Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 27: Mariox Township, 1914

Although under the title of Marion township, this wealthy township can date back to 1854 only. Nevertheless Marion's history began with the day when O. W. Kellogg drove across Lee county in the year 1825 to make his trail to the lead mines. The trail ran through this township and the stages on its successor, the Peru and Peoria road, ran through this town until the Illinois Central railroad ended forever the usefulness of the stage coach in Lee coimty. The Cleaveland toll gate was located on that road in this township and the early scenes thrillingiy and truthfullyrelated elsewhere were enacted in this and East Grove townships. But because Chicago grew so rapidly and outl)id Peru and Peoria and even St. Louis for business, population along this trail did not settle so thickly as along the trail called the Chicago road, and therefore it is we have heard so little about Marion in the books. The first permanent settler whose name I am i\h\e to secure was David Welty, who started for the West in the year 1838, from Buffalo, New York, accompanied by Aaron L. Porter, subsequently sheriff of this county, and other friends. They rode horses all the way. He came west to ])enefit his health. All who came with him were robust men and yet he outlived them all.

He reached Dixon's Ferry and tari'ied until his wife and oldest son, John, could join him, which they did the follovdng year. ^Fr. and Mrs. Scott, mother and father of Mrs. Welty, came with them.

In the year 1840 Mr. Welty and the family moved to the land, on section 34, he had preempted on Inlet (Creen) river, afteibuilding a double log house, the doors, sash and flooring for which were hauled from Chicago. The floors were covered with brussels carpet, the first to come to Lee county and for a considerable time were a rare curiosity. The fui-niture was all mahogany and black walnut and contrasted strongly against the rough exterior of the unhewn logs. But those rugs, those carpets and that elegant furniture made the most luxurious home in Lee county, and after Mrs. Welty had her crying spell out for lonesomeness, she enjoyed the West so thoroughly that she never cared to retui'n eastward.

For years this homo was the social center of the whole county and it was no imconmion occurrence for neighbors for twenty miles around to hitch their teams to attend a social event at the Welty 's. The old stages used to drive almost past the Welty door and travelers used to alight to take a good look at that marvelous home sitting alone in the wilderness. For many years there were but three houses between Princeton and Dixon, Dad Joe's, another south of Palestine Grove and the Welty house.

Among those who made up the sleighing parties in those days were Elias B. Stiles, Col. Silas Nol)le, Major Sterling, father of John M. Sterling of today; Aaron L. Porter, "Than" Porter; Father Dixon, James P. and Johu, Jr.; Smith Gilbraith; James McKenney; Daniel B. McKeuney; Henry McKenney; Lorenzo Wood; George Chase; William W. Heaton; Dr. Oliver Everett; Paul Gallup; Col. John Dement; P. Maxwell Alexander and one McBoel, who was a beautiful performer on the violin and a first class artist.

Later David Welty became probate judge of the county, a very prominent citizen and at his death a man of large means. At present his youngest sou, Chai'les F. Welty, who is supervisor of the township, owns the same old houie farm and he too is a very prominent citizen and a gentleman of large means.

John Welty, the oldest sou, who went to live in Washington, D. C, where he held a fine position in one of the departments, was one of the brightest of all the bright young men who were raised in the coimty of Lee. For wit and high class humor, it is doubtful if any other community could pi'oduce a match for John Welty and Charles Stiles, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elias B. Stiles.

Marion has been peculiarly fortunate in its population. While not settling uj) so rapidly as other parts of the county, today it is filled by beautifully cultivated homes, splendid houses, large red barns, fine stock, and contented, happy people. If ever a township of land respond(Hl to the efforts of the homebuilder, Marion has done so.

Settled largely by the sons and daughters of old Ireland, tlie Marion of today is one of the best exemplifications of wliat toil, honesty and f rngality linked with patience will do.

Those heroic Irishmen and Irishwomen reached this country without money. They yearned for a country which would present them with the opportunity to carve a home and a competency for their children. The Irish love their families and for those little boys and girls which came along to the early Irish of Marion township, those parents toiled early and late, often deujdng themselves some of the necessities of life in order that the children coming on might have homes without the drudgery of wresting them from the earth, generous though it was.

Those parents came here penniless. In the old country, they had been ground down by the hand of tyranny. They never had been permittecl to secure foi- their efforts enough to sustain life even tolerably and about the only way they could reach this land of promise Avas to club together, rob themselves of their last pennies to send over here one of their nimil)er, who in turn worked for wages and who l)y the same process of denial sent every cent of his monev back home to bring over another. Thus in time, a neidiborhood was landed and permitted the i)rivilege of working out a home. I have in mind one such man. He worked almost slavishly as a section hand. Little by little he worked his way westward. Every dollar he earned went back to Ii'oland. When at last he felt he might be permitted to marry, he added to his long hours of labor on the railroad, the l)urdens of a garden to raise from it something for the family in order that he might save a few cents more with which later he might buy himself a home. That garden was made along the right of way of the Illinois Central. After a while the farm was bought. But at what a fearful sacrifice of health! From 3 o'clock in the moi-ning until 10 at inght! But with the home always possible and always before him, he cheerfully toiled on and (m and today the town of Marion is ])o])ulated with the children of those heroic men and women.

