Hudgens, Lee R., 1885-1950, Clothing Merchant & Commissioner

Posted on by June 7, 2024

Lee Roy Hudgens was born on December 19, 1885 in Hudgens, Illinois to Zachariah Hudgens and Mary J. Cooksey. Nothing remains of Hudgens, Illinois today but it is located app. 5 miles south of Marion on Hudgens Road where railroad tracks cross the road. Lee attended the rural district schools in his area and later attended school in Creal Springs. At the early age of 17 he began working in the clothing business and worked for 9 years in the employ of Manheim Cantor, a Marion clothing merchant. In September of 1902, Lee’s father Zachariah was hit by a train in Marion and killed. His father had established the village of Hudgens, was a banker, active business man and served as Williamson County Sheriff from 1872 to 1874.

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Boswell, Lawrence, 1887-1972, Carpenter & Commissioner

Posted on by June 5, 2024

Lawrence Boswell, was likely born in or near Carterville, Illinois on June 2, 1887 to John B.P. Boswell and Lydia A.J. Trull. This is where his parents were living when the 1900 federal census was taken. His father worked as a carpenter and the couple were living in a rental home in Carterville. By the time the 1910 census was taken, his parents had made the move to Marion and were living in their permanent home at 305 S. Bentley St. In this census, 22 year-old Lawrence had already begun his career as a carpenter.

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Boswell, John B.P., 1863-1924, Carpenter & Commissioner

Posted on by June 5, 2024

John Bailey Peyton Boswell, was born in Grassy Township on February 13, 1863 to Bailey Peyton Boswell and Martha C. Huffines. His father, Bailey Peyton Boswell, enlisted in the 128th Illinois Infantry Company G on September 28, 1862 and died of pneumonia in the Regimental Hospital at Camp Butler of pneumonia on November 13, 1862 only 3 months to the day before John’s birth. His father’s body was returned home and buried in Skinner Cemetery. After his father’s death, his family was taken in by John Skinner, another Grassy Township resident. The 1870 federal census located John, his mother Martha and his remaining siblings living in the home of the widowed 60 year old Skinner in Grassy Township with his two daughters and using Makanda as a post office.

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Glass, Otis L., 1881-1922, Railroad Superintendent & Commissioner

Posted on by June 1, 2024

According to Otis’s obit, he was born in Metropolis, Illinois on July 26, 1881 to John and Alice Glass. He attended school at Pinckneyville and Carbondale before coming to Marion in 1900. Otis started working for the Coal Belt Electric Railway in 1902 working for three years as a powerhouse electrician. He then left them and became electrician and chief engineer for the Egyptian Powder Company, working for them from 1905 to 1911, the last two years of which he served as superintendent of their local plant. On June first, he became assistant superintendent of the Missouri Pacific Railway, which place he held at the time of his death. He was in charge of their electric line in this county (the electric railway).

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Cunningham, Cline V., 1873-1948, Druggist & Commissioner

Posted on by May 31, 2024

Cline Vancleve Cunningham was born either in or near Crab Orchard village on December 27, 1873 to James T. Cunningham and Laura Hendrickson. His father, James T., was born in Mississippi and after the death of his father was brought to Williamson County by his mother settling in the Attila area of the county. James T. would go on later to serve as Captain of the 60th Regiment of Company E in the Union Army during the Civil War. The family also claimed to be related to Mary Cunningham Logan, wife of General John A. Logan.

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