Elmer B. Marsh

BUTLER, MARSH, WILSON

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 6/28/2006 at 19:10:44

Elmer B. Marsh, who is one of the most progressive of the farmers of Grand River township, was born at Atwater, Minnesota, on the 19th of May, 1870, a son of Samuel and Catherine (Butler) Marsh, the former born in Jennings county, Indiana, and the latter also a native of that state. In 1861 the father put aside his work as an agriculturist and enlisted in the Twenty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was captured and kept in prison for ten months at Tyler, Texas, and he saw much hard fighting, in which he did his part bravely. He was at Shiloh, and the siege of Vicksburg, but the-most stubborn battle in which he participated was at Prairie Grove, Missouri. He was with the colors for three years and the greater part of his time was spent in marching to head off some Confederate army or other. When peace was restored he went to Minnesota and took up a homestead there. His marriage occurred in that state and he continued to reside there until the early '70s. In 1874 he arrived in Madison county and entered into partnership with J. A. Lowe in the implement business at Winterset. In 1875, however, he removed to a farm in Adair county, where he continued to reside for many years, save for the period of time that he lived in Indianola in order to give his children better educational opportunities. He owned a tract of good land and carried on general farming and stock-raising successfully. He is now living retired at Orient. He has held a number of township offices and is a stanch adherent of the republican party, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.

Elmer B. Marsh is the oldest of three children and in his youth learned practical methods of agriculture under the instruction of his father. He also received an excellent scholastic education, attending the district schools, Creston high school and Simpson College, which conferred upon him the degree of Ph. B. in 1894. He was quite active in student affairs, taking part in various class games, and served as president of the Phylomathian Club. Following his graduation he began teaching in the rural schools of Warren county and after a year became a teacher in the Indianola schools, where he remained for two years. In the meantime he had purchased land and following his marriage he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, residing in Warren county for about seven years. For the last eleven years, however, he has lived in Madison county and his farm on section 18, Grand River township, is one of the well improved and well kept up places of that township. He devotes practically all of his time to the operation of his farm and as he gives much thought to the planning of his work and uses the most approved methods and the latest machinery, he is meeting with a gratifying measure of success. He is also director of the Macksburg National Bank and is a director and president of the executive board of the Creston, Winterset, Des Moines Railroad.

On the 22nd of February, 1898, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Marsh and Miss Sibyl Wilson, a daughter of J. M. and Lura M. Wilson. This union has been blessed with five children: Leslie L., whose birth occurred on the 5th of September, 1900; Mirian L.; Katherine; and Wilson and Wilma, twins, born on the 24th of July, 1912.

Mr. Marsh is a republican, but has no political aspirations whatsoever being content to perform his public service as a private citizen. His life is guided by his belief in the teachings of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a member, and he can be counted upon to further the moral progress of his community. He owns three hundred and sixty acres of fine land and operates about eight hundred acres altogether, and in furthering his own material interests he has also contributed to the agricultural development of his township, and as an extensive stock-raiser has advanced the interests of his locality along that line.

Information taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915,” by Herman Mueller.