Category: WCHS

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Williamson County Historical Society on Wednesday, June 24th, 2026 at 2 P.M. as part of the society recently joining the Marion Chamber of Commerce. The event was well attended by between 25 to 30 people. Those attending were WCHS board members, Marion city officials including Mike Absher, mayor of Marion, and various WCHS supporters and chamber members. Those attending were treated to touring the museum to see the latest additions to the museum, mostly related to the 250 event and the service of veterans who have served in our county throughout a series of conflicts and wars in our nation’s history.

Our society will be holding our Marion Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting at the museum at 2 PM on Wednesday, June 24^th next week. You are invited to come and support the museum with us on this occasion. The society joined the Chamber of Commerce this year in an effort to be better connected with all the other businesses in Marion and the community.

The historical society participated in the recent Third Thursday event held by the Marion Connects organization which hosts events held in our old downtown public square area. This will be the third year that the historical society has taken part in the event in which families come into the museum to get their photos taken inside the old county jail portion of our museum. This year a variety of moustaches were offered for the hombres before getting their photos taken. Shown in the photo is Sharon Vansaghi, curator and coordinator for the museum.

Just as a reminder, we still have a selection of used books and yearbooks for sale.

Used books for sale

Used Yearbooks for sale

The Williamson County Historical Society held a membership meeting on Sunday, April 19^th, 2026 at the museum/library in Marion. President Sam Lattuca informed the membership of the current state of the museum and presented photos of recent items accessioned into the museum including an 80 lb. ball and chain once worn by prisoners while on chain gang duty outside the prison. In addition, a selection of photos was presented which had recently been recorded into the museum/library’s database. Members were also informed of past events the museum has participated in as well as upcoming events.

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5th Grade students from the Washington School in Marion toured the museum on April 13th through the 16th, 2026. Approximately 80 students from the school toured the museum in groups of 20 over 4 days. Each group was accompanied by a teacher. Those teachers accompanying the groups this year were Mr. Vickery, Ms. Kadela, Ms. Holderfield, and Mrs. Rowland.

Please call (618) 997-5863 Wednesday – Saturday 9:30 to 3:00 or email wchsmail@yahoo.com to see if books are available, books may have been sold since latest booklist update.

These prices are for pickup only, shipping and handling will be added if mailed. We can give the cost of handling and postage for any books to be mailed USPS Media Mail.

Books can be paid for through our website: www.wcihs.org using Paypal, we do not hold any books without payment. Orders can be picked up at 105 S. Van Buren, Marion, IL.

Thank You!

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Williamson County, IL Historical Society

Pre-Owned Books

June 10, 2026

Williamson County, IL

$10.00 1860 Williamson County, IL Federal Census

$15.00 1900 Williamson County, IL Federal Census Volume 1 by Garr, 525 pages

$15.00 1900 Williamson County, IL Federal Census Volume 2 by Garr, 472 pages

$4.00 Deeds, Mortgages & Chattels Book 1 (some), 1997

$1.00 Williamson County Collector’s Book 1891, Southern T10 R2 [2] softbound

$5.00 Williamson County Collector’s Book 1891, Southern T10 R2 hardbound

$1.00 1894 Williamson County Tax List – Blairsville, T8 R1, Volume 1

$1.00 1894 Williamson County Tax List – Southern T10 R3, Volume 3 [5]

$10.00 Marriages on Record, 1866-1877 Volume 2 by Hoffart and Smith

$10.00 Events in Egypt – Newspapers, Volume 1 1856-1878 by Helen Lind

$8.00 Events in Egypt – Newspapers, Volume 3 1882-1887. Fair condition

$5.00 Glances at Life – Newspaper Columns of Homer Butler

$5.00 In Bloody Williamson – Galligan & Wilkinson

$5.00 The Herrin Massacre – Parker

$3.00 Register of Interment Permits Jan 1902-May 1903, 20 pages by Violet Grisham [8]

$5.00 Hudgens Funeral Book, Dec 1931-Sep 1938 by Violet Grisham [2]

$3.00 Davis Prairie Church & Cemetery of Crab Orchard, IL by Violet Grisham [3 copies}

$9.00 Shiloh & Davis Prairie Cemetery by Charla Murphy & Helen Lind

$2.00 Williamson County Cemeteries – Maps of each Township by Bob Jackson [6]

$1.00 Lake Creek Baptist Church Brief History

$10.00 Obituaries (some) 1879 – 1945, by Moore. 190 pages with an index.

$3.00 An Apple for the Teacher, Treasure’s District School Account Book 1873 – 1914

$5.00 School Commissioner’s Record Dec 1865 – Aug 1886

$5.00 Free Silver School, Attendance & School Register Records, 1933-1939 [3]

$3.00 Labor Day Celebration – Sep 6, 1915, Marion, IL

$1.00 Pictures of Some Williamson County Coal Mines by Violet Grisham [5]

$4.00 Tornado, Marion, IL May 29, 1982

$4.00 Earl Leland Weaver’s Family History,Weaver,Baker,Hunter,Lee,Duncan, Spiller,Ferges

$2.00 Maranda – Maranda Cavanas Scoby by Jean Jones

$8.00 Oldham Paisley – Newspaper Editor

$5.00 Sugs and I From Steal Easy by O. Paul Allen

$3.00 The Potter Family Tragedy, by Mary Jo Moore

$5.00 Goddard Spiller Goodall Connection by Mary Jo Moore

$1.00 Down Memory Lane, Another Stroll by Lucille Vick Howell

$8.00 Lackey of Southern Illinois by Ella Abney

$10.00 William Rich of Southern IL by Ella Abney

*Robert Hasting books        

*$1.00 How to Help Yourself

*$1.00 The Station and other gems of joy, [6 copies]       

$8.00 Taylor’s of Devil Kitchen, signed by author.

