Obituary: Columbia County, Wisconsin: George MARSHALL ************************************************************************ Submitted by Joan Benner, May 2005 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ From Kilbourn Weekly Events [Kilbourn, Columbia County, Wisconsin], Thursday March 4, 1915 George McIntyre Marshall died at his home in Kilbourn Feb. 27, aged 80 years, 11 months. Though a sufferer from asthma for several years, he was not seriously affected until a few weeks before the end, the heart finally becoming affected. Mr. Marshall was born in Canada East. His father, however, was a citizen of the United States and a cousin of the eminent Rufus Choate. He was educated at Williston academy in Vermont. He learned the trade of a machinist and worked at that in Vermont. In 1865 he came to Big Spring, Adams county. There he served several terms as chairman of the town and two terms in the state legislature. He was appointed on a commission to examine and test steam or horseless road wagons, as they might be presented. He was himself credited with inventing and running the first steam road vehicle. He was an inventor of many tools and mechanical devices, among them being blacksmith shears, turbine, water wheels, wind mill, and other valuable inventions now in use. He moved to Kilbourn in 1879, purchasing the large brick building now known as the Kilbourn Machine Co. There for nearly twenty years he conducted a prosperous business as a foundry and machine shop, manufacturing and repairing on a large scale. He sold that to his son Frank, and erected a shop of his own in which he had perfected some invention, and was working on others, one an ideal power for automobiles. Mr. Marshall was not only a mechanical genius, but was one of the best posted men in general literature in this section. He was a close student, a constant reader, and a well-informed man on current subjects. He put in Kilbourn’s first system of water works in 1889. With every qualification that marks gentility, clean morals, positive virtues, charity for men and strict integrity, Mr. Marshall appeared to all men, at all times, under all circumstances. He was never known to fall short of those principles. He married in Vermont, Miss Julia A. Hoyt, who passed away in 1902. He leaves one son, Frank H., postmaster of Kilbourn, and two daughters, Mrs. Evaline Bennett and Miss Ruth Marshall. Funeral services were held at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Bennett, Monday, under the auspices of the Masonic order. There were present from abroad Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Clark of Portage, Mrs. Clark being a cousin of Mrs. Marshall, and also Miss McIntyre of Milwaukee, a cousin of the deceased.