ISAAC D MARR, b 9 Apr 1832

MARR, CRAIN, SHEDD, FERRY, KEENE, DRAPER, DAWDY, BOOK, TRYON, LONG

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 6/19/2004 at 22:36:58

This worthy citizen of Sabula, has been a resident of the town for a period of twenty-four years, having come to this section in the fall of 1865, soon after receiving his honorable discharge from the army. His has been an eventful career, during which he has experienced harDship and adversity, but under this severe discipline has been developed a character of more than ordinary worth. He is now occuped as mail-carrier, and operates an express and hack line. His upright methods of doing business, his promptness and reliability, have made for him hosts of friends wherever he is known, and he is meeting with the success which he so justly deserves. He came out of the army greatly impaired in health,and with his eyesight nearly destroyed. For a time he was treated by the celebrated doctor, J.B. Walker, of Chicago, under whose care he received much benefit, but his eyes were too greatly affected to be wholly restored.

Our subject was born in Woodhouse Township, Norfolk County, Canada West, April 9, 1832, and is the son of Solomon and Rhoda (Crain) Marr; the latter of whom became the mother of three children, and died when a young woman in her native Canada. Solomon Marr was subsequently married a second time, and became the father of six more children. Seven of his family are living, namely: Isaac D., our subject; Helen (Mrs. Shedd), Mary (Mrs. Ferry), William F., John H., Jane (Mrs. Keene), and Charles D. These, with the exception of our subject, are the children of the second wife. The two full-brothers of Mr. Marr died when young.

Young Marr was reared and educated in his native county, attending school in a log cabin, with slabs for seats, and the desks made of boards fastened to the wall with wooden pins. He sojourned in the Dominion until reaching his majority, and in the spring of 1853, came over into the States, and made his way westward to this county, arriving in Sabula on the 11th of May, in the midst of a lively snow-storm. It is hardly necessary to say that Sabula was then a very small place, and Mr. Marr soon went to Sterling, where he engaged as a cooper for some time, and then began operating with a breaking team, following this business three years, and until the outbreak of the rebellion.

Our subject now enlisted as a Union soldier in Company A, 24th Iowa Infantry, and was mostly assigned to detached service. He was soon taken ill, and thereafter spent much of his time sick in the hospital, out of which he came permanently disabled, and now draws a pension. Soon after the close of the war, and after sojourning for a time in Chicago under medical treatment, he came to Sabula in the fall of 1865, and here he has since made his home. He was occupied variously until the fall of 1880, when he embarked in his present business, and has been quite successful. He numbers his friends by the score in this community, where he has built up for himself the reputation of an honest man and a good citizen.

On the 15th of June, 1858, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Euphemia Draper, the wedding taking place at the bride's home in Iowa Township. Mrs. Marr was born in Welland County, Canada West, in the town of Pelham, 23d of June, 1841, and came to Sterling, this county, with her parents in 1857. The latter were Alvin and Parmelia (Dawdy) Draper, natives of Canada, and now deceased. They were the parents of six children, four of whom are living, those besides Mrs. Marr, being Susanna (Mrs. Book), Richard S., and James D. To Mr. and Mrs. Marr there has been born three children - Adelbert D., Marion D., and Hettie Belle. Adelbert married Miss Alice Tryon, and lives in Dubuque; Hettie B. is the wife of William E. Long, of Sabula, and the mother of two children, only one of whom is living, a daughter, Oliver Berenice.

Mr. Marr is serving his twelfth year as School Director, but aside from this has very little to do with public affairs. He is a stanch Republican, politically, and socially belongs to the Mason fraternity, the A.O.U.W., the Iowa Legion of Honor, and the G.A.R. His estimable wife is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They occupy a snug home in the southern part of the town, and number their friends by the score in Sabula and vicinity.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)