$3.00 The Valley of Peace by Jay Stephens

$30.00 The Marion Landmark Series by Shawn Vincelette – Original

$3.00 Pioneer Kinfolks and Descendants by Violett Grisham [2]

$10.00 Memories of Marion by Violet Grisham

$3.00 Reflections by Violet Grisham [6]

$2.00 Kentucky Roots By The Dozen – Brown lineage by Violet Grisham [2]

$5.00 Back Tracking 2, To Scotland, Maitlands & Lauderdale by Violet Grisham [5]

$5.00 Third Baptist Church 100^th Anniversay by Violet Grisham [2]

$4.00 Newspaper Clippings 1994 by Violet Grisham, 180 pages.

$5.00 Time Traveler 2, by Violet Grisham [2]

$4.00 Legends in the New World  Gregory,Crosslin,Groves,Cutrell,Erwin,Grisham,Miller [16]

$4.00 Charles T. Carter Rev War Soldier. Cunningham,Owens,Crosslin,Aikin,Gregory [2]

$2.00 Herrin 75 years

$1.00 An Old-Time Cookbook, reprint of Lucy Stock James.

$1.00 Williamson County Historical Calendar for the Year 1999, 12 prints of yesteryear. [3]

$2.00 Williamson County Courthouse Dedication, 1972

$1.00 Williamson County Fair and Homecoming 100^th Anniversary

Directories

Marion, including Rural Route

$10.00 Marion, IL Directory & Around the Town 1924

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1982

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1983

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1988

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1993 3 available

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1994 4 available

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1995 3 available

$10.00 Marion, IL City Directory 1996 3 available

Williamson County – included are Towns, Villages and Rural Routes

$50.00 Year 1998

$50.00 Year 1999

$50.00 Year 2002 – 3 available

$50.00 Year 2003 – 4 available

$50.00 Year 2004

$50.00 Year 2005

Franklin County, IL

$3.00 1840 Franklin County, IL Federal Census

$5.00 Marriage Records First Book 1836-1848

$5.00 Cave Township Cemetery Book

$10.00 Obits & Tidbits 1850-1884

Saline County, IL

$6.00 1850 Saline County, IL Federal Census

$6.00 1860 Saline County, IL Federal Census

$1.00 1910 Brushy Township (only) Saline County Federal Census by Jo Ann Kennedy

Hamilton County, IL

$6.00 Hamilton County Sesquicentennial 1821-1971

$2.00 1840 Hamilton County Federal Census

Union County, IL

$8.00 Union County Cemeteries Volume 1, 1871-1889

$8.00 Union County Cemeteries Volume 2

$4.00 1820-1880 Volume 1, A to J (only) names Start with Abamatha and stops with Justin.

$15.00 History of Union County, IL Volume 1,496 pages

$5.00 Tolers & Allied Families of Union County, IL, hardbound, 478 pages

Miscellaneous

$25.00 History of Alexander, Union & Pulaski Counties, IL. Hardbound

$15.00 Rackley – A Southern Colonies Family – Descendants of Edward Rackley, over 700 pages, hardbound

$25.00 Biographies of Johnson, Massac, Pope and Hardin Counties, IL.

$2.00 EACH – Illinois County Fairs, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991

$1.00 Du Quoin State Fair 1874 Hamiltonian

$5.00 Larue County, KY Cemeteries

$5.00 Kentucky Genealogical and Biography, Volume 3

$4.00 Caldwell County, KY Ancestors by Eb. Morse

$1.00 Hill County, Texas Marriage Records 1873-1880

$5.00 1790 Heads of Families of South Carolina, 1^st Census of Us.

$3.00 Understanding and Using Baptismal Records

$2.00 Alabama Footprints – Settlements

$2.00 Alabama Footprints – Exploration

$1.00 A Kaskaskia Chronology by Herb Meyer [8]

$2.00 The Scotch Irish – A social history by Leyburn.

$5.00 Foxfire #3

$5.00 Foxfire #4

$5.00 Atlas of the World

Please call (618) 997-5863 Wednesday – Saturday 9:30 to 3:00 or email wchsmail@yahoo.com to see if books are available, books may have been sold since latest booklist update.

These prices are for pickup only, shipping and handling will be added if mailed. We can give the cost of handling and postage for any books to be mailed USPS Media Mail.

Books can be paid for through our website: www.wcihs.org using Paypal, Venmo, Apple Pay or a debit or credit card. We do not hold any books without payment. Orders can be picked up at 105 S. Van Buren, Marion, IL.

Thank You!

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The Williamson County Historical Society recently added two new resources to its library. The first is a book called “Stillbirths” which was taken from a microfilm copy of the county record book called “Stillbirths Book A.” The book records registered stillbirths and infant deaths from 1878 to 1969 and contains well over 3,000 new names.

The second addition was smaller. We found some naturalization records in the museum that were not part of any earlier naturalization records so the were added as an addendum called Naturalzation and Petitioins Volume 8B.

Both records can be perused in the Misc. County Records Master index.

The Williamson County Historical Society will be holding a membership meeting on Sunday, April 19th, 2026 here at the museum/library at 2:00 P.M.

During the meeting we will be going over projects undertaken at the museum & library since the last meeting, accessions taken in, upcoming projects and the state of the museum. The program will be conducted by Leann Johnson who will talk about Revolutionary soldiers in Williamson County

As a reminder, our yearly WCHS membership dues are due and run from January thru December and are $25 per year. You can check the status of your dues by looking at the year date on the address label on the next mailing. If you’re dues are current it will say 2026 or higher, if it says 2025 or earlier, your dues are due. We hope to see you at the meeting.