene Johns was 3 ½ years of age. Continue reading →