SALEM, p-v., capital of Marion co., Ill., 108 S. S. E. Springfield, 760 W. Situated on the border of the Grand prairie, and contains a court house, jail, and about 40 dwellings. (Haskell's Complete Descriptive and Statistical Gazetteer of the the United States...,1840)
SALEM, a thriving post-village, capital of Marion co., Illinois, on the Ohio and Mississippi railroad, 75 miles E. from St. Louis. Population in 1853, estimated at 800. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
SALEM The county seat of Marion county, is centrally situated in that part of the state called Egypt, on the line of the Ohio and Mississippi railroad, 70 miles east from St. Louis and 220 from Chicago. It is a thriving place, and contains one court house and jail, one seminary and a union school house, three churches, three flouring mills, three saw mills, fifteen dry good stores, one book and stationery store, three drug stores, two clothing stores, two boot and shoe stores, three grocery stores, two bakeries, two merchant tailoring establishments, two tin and stove stores, two furniture stores, one painter and glazier shop, five blacksmith shops, four carpenter shops, four hotels, two printing offices, two watch and jewelry stores, one daguerreian gallery, one cabinet shop, three wagon manufactories, tomb stone and marble yard, two lumber yards, one cooper shop, two butcher shops, two livery stables, one saddlery and harness manufactory, two land agencies, two insurance agencies, seven lawyers, one dentist and oculist, and other departments not named. This place presents many advantages to persons who are desiring a home in the west, and who desire to locate in a quiet, sober and industrious place, as there is not a place within the corporation where ardent drink is vended. Is surrounded with a vast scope of land of the best quality, with no waste or barrens, with about on equal amount of prairie and timber land, and plenty of coal within three miles of Salem. Population, 1,600. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)