How they loved liberty! And how they loved the country of their adoption ! If for a lengthy story of what their love was, you will turn to the records of the War Department, there in blood you will read what the Irishman of Lee county did for that coinitry of his adoption. Read over the Adjutant-General's Illinois re])orts and find the names of the men who composed the Thirteenth, the Thirty-fourth, the Fortv-sixth, the Seventv-fifth, and vou will see

Marion township has done for the eanse of religion what no other township in Lee county has done. Grlance at the picture here of their beautiful church, dedicated last suinuicr, and their parsonage and parish hall and see for yourself. And all were paid for by the fanners of that township. Thomas Dwyer, Edward Morrissey, $1,000 each ; the Lallys, the O 'Malleys.

As you enter this beautiful chui'ch, the attention is attracted to a marble tablet, 5x5, to the left, facing west, with the names thereon of those who made it possible to build so beautiful a church, parsonage and parish hall.

The community is altogether rural and these contributions ai'e nothing short of wonderful. Father Cullen contributed the tablet in appreciation of his regard for the unusual work done by the congregation.

The rectory is 30x34 feet, of red pressed brick, two stories, basement and attic, heated ])y hot-air furnace. Water from a large tank in the attic is afforded all over the house, and a splendid sewage disjoosal system has been supplied.

The church is of the Spanish Mission style, 40x80 feet, with belfry. It is made of red pressed brick. The pews, of massive dark oak, will hold 346 peoj)le.

Steam is the heating medium. The altars and communion rail are of white marble. Over the sanctuary are ten Roman arches, the main ones, over the altars, rest on massive pillars. The vestry is of brick and may be used as a chapel.

The main altar was contril^uted by Miss Maiy Ann Leonard ; the Virgin's altar by Patrick, Tliomas, Bridget and John Morrissey; the St. Joseph's altar by Patrick and John Lally; the communion rail by William Morrissey. The contributions by the Morrisseys make $3,200. The sanctuary lamp was the gift of the Caliill sisters. The large candlesticks were given by Martin Whalen; the ostensorimn ])y Mrs. Mary O'Malley; the three marble crucifixes for the altars by Mrs. Bridget Finn.

In 1854 a petition was presented to the board of supervisors, to organize a new township out <d' what then composed Amboy and Hamilton. The petition was granted and the first town meeting was held in April, 1855.

The first super'\'isoi' was Alfred Wolcott; first assessor was Sherman W. Caldwell ; first justices of the peace, Abram Morrison and A. S. Phillips ; first town clerk, Simon Djdmian ; first collector, David Morrison.

In 1838 W. H. Blair located on section 24. In 1841 J. C. Haley, a native of Pennsylvania, settled there. In 1846 R. Scott, a native of Scotland, settled on section 15.

When the Kinyon road promised to go through Marion township, its managers desired the township to bond itself for $50,000 ; but the ]Droposition was defeated almost unanimously. But the road was built just the same ; aud largely through the iuflueuee of Messrs. McCrystal, Couderman and Jones, the station was located about in the center of the township, and it was named Walton, aud it is the only station in the township.

Today, besides the beautiful Catholic church, the parsonage, and the parish hall, there is one general store, a blacksmith shop, an agricultural implement store and warehouse aud a grain elevator which does a very large Ijusiucss, the average amount of grain being about two hundi'ed thousand Ijushels per annum, shipped from the elevator. Marion raises a great deal of live st(jck.

Some of the biggest men of Lee county in all lines of endeavor have come from Marion township. Mr. Hiram A. Brooks, now of Dixon, one of the ablest lawyers and one of the l)est trial lawyers of the state, was born there and so was his brother and partner, Clarence C. Brooks. Charles B. Morrison, at one time United States district attorney fur the Chicago district, was raised there. Edward and Charles Brewster, two of Dixon's able lawyers, were born and raised thei'e. County Judge Robert H. Scott is a Marion boy, born and raised there, and son of a pioneer. George O 'Malley, the clothing merchant, and Charles E. Slain, of the imdertaking establishment of Jones & Slain, are Marion boys. Thus all over Lee coimty the boys from INIarion have rendered a good account of the stock which made it the lich and populous township that it is.

Marion has had its ti'agedics of the air aud of the earth. The tornado of 1860 passed right through the middle in its eastward race through the county. It picked up here and there a few little items of lumber, but no damage to speak of was done. In the year 1912, however, a windstorm came along which blew down the passenger station, and nearly every other building in Walton.

In the eai'ly part of January, 1870, an unfortunate tragedy occurred which shocked the c< )uutryside. Francis Marion Spangler shot and killed one Timothy Keaue. Both were prosperous farmers and residents of Marion and both were men of high standing in the conmiuuity. It seems Keane's cattle broke into Spangler 's field. The latter shut them u]i nnd kept them until Keaue came over and demanded their release. In anger hot words passed and Keane then attempted to drive them away. Spangler then shot and killed Keane with a gnu, after whicli he surrendered himself to the authorities in Ambo}' and was l)rought to jail.

This became one of the most famous trials in the history of Lee couuty. Leonard Swett of Chicago defended Spangler and after a terrific battle, he succeeded in getting an acquittal for liis client.