Author: Sam

Notice

At a board meeting of the Williamson County Historical Society held on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 it was decided that the October general meeting will not be held once again due to the county considered to still be at high risk for co-vid. Normally, a re-election of the board would take place at that meeting, but since we have been unable to hold these meetings, the current board has been frozen in place and board members have held their current positions. Unless, someone is interested in holding a board position, the same thing will occur again this year.

If you desire to hold a board position, contact the society by phone at 618-997-5863 or email wchsmail@yahoo.com and inform us of the position that you seek no later than September 30^th, 2022. You must be an existing regular member of the society to qualify. If there are no submissions, the current board will serve again for the coming year of 2023.

Mortgage books 1 through 4 of 48 have now been indexed and added to our Master Mortgage Records index. The vast majority of these books appear to range from ca 1903 through 1906.

Over the last few years, one of our society members, Charla Murphy, has set about pouring through funeral home records. She then compared the records which indicated burial in Herrin Cemetery with actual markers found in the cemetery. Those records that did not tally up are then considered unmarked graves. The indexed list has been added to our Master Cemetery Index under “Herrin Cemetery Unmarked Graves.” 

Williamson County Mortgage Record Books U thru Z have been completely indexed now and have been added to our Master Mortgage Record Book Index. Most of these mortgage records tend to run from the last years of the 1800’s into the first two years of the 1900’s. We are now starting to index books 1 thru 48, which will be released in blocks of four books at a time. To view the Master Mortgage Record Book Index, click on this link.

Camp 5337 was chartered on February 16, 1898, in Marion. This type of badge was popular from the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s. The front side was worn for camp (chapter) meetings and social activities. The reverse side was black and was displayed at funerals and memorials of deceased Modern Woodmen members of that camp. The colors of the time, red, white and green (or sometimes navy blue). Thank you John Wohlwend for your donation.

The mortgage record books Q thru T have been added to our Master Morgage Book Index.

The Genealogy Department was recently blessed with a large donation of books and information.  After adding to our shelves and inventory, we will be selling some of the duplicated books.   These books do have some marks and hi-lighting in them but are in very good condition.  We have priced them reasonably.  They can be picked up at the museum or we could mail them to you for $5.00 shipping plus cost of book unless noted otherwise.

Williamson County Books for Sale: (more…)

We have recently received quilt blocks that have a connection to Williamson Co., IL. They were made in a style used in the 1940’s called Sail Away and was meant to be a Friendship quilt. It has 25 names embroidered on each block however we or the donor do not know the connection between the women. Hopefully someone can help us. Whether it be a church group, organization or family we have hit a dead end. If anyone sees a connection please contact us at wchsmail@yahoo.com  call at 618-997-5863 or contact us thru our facebook page.

We do know Maude Lingle Norman was the 3^rd wife of Henry B. Norman, and they are the donor’s grandparents

Names listed are Ruia Batts, Berdie Christ, Lizzie Davis, Bertie Gallion, Mary Jackson, Pauline Lawrence, Peral Linck, Eva Livingston, Mammie Lowe, Clara Marks, Fannie Newton, Maude Norman, Dorothy Norman, Mary Pasco, Josephine Ridlen, Ida Russell, Lola Sanders, Clara Saunders, Mary Travelstead, Anna Travelstead, Margaret Turner, Lena Weisbrodt, Lela Wheeler, Zella White, and Reta Yearack.

Mortgage record books M-N-O and P have been indexed and added to our Master Mortgage Record Books index. They can be accessed by clicking on our Records tab at the top of any screen or directly here.  Mortgage Record Books Index