Biography of Elijah R. Marshall "THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF LIVINGSTON AND WOODFORD COUNTIES, ILLINOIS"     The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company Chicago, 1900       Pages 600-606 contributed by Jane Foster, transcribed by Dena Whitesell

Among Woodford county's honored pioneers and highly esteemed citizens none are more deserving of mentiion in this vol-time than Eliljah R. Marshall, a prosperous farmer living on section 7, Roanoke township.  He was born in Mendon, Rutland county, Vermont, November 15, 1826, and comes of good old New England stock.  His father, Thomas Marshall, was also a resident of the Green Mountain state, his birth occurring in Chester, Windsor county, March 13, 1801.  Our subject's paternal grandparents were Elijali and Mary (Pierce) Marshall.  The former, who was a soldier of the war of 1812, was born in England, November 6, 1766, and died in Chester, Vermont, September 24, 1835, while the latter was born near Boston, Massachusetts, September 5, 1768, and died in Chester, Vermont, May 4, 1833. Thomas Marshall was reared and educated in his native state, and throughout his active business life followed the occupation of farming.  On the 8th of November, 1821, he married Miss Martha Brooks, who was also born in Vermont, June 10, 1800, and belonged to an old New England family.  By this union were seven children, namely:  Lestina, married Abner Bailey, and in 1850 they came to Woodford county, Illinois, where they made their home for several years, but are now living in Kansas.  Elijah R.,our subject, and Mary, were twins.  She married Samuel Butterfield, a resident of Cazenovia township, Woodford county, but is now deceased.  Amelia married Emerald Fisher, of Cazenovia township, and they are now living in Cherryvale, Kansas.  Solomon is deceased.  Cyrus, the youngest of the family, makes his home in Butler county, Kansas.  In 1850 the father came to Woodford county, Illinois, and after spending one year in Metamora township, settled in Roanoke township, where he lived until three years prior to his death.  His last days were spent with a daughter in Cazenovia township, where he died September 4, 1879.  His wife departed this life June 10, 1892. Elijah R. Marshall remained at home with his parents until he attained his majority and is indebted to the public schools of Vermont for his educational advantages.  In 1847 he came west by way of the lakes, canal and river to Peoria, Illinois, in company with an old schoolmate, Leverett Dean, who is now living near Springfield.  From Peoria county they came to Cazenovia township, Woodford county, where Mr. Marshall's sister, Mrs. Butterfield, was living.  After spending three weeks here they bought six horses and drove back to Vermont, making the trip in a little less than three weeks.  The following March the men again started for Illinois.  They crossed the Green Mountains in a sleigh, and by stage proceeded to Buffalo, New York.  They continued their journey in that way through Canada until within twenty miles of Detroit, when the ice on the lakes broke up and the steamboats began to run.  By boat they went to Detroit.  As there were no regular stage lines or water courses at that time, they proceeded on foot to Ottawa, Illinois, covering on an average of fifty miles per day.  On reaching Ottawa they found the Illinois river was open for navigation and higher than it has ever been since.  There they took a boat for Peoria.  Going to Brimfield, Peoria county, Mr. Marshall and Mr. Dean rented a farm and in partnership embarked in the sheep business, buying eight hundred head.  Before the end of that first season, however, our subject sold his interest to his partner and then worked in the hay and harvest fields, mowing grass with a scythe for fifty cents per acre.  In the fall he operated a threshing machine. Mr. Marshall became a resident of Woodford county in the fall of 1849, and in February of the following year went to Springfield on horseback to get the deed for land which he had located on two land warrants.  In June, 1850, he returned to Vermont and brought his parents and the remainder of the family to this state.  That year he purchased the farm on section 7, Roanoke township, where he now lives.  He built the first frame house and barn in the township, the former on section 6, the latter on section 7, and also built the second frame house, which now constitutes a part of his present residence.  The barn is still standing, but the first house has been destroyed.  Throughout life Mr. Marshall has engaged in agricultural pursuits, and meeting with marked success he has become the owner of five hundred and forty-five acres of valuable and productive land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation.  He aideed in the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad through the secion of the state, and has been prominently identified with the growth and upbuilding of Woodford county.  He fenced the first roads laid out in his township, and assisted in organizing the school district, it being through the efforts that they were made two miles square instead of two by three miles. On the 17th of February, 1853, Mr. Marshall was united in marriage with Miss Martha Fisher, also a native of Mendon, Rutland county, Vermont.  Her parents, Amos and Lydia (Stoddard) Fisher, natives of the same state, came to Illinois in 1840, and settled in Cazenovia township.  Woodford county, where the father died March 10, 1850, the mother May 20, 1879.  To Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were born four children:  Amos F., the eldest, is a resident of Roanoke.  Ira had successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Chicago for about seven years when he died in that city of pneumonia, March 18, 1895, at the age of thirty-nine years and eighteen days.  Rolla makes his home in Roanoke township.  Orpha is the wife of James Lightfoot, of Cazenovia township. Mr. Marshall and his family are all members of the Baptist church, and are people of prominence in the community where they reside.  Politically he always affiliates with the Republican party, and an active and commendable interest in public affairs.  He has served as commissioner of highways, and for the long period of twenty years was a member of the school board.  He has always been found true to every trust reposed in him whether public or private, and well merits the high regard in which he is universally held. Mrs. Marshall passed to her final reward September 18, 1900, and was interred September 20, in the cemetery in Metamora township one mile west of the Roanoke Baptist church.  She was a woman held in the highest regard by all and her death is sincerely mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

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