Colonial families of Philadelphia, Volume II, Part 14

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 978

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During the yellow fever epidemic Christopher Marshall spent most of his time at the residence of his granddaughter, Nancy Marshall Bush, in Germantown, and when it subsided he returned to the city, but permanently abandoned housekeep- ing, and thereafter resided with his son, Charles Marshall, at 56 Chestnut street, and there died May 4, 1797.

Christopher Marshall Sr. became identified with a number of the prominent institutions of Philadelphia, notably those of a charitable and philanthropic char- acter. He was treasurer of Board of Overseers of the Poor, 1758; was a member of the Humane Society, 1780; was one of the organizers of the Society for the Alleviation of the Miseries of the Public Prisons, 1787, and participated in the organization of the first Sunday schools in Pennsylvania, 1791, and was treasurer of the organization then effected.

He was one of the original signers of the Non-importation Resolutions adopted at a meeting of the Merchants and Traders of Philadelphia, held November 7, 1765. From the very inception of the Revolutionary struggle he was one of the most ardent of the Patriots in formulating measures to resist the oppression of Great Britain. He was a member of General Assembly, 1774, returned July 15; was later a member of the Committee of Safety ; was a Deputy to the Provincial Conference at Carpenter's Hall, June 28, 1776, and was named as one of the com- mittee to escort John Nixon to the State House yard to read the Declaration of Independence. He was toast-master at the first celebration of the signing of the Declaration at Lancaster, July 4, 1777. For his activity in warlike measures he was disowned from the Society of Friends, and in 1780 was one of the organizers and treasurer of the Society of Free Quakers, composed principally of members of the Society of Friends, whose loyalty to their country led them to violate the extreme peace principles of the Society.

Christopher Marshall was not, however, a seeker after public position, on the contrary on his retirement from business in 1772, and until his death, he sought to live in retirement and take no part in public affairs. In a letter to his friend, Rev. George Stonehouse, Rector of Grey Friars', Bristol, England, dated May 9, 1774, after his second marriage, he says, "I am a private man, in no office, either in Church, Meeting, or of the State, and stand unconnected with any Society or religious party, living- upon my private income." He, however, entertained largely, both at Philadelphia and Lancaster, and his house was open at all times for the accommodation of his many friends and relatives. Members of Conti- nental Congress were regular visitors as will be seen by his "Remembrances," as well as officers of the Continental Army. His town house was occupied by several of Lord Howe's officers, during the British occupation, and many fine pieces of furniture were carried away by them to the barracks, but were returned by the order of Lord Howe, when requested by Patience Marshall, wife of his son, Charles.

Issue of Christopher and Sarah (Thomson) Marshall:

Benjamin Marshall, b. Oct. 4, 1737, d. Jan. 29, 1778; was engaged in the shipping busi- ness with his brothers, Christopher, Jr., and Charles Marshall; was a man of promi- nence in the city; was a Deputy to the Provincial Conference, held in Phila. July 15, 1774, &c .; m. Oct. 12, 1761, Sarah Lynn, b. Oct. 8, 1739, d. May 7, 1797; they had issue :

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Ann Marshall, b. Aug. 10, 1762, d. s. p .;

Sarah Marshall, b. Dec. 10, 1763, d. inf .;

Hannah Marshall, b. Dec. 5, 1765; m. 1785, Caspar Wistar Haines, b. 1762, d. 1801, son of Reuben Haines, of Germantown, by his wife, Margaret, dau. of Caspar and Katharine (Johnson) Wistar. The homestead of the Haines fam- ily in Germantown, still occupied by Jane R. Haines, a descendant of Hannah Marshall, is the famous "Wyck" house, one of the ancient historical land- marks of Germantown. It was here that Reuben Haines, son of Caspar and Hannah ( Marshall) Haines, entertained Lafayette in 1824;

Mary Marshall, b. July 22, 1769, d. s. p .;

Susannah Marshall, b. July 12, 1771, d. s. p .;

Christopher Marshall, b. May 10, 1773; m. (first) Mary Dorsey, by whom he had no issue; (second) Phobe Shotwell, by whom he had eight children, all of whom d. unm., except Sarah, who m. John Livezey;

Esther Marshall, b. Nov. 22, 1774; m. 1795, Abraham Garrigues, and had eight children, three of whom, Caspar, William A. and Marshall, married and left issue;

Mary Marshall, b. July 17, 1776, d. unm .;

Benjamin Marshall, b. Sept. 29, 1777; m. Mary Cruikshank, and had nine chil- dren, only two of whom married, Benjamin m. Harriet White, and Mary m. Israel H. Johnson.

