Notes for: Riley MARSHALL
About 1817 Riley left VA with his sister, Eleanor, and her husband Joseph Van Pelt. Marshall family history says he went north because he disliked slavery. After his marriage, he proceeded to Randolph Co. and settled along the Mississinewa River, at Ward Twp., east of what is now Deerfield in the spring of 1819. He apparently built a substantial frontier dwelling. Early meetings of the settlement were held at the Riley Marshall's and they were able to take in boarders.
Riley sold his land to Daniel Miller. In the spring of 1829 he built a flat boat, loaded the household goods and enough provisions to last a year and took his family on the river to Indiana and what would become Grant County. The story continues as he walked back, returning in two weeks with his horses, cattle, and sheep. At this time they had five children under eleven years old. Mrs. Marshall was probably carrying their sixth child during the move. They had five more children born in Grant Co.
The Marshalls cleared and improved several farms, operated corn cracker and saw mills. He erected Marion's first hotel, known as Riley Marshall's Tavern. They built a log house that hosted many visitors including surveyors and Methodist circuit riders. Early court proceedings were also held in their home. He became the first clerk of Grant Co. Mrs. Marshall became known for bringing the first cultivated rose into Grant Co. The "Elizabeth Marshall" is a pink rose that she brought with her apparently from PA. The Marshalls built the first brick house in Grant Co. In Sept. 1835 they processed a land patent for about 106 acres in Grant Co.
Riley Marshall moved to Wabash Co. in the spring of 1849. He operated a dry goods store in Largo. The 1850 census of Grant Co. lists Riley as a merchant. Given their proximity and listed occupations, it can be inferred that at least two sons (Joseph C. and William) and a son-in-law (William T. Shively) were also working in the store .
The dry goods store evidently was unsuccessful and in 1857, the family moved to Miami Co., KS along with a number of their daughter's (Nancy S. and William T. Shively) extended family. The Kansas territory apparently proved to be too unstable for the Marshall family and they soon returned to Indiana and settled in Pierceton. The Riley Marshall family stance against slavery often proved to be an unpopular one and was the cause for more than one move.
Thomas Riley Marshall said "My grandfather was one of the pioneers and pathfinders. He came to Indiana when it was a primeval forest. He had only youth, a stout heart, a sharp axe, a young wife and courage." (from "Recollections of Thomas R. Marshall, A Hoosier Salad" p.19)
sources:
Beard, Mrs. Marshall, "Riley Marshall", Randolph Co. Hist. Soc., Randolph County Indiana 1818-1990; Turner Publishing, 1991, p.576.
Ayres, Elsie Johnson, "Highland Pioneer Sketches & Family Genealogies", Hillsboro, OH 1971, p.1000-1005.
Tucker, E. "History and Biography, History of Randolph County, Indiana", Chicago: A.L.Kingman, 1882, p.97.
Malott, Eva, et.al., "Digging Our Roots", Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1977, p.113-117.
Grant County Junior Historical Society, Marker #37, of "A Century of Development" 1937, p. 14-15.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management BLM Serial # IN NO S/N, Document #2136. Located at: http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/
"Recollections of Thomas R. Marshall, A Hoosier Salad", Indianapolis, Boobs Merrill, 1925