Marsh, Thomas, 1710?-1780.

Marsh graduated from Harvard in 1731 and was tutor, librarian and Fellow of Harvard.

From the description of Diary, 1751. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 76972809

Thomas Marsh (1711-1780), Harvard College librarian, tutor and fellow, was born on January 20, 1710/11 in West Hingham, Mass. He received an AB from Harvard in 1731 and an AM in 1734. On May 20, 1737, Marsh was appointed College librarian, and held the position until 1741, when he began preaching in Rutland, Mass., and became a tutor at Harvard. On August 20, 1755, Marsh was elected a Fellow of the College. He held both of these positions until 1766, when he married Hannah Sprague, thereby becoming illegible to be a tutor. As of 1775, he was teaching school in Watertown; that same year he was appointed as Justice of the Peace for Middlesex County. Marsh died in Watertown on September 22, 1780.

On the night of January 24, 1764, a devastating fire destroyed Harvard Hall, and with it Harvard College's collection of scientific instruments ("philosophical apparatus") and most of the books in its library. In the aftermath of the fire, librarians compiled lists of books which were in circulation and thus spared from the fire. They also kept lists of the many gifts and benefactions, large and small, which poured in from individuals and organizations to assist in the rebuilding of the library and apparatus.

From the description of Mr. Marsh's catalogue, ca. 1764. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 745598651