Joseph was born on 31.Jul.1848 in Ohio. Although his given name was Josephus, he later went by the name Joseph. I have found no record of a middle name. Some family trees show his place of birth as Stockdale, Pike, OH, but there appear to be no records confirming this. It is also possible that Joseph was born in Scioto County, where he was counted in the 1850 census. His parents, Joshua and Narcissus, were married in Jackson County in 1846, where they had previously lived with their families. 1)
Joseph's early life was no doubt impacted by the loss of his father Joshua, who died in July of 1859, the month in which Joseph would become 11 years old. The 1860 Federal Census for Union Township, Scioto County, OH, shows Joseph (age 11, listed as Josephus) living with his mother Narcissus (age 33), his sisters Lucinda (age 13) and Sarah Ann (age 7, listed as Ann), and his cousin Zachariah Miles (age 13, listed as a laborer). Narcissus is shown as owning real estate valued at $400 and personal property valued at $150. The parents of Narcissus, Daniel and Margaret Throckmorton, live nearby. They are shown as owning no real estate and having personal property valued at $100. The household of Daniel and Margaret includes their daughter Margaret (age 17), and grandchildren David (age 4) and Phoebe (age 2) who had lost their mother (Narcissus' younger sister Mary) in March of 1859.
This census record suggests a family struggling. Even with the assistance of 13-year old Zachariah Miles (son of Elizabeth Jane, who was the sister of Joshua Marshall), it is not obvious that the resources shown in the 1860 census record were sufficient to support the households of Narcissus or her parents. Solomon F. Altman, the father of David and Phoebe, does not appear in the 1860 census record for Union Township, though he may have been living and working nearby (e.g. in Portsmouth). In November of 1860 Solomon Altman and Narcissus married. While this marriage may have been motivated more by practical considerations than by love, it likely gave hope for stability and security. On December 20, 1860, however, approximately one month after Narcissus and Solomon joined together, South Carolina seceded from the United States, as did 10 other states in the following months. The Civil War followed.
In October of 1861, Joseph's stepfather, Solomon Altman, enlisted in the Ohio Voluntary Infantry. After organization and training in Portsmouth, the regiment began moving south to Kentucky and beyond in February of 1862. At this point, Joseph (age 13) may still have been living and working on his father's farm along with his cousin Zachariah Miles (age 15), perhaps with help from his sisters Lucinda (age 15) and Sarah Ann (age 9) and mother. However, the family also included young children: cousins David (age 6) and Phoebe (age 4), and infant step-brother Zachariah (age 6 mos.). Joseph's family may have gotten some help neighbors and relations, but the Civil War entailed much hardship and distress for families as well as brutal violence and decimating disease for combatants.
In July of 1862, property from the estate of Joseph's father Joshua was offered for sale in a public auction arranged by the estate administrator Foster Throckmorton (brother of Joseph's mother Narcissus). This may have been a blow to young Joseph, who might have expected in his younger years to grow up working on his father farm and later owning land of his own through inheritance or parental assistance. Instead, Joseph's teen years were probably clouded by uncertainty and anxiety about the weeks and months ahead as well as the more distant future. The 1860s were hard times.
Joseph married Permelia Ann McCoy on 2.April 1874 in Scioto County, OH, which is probably where Permelia's family was living at the time. Permelia's father, Levi M. McCoy, was the witness for their marriage license (affirming they met age and other requirements). At the time of the marriage, Permelia had just turned 19, and she had presumably been living with her family. Joseph was 25, and later records suggest he would have been working as a hired farm laborer at this time. He may have met Permelia while working on a nearby farm, or even on the farm of Levi McCoy. Alternatively or in addition, he may have already been acquainted with the family of Levi McCoy. Levi was a contemporary of Joseph's father, Joshua. As young men, Josha and Levi had both lived in Jackson County, and their fathers may have owned farms that were close to one another.
Birth records for their first eight children suggest that Joseph and Permalia changed their place of residence a number of times, but stayed within the geographic area encompased by several townships in the northern part of Scioto County (i.e. Morgan, Valley, Brush Creek) and the southern oart of adjacent Pike County (i.e. Scioto Township). The main activity in this area was farming, and Jospeph probably found work in this area as as a farm laborer from sometime after 1865 until sometime before 1889. However, during this period Joseph also may have begun to transition from farm work to other forms of laborer for his income. This was a transition many had to make as technological innovation was decreasing the need for human labor on farms and creating new jobs in other sectors.
