The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-11-07

George 81. Marsh was born at Ches-
terrified, New Hampshire, on Novem
Der goth, 1888. His earlier ancestors
came from England and settled in
Hartford, Connecticut His great
grandfather, Rev. Elisha Marsh, grad
uated from Harvard college and in
1742 was the first settled minister in
Westminster, Mass. He was large.
finely formed man, and acquired some
notoriety from the fact that charges
were preferred against him by some
of his flock, because he was not sufi-
GENTLY orthodox in his religious
views, to be in harmony with those
times, but he was acquitted and
preached there many years. He was a
broad minded man and noted for his
pungent and witty sayings. in which
q few words expressed great deal.
After he quit the ministry he moved
to Walpole, N. H., where he became
Judge of the district court, and owned
q fine farm on the Connecticut river,
where he raised blooded cattle. He
was killed by being thrown frona
spirited horse.
He had three sons, the youngest OF
whom, Benjamin Marsh, the grand
father of the subject of this sketch,
was born In Westminster. Mass, in
1854. He settled on farm in Chestt r
field, N. H., and died there April 7th.
1911. His wife was Hannah Kendall,
the widow of Reuben Graves. who
was born in Athol, Mass, in 1904,
and died at the Marsh homestead In
Chesterfield, n. H., in 1919.
The maternal grandfather OF Mr..
Marsh, Isaac Hall, was born in 1851,
and married Mary Leonard of Rayn-
ham, Mass, on May Sd, 1885. His
four children were born in Raynham,
but he moved to Chesterfield, N. H.,
so that he might educate them at the
academy at that place. He died. at
Chesterfield on June 30, 1886, aged
70 years. He was a man of great
energy of character, and, when six
teen years of age, was fighting on
privateer with Paul Jones. and ne
shared in the prize money that came
from the captured English vessels. he
gave his children liberal education,
one SON. DR.. Philip Hall, being col
Iege graduate, and his daughters were
cultured much beyond what was COM
mon in those days.
Benjamin Marsh had two sons, the
Youngest Of whom, Asa Marsh, Inc
father of Geo. 81. Marsh. was born in
Chesterfield, N. a.. April 22d. 1871,
and married Elizabeth Hall, also OF
Chesterfield, on Dec. 2lst. 1881. They
both lived the remainder of their lives
on the old Marsh homestead, one-half
mile moth of the old nesting honse.
He died on February 2lst 1875, aged
-four years, and his wife died
on March 18th, 1878. aged eighty-six
years. Ee was noted for his capacity
for sound reasoning and deep think
ing, and for his integrity and frmness
of character. He inherited the family
trait of saying bright, witty things.
He was the father of six children, the
oldest, Ellen E.. being born on Nov.
26th, 1923, then followed four sons. OF
whom Geo. Fl. was tae youngest All
Of the above with the exception OF
George H., Mary A. the youngest
child, was born on Feb. IA, 1885, and
died in Chesterfield at the age OF
thirty nine.
George FL. grew up strong and rug
ged and was educated at the common
schools at Chesterfield academy.
When he was sixteen years Of age he
was teaching school, and taught the
two following winters. He then pass
I'D some time in Boston, for the pur-
pose OF learning business methods,
and in 1853 went to Chicago, which
then had a population of about fifty
thousand, expecting to remain there,
but the streets were low and muddy
and the city very dirty, SO ne decided
to go to st. Paul, place hardly heard
Of In the east, where he arrived on