Sara
Marshall
Family
Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri
?unknown
b. ?
d. ?
| Children | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rachel Marshall | b. 1806 | d. alive 1870 MO |
m. Col. Thomas Potter (sheriff) son of W. S. Potter |
| John Marshall | b. 30 May 1808 Tennessee | d. 5 Mar 1891 Joplin, MO | m. Elizabeth Potter (dau. of Zachious Potter) |
The family listed here is family lore. We have not been able
to
verify it to date.
The following story of the earliest connected Marshall comes to us
from
the memory of Dollie Ethel Potter (b. 1891), daughter of Lewis
"Cass"
Potter (d. 1893). She apparently had a phenomenal memory and could
remember the birth dates of all her children, grandchildren and
great
grand children until she died at about the age of 80. She claimed
that
Sara Marshall may have fallen in love with an Indian man but was
forbidden to marry him but instead had a child by him. This, of
course,
did not go over well with the family. She raised her daughter by
herself and later had another child by the same man. Recent DNA
tests
have found that there is no native American link in this Marshall
family line. That story can
now be completely discounted.
" A relative, Joe Potter, gave a description of Rachel as she was French Indian. Rachel is known in the family to have been the one with big feet, size 7. Rachel's brother John is known to be the first one buried in the Potter cemetery at Strafford MO.According to family story, Rachel Marshall's mother was Sarah Marshall. Sarah loved a man. Sarah was forbidden to marry him. Sarah said I may not be married but I'll have his child, and did so. Rachel was one of two children born with out a legal father, making a "Blank Window". Sarah refused to tell her father or anyone else who the father was for sure, and then she had a second child by him as well. Sarah later in life married maybe in Missouri, William Potter, who may have been Col. Tom Potters' Father. " [records of Suellen Williams 2/12/03]
1830, April 11 - John Marshall marries Elizabeth Potter, daughter of William Potter in Montogomery County, Illinois. They were married in one record by Elizabeth's brother Thomas Potter. It was Elizabeth's uncle who was a Rev. Thomas Potter that is a more likely candidate. Elizabeth's oldest brother Thomas becomes a sheriff.
John Marshall is listed in Montgomery Co., Illinois as being a household of 1 male 20-30 and 1 female 15-20. He is listed on the census between Thomas Potter Jr, who is 20-30, wife 20-30, with two children; and James Potter, 1 male 30-40, 1 male 10-15, 1 male under 5, oldest female is 30-40, 2 females 30-40, 2 females 10-15, 2 females 5 -10. On other side of Thomas Potter Jr. lives Thomas Potter Sr. who is listed as 1 male 70 - 80 and 1 female 50 - 60. Three houses from Thomas Potter Sr. lives William Potter (father of Elizabeth Potter Marshall). He is 40-50 years old, his wife is 50 - 60 years, 2 males 15 -20, 3 males 10 -15 and 1 female 10 -15 are still at home. [US Census, Illinois, Montgomery Co., photo # 025]
1830-40 - John Marshall purchased land on the southern border of Dallas County on the Greene County line Missouri.
1840 - John Marshall is in the census of Polk County, Missouri with 1 male under 5, 2 males 5 -10, 1 male 20-30; 1 female under 5, 1 famle 10-15 and 1 female 20-30. William and Benjamin Potter are his neighbors in Polk County. Thomas Popejoy is living nearby in what eventually becomes Dallas County. [US Census, Polk County, Missouri.]
sources:
Cheryl's Family Index | Oregon Trail History | email to Cheryl Grubb
All information and
photos
included within these pages are here for the express purpose
of
personal genealogical research and may not be included or
used for any
commercial purpose or included in any commercial site
without the
express permission of Cheryl and Elroy Christenson.
Copyright Elroy
Christenson 1998-2010.