Marshall

History

The town was founded by Sidney Ketchum (1797–1862) in 1830, a land surveyor born in Clinton County, New York, in conjunction with his brother, George Ketchum (1794-1853). The Ketchum brothers explored central lower Michigan in 1830, and in late 1830, Sidney Ketchum obtained government grants for the land on which most of Marshall now stands. The early settlers named the community in honor of Chief Justice of the United States John Marshall from Virginia—whom they greatly admired. This occurred five years before Marshall's death and thus was the first of dozens of communities and counties named for him. The village of Marshall was incorporated March 28, 1836. Marshall was thought to be the frontrunner for state capital, so much so that a Governor's Mansion was built. However, the town lost, along with Lyons, Michigan, by a Yea/Nay vote count of 29-32 against Lansing's 35-27 (11 vote difference). In the years thereafter, Marshall became known for its patent medicine industry until the Pure Drug Act of 1906. Marshall was involved in the Underground Railroad. When escaped slave Adam Crosswhite fled Kentucky and settled in Marshall with his wife and three children, the people of the town hid him from the posse sent to retrieve him. Those involved were tried in Federal Court and found guilty of denying a man his rightful property. This case and others like it caused the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to be pushed through Congress. In 1843, Adam Crosswhite, his wife Sarah and their four children ran away from Francis Giltner's plantation in Hunter's Bottom, Carroll County, Kentucky because the Crosswhites learned that one of their four children was to be sold. The Crosswhites made the tough journey north through Indiana along the Underground Railroad, beginning in Madison,…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Harper Creek High School
  High · BATTLE CREEK · 904 students · 20.5:1 ratio
• Harper Creek Middle School
  Middle · BATTLE CREEK · 834 students · 16.7:1 ratio
• Marshall High School
  High · MARSHALL · 733 students · 19.8:1 ratio
• Marshall Middle School
  Middle · MARSHALL · 547 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• Wattles Park Elementary School
  Elementary · BATTLE CREEK · 378 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• Beadle Lake Elementary School
  Elementary · BATTLE CREEK · 325 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Walters Elementary
  Elementary · MARSHALL · 316 students · 15:1 ratio
• Mar Lee School
  Elementary · MARSHALL · 305 students · 14.5:1 ratio