Henry H. Marsh (1840-1914)

MARSH

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/3/2022 at 21:53:45

Henry H. Marsh
(March 17, 1840 – April 20, 1914)

During the greater part of his life H. H. Marsh has been connected with theatrical work and with a mind richly stored with reminiscences he is a most entertaining and companionable gentleman. He was born in Lake County. Ohio, March 17, 1840, a son of Ephraim and Catherine (Shorts) Marsh, both of whom were natives of New York. The father was a farmer by occupation and after residing in Illinois for some years he removed to Wisconsin in 1850, spending his remaining days in the Badger state. His death occurred in 1868 and his wife, surviving him twenty years, passed away in 1888. In their family were three sons and a daughter, of whom H. H. Marsh is the eldest. Elijah is now a resident of Pueblo, Colorado. N. B. is living in Barron County, Wisconsin, while Mrs. Angeline Ailing is a resident of Belleville, Wisconsin. At the age of sixteen years H. H. Marsh left home. He traveled with different circus companies for about fifteen years and has been connected with almost all lines of circus and theatrical work. For two years he was also employed on the Erie canal and when the country's call for aid aroused the nation and men in every walk of life flocked to the standard of the Union he joined Company D, of the Seventh Wisconsin Infantry, on the 17th of August, 1861. This regiment formed a part of the old "Iron Brigade” under General George B. McClellan. Mr. Marsh served for three years as a private with the Army of the Potomac and then reenlisted for one year in the Forty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry. He participated in the engagements at Fredericksburg, Antietam and South Mountain, and was then commissioned as sergeant, serving in that capacity until the close of the war. He was mustered out October 3, 1865. and honorably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee. He had two brothers who were in the service, Elijah, who was wounded in the second battle of Bull Run in August, 1862, and Alfred, who was a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-second New York Infantry and laid down his life on the altar of his country. Mr. Marsh, of this review, participated in many important engagements and was always found at his post of duty, whether on the battlefield or on the picket line.
On the 4th of March, 1865. was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Marsh and Mary L. Sholts, who was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. September 2, 1845, a daughter of Henry W. and Lovica (Hannan) Sholts. The father was born in New York and was of German descent, while her mother, who was also a native of the Empire state, was of Irish lineage. In 1848 they removed to Wisconsin and were farming people of that locality. Mr. Sholts engaged in merchandising for five years. He was likewise a pioneer school teacher and successfully engaged in educational work for twenty-one years. As his financial resources increased he made investments in real estate and became the owner of large landed interests, for thirteen years he served as justice of the peace, discharging his duties with marked impartiality and promptness. His wife died about 1868 and he afterward married Mrs. Wheeler, a widow. His death occurred in 1872. Mrs. Marsh had five brothers and cute cousin who were Union soldiers in the Civil war. Her brother Henry died in the service at Brownsville. Texas, and was buried on the banks of the Rio Grande. Another brother, Calvin, was killed at the battle of Cold Harbor, filling an unknown grave. Another brother. Martin VanBuren, who was a member of the Forty-second Wisconsin Infantry, died in the Badger state in 1900, while John A., who was a member of the Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry, now resides at Sparta, Wisconsin, where he is serving as police judge. The youngest brother, L. K. Sholts, is employed in the office of John A. Sholts. Orson and Ozro, twin brothers, are farming people residing near Rutland, Wisconsin. One sister of the family, Alice E., died in infancy. For several years after his marriage Mr. Marsh resided in Rutland, Wisconsin, and later made his home in other places in that state, spending a number of years in Sparta. He was also for two years in Kansas, and during much of the time was upon the road as a traveling salesman. He came from N Kansas to Manson December 9, 1878. The town was then in its infancy and Mr. Marsh established a hotel, with which line of business he has since been connected. In 1898 he built the Marsh Hotel, a most modern house, heated throughout with hot air, supplied with electric lights and superior ventilating facilities and equipped with the most modern improvements. It was built upon plans made by Mr. and Mrs. Marsh. He does not now conduct the hotel, but has a comfortable residence in the southern part of the town, in which he is living in honorable retirement from business. Two children have been born unto our
subject and his wife: Clifford C, born December 25, 1866, is now in the medical dispensary of the war department of Dakota, located at St. Paul, Minnesota, having been connected with this department for eight years. For four years previous he had been employed in the pension department in Washington, D. C. He was an occupant of
the old Ford Theatre at the time of its collapse and sustained an injury from its falling walls. At the time of the Spanish American war he was transferred to his present position, which he is filling with credit. He married Miss Hattie Wood, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, the wedding taking place in Manson, in 1893, and they have now three children, Tina P., Fern and Clifford C. John V. Marsh, the younger son, was born November 5, 1869, and was married in Manson to Julia Boardman, and is now a tonsorial artist. He has two interesting little daughters, Joy Alberta and Elma. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Marsh is a member of Allee Post, G. A. R., while his wife belongs to the Women's Relief Corps. In politics he is an active Republican, strongly endorsing the principles of his party. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S.J. Clarke, 1902, p.420]