Of the many changes wrought by "Father-Time" since the advent of Moses Marshall on the Republican river, near the present town of Ames in 1874, where he settled on the old Thorp homestead, perhaps none appeal to the calendar of his busy life more sensibly as a reminder of fleeting years, than that his seven sons whose future destiny and welfare prompted him to emigrate to the new western field, but who were too young to take up land, are now great, stalwart, broad shouldered men, all but two of whom are surrounded by families. Mr. Marshall was a well-to-do stone mason, worked in the rolling mills and had accumulated what the early Kansan considered a fortune. He bought the old Thorp place, paying Mr. Berry, who then owned it, two thousand dollars. The old cabin, the first house built on the west side of the Republican river is still standing and is distinguished as being the most ancient landmark in the county. Mr. Marshall also bought eighty acres of the Swearinger claim and a year later, the relinquishment of Pat Mitchell of two hundred and forty acres, a homestead and timber claim, making a total of four hundred and eighty acres.

Mr. Marshall is a native of Londonderry, Ireland, born in 1820, but, looks ten years younger. He has been a man of more than ordinary strength and his hurculean frame is still erect for the weight of his eighty-three years. When eighteen years of age he engaged in many wrestling matches and was the prowess of any man in his locality. About this time Mr. Marshall became imbued with the idea of coming to America, and to overcome his father's objections threatened to join the Queen's Life Guards, which won his parents' unwilling consent, but he had not been settled in Pennsylvania but a short time ere his father and the other members of the family followed in his footsteps and joined him ub the United States of America, where his parents both died at an advanced age; his father was ninety-seven. Soon after our subject's marriage to Letitia Criswell, a young woman whose parents were from Ireland, with Scotch-Irish ancestry, they took a boat for Minnesota, and pre-empted land where the city of Minneapolis now stands, but desiring waterpower, he changed his location and went further north where he could land at $1.25 per acre. The land around the present site of Minneapolis was $3.60 per acre. In this state all their nine children (except the youngest) were born. Mr. Marshall has a brother and sister living in Pennsylvania, both younger than himself, an older brother died in December, 1902, and a sister that was his senior died in Januory,[sic] 1903. Mrs. Marshall died March 19, 1894, and since her death W.C., the oldest son, with his family live on the home place.

The seven sons and two daughters born to this worthy couple are as follows: W.C., of whom mention has just been made is a prosperous farmer and stockman. He was born January 23, 1857. His wife is one of the estimable daughters of that well known old settler, L.O. Fuller. They are the parents of three children, one daughter and two sons. Lelitia P., the oldest grandchild of the Marshall family was born in the historical old cabin, November 14, 1881. Their eldest son Robert F., was born December 20, 1884. Their youngest, William R., was born February 1, 1891. W.C. Marshall feeds and ships cattle and hogs, keeps from one hundred to one hundred and fifty head of the latter and is interested in two hundred acres of land. He is a public spirited man, has served as clerk of the school board for six years and is one of the solid citizens of the Ames community. Jennie B., the oldest daughter of Moses Marshall is known in educational work all over the county. She is one of the most successful and has taught more terms of school than any teacher in Cloud county, but owing to failing health has retired and makes her home with her sister and brothers. She was born November 1, 1858, began her school work in 1876 and taught continuously until 1898, one year in Minnesota and eight years in District No. 1. She is a very accomplished and worthy woman. Samuel H., born February 16, 1860, a grain dealer of Glen Elder, Kansas. Martha S., born January 6, 1862, is the wife of Arch Quinett, a prominent farmer and owner of a fine estate, the Richard Coughlin homestead. Robert J., born July 18, 1863, is a resident of Carroll, Iowa; he is a railway bridge builder. Moses Scott, born May 7, 1867, is a policeman of Everett, Washington. He inherits his father's rugged physique, is six feet, one and one-half inches tall and weighs two hundred and thirty pounds. Arthur S., born November 17, 1870, is a resident of Clifton, where he is engaged in the music and sewing machine business. He is also a band leader, and has under his instruction four bands at the present time. Ames once had the "only band" in the county, and the seven Marshall boys were members, hence it bore their name. John R. is the giant of the family. He is six feet four inches in height. He was born May 9, 1873. He is a foreman in the export elevator of the Missouri Grain Company, located at Moberly, Missouri. Joseph T., born in Kansas, September 27, 1875. He is a resident of Dakota. With the expectation of promotion and a railroad career, he is section foreman. Moses Marshall stands in the family alone in his Democratic principles, for all of his sons are Republicans, a somewhat remarkable situation.

Mr. Marshall owns three hundred and fifty acres of land that ranks with the finest in the county, and it is reasonable to suppose Mr. Thorp would make a good selection when the "whole earth" was his to choose from. The Marshalls lived in the primitive cabin, where the first settlers congregated to hear Reverend West preach, repaired it, replaced the puncheon floor by boards, added a room and lived there until 1885. The original fireplace extended across the entire end of the cabin. The Marshalls are all good citizens and honorable people.