CHRISTOPHER MARSHALL, JR., b. March 4, 1740, d. Nov. 29, 1806; of whom presently; Isabella Marshall, b. Jan. 28, 1741, d. inf .;

CHARLES MARSHALL, b. April 27, 1744, d. Aug. 27, 1825; m. Patience Parrish; of whom later.

CHRISTOPHER MARSHALL, second son of Christopher and Sarah (Thomson) Marshall, born in Philadelphia, March 4, 1740, while he became nominally a part- ner in the drug business with his father and younger brother Charles, 1765, and continued a member of the succeeding firm of Christopher Jr. and Charles Mar- shall for some years, was probably more actively associated with his elder brother Benjamin in the shipping and commission business, especially until after the death of Benjamin in 1778. His brother, Charles, while associated with both firms, seems to have been the chief apothecary of the firm, and had charge of that branch of the family business. Christopher Marshall Jr. married (first) at Friends Meeting, Philadelphia, October 9, 1760, Ann, daughter of James and Mary Eddy, by whom he had seven children, three of whom survived childhood. Ann (Eddy) Marshall died December 15, 1775; married (second) October 17, 1777, Elizabeth, born in Philadelphia, June 4, 1742, died November 3, 17-, daughter of Enoch and Ann Flower, of Philadelphia. The marriage took place as shown by the record in the family Bible of Christopher Marshall, "at Friends Meeting in Providence township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) County, we having passed the Monthly Meeting at Gwynedd, the reason being married there was occassioned by the commotion of the times which obliged us with many more to move out into the country, the British Army being at the time of our marriage in possession of the City." Two children were born to them, one of whom sur- vived ; married (third) at Friends Meeting, Market street, Philadelphia, July 30, 1783, Margaret, born April 22, 1747, daughter of Isaac and Hannah Roberts, by whom he had two children.

Issue of Christopher Jr. and Ann (Eddy) Marshall:

James Eddy Marshall, b. Oct. 4, 1761, d. y .;

Isabella Marshall, b. March 7, 1763; m. May 15, 1788, Dr. Caspar Wistar, celebrated physician, organizer of "Wistar Parties;"

Christopher Marshall, b. March 10, 1765, d. inf .;

Christopher Marshall, b. Jan. 28, 1767, d. May 10, 1769;

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Ann Marshall ("Nancy"), b. Nov. 12, 1769; m. (first) at Chew House, Germantown, then the country seat of Blair McClenachan, April 2, 1791, Dr. Solomon Bush; it was at the residence of this couple that Christopher Marshall, Sr., made his home during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793; Dr. Bush d. "at his farm near German- town June 9, 1795, and was bur. the next day at Friends' Grounds in Germantown. Aged 41 yr. 7m. 26 days," says the record in Christopher Marshall, Jr.'s, Bible. Ann m. (second) Dec. 1, 1796, Dr. William Currie, ceremony being performed by Bishop White at her dwelling. She had one son, Matthew M. Bush, and five children by Dr. Currie, viz. :

Cornelia Currie, b. Dec. 3, 1797;

William M. Currie; Isabella Currie ; Ann Currie;

Margaret Currie.

Sarah Ann Marshall, b. Aug. 29, 1771; m. Jan. 30, 1794, Zaccheus Collins, at Friends' Meeting, Phila .; they had issue :

Stephen Collins, b. Oct. 3, 1794, d. inf .;

Ann Collins, b. Oct. 6, 1795.

Christopher Marshall (third of the name), b. May 3. 1773, d. June 30, 1773.