The need for work is probably what led Jospeh to the coal towns of Southern Ohio. Other than the census records of 1880 and 1900, I've found no information about Joseph's occupation. However, records show that his sons Nathan (1889) and James Thomas (1892) were born in what were known as “coal camps” or “patch towns.” Since coal mines were often in undeveloped areas, the mining companies built housing and other facilities for workers and their families. These were the company towns of legend, but their true history is more complex than is suggested by the line “I own my soul to the company store.” I have found no descriptions of what life was like in the patch towns of the Hocking Coalfield, but I'm inclined to think they were rough places. According to family oral history, the “Marshall boys” – sons of Joseph and Permelia – were well able to hold their own in a brawl. The young men's toughness, along with their interest in baseball, may have made the coal towns a happier place for them than for others who worked at long, difficult, and dangerous jobs in the mines. I suspect that Joseph and Permelia looked for opportunities to place their family in a better situation. At any rate, by 1895 Joseph and Permelia were no longer living in the Hocking Coalfied region.
According to the marriage record for daughter Nora (1895), she was born in Bloomingburg, Fayette County, Ohio. This small village, located in Paint Township and bordering on Union Township, was near Washington Court House. The area had mills, factories, and smaller businesses that might provide work for unskilled laborers.
The 1910 census for Union, Fayette, OH indicates that Joseph and Permilia, along with their 11 children and two grandchildren, were living in Washington Court House. Ancestry.com has transcribed the address on the census record as 284 Inseburg Ave, but this appears to be an incorrect transcription of “Leeseburg,” which was almost certainly an earlier spelling (or mispelling) of “Leesburg.” Leesburg Ave. is now U.S. Highway 62, and the address 284 Leesburg does not exist today. I have found a fire insurance map of Washington Court House from 1900. While that map covers only a part of the town that does not include Leesburg Ave, it shows how streets have changed. It seems likely that in 1900 Leesburg Ave extended further towards the town center, possibly crossing Paint Creek, and that Joseph lived in this area.
The 1910 census for Columbus, Franklin, OH includes the household of Joseph Marshall at 1797 Parsons Ave. 2) Joseph is listed as working as a carpenter in a foundry. Joseph's sons Oscar, Levi, Turley, Carey, Albert and Nathan are also shown as working at an iron foundry. The foundry employing Joseph and sons was almost certainly owned by Buckeye Steel Castings Company, which had a 90-acre facility about 1/2 mile down the road. Buckeye Steel was also the likely employer John Lamberson, husband of Joseph's daughter Kate, since his occupation is given as engineer in a steel plant. The census record for Joseph and Permelia shows their household as including their extended family, for a total of 26 people. The person(s) informing the census taker may have wanted to make sure that all family members were counted, but other records paint a different picture and indicate that some family members were counted twice in the 1910 census.
Also nearby was Federal Glass Company. A 1911 city directory for Columbus lists Joseph's sons James, Charles, and Turley as glass workers, so it is likely that they were employed by Federal Glass
Joseph's wife Permelia died on 30.May.1916. She was buried in Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, OH where there is an engraved stone marking her grave. A copy of Permelia's death certificate might show cause of death and other details, but this presently is not available. The Columbus city directory for 1916 does not include Joseph, and he may have left Columbus very soon after Permelia's death. 3)
On 6.Nov.1916, Joseph married Elizabeth Keziah Brannon, daughter of Olonzo and Susan Brannan. 4) Prior to the marriage, Elizabeth probably was living with her family in Jefferson, Fayette, OH. 5)
After the marriage, it is likely that Joseph and Elizabeth continued to live in Fayette County, either in or near Washington Court House, where Joseph had lived prior to moving to Columbus. Records indicate that son John J was born somewhere in Fayette County in 1917, and that daughter Isadora was born in Washington Court House in 1918. It is likely that Elizabeth's father continued to live in Fayette County during this time. Records indicate that Elizabeth's sister Cora and brother Thomas were in the same general area, and that her brother Roy was overseas serving in the military.
Joseph and Elizabeth's daughter Rhoda was born September 1919 in Lumberport, WV. Records from the 1920 census for Eagle, Harrison, WV include the household of Joseph and Elizabeth, with children John Joseph, Isadora, and Rhoda. Also in the household was Joseph's grandson Chester. Joseph was working at a glass factory and Chester at a coal mine. 6) The 1920 census records show that Elizabeth's sister Cora and husband George Williams were also living in Lumberport, and their household included Elizabeth's brother Roy, who was discharged from the army after returning from France in 1919. George and Roy were both working in a glass factory.
Joseph died on 9.Mar.1848 in Lumberport, Harrison, WV. His death certificate lists his occupation as watchman at a glass factory and his cause of death as chronic diarrhea. He was buried in the Lumberport Lions Club Cemetery.
Joseph Marshall + Permelia McCoy
— Private Marshall Pages —-
Joseph Marshall + Elizabeth Keziah Brannan
— Private Marshall Pages —