James William Marshall (Notable Americans)

MARSHALL, James William, cabinet officer, was born in Clarke county, Va., Aug. 14, 1822; son of James Pede and Susan (Orear) Marshall and grandson of Rush Marshall. He attended the schools of Clarke and Fauquier counties until 1837 when he removed to Mount Sterling, Ky., and engaged in business. He was graduated from Dickinson college, Carlisle. Pa., in 1848. He was adjunct professor of ancient languages at Dickinson, 1848-50, and full professor, 1850-62. In 1850 he was married to Jane Stevenson of Carlisle. He was U.S. consul at Leeds, England, by appointment of President Lincoln, 1861-65. He settled near Bound Brook, N. J., in 1865, and was appointed first assistant postmaster-general by President Grant in 1869, and was appointed postmaster-general in 1874 on the retirement of John A. J. Cresswell, and held the position until the appointment of Marshall Jewell in the same year, when he was re-appointed first assistant postmaster-general, serving until March 3, 1877, after which time he was not in public life.