OKGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must
obtain the written consent of OKGenWeb State Coordinator.

Presentation here does not extend any permissions to the public. This
material can not be included in any compilation, publication,
collection, or other reproduction for profit without permission. Files
may be printed or copied for personal use only.
=====================================================================

HON. J. W. MARSHALL
Vol. 5, p 1901

Among the members of the Oklahoma judiciary there are many whose
early training has been secured as teachers, their first introduction
to the mysteries and perplexities of the law having been gained in
the evening hours after long and exhausting labors in the schoolroom.
In this category is found Hon. John Walter Marshall, judge of the
County Court of Stephens County, whose first term in this office
proved so satisfactory to the people of the county that he was
reelected in 1914 without opposition. Judge Marshall also has the
distinction of having a township created for and named after him,
i.e., Marshall Township, which includes the City of Duncan, the
Judge's place of residence since 1906.

John Walter Marshall was born at Graham, Young County, Texas,
November 7, 1874, and is a son of W. H. and Elizabeth (BLOCKER)
(WALKER) Marshall. His paternal grandfather, a farmer and minister of
the Baptist faith, was born in Virginia and died in Tennessee, while
his maternal grandfather, John Blocker, went from Missouri in pioneer
days to Parker County, Texas, and there died, after a number of years
spent in agricultural pursuits. W. H. Marshall, father of the Judge,
was born in 1832, in Tennessee, and from his native state removed to
Mississippi, from whence he removed in 1873 to Graham, Young County,
Texas, and in 1884 to Nacogdoches County, in the same state. Four
years later he went with his family to New Birmingham, Cherokee
County, Texas, and in 1894 came to Oklahoma and located at Duncan.
Here he resided until 1900, when he made removal to Denton County,
Texas, and there lives in quiet retirement.

During the period of his active career, Mr. Marshall carried on
operations in farming and stock rising, and in the various
communities in which he resided took an active and helpful part in
civic and public affairs. He was one of the organizers of Young
County, Texas, and also served as the first county assessor there. He
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. During the Civil war
he enlisted in the Confederate army, with which he served for four
years, participating in a number of battles and having numerous
thrilling experiences. At the Sanguine Battle of Shiloh he was
wounded; at Paducah, Kentucky, had his horse shot under him, and at
one time was taken prisoner by then northern troops, but succeeded in
making his escape.

Mr. Marshall married Mrs. Elizabeth (Blocker) Walker, a widow,
daughter of John Blocker. She was born in Arkansas, in 1837, and died
at Marlow, Oklahoma, in 1900.

There were three children in the family: John Walter, of this
notice; Lee, who resides at Duncan and is engaged in farming and
stock raising; and Sydney, who died at the age of fourteen years.

John Walter Marshall acquired his preliminary education in the
public schools of Young and Nacogdoches counties, Texas, and as a
youth learned the trade of printer, which, however, he followed only
a short time. He had remained on the home farm assisting his father
until he was fourteen years of age, and in 1894 accompanied his
parents to Duncan, Oklahoma, where for three years he helped his
father cultivate a farm.

Securing a teacher's certificate, in 1897 he started teaching in the
public schools of Stephens County, and continued for two years, when
he turned his knowledge of printing and the newspaper business to
account by editing the Marlow Review, a journal with which he was
connected on year. He then resumed school teaching as a vocation, and
continued to be thus engaged until 1906,
in which year he occupied the position of assistant principal of the
Duncan High School. In the meanwhile, he had devoted himself to the
study of law in his leisure hours, and in 1907 was admitted to
practice after successfully passing the state examination. He soon
attracted to himself an important and lucrative practice, and has
gradually advanced to a leading position at the Stephens County bar.

A democrat in his political views, for a number of years he has been
active in local affairs, and at the time of statehood campaigned this
district in the interests on Hon. J. R. ALLEN, who was sent to the
Oklahoma Legislature. About the same time Marshall Township was
created for him and named in his honor, and he became the first
justice of the peace, serving as such for two terms. In November,
1912, he was elected county judge of Stephens County, and November 6,
1914, was elected to this office for a second term, with opposition.
He has proven an able, impartial and dignified judge, conferring
honor upon the locality over which he has jurisdiction and being
generally popular with the members of the bench and bar. His offices
are in the courthouse.

Judge Marshall is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He
holds membership in the Duncan Chamber of Commerce and the various
organizations of his profession, and is fraternally identified with
Mistletoe Lodge No. 17, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he
is past chancellor; Duncan Camp No. 515, Woodmen of the World, of
which he is past consul commander; and Camp No. 9680, Modern Woodmen
of America, of Duncan.

Judge Marshall was married at Robberson, Garvin County, Oklahoma, to
Miss Nettie VANDAGRIFF, daughter of S. J. Vandagriff, a farmer now
residing in Comanche County, Oklahoma, and four children have been
born to this union: Maude, born April 20, 1902, attending public
school; Lois, born March 22, 1903, also a public school student;
Blanche, born December 2, 1909, attending public school; and John,
born November 2, 1913.

SOURCE: Thoburn, Joseph B., A Standard History of Oklahoma, An
Authentic Narrative of its Development, 5 v. (Chicago, New York: The
American Historical Society, 1916).

Typed for OKGenWeb by Peggy Luce, April 2001.