Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 616 - 617 

ALBERT S. MARBLE. The traveler upon information bent will scarcely fail to note among the various industries of the ambitious little city of Cheney, the lumber and coal business which was established by the gentleman whose name heads this biography, in 1885. As the agent of the well-known William Pond & Co., the most extensive lumber dealers in the Southwest, he is conserving his own interests and at the same time is regarded as a valued factor in increasing the business of this concern. As a square business man, a genial companion and valued citizen, he is favorably known throughout this section. He is one of the stanch Republicans of the county, prominently connected with the Masonic and I. O. O. F. societies, and always pleased to be of service in matters pertaining to the welfare of his community.

            The son of a farmer of modest means, Mr. Marble was born in Steuben County, N. Y., Jan. 25, 1842, and spent his boyhood and youth in St. Joseph County, Mich. His father, Sidney Marble, was born in Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1796, and spent his last years in St. Joseph County, Mich., where he departed hence in 1861. In early manhood he identified himself with the old Whig party, with which he remained until its abandonment by the organization of the Republicans. He was a well-read and well-informed man, taking a lively interest in politics, was a member of the Republican Central County Committee, and held the offices of County Surveyor and Commissioner.

            Sidney Marble was married to Miss Phebe Bullock, who was born in New York in 1808, and died May 17, 1888, at Denver, Col. Their first child, Volney, was born in New York State and died in infancy; Calvin, also a native of the Empire State, married Miss Helen Boyles, and is the father of two children by his first wife, who died when a young woman; of his second marriage there is one child; he is engaged in keeping hotel at Colon, Mich. William H. married Miss Nettie Boyles, and died of hemorrhage of the lungs, in Iowa, about 1876; he had been employed as a traveling salesman for Farwell & Co., of Chicago, and was the father of two children. Albert S., of our sketch, was the next in order of birth; Miranda was born in Michigan, and married first to E. Graves, by whom she became the mother of two children; Mr. Graves, during the late war, served as a soldier in the Union army a few months, and died at Duvall's Bluff, Ark., in 1863. Miranda was the second time married, to A. Thurber, a carpenter by trade and a resident of Denver, Col.; they have two children. Oren, born in Michigan, was married and became the father of one child ; he established himself in the livery business at Lawrence, Kan., where his death took place April 29, 1883.

            Young Marble pursued the quiet, uneventful life of a farmer's boy until a youth of nineteen years, when the exigencies of war changed for a time the entire current of his life. Throwing aside the implements of husbandry he took up the sword in defense of his country, enlisting in Company I, 10th Illinois Cavalry, for a term of three years, or during the war. He was enrolled at Springfield, Ill., Sept. 22, 1861. His first serious engagement with the enemy was at Kane Hill, Ark., which was subsequently followed by the siege and capture of Little Rock, and in the meantime there were also various minor engagements and foraging expeditious which served to relieve the monotony of march and the camp. He frequently had a brush with guerrillas, and without exception marched into camp with his booty, and during his entire army life was neither wounded nor captured. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant Company I, 10th Illinois Cavalry, March 3, 1865. After the surrender of Lee at Appomattox, he, with his comrades, received his honorable discharge, being mustered out at Springfield, Ill., Jan. 6, 1866.

            Mr. Marble, in the summer of 1864, while at home on a furlough, was married, in Sturgis, Mich., to Miss Mary Duncan, and leaving his bride with her parents in that State soon afterward joined his regiment at Nashville, Tenn. Mrs. M. remained in Michigan, where her husband joined her upon being transformed from a soldier to a civilian, and they commenced life together in 1866. They became the parents of two children, one of whom died in infancy, and the other, Thomas S., who was born Feb. 24, 1868, continues with his father. Mrs. Mary Marble met her death by drowning on the 4th of July, 1870. The circumstances attending this melancholy event were as follows: Mr. Marble had attached his team to a two-seated buggy, and with his wife and child and a hired man started for the city of Lawrence, Kan., following a train of vehicles before him. Upon coming to the Waukarousa River, although Mr. Marble had his doubts about the safety of attempting to cross, as the current was strong and deep, he was assured that there was no danger, as other teams had passed over just ahead of him. As soon, however, as the horses reached deep water they lost their foothold and went down, together with the buggy, which rolled over upon all within it. Mr. Marble succeeded in saving his child, but although exerting himself to the utmost was powerless to save the mother, who was drowned almost before his eyes. The team was also drowned, but the hired man succeeded in reaching the shore. The body of Mrs. Marble was recovered the same day fifteen miles below the scene of the accident.

            On the 11th of May, 1873, Mr. Marble was united in marriage to his second wife, formerly Miss Alice, daughter of John R. and Martha A. Gott, natives respectively of Indiana and Connecticut. Mr. G. is a miller by occupation, is still living, and with his excellent wife, a resident of Linn County, this State. The eldest of their nine children, Lorinda Isabella, was born Aug. 8, 1853, and died in infancy; Alice J., Mrs. Marble, was born Feb. 23, 1855; Lucinda E., born April 8, 1857, and who died Oct. 5, 1875, was the wife of Robert Thomas, of Washington, who was the son of Alfred Thomas, Examiner of Patents at Washington, D. C.; Marietta was born Jan. 27, 1859, and married Charles Darren, a farmer of Linn County, Kan., by whom she has become the mother of one child; John E., born Jan. 6, 1861, died when about fourteen years of age; Henry J., born Nov. 4, 1863, is farming in Linn County; Minnie M., born in 1860; Azubia A., March 7, 1869, and William T., Dec. 25, 1871. These four are at home with their parents.

            Our subject and his wife are the parents of one child only, a daughter, Nellie, who was born May 20, 1875, and as may be supposed is the light of the household. She possesses rare musical talent, and is a fine performer on the piano and organ. During their four years' residence in Cheney Mr. and Mrs. Marble have gathered around them numbers of friends composed of the best people of the town, and by whom they are held in universal respect.

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