I Thomas Marsh of the County
of Harrison and Commonwealth of Kentucky, being sound in body and of
disposing memory, do make and publish this my last will and Testament
that is to say, after my decease I desire all my just debts shall be
paid and after the death of my wife Sarah, i desire that my Negro man
George shall be freed and set at liberty, to do and manage for himself,
and that all the rest of my real and personal estate, to be equally
divided amongst all my children --I desire that my daughter Driden
Bosly's portion be put in the hands of David Barton as an agent to give
it to her as she may need it for the support of her family, but in case
she should die before she may have received all of it, the residue is to
be divided amongst her heirs. In testimony whereof, I have here unto set
my hand and affixed my seal this 16th day of August 1834.
his
Thomas X Marsh
mark
Signed and sealed and
published and delivered
as and for the last will and
Testament of the
above named Thomas Marsh
David Snodgrass, George Henry
Commonwealth of Kentucky,
Harrison County for June Term 1836
I Samuel Endicott, Clerk of
the County Court for the County aforesaid do as__?
__that this last will and
Testament of Thomas Marsh deceased was produced at the above Term and
proven by the Oaths of David Snodgrass and George Henry, subscribing
witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded, which is done, this 15th
day of June 1836.
S. Endicott, Clk. H. C.
In Harrison county deed
book 5, page 273 Thomas Marsh freed George, his slave, on May 10, 1836,
witnessed by Nathan Marsh and David Snodgrass.
This was a request Thomas
made in his will. Nathan was the court appointed administrator or this
will as no executor was named.
was born 1753 in BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, and died 1837 in HARRISON CO.
KENTUCKY. He married SARAH CORBIN 1774 in BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, daughter
of ABRAHAM CORBIN and RACHEL MARSHALL. She was born 1760 in BALTIMORE,
MARYLAND, and died Abt. 1851 in HARRISON CO. KENTUCKY.
Notes for THOMAS MARSH,JR.:
"IN 1781, SEVEN THOUSAND
ACRES OF LAND WAS GRANTED TO PHILLIP BUCKNER, BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF
KENTUCKY AND RECORDED IN THE LAND OFFICE IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA AND AT
FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY. THIS LAND FORMED A 'CORRIDOR, RUNNING FROM
GERMANTOWN THROUGH BROOKSVILLE TO POWERSVILLE AND BEYOND. BUCKNER WAS A
CAPTAIN IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY OF VIRGINIA DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY
WAR, AND THUS HE WAS GIVEN THE LAND FOR HIS SERVICES TO HIS COUNTRY.
SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THIS GRANT, HE CAME TO VISIT THE AREA AND SEE
FOR HIMSELF, THE WEALTH HE HAD GAINED.
In 1796, HE RETURNED,
BRINGING WITH HIM, 40 FAMILIES, 70 PEOPLE FROM VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND, BY
WAY OF THE MIDLAND TRAIL, CROSSING THE BIG SANDY RIVER. THIS WAS THE
WARRIORS' TRAIL, WHICH INDIANS USED, FROM IRONTON TO TENNESSEE. IT WAS
LATER A CATTLE TRAIL OR ROUTE TO TAKE COWS TO A CHICAGO MARKET. IT
BECAME A BIG WAY INLAND TO KENTUCKY FROM VIRGINIA. ALL 40 FAMILIES DID
NOT ENTER BRACKEN COUNTY, AS THEY MET OTHERS WITH WHOM SOME OF THEM
BANDED. TWENTY OF THESE FAMILIES, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE UNKNOWN CAME INTO
WHAT WAS TO BE BRACKEN COUNTY WITH CAPTAIN BUCKNER."
from "Recollections:Yesterday,
Today for Tomorrow" 1968
THOMAS MARSH , JR. CAME TO
KENTUCKY DURING THIS MIGRATION FROM MARYLAND. HE FIRST SETTLED IN
AUGUSTA THEN LATER ON TO MILFORD. THIS AREA WAS IN BOURBON COUNTY WHICH
IN TIME BECAME BRACKEN COUNTY, THEN ON TO NICHOLAS COUNTY.
IN 1799 HE BROUGHT SUIT IN
BOURBON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT AGAINST JOHN HOUSTON FOR AN UNPAID NOTE OF
15 POUNDS WRITTEN IN NOVEMBER OF 1798 AND WITNESSED BY BEAL MARSH AND
...?.. SANDY.
HE LATER MOVED TO HARRISON
COUNTY. IT IS SAID THAT HE BOUGHT A MILL ON BEAVER CREEK , RAN IT FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT REFUSED TO PAY THE LAST PAYMENT, SAYING IT WAS NOT
WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. OPERATING A MILL SEEMED TO BE A PROFITABLE
BUSINESS DURING THOSE EARLY DAYS OF KENTUCKY HISTORY BUT THERE WERE
RULES. IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT A MILL THE MILLER HAD TO GO TO COURT AND
PROMISE THAT HE WOULD NOT FLOOD HIS NEIGHBOR'S LAND OR PREVENT ANYONE
FROM USING A ROAD. A GROUP WAS ASSIGNED BY THE COURT TO INSPECT THE SITE
AND ASSURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. PERIODIC INSPECTIONS
WOULD FOLLOW. THOMAS MARSH, JR. MADE A PETITION FOR A MILL TO THE
NICHOLAS COUNTY COURT AND HIS MILL WAS INSPECTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
AUGUST COURT
1806-----NICHOLAS COUNTY
The writ of adquod damnum
awarded Thomas Marsh for the purpose of erecting a water grist mill on
the Brushy Fork near the house where John Bell lives was this day
returned by the Sheriff that ------thereto he had caused the Jurors to
meet upon the premises who having been duly charged on Oath. returned to
him their inquest signed and sealed in the following Words to wit.
