Marshall, Louis, 1773-1866

Louis Marshall was a physician and educator, native of Virginia, and younger brother of chief justice John Marshall (1755-1835). Marshall married Agatha Smith (1780-1844) and with her had six children, three of whom served in the U.S. Congress: Thomas Francis Marshall (1801-1864), representative from Kentucky, 1841-1843; Edward Colston Marshal (1821-1893), representative from California, 1851-1853; and Alexander Keith Marshall (1808-1884), representative from Kentucky, 1855-1857.

Dr. Louis Marshall was the youngest brother of Chief Justice John Marshall. He went to Kentucky in 1785 as a boy of twelve. After beginning his education at home, Marshall went for further study to Edinburgh and Paris. He participated in the attack on the Bastille in 1789. There is some disagreement in sources about whether he witnessed atrocities of the French Revolution, or whether he was imprisoned in France. When he returned to Kentucky, he settled at "Buckpond," given to him by his father, and married Agatha Smith in 1800. In 1830, Marshall was named president of Washington College (later Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. Sources say that Dr. Marshall dramatically changed the structure of Washington College. "Rules were discarded and a state of nature was declared." No classes met in groups unless a group so desired. Individual students went to a professor to recite or confer at any time. Dr. Marshall installed an arm chair and bed in his own classroom and received his students as he lounged, pipe in hand. In 1838, he was elected professor and president of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he served for two years. After 1840, Dr. Marshall from time to time conducted a school for boys. He lived to be ninety-three, spending his last years partly at Buckpond with his son John and partly visiting other children and relatives. He passed away in 1866 at Buckpond.

Dr. Louis Marshall was the president of Washington College as well as Transylvania University.

Dr. Louis Marshall was the youngest brother of Chief Justice John Marshall. He went to Kentucky in 1785 as a boy of twelve. After beginning his education at home, Marshall went for further study to Edinburgh and Paris. He participated in the attack on the Bastille in 1789. There is some disagreement in sources about whether he witnessed atrocities of the French Revolution, or whether he was imprisoned in France. When he returned to Kentucky, he settled at Buckpond, given to him by his father, and married Agatha Smith in 1800.

In 1830, Marshall was named president of Washington College (later Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. Sources say that Dr. Marshall dramatically changed the structure of Washington College. Rules were discarded and a state of nature was declared. No classes met in groups unless a group so desired. Individual students went to a professor to recite or confer at any time. Dr. Marshall installed an arm chair and bed in his own classroom and received his students as he lounged, pipe in hand. In 1838, he was elected professor and president of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he served for two years.

After 1840, Dr. Marshall from time to time conducted a school for boys. He lived to be ninety-three, spending his last years partly at Buckpond with his son John and partly visiting other children and relatives. He passed away in 1866 at Buckpond.

Louis Marshall, 1773-1866, physician, educator, and youngest brother of chief justice John Marshall (1755-1835), was born in Fauquier County, Virginia. He moved with his parents to Kentucky in 1785. After studying medicine in Europe during the 1790s, he returned to Kentucky where he settled on the family estate Buckpond. In 1800, he married Agatha Smith (1780-1844). He served as president of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University), 1830-1834, and was a professor and president pro tem at Transylvania College, 1838-1840

Three of Louis and Agatha Marshall's six children served in the United States Congress: Thomas Francis Marshall (1801-1864) represented Kentucky, 1841-1843; Edward Colston Marshall (1821-1893) represented California, 1851-1853; and Alexander Keith Marshall (1808-1884) represented Kentucky, 1855-1857.

The Marshalls also had one daughter, Agatha (1818-1858), who married Caleb Logan. She and her cousin, Mira Madison (1803-1883), who married Andrew Jonathan Alexander, wrote over half the letters contained in this collection.

(Biographical information from the Dictionary of American Biography .)