PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM
page 451
OSCAR W. MARSHALL, senior editor of the
Xenia Republican, has been connected
with scarcely an intermission, in an editorial capacity with the newspaper press
of Greene County for nearly twenty-four years.
He is a native of this county, and was born at Xenia, September 27, 1839,
his parents being Thornton and Mary (WALKER) MARSHALL.
The father was by profession a physician, but for many years was an
honored official of the county of Greene and city of Xenia, having served as
Clerk of Court, Probate Judge, Mayor of Xenia and Justice of the Peace.
Our subject received his primary education
at the Xenia schools, finishing in the Ohio University at Athens, where he
graduated in 1857. On completing
his studies he returned to Xenia, and engaged in the drug business until the
firing of Ft. Sumter in April, 1861. Two
days after the news of that event had arrived at Xenia he enlisted in Company D,
Twelfth Regiment Ohio Infantry, having responded to a call for ninety-day
soldiers. At the expiration of his
term of service he returned to Xenia, but the conflict continuing, he again
enlisted, in 1863, in the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry.
Being a druggist he served most of the time on detached duty as Assistant
Hospital Steward and Medical Clerk. He
was with his regiment in West Virginia, and at the battle of New Creek, in which
his company participated.
In 1864, his term of enlistment having
expired, Mr. MARSHALL again took up his abode in Xenia, where for nearly two
years he served as Deputy Clerk of the Common Pleas and Probate Courts. In 1866
he first became identified with the press of Greene County, by buying a part
interest in the office and plant of the Xenia Torchlight.
In the fall of 1878 he severed his connection with that paper, selling
his interest in it and engaging in other pursuits.
In 1880 he again entered the newspaper field, forming a partnership with
Warren ANDERSON in the publication of the Xenia Sunlight;
three months later our subject became sole proprietor by the purchase of Mr.
ANDERSON’S interest.
In 1881 John A. BENENDJE entered into
partnership with Mr. MARSHALL in the newspaper and job-printing business under
the firm name of MARSHALL & BENEJDJE, when the name of the paper was changed
to the Xenia Republican. It is a nine column folio, is Republican in politics, and has
a large circulation. The Republican
office is well equipped with everything required for a first-class newspaper and
job-printing establishment, including two cylinder presses, several bed and
platen presses, gas engine, stereotyping outfit, etc.
Mr. MARSHALL was married April 23, 1884, to
Miss Sarah A. ADAMS, a native of Jamestown, Greene County, and both are members
of Xenia Lodge, No. 45, F. & A. M.
The portrait of Mr. MARSHALL is presented on another page of this volume.