Agreeable to a writ of adquod damnum issued from the clerk of Nicholas
County by order of said county court directing the sheriff to summons a
jury to view a mill seat for Thomas Marsh on the Brushy Fork of Hinkston.
We of the jury having met according to said writ and having been first
duly sworn have viewed the said mill dam to be erected across the creek
nearly opposite the mouth of the lane leading up to John Bell's house
near a white oak tree marked M M the dam to be six feet high and that
the mansion house curtilages? offices gardens nor orchards or no person
will be overflowed except the public road leading by said place which
may in places be probably overflowed which said Marsh must keep in good
repair; that no fish of passage or ordinary navigation will be
obstructed thereby and the health of none of the neighbors will be
annoyed by the stagnation of the waters of said mill dam to the best of
our skill and judgement . In witness whereof we have hereunto set our
hands and seal this 16th day of August 1806.
Arch Marshall Alexander
Robinson
David Caldwell James Saunders
Francis Ray Acquilla
Standiford
James Robinson Joseph Mcnulty
James Ardery Alexander
Caldwell
William Mathers A. Bennington
HE AND HIS WIFE AND A NUMBER
OF MARSHES ARE BURIED IN A FAMILY CEMETERY THAT WAS DESTROYED BY A MAN
NAMED WALTER McCAULEY. AS THE STORY GOES HE RIPPED UP THE TOMBSTONES,
THREW THEM IN A SINKHOLE, AND PLOWED OVER THE GRAVES TO USE THE LAND FOR
CROPS. PEOPLE HAVE UNSUCCESSFULLY SEARCHED FOR THESE GRAVES FOR YEARS.
[Brøderbund Family Archive
#311, Ed. 1, Census Index: U.S. Selected Counties, 1790, Date of Import:
Sep 16, 1996, Internal Ref. #1.311.1.1793.184]
Individual: Marsh, Thomas
County/State: Bracken Co., KY
Year: 1799
Census type code: Tax List
[Brøderbund Family Archive
#312, Ed. 1, Census Index: U.S. Selected Counties, 1800, Date of Import:
Oct 13, 1996, Internal Ref. #1.312.1.1958.126]
Individual: Marsh, Thomas
County/State: Nicholas Co.,
KY
Year: 1800
Census type code: Tax List
HARRISON COUNTY TAX LISTS
1825------p.39 Thomas
Marsh----1238 --3 slaves $1850 total value
1826----Thomas Marsh---137
acres Mc Conico Beaver Creek 1338 - 3 slaves
1827 ----Thomas Marsh--173
acres Mc Conico 11-3 $% an acre $1910 total value
1828------Thomas Marsh --173
acres in Grant County on Beaver Creek
1 male over 21----3 slaves---6
horses----Land value $5 per acre
total value $2015
1829------Tax books missing
1830----- Thomas Marsh--170
acres in Harrison County on Beaver Creek
1 male -4
slaves-5horses--land value $5.50---total value $2470
1831 &1832- tax books missing
1833-------Thomas Marsh-same
as 1830 except slaves increased to 6
1834-------Thomas Marsh---243
acres-Harrison County on Beaver Creek
1 male----6 slaves --land
value $5 per acre--total value $3365
1835-------Thomas Marsh
---280 acres--Harrison County-Beaver Creek--6 slave
land value $4 per acre--total
value $2870
1836-------Tax books missing
1837--------Sarah Marsh--35
acres in Harrison County on Beaver Creek-----1 slave
land value $5 per acre
1838--------Sarah Marsh--40
acres in Harrison County on Beaver Creek--1 slave
Land value $5 per acre--Total
value $450
It would appear that in 1828
Thomas Marsh was living in Harrison County., but owned land in Grant
County. In 1830 this land was in Harrison county. By 1834 his land had
increased to 243 acres and in 1835 increased to 280 acres.
It is regrettable that the
1836 tax books are missing as that was the year Thomas Marsh died. The
tax books for 1837 and 1838 show that his land had been disposed of and
leaving his widow Sarah with 35 or 40 acres of land. One would presume
that this was her dower.
The Harrison County deed
books covering 1835, 1836, and 1837 do not show a deed covering the
disposition of Thomas Marsh's land.
Notes for SARAH CORBIN:
From court records it appears
that Corbin's Delight was left to the children of Abraham Corbin.
Joshua Marsh purchased from
the heirs of Corbin's Delight and the Eagle's Nest all of the shares
making him the owner of both pieces of property in the Valley of
JEHOSOPHAT.
This indenture made this 30
April 1801 between Thomas Marsh and Sarah Corbin Marsh his wife and Beal
Marsh and Eleanor Corbin Marsh his wife of Bourbon County, Ky..... and
Joshua Marsh of Baltimore Co.....witnesseth that the said Thomas Marsh [et.al]
for and in consideration of 260 pounds....dot grant....unto the said
Joshua Marsh.....two undivided sixth parts....containing and laid out
for 259 acres......also of All that tract called Corbin's
Delight.....containing sixty and one fourth acres.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
John Allen Thomas Marsh
Andrew Barton Beal Marsh
Husur [?} Durbin Sarah Marsh
Thomas Corbin Eleanor Marsh
State of Kentucky
On this 30 April 1801
personally appeared before James Garrard, governor of the State of
Kentucky {Sarah and Eleanor} privately examined a part.....acknowledge
the aforegoing Deed of Bargain and Sale to be their respective act....
James Garrard
More About THOMAS MARSH and
SARAH CORBIN:
Marriage: 1774, BALTIMORE,
MARYLAND
Children of THOMAS MARSH and
SARAH CORBIN are: