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
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Oscar Schafale, the son of a blacksmith, was born September 11, 1897 in Cherry Valley, southwest of Marion. He moved with his parents, Mike Schafale and Mary Weilmuenster, to Marion when he was 6 years old. His father later started an International Harvester farm implement dealership in Marion.
He began working at the Schafale Brothers International Harvester farm implement dealership when he was 11 years old, working there until he was 42 years old.
Schafale attended Marion schools through the eighth grade. He took a short business course at Brown’s Business College in Marion, as well as attending bank courses at the University of Wisconsin for three summers. Continue reading
I-57 is Biggest of Marion’s Assets
“Interstate Rt. 57 is the biggest asset ever to come to Marion.”
Banker Oscar Schafale’s opinion is shared by others.
Franklyn Moreno, Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission, said I-57 with its connections to Interstate Rts. 24 and 64 and a proposed Southern Illinois freeway to St. Louis make “everything coming at Marion. It enhances it as being a central location.” Continue reading
George Ralph Thurmond was born in Ewing, Illinois on January 6, 1896, the son of Elisha M. and Ida A. Ingram Thurmond. His father, Elisha, taught school and engaged in farming and raising livestock prior to bringing his family to Marion on October 1, 1909 to engage in the monument business by buying the Marion Steam Marble Works (monument makers). Continue reading
The sight of workmen building paved parking lots on public and private property in the segment of downtown Marion North West of the Tower Square Plaza calls attention to another of the ongoing programs to enable a municipality founded in the 19th century to accommodate late 20th century demands. Continue reading