Issue of Christopher and Elizabeth (Flower) Marshall:

Enoch Flower Marshall, b. Jan. 26, 1780, d. Oct. 26, 1781;

Elizabeth Flower Marshall, b. Nov. 26, 1781; m. June 19, 1806, Charles Marshall Slocum, and had eight children.

Issue of Christopher and Margaret (Roberts) Marshall:

Charles Roberts Marshall, b. Sept. 15, 1787, d. July 7, 1788;

Isaac Roberts Marshall, b. July 29, 1789; m. Sarah Hutchin, and had issue-Isaac R. Marshall, Jr.

CHARLES MARSHALL, youngest son of Christopher and Sarah (Thomson) Mar- shall, born in Philadelphia, April 27, 1744, became a member of the firm of Chris- topher & Charles Marshall, manufacturers of drugs, chemicals and paints, March II, 1765, a month before he attained his majority. The firm consisted of his father, Christopher Marshall Sr., who had established the business, his elder brother, Christopher Marshall Jr., and himself. As before stated, his father retired from the firm November 30, 1772, and assigned his one-third interest therein to Christopher Jr. and Charles, who at once formed a new firm under the name of Christopher Jr. & Charles Marshall, and continued the business on Car- ter's alley, in rear of house No. 56 Chestnut street, where Charles Marshall was born, and where he always lived, except during the brief period of the British occupation of the city. The firm had also a building known as the Manufacturing Laboratory, near the stone bridge over the Cohocksink creek on north Third street, built by Christopher Marshall Sr., "thus far out of town, to save the deli- cate sensations of the citizens, by the considerate owner Christopher Marshall" says Watson, in his "Annals of Philadelphia." It was used as a place for boiling oil and making hartshorn, and therefore "filled the atmosphere all the country round with a most noisome odor." Later it was used by Dr. William Shippen Sr. for a lecture and dissecting room.

In addition to having principal charge of the important and successful drug and color business, Charles Marshall, from July 31, 1770, held a one-third interest in the shipping and commission business with his two elder brothers, Benjamin and Christopher Jr., and with them and Wilkinson Timmons owned the brig "Burke,"

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"and cargoes yt have been shipped to Surinam in her" from that date; he was principal business man of the several firms, receipts appearing on the books show- ing his payment to his partners of their share of the cargoes, profits, etc., and also a general statement of the condition of the several affairs of the three firms at the time the business was turned over to his sons by Christopher Marshall Sr., 1772. From his statement we learn that Christopher Marshall Sr., by deeds dated November 12, 1772, conveyed to Charles Marshall the homestead No. 56 Chestnut street, where Charles was then residing ; fifteen feet eleven and a half inches front on Chestnut and extending back fifty-one feet, and two adjoining lots thirty-five feet front, with a garden in the rear, a separate lot ; a brick house and brick store on Vidett's alley; the properties on Carter's alley; three houses on Fifth street between Race and Vine; a house on Fourth street between Walnut and Spruce ; two lots on Fifth street; a pasture lot on the west side of Shippen's lane, five acres and 144 perches, to be divided between him and his brother Benjamin ; three valuable ground rents ; and to him and Benjamin jointly several lots of land in Amwell township, Hunterdon county, New Jersey ; a plantation in Cumberland county, and another near Mt. Holly, New Jersey, "at the bridge over Ancocus."

Charles Marshall retired from active business in 1801 with an ample fortune and was succeeded by his son Charles. A few years after his retirement, the firm loaned its endorsement to a large amount, without the knowledge of the silent partner, and all connected with it were forced into bankruptcy, including Charles Marshall Sr., who was still a member of the firm. The business was taken charge of by his daughter Elizabeth and eventually extricated from its difficulties. Charles Marshall laid his unfortunate financial affairs before the Monthly Meet- ing of Friends of Philadelphia, by a communication dated 5mo. 30, 1805, and turned over to them his entire estate in trust for the payment of the claims on the notes his firm had endorsed. The letter announcing his misfortune to the Meeting is so characteristic of the man that it is here given in full.

