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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Holland, James W., 1866-1946, Undertaker & Commissioner

Posted on by May 30, 2024

According to James Winslow Holland’s Illinois death record, he was born in Carbondale, Illinois on November 23, 1866 to Jerome Bryce Holland and Mary Jane Calvert. By the time the 1870 census was taken, the parental family unit of Jerome 32 and Janie 25 were living in West Marion Township and using Marion as their post office. Children in the home were Jessie 5, James W. 3, Sarah 1 and Florence aged 3 months. Jerome was a farmer.

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Monroe, Otley A., 1890-1950, Businessman and Alderman

Posted on by May 15, 2024

Otley Armond Monroe was born in Cottage Home, Grassy Township, on November 1, 1890 to William S. Monroe and Rachel Gentry. When the 1900 federal census was taken the parental farming family were located in Grassy Township. Father, William S. was 38 years old while the mother, Rachel was 42. Rachel recorded that she had birthed 6 children and that all 6 were still living. The children in the home at that time were Martin G. 15 and Charles 12, both farm laborers, Otley 7, Ralph 5, Clara 4 and Earl 1. The family owned the farm they lived on mortgage free.

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