Nathan Marble
Nathan Marble, one of the well known and highly esteemed residents of Sunbury, Delaware County, who is now living retired after a long and useful life, was born November 29, 1829, in Belmont County. Ohio, and is a son of Ephraim and Leanna (Davidson) Marble.
Nathan Marble, grandfather of Nathan, came from Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on the Monongahela River, and settled at Rising Sun, Indiana, where both he and wife died well advanced in years. Mr. Marble cultivated a large tract of land near Rising Sun. Ephraim Marble, father of Nathan, was a native of Pennsylvania, where in young manhood he engaged as a millwright. He came to Ohio at a very early day, and settled near Wooster, Wayne County, where his father had purchased 640 acres of land for him, but the Indians and wild animals were so troublesome that the pioneers deemed it wise to return to Pennsylvania. Later, however, they returned to Ohio, settling near Byesville, in Guernsey County, where Mr. Marble purchased 80 acres of land, and here the remainder of his life was spent, partly in agricultural pursuits and partly as a miller, in the employ of Joshua Bye. Being a millwright Mr. Marble built a boat, which he loaded with flour and piloted it to Dresden, on the Muskingum River, in 1838. While on the trip he contracted typhus fever, and, although a powerful man physically, this disease caused his death in the prime of life. His wife survived until 1892, when she died at a very old age. Both belonged to the Society of Friends. Mrs. Marble's parents came from Pennsylvania to Ohio at a very early day, and settled in Belmont County, where her father purchased land. Here both parents spent the remainder of their lives, Mrs. Davidson being aged over 100 years at the time of her death. To Ephraim Marble and his wife the following children were born: Reese, Nathan, Talitha, Christine, Sarah Ann, Esther and Mary Ann.
Nathan Marble spent his schooldays at Byesville, and came to Sunbury, Ohio, in 1845. In his youth he learned the cabinet making trade, which he followed for many years. On October 14, 1863, he enlisted in the First Regiment, United States Volunteer Engineers. Captain William Lawrence, and served until June 9, 1865, when he was honorably discharged and mustered out. The most of his service was at Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he saw Jefferson Davis as a prisoner, and at various times he was engaged in the sharp skirmishing which took place there. On his return from the war Mr. Marble resumed his business of cabinetmaking and undertaking, and continued until recent years, when he retired from active life.
On June 1, 1852, Mr. Marble was married to Louisa Kempton, who was a daughter of Henry and Louisa (Wright) Kempton, natives of Maine, and to this union there were bom eight children, as follows: Lewa D., Mattie Jane, Fannie F., Hannah Jane, Wright, and three who died in infancy. Lewa D. married (first) Henry Peck of Sunbury, by whom she had three children, married (second) her first husband's half-brother, Clinton N. Peck, and they had one son, and married (third) Thomas L. Dorman, and now resides in Morrow County, Oregon. Mattie Jane married Charles Crego, by whom she has a daughter, Bertha, and lives in Sunbury. Fannie F. married Norman Patrick, of Sunbury, and they have two children, Armond and Christian. Hannah Jane married Charles Wormell, of Trenton Township, Delaware County, and they have eight children, Pearl, Wright, Edwin, Fannie, Irene, Stanley, Reese and Velmas. Wright Marble married a lady in Indianapolis, and makes his home in Birmingham, Alabama. The mother of these children died April 3, 1877, aged 44 years, 13 days, in the faith of the Christian Church. Mr. Marble was married (second) to Josephine Warner, and they had one child, Mary Maud, who died aged 20 years. Mrs. Marble, who was born December 10, 1857, and was a daughter of William Warner, a half-brother of General Robert E. Lee, died August 29, 1889, in the faith of the Methodist Church.
Mr. Marble was married (third) to Catherine Little, who is a daughter of John Little. Mr. Marble is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Marble is a 32d degree Scottish Rite Mason, and also belongs to L. A. Myers Post No. 287, G. A. R., of which he was adjutant for one term. In political matters he is a Republican and for a time served in the Sunbury city council.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908