My grandfather was:
Robert Dickson Marshall III (1902-1976), son of
Mary Moore Elder and Albertus McLaren Marshall (1870-1943), son of
Elizabeth Ralston and Robert Dickson Marshall I (1834-1912), son of
Elizabeth Dickson and Hugh Marshall
The first three generations, starting with my grandfather, were fairly easy to find. They were prominent men in Dayton during the turn of the century. I found their gravestones, names in the censuses, marriage certificates, obituaries, and even some biographical articles in a Dayton history book. I found that Robert Dickson Marshall I had a brother named "John". However, he was not the Chief Justice, being born about 100 years too late. I could go no further back than Hugh Marshall.
For a while I tried to find Hugh coming from the other direction. I researched John Marshall's family, his siblings and their descendants. After much work, I was disappointed that I could find no "Hugh" in the family. There were a number of "Roberts" but none born in Ohio and none in the right time frame.
This is John Marshall's (Chief Justice) lineage. If we were related, I'd expect convergence.
John Marshall (1755-1835) born in VA, son of
Thomas Marshall (1730-1802) born in VA, son of
John Marshall (1700-1752) born in VA, son of
Thomas Marshall (1655-1704) born in VA
For many years I was stumped. I could find no documentation besides a marriage certificate for Hugh Marshall and Elizabeth Dickson on April 29, 1830 in Logan County, Ohio. However, I was trying to do this remotely, before the Internet became such a useful tool.
I concluded that there probably was no link to John Marshall. I think that it was easy for the family to assume that there must be a link because both families shared the Marshall name and, both had a tradition of lawyers and judges in their lineage. It would have been a natural assumption.
I finally found someone else who was researching a family who had a Hugh Marshall married to an Elizabeth Dickson. He posted the information in the LDS Family History Ancestral File. I corresponded with him and am convinced that his research is reliable although I do not personally have the supporting documentation. (A future exercise.)
This is Hugh's lineage:
Hugh Marshall (1804-1844), son of
Margaret Cracraft and Samuel Marshall (1775-1838), son of
Rosanna Marshal and Hugh Marshall (~1746-~1817)
The information is posted here, in the LDS Ancestral File.
Hugh Sr., his wife Rosanna, and their son, Samuel, were born in the Parish Of Mullaghbrack, Co. Armagh, Ireland. This is long before the mass immigration of Irish from the potato famine 100 years later. They came just after the Revolutionary War. Marshall is usually thought of as a Scottish name and a look at the history of County Armagh shows that both Scottish and British families settled in this area very early.
Here is a little more information I found about Samuel:
http://www.shelbycountyhistory.org/schs/pioneers/1808jmarshall.htm
In 1808, an Irishman, Samuel Marshall, came to Shelby County, Ohio, (Washington Township) with his wife, Margaret and four children. He was born in 1775 in the Parish of Mullaghbrack, County Armagh, Ireland. His wife Margaret was from Pennsylvania. Samuel became an important citizen as well.
Samuel was one of the original Associate Judges, the county’s first lawyer and an early Commissioner. He and his sons contracted for the first mail routes from Piqua to Bellefontaine and from Piqua to Defiance. The Marshall’s daughter, Rosanna, is thought to have been one of the first white children born in Shelby County. Marshall was involved in much of the early decision-making for the county’s growth. He passed away in 1838 while his daughter, Rosanna, died in 1854.
I am not really disappointed that there is no apparent relation to John Marshall. I am much happier that I have finally found my own family.
