WALTER F. MARSH
Walter F. Marsh resides upon the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 12, Benton township. The forty on which he lives, was pre-empted by Anson Brown in 1853 or '54. Mr. Marsh bought the pre-emption right of Mr. Brown in 1855. In the fall of the same year he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres, comprising the southeast quarter of section 11, on which he built his first house. His farm still consists of the above described land. At the time of Mr. Marsh's settlement here there were living in what is now Benton township the following settlers: Stillman H. Perry, who several years since returned to his native State, Pennsylvania; Anson Brown, now in Kansas; James Montgomery, who removed to Missouri and is now deceased, and Mrs. Elizabeth Eagan who husband was killed here, by the running away of his horse. The above named all lived on Crooked Creek. Jefferson Goodale was living on section 6. He is now dead, but his family still own the homestead. Mr. Marsh came here in company with his brother, Charles Marsh. Walter F. Marsh was born in Sharon, Litchfield county, Connecticut, in September, 1825. He removed to Pennsylvania with his parents when six years old. He was brought up in that State, and married to Arralutia Minkler, a native of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, born in 1830. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have ten children, five sons and five daughters -- Helen A., Parthena B., Horatio W., Zelotes C., Albert H., Chester E., Walter E., Phoebe G., Florence A., and Olive. They have lost two children -- Arabelle and Estella.
[In the original text the biography of Charles Marsh follows next, followed by the paragraph below.]
The father of the Marsh brothers, died in Pennsylvania, in April, 1830. Their mother came here and lived with her children till her death in 1867, at the age of seventy-nine years. The brothers have spent some time in prospecting and mining in Colorado. Charles went there in 1859, and remained till 1864. W. F. went in 1860 and came home in 1863. Both W. F. and Charles Marsh have been Republicans since the organization of that party, and still fight under that banner.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pp. 648-649.