"To the Monthly Meeting of Friends in Philadelphia :

"Dear Friends :- To be in unity with the Body of religious Society it is a reasonable Condition that the Members should walk orderly. To be found so doing hath, I humbly trust, been measurably my study from my Youth up. By the mismanagement of a Concern (in which I was a Partner), I have been reduced from the Enjoyment of a comfortable competence to an Inability to pay the Demands made upon me. Yet in the midst of my own and my dear family's Distress I have some Consolation in being able to reflect that I have not intentionally been the cause of my Introduction to my present unhappy situation; for altho I was improperly hurried into a measure which I generally disapprove, of giving a partial security to two of the Creditors. in part of their Demands, one of whom especially was peculiarly & critically circumstanced, it was done under an Impression, at the time, that the debts for which I had been made liable were greatly short of what they were afterwards discovered to be.

"It would be a very great alleviation of my present distress to look forward with hope and confidence, being unable to satisfy all the remaining claims of my just creditors, but my advanced age, bodily Infirmities & present circumstances forbid the expectation. Altho my prospects be thus gloomy with respect to outward things, yet I am at times favored with a sustaining hope that He whose Mercies are over all His works will not be altogether unmindful of Your afflicted Friend,

"Philad'a. 5Mo. 30th. 1805."

"CHARLES MARSHALL."

Charles Marshall, in addition to his superior knowledge as an apothecary, was possessed of a fine classical education, having been well educated in the branches then taught, including Latin and Greek, before entering on his apprenticeship in his father's chemical laboratory, and was possessed of a fine literary taste. He was a man of fine appearance and manners ; was six feet tall, slender and graceful.

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light complexion and blue eyes, and his prominent features were distinguished for their bland expression-the index of the conscientious integrity of his life. His exceeding love of neatness and cleanliness grew almost to excess during his later years. He lived his whole life in the house in which he was born, except for the brief period of the British occupation of the city, when he removed with his family to a country place in Plymouth township, Philadelphia, now Montgomery county, where his daughter Sarah, afterwards wife of Thomas Morris, was born.

Charles Marshall, though naturally of a somewhat delicate constitution, retained all his faculties, and enjoyed reasonably good health to the end of his days. On August 18, 1823, being then in his eighty-second year, he walked into the room in which he was born and laid down upon the bed, and though he had no known ailment, he was sometime afterwards found there dead.

Charles Marshall's fame as an apothecary and pharmacist was such that when the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy was established in 1821, though he was far advanced in life and unable to take any active part in its work, he was made its first president, and during the remaining years of his life he gave it his sympathy, support and advice.

Charles Marshall married at Friends Meeting House, Second and Market streets, Philadelphia, August 15, 1765, Patience, born in Baltimore, Maryland, November 10, 1745, daughter of John and Elizabeth Parrish, and a descendant of Capt. Edward Parrish, who came to America in 1640, and settled in Maryland. From the Diary of Christopher Marshall, we extract the following account of the marriage of Charles and Patience Marshall :

"Charles Marshall & Patience Parrish were married at Friends Meeting House 2d & Market. A Wedding dinner of some pomp was given at the home of her sister Mrs. Collins, 54 High St." From later entries in the diary, we learn that the following persons were recipients of Mrs. Patience Marshall's hospitality, "Chas. Thompson, Jno. Jay & Lady, Jno. Hancock & Lady, George Washington & Lady, Jno. and Saml. Adams, Peyton Randolph, Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, Anthony Knew, and others." Charles Thomson was at the time Secretary of Continental Congress and Peyton Randolph was its president.

Patience Parrish, wife of Charles Marshall, had been originally named Ann Parrish, after an aunt, Ann Helms, but coming to Philadelphia, at an early age to visit another aunt, Patience Howell, she took a fancy to the name of Patience, and after a deal of trouble had her name changed to Patience. Before the calamity which swept away her husband's fortune, their hospitable home was the scene of frequent fashionable gatherings; among their guests and friends, Washington, Adams, Randolph, Hamilton, Sullivan, Baron deKalb, Benjamin Franklin, and the Abbe Corea. During their temporary residence in Providence township, they were not far from the camp of Washington's army at Valley Forge, and during the spring of 1778 sent presents of early vegetables to Washington, receiving from him a note of thanks that is still in the possession of the family. Patience ( Par- rish) Marshall survived her husband, and after his death resided on the south side of Arch street below Sixth, where she died February 5, 1834.

