City of Marion Illinois history

The county court held its first meeting October 7, 1839 at the Benson home, which served as hotel as well as courthouse.

A post office was opened January 30, 1840 with Willis Allen as the first post master.

Subscription schools were opened in 1841 and the first schoolhouse, a frame building, erected in the northwest edge of the little town.

Allen Bainbridge built the first hotel in 1842.

A Christian Church began to hold meetings about 1843 with Mr. and Mrs.

A Methodist congregation was organized in the new courthouse during 1844 and built Sweet Gum Church three years later.

The first steam mill was built by Milton Mulkey, in Marion, in 1845.

The first fraternal order was organized October 8, 1850 when Fellowship Masonic Lodge 89 was chartered.

Marion had its first newspaper in 1854 when a group of business men bought out William H. Willeford and moved the press to Marion.

The Marion Baptist church was organized in the summer of 1865, with Elders William Ferrell, Wiley B. Chamness and David Butler as the church council and the latter the first pastor also.

The possibility of industrial growth grew when the last rail was laid on the Carbondale and Shawneetown track into Marion on January 15, 1872.

The Mayor of 1874 was Joseph W. Hartwell; the first Aldermen were M.W. Robertson; Hartwell Hendrickson; Robert M. Allen; John M. Young; Charles M. Edwards, the Miller; and Augustus N. Lodge, the County Superintendent of Schools.

The chapel was built in 1918 and is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places.

(Extracted from Pioneer Folks and Places, Barbara Barr Hubbs, 1939, on sale at the Williamson County Museum)

Richard Bethel on June 23, 2013 at 3:17 pm said:

Jimmyvanhoozer on October 13, 2014 at 7:32 pm said:

Robin Nolen Roberts on December 24, 2015 at 2:17 pm said: