Williamson County Illinois Historical Society

Preserving Williamson County History – A 501(C)3 Organization

Author: Sam

  • Summer Quarterlies Mailed Out

    All WCHS members should have received their Summer Quarterly #2 “Footprints” by now. The contents of the latest quarterly have been indexed in the Records menu tab of this website under Quarterly “Footprints” Index .

    The highlights of this quarterly are biographies on Brice Holland, Confederate Soldier and Union Sailor, and Manheim Cantor, Marion merchant. Also included are extracted articles from 1914 and grave listings of the Samuel Cannedy Cemetery, and more.

    If you haven’t received your quarterly, be sure to contact us and always make sure we have a current mailing address.

  • Williamson County Illinois Chain of Title and Act of Creation Added

    The chain of title claiming ownership to the land now occupied by the County of Williamson in the State of Illinois is followed from the early French trappers and explorers of the 1600’s to the Act of creation by the Illinois legislature in 1839 has been added to the History page under the Williamson County heading.

    The data was extracted from Barbara Barr Hubbs book “Pioneer Folks and Places” written in 1939 with a great deal of help from our own Nannie Gray Parks, local historian and librarian.

    The article can be found on the history page or you can jump from the following link:

    Williamson County, Illinois Chain of Title and Act of Creation

     

  • Williamson County Illinois, A Brief Pioneer History Added

    An excerpted history of early Williamson County written by Nannie Gray Parks in 1939 has been added to the History Page under the Williamson County heading.

    The brief history is an account of the Williamson County of 1839 which originally appeared in 1939 in the Souvenir Program of the Williamson County Centennial published by The Herrin Daily Journal and republished in the 1989 Williamson County Sesquicentennial History book.

    To jump the article click on this link:

    Williamson County Illinois, A Brief Pioneer History

  • 1869 Williamson, Franklin and Jefferson County Map Added

    1869 Franklin Williamson County Map S

    Thanks to a friend of Helen Sutt Lind, a new map has been added to the Williamson County Museum library. The 1869 map illustrates the counties of Jefferson, Franklin and Williamson as they existed in 1869 and reflect changes to the townships on the west side of the county when compared with the 1876 county map.

    The map has been added to the Williamson County section of the History page or you can jump to the post with this link:

    1869 Williamson, Franklin and Jefferson County Map

  • Two Williamson County Maps Added

    Two Williamson County Illinois maps have been added to the Williamson County Maps section of the History page. One map shows all of the towns, ghost towns, villages and railroad stations that have existed in the county and the other map was put together by Nannie Gray Parks for the 1939 County Centennial event marking the 100th anniversary of the county. The Nannie Gray map shows all of the early trapper and pioneer trails in the county as well as historic points of interest. (more…)

  • Cross Roads Community, School and Cemetery Histories Added

    Cross Roads School drawing by Bob Jackson

    Thanks to the book “Cross Roads School’ published in 1984 by Bob Jackson, President of the Williamson County Historical Society, new histories have been added to the Cross Roads section of the History Page. Bob, himself, was a graduate of the Cross Roads School.

    Cross Roads was a community of folks who lived at the crossroads of two old county trails which is located at the intersection of Khoury League and Songbird Roads just northeast of Marion, Illinois. The community had a church, cemetery and old country school, although all that remains today is the cemetery. (more…)

  • Washington School Students Tour Museum

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    Eighty seven students and several adult chaperones from the Marion Washington School’s fourth and fifth grade classes toured the Williamson County Historical Society museum Thursday, May 22, 2014. The students were broken up into eight tour groups accompanied by volunteers of the county museum and teachers from the Washington School. (more…)

  • Open House Held on May 17th, 2014

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    The Williamson County Illinois Historical Society hosted an open house on May 17th, 2014 to celebrate the museum’s extended hours of operation and also the 175th Williamson County Anniversary. The event was held from noon till just after 3 P.M. and was attended by approximately 90 people.

    Coverage was provided by the Southern Illinoisan and WSIL Channel 3 television. Dr. Courtney Kisat distributed educational information and several board and society members served as hosts for visiting patrons. (more…)

  • Jefferson School Students Tour Museum

    Jefferson School Students May 5, 2014
    Jefferson School Students May 5, 2014

    Over thirty students of the Jefferson School from Marion toured the Williamson County Historical Society Friday, May 16th, 2014. The students, all fifth graders,  were part of a tour arranged by teacher, Wendy Goodman, who schedules her students on tours each year at the museum. (more…)

  • Open House Event

    Open House Flyer