Dr. Jesse Marshall

Dr. Jesse Marshall, settled on Turkey Creek, on what is now known as the Ellsworth place in 1852. He had a wife and several sons. The family had rather a hard name among the settlers. It is stated that they were too fond of other people's property. Dr. Marshall died in the winter of 1853-4, and was buried on his land. T. J. Byrd informs us that he happened to be riding by Marshall's house one day during the winter named, and out of neighborly feeling stopped to see how they were getting along. He met one of the young men in front of the cabin and asked him how they were getting along. The young man replied: "Tolerably well -- all but the old man -- he's dead." Mr. Byrd went into the house and found the old woman setting by the smouldering fire, her face buried in her hands. Mr. Byrd stepped to the bed in the corner of the room, threw back the blanket, and became convinced at once of the old man's death, for there before him was the body. Mr. Byrd, being much surprised, asked them why the old man had not been buried. The old woman stated that the Doctor had been dead five days and that George Reeves had gone to Iranistan after a coffin, had been gone five days and that they were looking for him back every moment. Reeves had fallen in company with a lot of "jolly dogs" at Iranistan and had been drunk ever since his arrival there. During all those days the body of the "old man" had remained on the bed on which he died without being cared for in any respect. Reeves finaly came back with a rude coffin, and the body of Dr. Marshall was laid in its narrow house beneath the winter's snow. The house in which the Marshalls lived, was made of logs, of course. It was raised in the winter of 1851-2, and all the settlers for many miles around were there. While the house was put up, one who was there assures us that eight gallons of whiskey were put down.

Marshall's death was one of the earliest in the county's history.

From "History of Cass County, Iowa Together With Brief Mention of Old Settlers," by Lafe Young, Atlantic, Iowa, Telegraph Steam Printing House, 1877, pg. 9-10.