Thomas Marshall

The subject of this sketch, second son of Robert and Mary (Hindman) Marshall, was born July 29, 1824, about one and one-half miles from Dayton. When he was about twenty years of age, his father purchased the land on which a part of the village of Dayton now stands, and six years later took into partnership his sons, William and Thomas H., the subject of this biography. The stock owned by this firm consisted of the personal property on a farm of about 400 acres and a store which was established by them. It was the especial duty of Thomas H. Marshall to attend to this store, his father and brother carrying on the farm, and this he did until 1861, a period of about eleven years, when a half interest was sold to J. Campbell, who has since conducted the business under the firm name of J. Campbell & Co., the Marshall brothers still retaining a half interest. The partnership of father and sons in the farming interest was continued until April 9, 1868, when Robert Marshall sold his real estate to his sons.

The west end of the farm adjoining and around Dayton, and amounting to about 136 acres, was purchased by Thomas H. Marshall. It included the land on which his grandfather, William Marshall, the pioneer of Glade run, had settled in 1803. Since he has been in business for himself Mr. Marshall has gradually increased the amount of his real estate possessions, until at present he owns about 520 acres of fine farming land in the iimmediate vicinity of Dayton. He has been remarkably successful and is recognized as a model farmer. His land has been carefully improved and has thus increased in value from year to year. Building improvements have kept pace with his increase in real estate ownership, his barn at Dayton, for instance, being one of the largest and best in the county, and sheltering as fine stock as one could wish to see. He carries on farming in what might be called a wholesale way, giving employment to many men and raising upon the average about 4,000 bushels of corn, 1,000- of wheat and 100 tons of hay per year. Besides his extensive farming he carries on in Dayton one of the best tanneries in the county, butchers about 100 head of cattle per year, is a partner in the store of J. Campbell & Co., owns considerable timber land, is interested in the Enterprise Lumber Company, the Dayton Agricultural and Mechanical Association, and is a stockholder in the Dayton Union Academy and the Dayton Soldiers' Orphans' School. He has been treasurer of the last-named institution from its organization, and took the first contract looking toward the erection of the buildings -- that of getting out the stone for foundations. Mr. Marshall has served as justice of the peace for two terms -- ten years - - from 1864 to 1874, and has held other offices of honor and trust, although he has never been in any sense a place-seeker, and has taken only the interest of a good citizen in politics. He is a republican. His church connection is with the United Presbyterians, and he has been one of the chief supporters of the Dayton church of this denomination.

Thomas H. Marshall was united in marriage, March 14, 1850, with Miss Rosetta P., daughter of Robert Neal, of Cowanshannock township, who was born September 26, 1827. The offspring of this union are five children, living: Silas W. and David Duff, both married, and following farming; Robert Neal, who is engaged in the study of medicine; Clark Hindman, who has graduated after a four years' course at Princeton, and has been one year to the U. P. Theological Seminary at Allegheny City, and Mary Samantha.

Source: Page(s) 603-604, History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania by Robert Walker Smith, Esq. Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883.
Transcribed July 2000 by James R. Hindman for the Armstrong County Smith Project.
Contributed by James R. Hindman for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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