My Genealogy Hound

THOMAS MARSH. Few residents of Seneca County have lived here for so long a period as has the subject of this article, who is one of the venerable citizens and pioneers of the town of Romulus. Brought to this county by his parents when a child of three years, he has witnessed the growth of this section and has contributed to its development — commercial, educational and agricultural. His has been a busy life, and now in his old age he is resting from the arduous labors of former years, and in his comfortable home is surrounded by every comfort that can minister to his happiness.

In Essex County, N. J., near the village of Westfield, Thomas Marsh was born November 4, 1811, being the son of John S. and Phoebe (Baker) Marsh, also natives of that county. He was the second among seven children, the others being as follows: Mary, Mrs. Henry L. Kinne, who died in 1889; Elizabeth, deceased; Ann, widow of Leander Covert, now living near East Varick, this county; Daniel B.; Jane, who died in 1855; and Margaret D., widow of J. Frank Marsh, of this county.

A blacksmith by trade, John S. Marsh went to Pennsylvania in early manhood and followed that occupation in Pittsburg. From that place he went to Cincinnati, and for about three years worked for William Henry Harrison, President of the United States. Later he went to St. Louis, making the journey alone in a small boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi. After a short time in the West he went back to Ohio, then returned to Westfield, N.J., where he worked at his trade until 1814. He then came to Seneca County, making the journey with a three-horse team, and settling in the town of Romulus. The following year he purchased sixty-five acres lying on the banks of the Cayuga, and comprising a portion of the present farm. The land was heavily timbered and contained no improvements, but through untiring labor on his part he brought it under cultivation, so that it proved remunerative. On this homestead he died in 1865, at the age of eighty-nine; his wife died ten years later, in 1875, also at the age of eighty -nine years.

At the time the family came to Seneca County our subject was a child of three years, and he has since made his home here, having resided on his present place since 1840. In 1841 he was united in marriage with Miss Julia Brown, and four children came to bless their union, namely: Theodore; Edwin, who lives at Bancroft, Neb.; Sarah, deceased; and George, who died in infancy. While Mr. Marsh was never active in politics, he has been a stanch Republican since the organization of that party, and still maintains an interest in topics of general nterest. Mrs. Marsh passed to her reward in 1879.