William H. Marriott
William H. Marriott, a retired farmer and stock raiser of Delaware Township, Delaware County, Ohio, and an honored veteran of the great Civil War. in which he took an active part, was born in Knox County, Ohio, March 23, 1842, and is a son of Henry T. and Rebecca (Penn) Marriott.
William Marriott, the grandfather of William H., was a native of Maryland, and a captain during the War of 1812, in which he was wounded. He came to Ohio at an early day and settled near Utica. Licking County. Mr. Marriott married Edith Waters, also a native of Maryland, and of their children Henry T. was the eldest. Henry T. Marriott came to Utica, Ohio, as young man. and spent all of his life as a farmer and stock raiser, dying in 1875, aged sixty-nine years. He was a leading member of the Methodist Church, and was a man well known for his many sterling qualities. He married Rebecca Penn, who was the daughter of Joseph Penn of Maryland, and she died in 1881, aged 75, years. After the death of Joseph Penn Marriott at the siege of Vicksburg, there was not a death in the family for 42 years. Mr. and Mrs. Marriott were the parents of 12 children, ten of whom grew to maturity: Thomas, who is deceased; Ann. deceased, who married Isaac Yeomans; Joshua, who resides at Richwood; Albert, who is deceased; Caroline, who is the wife of Joel Graham of Richwood; Joseph B., who was a member of Company B, Thirty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War; William H.; Henry W., who is deceased; Franklin W., who lives at Columbus; and Orville, who is a resident of Richwood.
William H. Marriott was taken to Richwood by his parents when he was three years old, and there he grew to manhood on the home farm. In 1864 he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was sent to Beverly, West Virginia, where he fought in the mountains until the surrender of Harper's Ferry, when the entire army at that point was captured. After being exchanged he was sent with bis regiment to Memphis, and assigned to John A. Logan's Division, and thereafter saw very active service, participating in the battles of Green Bar, October 3. 1861; Camp Allegheny. West Virginia, December 13, 1861.; McDowell, Virginia, May 8, 1862; Cross Keys, Virginia, June 6, 1862; Port Republic, June 9, 1862; Harper's Ferry, September 12-15, 1862; Raymond, Mississippi, May 12, 1863; Port Gibson, Mississippi, May 1, 1863; Jackson, Mississippi, May 14, 1863; Champion Hills, May 10, 1863; Siege of Vicksburg, May 18 to July 4, 1863; Baker's Creek, Mississippi, February 4, 1864; Clinton, Mississippi, February 5, 1864; Kenesaw Mountain, June 9-30, 1864; Nickajack Creek, Georgia, July 6-10, 1864; Peach Tree Creek, July 20, 1864; Atlanta, July 21-22, 1864; and Siege of Atlanta, July 28 to September 4, 1864. Mr. Marriott was continually with his regiment, engaging in every battle, skirmish and march in which it took part, and he was never in need of hospital service. Always a brave and cheerful, faithful and hard-fighting soldier, he earned the respect of officers and comrades alike and made for himself a war record second to none, in being present in every engagement. He was mustered out of the service at Louisville, Kentucky, in September, 1864.
After the war Mr. Marriott went to Champaign, Illinois, arriving there a day or two after President Lincoln's death, and remained there for 20 months, engaging in farming. In 1867 he returned to Utica, Licking County, Ohio, and for five years was a clerk in a store, after which he went to Richwood, and there engaged in business with L. H. Hastings, under the firm name of Hastings & Marriott. In 1873 Mr. Hastings retired, and Mr. Marriott continued the business with his brothers, under the firm name of Marriott Brothers, until 1886, at which time he removed to a farm three and one-half miles north of Richwood. and engaged in general farming and, stock raising. In 1893 he moved to Delaware in order to give his sons better educational advantages.
Mr. Marriott was married January 1, 1873, to Melissa Farrington, who is the daughter of Peter H. Farrington, of Tomkins County, New York. Five children were bom to this union, of whom two grew to maturity: Francis Irvin, chief draftsman of the Mexican Central Railway at Aguas Calientes. Mexico, who was born November 18, 1877; and Carroll P., of Tryon, North Carolina, who was bom April 13, 1882. In politics Mr. Marriott is a Jeffersonian Democrat, and he has always taken a great interest in political principles, but not in being candidate for office, He is a member of the Union Veteran Legion of Delaware, and with his wife attends the Williams Street Methodist Episcopal Church.
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