My Genealogy Hound

THEO R. MARBLE, a prominent general agriculturist and esteemed citizen of Buchanan Township, Berrien County, Mich., was born amid the Green Mountains of Vermont January 18, 1830. The Marble family is well known in New England, and the parents of our subject, James and Alice (Smith) Marble, were born in Salem, Mass. From there they moved to Vermont, and in 1844 emigrated to the State of Indiana, and settled upon a farm in St. Joseph County. The father died in 1848, but the mother survived many years, passing away at four-score years and ten. The eight children of the parental family were as follows: Edward, living in Berrien County, Mich.; Sarah, deceased, the wife of L. Shaddock; John C, a citizen of St. Joseph County, Ind.; Willard and Orson, deceased; Isaac, a resident of Buchanan; Lucy, deceased; and Theodore R., our subject. The father, an energetic and industrious man of sterling integrity of character, was sixty-five years of age at the time of his decease.

Theo R. Marble was reared on a farm and remained with his parents until sixteen years of age, when he began life for himself, and worked by the month, still engaging in the pursuit of agriculture, for about six years. At the expiration of this length of time, he, in 1852, emigrated to California, traveling overland with an ox-team and taking other stock. He was hired as driver to accompany Messrs. Hopkins and Litzenberger, who preceded him to Council Bluffs, from which city he walked the entire distance to McCellamy Hill, Cal. There were in the train forty-one men and women, seventeen wagons, two or three hundred head of cattle, and a dozen loose horses.

After leaving Omaha everything went smoothly until the party reached Shell Creek, about one and a-half days drive from Council Bluffs, when the train was attacked by three hundred Pawnee Indians. A running fight occurred, the wagons moving slowly along in the mean time. Two men were shot through the thighs, and Mr. Litzenberger was shot through the left lung by an arrow and never fully recovered from the wound. Six or seven Indians were killed outright and a number so badly wounded that they soon after died. The Indians, later reinforced and fully five hundred strong, followed after and camped within a half-mile of the train, but the latter had been joined by about three hundred Missouri men and their families, and the Indians, finding themselves opposed by a small and armed army of determined emigrants, abandoned their hostile designs and withdrew from the field. At the time this trip was taken Omaha boasted only a few families, and the country was almost a desert until the weary train struck Utah.

At last, safely arriving in California, Mr. Marble spent two years in mining. At first he was very successful, and took from a mine from $50 to $100 per day. For this mine he was offered $20,000 in cash, but refused, and in a short time the deposit was exhausted and the mine became worthless. Remaining in the Golden State for twenty-one years, our subject witnessed the remarkable growth and prosperity of San Francisco and Sacramento, which, when he saw them, were at first “canvas’’ towns, but inside the tents were gay trappings and furniture, especially in the gambling houses, which abounded. At that time some of the most valuable business lots could have been purchased for $100 and less.

After his two years experience in mining Mr. Marble engaged in carpenter work, speculated, raised stock and was variously employed. Finally he returned to his former home, married and with his wife again journeyed to California. Having some time before purchased city lots, he now sold them and invested in six hundred and forty acres of land, a portion of which was under cultivation, and which was situated about one hundred miles from San Francisco. There were upon the tract a fine orchard and vineyard, but our subject devoted the land mostly to the cultivation of wheat. This farm Mr. Marble sold in 1876, returned to Indiana, remained there two or three years, and then purchased his present homestead of two hundred and seventy-four acres, costing $35 per acre. One hundred and forty acres have been brought to a high state of productiveness and the farm is one of the best in Berrien County.

Our subject was united in marriage in 1871 with Mrs. Ann M. (Frain) Curtis, daughter of Nathaniel Frain, of St. Joseph County, Ind. One son, Arthur, blessed the union, now a resident of South Bend. Fraternally, Mr. Marble is a member of Buchanan Lodge No. 68, A. F. & A. M. He joined Curtis Lodge No. 140 in California. He was also in the early days of California an active member of the Vigilance Committee, which was then the terror of evil-doers. Since 1876 Mr. Marble has been somewhat disabled by a partial paralysis of the lower limbs, the effects of a fever. A man of bright intelligence and superior business ability, he manages his homestead with
excellent judgment and practical skill. Although never a politician, our subject is deeply interested in the affairs of the day, and is a liberal-spirited and progressive citizen.