BIOGRAPHY - JESSE P. MARSH

JESSE PULASKI MARSH, deceased, was a native of Harrison County, Ind. He was born December 4, 1829, and died January 19, 1891. He was reared to agricultural pursuits but in after years engaged in running a flat-boat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, carrying merchandise to New Orleans. He was generally successful in his business ventures. He possessed a liberal education and was known as a gentleman of integrity and honor. He was the fourth child in a family of four sons and six daughters, whose parents were William and Sarah (Armstrong) Marsh. All the children are yet living with the exception of two.

On the 5th of November, 1854, Mr. Marsh married Miss Margaret Fowler, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Davis) Fowler. Seven children were born of this union, two sons and five daughters: William H., of Melvin, who is married and engages in making hydraulic wells; Laura A., at home; Mary F., wife of P. W. Worth, a hardware merchant of Buckingham, Ill.; Edward T., who is engaged in the jewelry business in Melvin; Mrs. Koscie Clinebell; Lizzie, wife of Clark E. Woodword, a resident of Chicago; and Cordelia H., wife of Rev. Henry Beck, an evangelist residing in Jackson, Minn.

In his political affiliations, Mr. Marsh was an old-line Whig and when the Republican party was organized, he became an ardent admirer of its principles. He was a gentleman firm in his convictions and very determined in manner. He held tlie office of Justice of the Peace, of Laconia, Ind., for eight years, and Judge Walter Q. Gresham prosecuted cases in his court.

Mr. Marsh and his family came to Ford County in the fall of 1874, and were honored and respected citizens of the community from that time. Both were earnest members of the Methodist Church of Melvin, and he was a Master Mason and a leading member of Lodge No. 179, K. of P., of Melvin, Ill.

Mrs. Marsh was the fourth in a family of five sons and three daughters, four of whom are still living: Mary, wife of William Frakes, a farmer residing in Indiana; Margaret, wife of our subject; John W., who served in the late war as one of the boys in blue and is now married and follows farming in Corydon, Ind.; and Rachel, wife of John Love, also a soldier of the late war, now residing in New Amsterdam, Ind.

Mr. Marsh was called to his final rest on the 19th of January, 1891, after he and his loving wife had traveled life's journey together for thirty-six years. He was interred in Melvin Cemetery, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity, and a beautiful monument has been erected to mark his last resting place. Mrs. Marsh still resides with her daughter Laura in their comfortable home in Melvin, where she is surrounded by her loving children and her many friends.

Extracted 14 Dec 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Record of Ford County, Illinois, published in 1892, pages 198-199.

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