James William Marshall (Virginia Biography)

Marshall, James W., born in Clarke county, Virginia, August 14, 1822. His early boyhood was passed at Mount Sterling, Kentucky, and on arriving at school age he returned to his native section to prepare himself for college. He entered Dickinson College, from which he was graduated in 1848. He was retained at the college as instructor in the position of adjunct-professor until 1850, when he was promoted to a full professorship of ancient languages, and continued to fill that chair until 1861, when President Lincoln appointed him United States consul at Leeds, England, where he remained four years. In 1869 President Grant appointed Mr. Marshall first assistant post-master-general, in which position he served up to the close of the administration, except for the brief term in 1874, when he temporarily filled the office of postmaster-general. In 1877 he was appointed general superintendent of the railway mail service, which position he held for one year.