Benjamin B Marshall

• General Notes
  • http://www.biofiles.us/ca-files/Humb.885-904.htm
    
    JAMES EDWARD MARSHALL.—The varied experiences of James Edward Marshall are full of interest and excitement, and have served to fit him especially well for his present position of superintendent of outside construction in brick, cement and concrete, for the great Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia, which position he has capably filled since 1909. Previous to that time he had been engaged in a similar line of work in various parts of the world, including the Philippine 'Islands, where he did several million dollars' worth of government contract work, in Mexico and in Louisiana, Texas, and other parts of the United States. He has always been eminently successful in his work, and only failing health has ever interfered with the continuation of any especial line of work in which he has been engaged.
    
    Mr. Marshall is a native of Ohio, born at Forest, Wyandotte county, September 24, 1877. His father, James Willis Marshall, was a native of Germany, as was the grandfather, Joseph Marshall. The father was married to Miss Fannie Baker in Ohio, where they spent many years of their life, now being residents of Nevada county, Ark., where the father is engaged in brick-making and brick contracting business at Prescott, Ark. Under the name of Cole & Marshall he put in the first sawmill at Gurdon, Ark., which later burned, and was a heavy loss to the owners, practically breaking Mr. Marshall in business. James E. was then fourteen years of age, the eldest of nine children, by his mother, who was his father's fifth wife, there being fourteen children in all. At this time he started out for himself, going to work in a brick yard in Prescott (Ark.), where he did a man's work. Later he went out on construction work and learned brick laying under his father in and around Prescott. He began to act as a boss of men at the age of fifteen years and had increasing responsibilities put upon his shoulders from that time. He became an expert brick layer and building boss and also a construction boss on brick work. He was employed in this way until the breaking out of the Spanish-American war, when he enlisted in the First Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, Company E, and was mustered in at Little Rock. He received his honorable discharge October 25, 1898, and then went to Cuba as a civilian, remaining about three months, and making a special study of the Spanish language. Returning to Arkansas he re-enlisted for the Philippine service, September 6, 1899, in Company A, Fortieth United States Volunteers, at Little Rock, under Captain Dodge. He drilled at Fort Riley and was there made corporal, September 18, 1899. They were later sent to the Presidio, San Francisco, and thence sailed for Manila. Mr. Marshall was engaged in many skirmishes and battles in the Philippines and was with General Bell's expedition to Southern Luzon and later to Mindanao in 1900. He received his honorable discharge in Manila May 19, 1901, and remained in the islands for a number of years, being engaged in government construction, and handling some of the largest contracts for government construction work. He was first appointed watchman .inspector, quartermaster's department, under Capt. Thomas H. Cruse, captain and quartermaster, U. S. A., June 1, 1901. Later he was transferred to the southern department under Capt. Archibald Butts, who went down on the Titanic. He then went to Camp Stotsenburg and engaged in construction work with Capt. C. D. V. Hunt, afterwards under Captain Whitman. He was made superintendent of construction in November, 1903, when he was transferred to Fort William McKinley, where he took charge as inspector of the construction of that post, roads, sidewalks, barracks, officers' quarters, etc., the construction work requiring an appropriation totaling $1,500,000. In 1905 he was promoted to chief inspector of the United States government work, bridges, roads and sewers being his principal line of work. He put in twenty-five miles of sewer at Fort William McKinley, under Thomas H. Jackson, lieutenant of engineers.
    
    Ill health finally made the resignation of Mr. Marshall necessary and he left Manila, spending some time in China, Japan and Australia, going finally to Cape Town, South Africa. Returning at last to the United States he went to Waldo, Ark., where he built three store buildings. He then went to Mindon, La., to set boilers for the Bodcaw Lumber Company, and thence to Trout, La., where he put in large dry kilns. He married Mary Anna Prichard at this place, April 6, 1907, she being the daughter of Lee and Florence (Green) Prichard. Later he put in a mill and built dry kilns at Longville, La. ; later still going into Mexico, State of Chihuahua, and at Madria built a sawmill plant and put in 3,000,000 bricks. The panic and the war caused him to lose everything that he had there, and in 1908 he returned to Louisiana and started anew. After a short stay in Louisiana he came to California, arriving in Scotia June 3, 1909, where he has since resided.
    
    Both Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have many friends at Scotia and take an active part in the social life of the town. They have one child, Ben B. Marshall, born at Madria, Mexico, August 16, 1908. Mr. Marshall takes an interest in the local fraternal affairs, being a member of the Red Men at Scotia, Weeott Tribe No. 147, I. 0. R. M., and also a Mason, with a membership in Eel River Lodge No. 147, F. & A. M., at Fortuna. He is a member of the Spanish-American War Veterans, Camp Lafferty, P. I. In his political preferences he is a stanch Republican, and has served on the County Central Committee with distinction. He serv.ed as deputy sheriff under Redmond and at the November election, 1914, he was elected constable of Hydesville township by a large majority, which position he is now filling. He is progressive and wide awake to the best interests of the community, giving freely of his time and ability for the general welfare. He believes in educational advancement, and lends his aid readily to all forward movements.