Issue of Charles and Patience (Parrish) Marshall:

William Marshall, b. May 31, 1766, d. June 13, 1769;

Elizabeth Marshall, b. Jan. 28, 1768, d. July 26, 1836; was the proprietress of the drug

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manufacturing business, established by her grandfather, from the failure of her father in 1805, until 1825; she was a woman of decided character, good business ability, affable, courteous, and well calculated to command respect;

Mary Marshall, b. June 5, 1770, d. Nov. 20, 1772;

Patience Marshall, b. Sept. 21, 1771, d. at Baltimore, Md., Dec. 15, 1834; m. June 8, 1814, Isaac Tyson, of Baltimore;

Abigail Marshall, b. March 8, 1773, d. July 16, 1848; m. June 18, 1795, Joseph S. Morris, b. Sept. 15, 1772, d. Feb. 16, 1817, son of Thomas and Mary (Saunders) Morris, of Phila., grandson of Anthony and Sarah ( Powell) Morris, great-grandson of Anthony and Phoebe (Guest) Morris, great-great-grandson of Anthony and Mary (Jones) Morris, founders of prominent Phila. family of the name, and great-great-great- great-grandson of Anthony and Elizabeth (Senior) Morris, of London, England. The record of the wedding day of his granddaughter, June 18, 1795, in Christopher Marshall's diary is as follows: "1795, June 18, Near 10 O'clock Joseph Morris and Abigail went in Zaccheus Collins' carriage, rest of the relatives here walked. to Market St Meeting, where Samuel Emlen spoke, William Savery then preached & prayed. The young couple then performed their part,-Cole read the Certificate, and we returned much as we went-daughter Sarah (widow of his son Benjamin) walked with me-large concourse of spectators. We returned with a good many relations to Charles's, spent the time in sociability till we sat down to dinner, say 70 odd persons at two tables-prepared in Ch's large Store-room, well stocked with every necessity suitable, convenient-luxurious, they partook of with great satisfac- tion; they then devoted themselves as most suitable and agreeable, near 8 o'clock drank tea, coffee, eat cake & fruit &c. I went to my chamber near 10 o'clock, all seemed pleased and delighted." "June 19th .- Sunshiny pleasant Morning. I break- fasted alone, in my Chamber. John Peter's stage with 4 horses came, in which set off at 10 o'clock for Bethlehem, the Bride, & Bridegroom & his & her brother, Thomas Morris & Charles Marshall Junr., Hannah and Rachel Lewis." Joseph S. and Abigail (Marshall) Morris were the parents of eleven children; some of their grandchildren are now residents of Louisville, Ky. Thomas Morris, one of the wed- ding party to Bethlehem, a brother of the groom, two years later married Sarah Mar- shall, sister of the bride. Elizabeth Marshall Morris, dau. of Thomas and Sarah (Marshall) Morris, b. Feb. 2, 1802, m. June 17, 1823, Francis Perot, son of Elliston and Sarah (Hanson) Perot, b. in Phila., Aug. 23, 1796, d. there March 24, 1885; had issue :

Elliston Perot, b. Aug. 24, 1824, d. Feb. 25, 1865; m. Caroline R. Corbit; Thomas Morris Perot, b. May 8, 1828; m. Rebecca C. Siter;

Sarah Morris Perot, b. Nov. 6, 1831; m. Dec. 1, 1853, Edward H. Ogden.

