SINGLETON MARSHALL has spent many years of his long and useful career in Sullivan county, prominently identified with its business interests. He was born in Washington county, Indiana, June 1, 1828, a son of Ambrose and Cynthia (Robie) Marshall. The mother was reared from a mere child near Albany, Indiana, and she was of Scotch-Irish descent. Ambrose Marshall, a native of Kentucky, was of English descent, and came with his parents to Indiana when about ten years of age, the family locating in Washington county, where his father was a blacksmith and an exceptionally fine workman in his line. Ambrose Marshall followed farming all his life, and both he and his father died in Washington county.
Singleton Marshall continued to reside with his parents until he was twenty-one, and during the following three years worked for his father. After his marriage he bought a farm in Washington county, but after six years sold the land and then rented land for three years. Purchasing then one hundred and sixty acres near where he now lives, he lived there until about 1890, when he went west in search of a better location, but finding nothing which surpassed the land of this section of Indiana he returned and lived on a rented farm for a short time. He then purchased a tract of land near Hymera, but afterward on account of ill health he went to Arkansas and bought two hundred and forty-seven acres in that state, two hundred acres of which he yet owns. He spent the winters there for several years, and he now makes his home with a daughter-in-law in Jackson township.
In August, 1850, Mr. Marshall was united in marriage to Mary Ann Allen, whose parents were farming people in Washington county, Indiana, and both are now deceased, the mother, Christena (Lee) Allen, dying in 1883. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Marshall, namely: Robert Cornelius, deceased; Martha Carolina, also deceased; Alfred Franklin, a physician of Jasonville, Indiana; Mary Jane, the wife of William Lucas, of Denver, Colorado; Emma, wife of Douglas Marshall, of Jackson township; Julian, a farmer of Hamilton township; Laura, the wife of John Nead, of Hymera; Onie, wife of Charles Rusher, of Jackson township; Oliver, who was killed by a train at Hymera in 1901; Eva, who died at the age of twenty years; and Edward, also deceased. Mr. Marshall is independent in his political affiliations, and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.