"The last Will and Testament of Hollis Marsh of the town of Randolph in the county of Cattaraugus.

I, Hollis Marsh, aged twenty-nine years and upwards, being desirous to discharge the duty which every man owes to his family by making such provision for the distribution of my property as shall be just and proper, do make, publish, and declare this my last will and testament as follows.

First, I direct that the expenses of my last sickness and of my funeral shall be paid in preference to any devise or legacy herein contained. Second I give and devise all my property, real and personal, to my wife, Polly, with power to sell, alienate, and convey the whole or any part thereof in any manner she may deem proper, provided, however, that if she should be the mother of a child, a legal heir to my estate, then and in that case, I direct the child shall have its support from my property, and if it outlives the said Polly, that the property or estate remaining at the time of her death shall belong to it, its heirs and assigns forever.

Third, I direct that if they should both die leaving no legal heirs of mine, then and in that case the property, if any remain, be divided as it would be if this will were not made.

Lastly, I appoint my wife, Polly, and her father, Joel Scudder, executors of this my last Will and Testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty fifth day of April, 1837." Hollis Marsh

The witnesses were Ira Smith, and A.G. Bush of Randolph, the latter being a business partner of Hollis'. Hollis died 2 May 1837 and was buried in the Randolph Cemetery.

A small history of Hollis Jr. and Hollis Sr. was found over the Cattaraugus genweb before every detail of the Marsh family was known, and everything contained there proved to be true except the part about Hollis Sr.'s father being Joseph. It may have been a printer's error. The letter shown below from Hollis Jr. to Jane Marsh Parker shows that he did know his grandfather and the rest of the family. Hollis Jr. was left in the care of his maternal grandfather when he was just a young boy to inherit the land that was left to him in his father's will.

"Hollis Marsh, son of Hollis and Polly (Scudder) Marsh, was born in Kiantone, NY, August 30, 1837.

...His grandfather, Joseph Marsh, came from Vermont and settled at the forks, the confluence of the Little Conewango with Conewango Creek, about 1830. He was a farmer. Sometime in the forties, he removed to Michigan, where he died. Hollis married Polly Scudder, taught school, and later engaged in merchandising in Randolph in company with A. G. Bush. He died of pneumonia in May 1837. Hollis Marsh, his son,born after his father's death, was a farmer, and in Oct. 1861 enlisted in Co. E, 9th Cav. At Washington he was ill with pneumonia, was in the hospital, and was discharged an invalid. Dec. 15, 1858, he married Ellen M. Coy of Randolph. The last has been secretary and superintendent of Randolph Cemetery. They have a son and a daughter." Later census records show two sons.

Polly Scudder Marsh later married Nathan Sears. Nathan purchased land from Polly's former brother-in-law, William Marsh, in 1843 before William left for Michigan with his father, Lemuel, in his wagon. The lot was 33; it seems Nathan purchased the other part of Lemuel's land. The land that was deeded to Hollis Jr. from Hollis Sr. formed the southern boundary of part of lot 33, and it was probably a piece of Lemuel's land originally. The deeded land from the above will is mentioned both in the writing of the deed in 1843, and in a map drawn on the deed. It is also drawn on the sale of the part of lot 33 from William to Nathan. The map was shown on all the paper work because part of the lot was tied up in probate. Nathan sold lot 33 in 1849, but he did not sell the land deeded from the will. Nathan and Polly moved on, but Hollis Jr. stayed in Randolph with the land that had been given him from his father. Hollis Jr. was living with his grandfather, Joel Scudder, in the 1850 census.

A very special thanks to Sheron Long for sharing a letter written to Jane Marsh Parker of Rochester, New York answering her inquiry to Hollis Marsh Jr. of Randolph.

"So you will see that I ought to know something about it. Unkle Josiah and another unkle died several years previous, I think his name was Joseph, to my father's death. They are all buried side by side in the Cemetery here on a lot which I now own. Granfather, Granmother, Unkle William, Unkle Julius & their families moved from here to Michigan when I was about eight or nine years old. At that time, I lived with my Mother and StepFather acrost the road from them. I have not heard from them since but once, that was about 2 years ago I received a letter from Unkle Julius which I answered, have not heard from them since. Granfather and Granmother were both dead then. Please write to me & let me know which one of my Unkles was your Father, & do you know any thing of the former history of Granfather. Whrre he moved from when he came here. I have wanted for a long time to learn something of my ancesters. Hoping to hear from you soon I subscribe my name as your Cousin Hollis Marsh, NY."

There is a family bible for Hollis Marsh Jr. and his wife, Ellen Coy. A woman wrote about the contents of the bible over rootsweb. There was an article in the bible about the deaths of Hollis Marsh and Ellen M. Marsh "who were respectively called from this life on May 6th and April 25th, A.D. 1911". There were only two children listed as surviving, so one of the sons, either Willie or Ward, was dead at that time. Hollis Jr. and Ellen were buried in the Randolph Rural Cemetery.

There were Christmas cards in the bible from a Burt Carpenter, an Elva Carpenter, and a newspaper clipping about a Mabel Carpenter. It appears that Hollis and Ellen's daughter, Corinth, married Burt Carpenter. The family was living in Charlotte, Chautauqua, New York in the 1900 census. Elva and Mabel were daughters, and so they were grandaughters to Hollis and Ellen.

It is interesting to think of what might have happened for Hollis Sr. had he lived and been able to continue his business partnership with A.G. Bush. A history of Randolph said this about Mr. Bush, "In 1825, Abraham G. Bush, from Ontario county, settled in town, and made improvements on lots 23 and 24. Here he inaugurated and succesfully carried on several important businesses, and was, in his time, the most prominent man in town and always interested himself in its welfare. He died in 1863." Abraham also married Polly Scudder's aunt, Betsey Scudder.

Hollis was Justice of the Peace in 1836.
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