CHARLES MARSHALL, JR., b. June 2, 1774, d. Sept. 27, 1837; m. Mary Wallace; of whom presently;

Sarah Marshall, b. in Providence twp., now Montgomery co., May 7, 1777, d. in Balti- more, Md., April 2, 1824; m. June 8, 1797, Thomas Morris, brother to Joseph S. Morris, who had married her sister, Abigail; he was b. July 13, 1774, d. April 14, 1841; they resided at the old Morris mansion on Arch street, and their country resi- dence, "Swarthmore," on the York road; he was prominent in business and social circles, was fourth Governor of the Society of the State in Schuylkill; member of Common Council; manager of Pennsylvania Hospital; treasurer of Philadelphia Library, etc .; one of their daughters m. (first) Elisha Tyson, (second) Clement Biddle; and another m. Francis Perot, of the prominent Philadelphia family ;

Margaret Marshall, b. Feb. 6, 1780, d. July 15, 1780;

Ann Parrish Marshall, b. July 2, 1782;

Mary Ann Marshall, b. July 4, 1789, d. Sept. 21, 1881, at Masonville, N. J., and was bur. from her city residence, 1305 Arch street, Phila., being the last survivor of the family.

CHARLES MARSHALL JR., only son of Charles and Patience (Parrish) Marshall to live to mature years, was born at the old Chestnut street home, June 2, 1774, died Philadelphia, September 27, 1837. He entered the drug establishment at an early age, and was senior member of the firm in 1805, when it failed. He married, April 26, 1798, Mary Wallace, the ceremony being performed at Christ Church by Rev. Robert Blackwell.

Issue of Charles and Mary (Wallace) Marshall:

Sarah Marshall, h. 1801 ; m. Col. Robert F. Preston, of Va., d. Dec. 5, 1827, leaving two children;

Charles Marshall, d. inf .;

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Mary Marshall, d. inf .;

John Marshall, b. 1803, d. unm., April 14, 1848;

Elizabeth Marshall, b. 1809, d. July 19, 1820; m. Capt. Timothy Rodgers, and had one son, Charles M. Rodgers, who left issue;

WALLACE MARSHALL, b. Sept. 16, 1814, of whom presently.

WALLACE MARSHALL, youngest child of Charles and Mary (Wallace) Marshall, was born in Philadelphia, September 16, 1814, and followed the family business of a druggist in that city. He died May 6, 1866. He married, June 29, 1842, Rebecca, daughter of Joseph and Esther (Coates) Ridgway, granddaughter of Henry and Hannah (Burr) Ridgway ; great-granddaughter of Joseph and Hannah (Allen) Ridgway; and great-great-granddaughter of Richard Ridgway, who came to Pennsylvania in the ship, "Jacob and Mary," of London, arriving in the river Delaware, September, 1679, from Welford, county Bucks, England, by 'his second wife, Abigail Stockton, of the New Jersey family of the name.

Issue of Wallace and Rebecca (Ridgway) Marshall:

Charles Marshall, b. May 31, 1843, now residing in Germantown; member of Colonial Society of Pennsylvania; one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Society Sons of the Revolution; member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; the Gene- alogical Society of Pennsylvania, and a member of the Union League of Phila .; m. Nov. 24, 1870, Julia A. Herring, of Baltimore, Md., and had issue:

Charles Marshall, b. Dec. 30, 1873; m. June 4, 1906, Katharine M. Repplier, b. Aug. 17, 1882, and has issue :

Helen Repplier Marshall, b. at Germantown, March 5, 1907.

Francis Ridgway Marshall, b. Dec. 12, 1845, d. May 14, 1898; m. Jan. 24, 1871, Mary J. Chadwick, but left no issue;

Mary Ann Marshall, of Phila., unm.

MONTGOMERY FAMILY.

While there are a number of American families which take a pardonable pride in an ancestry that traces back through Colonial times by an unbroken line, marked by the honorable achievement of its representatives in the different epochs of our history, to a like honorable record of their forbears in the country from which their pioneer ancestor came to American shores, few indeed can trace their ances- tral line, with any degree of accuracy, through as many generations of high and honorable distinction as the Montgomery family. Through the efforts of the late Thomas Harrison Montgomery, of Philadelphia, whose own achievements and life record, as well as those of his immediate ancestors, are a source of pride to the city of their adoption, the family history has been traced in an unbroken line of over thirty generations, covering a period of over ten centuries, representing some of the best blood of France, England, Scotland, and Ireland.

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Colonial families of Philadelphia, Volume II, Part 14

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 978

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 978