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Archibald W. Marshall
ARCHIBALD W. MARSHALL was born March 29, 1840, on the farm in Rayburn
township, Armstrong county, where he now resides, son of Archibald and Rebecca
(Taylor) Marshall. The Marshall family has been settled in this part of
Armstrong county for several generations, and its members have always
contributed to the well-being of the community.William Marshall, the emigrant ancestor of the family, was born in 1722 in
Ireland. Nothing can be learned concerning his ancestors. When a young man he
went to Scotland, where about 1748 he married Elizabeth Armstrong, a native of
that country, and they soon afterward came to America. They settled in the
southern part of what was then the Province of Pennsylvania, about sixty miles
northwest of Baltimore, Md., near where the Marsh creek crosses the
Pennsylvania and Maryland line — in what was known as the Conococheague
settlement. It is now included in Adams county, Pa. Their family of six
children, John, James, Margaret, William, Archibald and Samuel, were all born
at this place. About the year 1783 William and Elizabeth (Armstrong) Marshall
removed with part of their family to Westmoreland county, Pa., settling in
that portion now included in Indiana county, to which section their sons John
and James had emigrated several years previously. They had been driven back by
the hostility of the Indians, however, John and his family returning to their
first settlement in the East, and James, who was then unmarried, stopping at
Sewickley settlement. William Marshall, the father, settled on a tract of land
at Blacklegs creek, now included in the township of Conemaugh, Indiana county,
where he and his wife died, Mr. Marshall in 1796, Mrs. Marshall in 1806. A
copy of his will is on record at Greensburg, Pa., in the Westmoreland county
courthouse, in Will Book 1, page 134. We have considerable information
concerning their family, which is mentioned fully elsewhere in this work.Archibald Marshall, fourth son of William and Elizabeth (Armstrong)
Marshall, was born March 29, 1762, and in 1787 married Margaret Wilson,
half-sister of Catherine, his brother William’s wife. Mrs. Margaret (Wilson)
Marshall’s mother was a native of Germany. About 1800 Archibald and Margaret
(Wilson) Marshall moved out to Westmoreland county, Pa., where his parents and
brothers already resided, and there they lived until 1814, when he sold out
and removed to Armstrong county, purchasing land about one and a half miles
from the present site of the borough of Dayton. He and his sons cleared away
brush to make room for a cabin, which stood where the home of his grandson,
Harry S. Marshall, is now located. They, had no stable, the horses standing
hitched to the trees, and the sheep had to be brought indoors over night to
save them from the wolves. Here Mr. and Mrs. Marshall lived the rest of their
lives, he dying in November, 1835, she in 1837. They are buried in the Glade
Run cemetery. They had the following children: Catherine, William, Joseph,
John (born in 1794, who married Elizabeth Stewart), Margaret, Archibald, James
and Samuel.Archibald Marshall, fourth son of Archibald and Margaret (Wilson) Marshall,
was born Nov. 4, 1802 (another record says 1799), near the Ebenezer Church in
Indiana county. In 1814 he removed with his parents to their farm near Dayton,
Armstrong county, and for several years after his marriage lived on another
farm in Wayne township. In the year 1834 he purchased a farm in what is now
Rayburn (then Valley) township, and moving to that place April 1, 1835, there
made a permanent home, this being the homestead now occupied by his son
Archibald W. Marshall. There were some improvements on the place, including a
log cabin and log barn, the double cabin being about 20 feet square (outside
measurement) and divided by an entry. Many were the shifts which these
pioneers had to make because of the lack of ordinary appliances or the means
of purchasing them. They made harness by sewing tow strings together, using
chains for the traces. But they prospered by dint of unceasing industry, and
made a comfortable home, which they occupied until they died, Mr. Marshall
passing away Nov. 28, 1878, Mrs. Marshall on April 28, 1884. They are buried
on the farm. They were originally members of the Presbyterian Church, in 1857
changing their membership to the United Presbyterian Church.On May 22, 1823, Mr. Marshall married Rebecca Taylor, who was born July 18,
1799, eldest daughter of Thomas Taylor, one of the old settlers on
Cowanshannock creek. Seven children were born to this union: Martha T.,born Jan. 23, 1825, is deceased; Margaret, born May 1, 1827, is the widow
of Charles Todd and lives west of Kittanning (Mr. Todd was a grocer by
occupation; he served during the Civil war in the Pennsylvania Reserve
Volunteers); Esther I., born Sept. 26. 1830, died Sept. 26, 1845; Rebecca,
born Feb. 20. 1833, is the widow of A.A. Marshall and makes her home at
Dayton, Pa.; Thomas T., born Jan. 24, 1836, died Oct. 3. 1841, Archibald W.
was born March 29, 1840; Elizabeth C., born March 26, 1844, is the widow of
William B. Shaum, and lives on a part of her father’s farm.Archibald W. Marshall received his education in the public schools of the
home locality. He never left the homestead, making his home there after his
marriage as he had before, and he was successfully engaged in general farming
throughout his active years. He has been quite prominent in the neighborhood,
having served his township as assessor two terms, as school director for ten
years, and justice of the peace for fifteen years, still holding the latter
office. In politics he is identified with the Republican party. His church
connection is the same as that of his parents, and he has been an elder of the
U.P. congregation for a number of years. He is highly respected throughout
this district, where his upright and useful life has won him many friends.On Feb. 21, 1867, Mr. Marshall was married to Elizabeth A. Speer, a native
of county, born May 16, 1838, daughter of Robert Speer, of Manor township. Six
children were born to this marriage: Norman W., born Feb. 24, 1868, was
drowned July 9, 1889; Jennie R., born Nov. 6, 1869, is at home; Thomas W.,
born Sept. 2, 1871, was married June 15, 1898, to Fanny A. Stewart, daughter
of John Stewart and has one child, Thomas W., Jr.; William S., born Dec. 21,
1873; is at home, at present having the management of the farm; Phoebe R.,
born June 13, 1877, died Aug. 5, 1885; Mutter A., born June 24, 1879, died
Feb. 18, 1896.Robert Speer, father of Mrs. Archibald W. Marshall, was born in Ireland,
and was one year old when he came to America with his parents, the family
first settling in South Carolina. When he was twelve years old they moved to
Lawrence county, Pa., and subsequently (before his marriage) he came to
Kittanning, Armstrong county. His first work here was making nails, by hand,
and later he bought a farm and sawmill which he operated throughout his active
years. He died Nov. 27, 1880. For his first wife Mr. Speer married Barbara
Lowrie, by whom he had a family of nine children. His second marriage was to
Martha Wilson, who was born April 23, 1807, daughter of Hugh Wilson, a native
of Ireland (born May 12, 1770) who came America, arriving Sept. 7, 1795; his
children were: William B., born Sept. 16, 1795; David, May, 1799; Elizabeth,
April 1, 1801; Hugh, Oct. 5, 1803; Martha, April 23, 1807. Mrs. Martha
(Wilson) Speer died in 1841, aged thirty-four, the mother of three children,
Hugh Wilson, Elizabeth (Mrs. Marshall) and Barbara. By his third marriage, to
Jane Erwin, Mr. Speer had six children..Source: Page 468-496, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past
and Present, J. H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed May 1999 by Michael S. Caldwell for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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