Jeremiah Rice was a pioneer farmer of Southern Illinois, a carpenter and served on the first board of trustees for the city of Marion where his children were born, but before they grew to maturity he moved to Dunklin county, Missouri, to live out his years.
Jeremiah S. “Jerry” Rice was born in November of 1820 in Tennessee.
He married Susan A. Sanders on September 9, 1840 in Williamson County, Illinois. Continue reading
James Holiday Stewart, Marion trustee and Williamson County treasurer, was born on December 28, 1827 in the Northern Precinct of Williamson County, Illinois, the son of James S. Stewart (1773-1834) and Rachel Salina Roberts (1787-1875). They lived just south of … Continue reading
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
William Harvey Howell, merchant, alderman, & entrepreneur was born in Monongalia County, West Virginia, on the 4th day of May, 1845, the son of George and Mary Howell. His great-grandfather, Samuel Howell, emigrated from England to Maryland, and his grandparents, Annie and Laban Howell, came from Maryland into West Virginia.
William H. Howell’s father, George Howell, was one of seven sons, good old English stock. His father died when he was only three years old and his mother married again two years later, which caused William to live with his grandfather Howell until he was sixteen years old. In March, 1862, he came west to Carbondale, Illinois, and there learned fine carpentering and soon became a contractor. In 1869 he went to Kansas and during the boom in that state he carried on an extensive contracting business. Continue reading
Thomas Davis, Marion Alderman, merchant and Civil War veteran, was born September 18, 1840, the son of Oliver H. Davis (1805-1885) and Rebecca Ann Baker (1809-1885). Oliver Davis came from Tennessee to Illinois about 1828 with his wife and baby daughter Jane. His wife and daughter rode on a horse, and he walked by their side. He settled on the bank of Crab Orchard Creek in what is now Williamson County Illinois, about 1/2 mile East of Pittsburg, Illinois. Continue reading
