Thanks to John Cason for finding Julius' marriage, Harriet's second marriage, Henry Morrison's 1880 census entry, and Julius' headstone photo.
Julius was single and living with/next to his father and brothers in Conewango in 1830. He was not located in the 1840 census, and he may have been living in his father's home in Randolph, Cattaraugus, New York, as there was a man there the right age to be him.
A late find in the research showed more information about Julius. "The Randolph Herald was started at Randolph in March, 1842. It was successively issued by William Mason, Lorenzo and Julius Marsh, and Fletcher & Russell until 1845, when it passed in to the hands of J.J. Strong, who continued it 2 years. Strong then joined the Mormons, and removed the establishment to Nauvoo, Ill." - Gazeteer of the State of New York by Frank Place published in 1861 by R.P. Smith. The "Strong" name is a missprint and should read, "J.J. Strang".
A special thanks to David Graham for this piece taken from the newspapers of Julius' brother, Joseph.
"Dear Brother Joseph, With feelings of the deepest sorrow I take my pen to address you. Death, the king of terrors, has again visited my little family: yes, and taken from me my beloved companion. But although I have the greatest reason to mourn this grievous dispensation of Divine Providence, yet, I have the consolation to believe that my loss is her eternal gain; that she sleeps in Jesus, and will ere long have a glorious part in the resurrection of the just.
She was taken sick the 3rd inst. with what the doctors called the lung fever, or congestion on the lungs, which was followed by inflammation of the head and bowels, which removed her from this world of trouble and sorrow on Thursday the 16th of this month, aged 25 years and 6 days.
She left a bright evidence that she was ready. - At one time I asked her if she was reconciled to leave this world? She replied that she was, if it was God's will. At another time there were several of us stand[ing] by the bed-side, and she said, "Farewell, my friends, guardian angels are hovering around.
O, may I so live that I may meet my beloved companion in that land where death shall never come, and our dear little son, who died Sept. 15th, aged 20 months and 16 days. I have only one little daughter, in her 4th year, to cheer me in my lonely hour. With respect, Julius W. Marsh Bloomfield, Ill., Dec. 19, 1847."
Although Julius does not give the name of his wife, it is almost certain that he married Mary Owen, daughter of Jesse and Anna Winter Owen. The marriage was found on a Google Book Search in a book about the Settlers of Long Point. Mary Owen's year of birth is just right, according to the age at death given here. The same book shows that Julius and Mary settled at Galina, Illinois and had two children. Julius was certainly in the Galina area after he left Randolph in 1844. Julius' brother, Lorenzo, also lived at Galina, and when Julius wrote to Joseph about the death of their brother, Lorenzo, in 1852, he wrote from Belvidere, Illinois, which was located on the stage road from Chicago to Galina.
Thanks to John Cason for his research on the Owens family. Mary was born 10 Dec 1822 in Hanniball, Oswego, New York. She died 16th of Dec, 1847 in Bloomfield, Illinois. Julius and Mary were married abt 1842 and had a daughter in 1843 in Randolph, Cattaraugus, New York. Their son would have been born 31 Dec 1845 in Michigan or more likely,Illinois, and he died, 15 Sep 1847 in Bloomfield.
Julius married Harriet Cox 16 April 1848 in Boone County, Illinois. The couple was married by J.W.Agard MG.
In 1850 in Whitewater, Walworth, Wisconsin, just across the border from Boone County, Illinois, there was a census entry for William Cox, 68, chairmaker from England, Elizabeth Cox, 60, from Pennsylvania, Harriet Marsh, 20, Pennsylvania, Julius M. Marsh, 34, Printer from Vermont, Edgar Marsh,1, born in Michigan. It seems that the Coxes were Harriet's parents. Her later census records show her father to have been from England and her mother from Pennsylvania, just like this Cox couple.
Harriet's name comes before Julius' in that census entry; when the census taker was writing it he likely meant it the other way around. It was Harriet's initial that was M. as seen from other census entries. But the census taker could have also meant a W. for the M., and it was hard to read which letter it was. Julius' age is wrong, but later census entries show it correctly. The census entry shows that Julius' little four-year old daughter likely died also as she was not with the family.
Julius moved around quite a bit; quite likely he was a preacher. His first son was born in Detroit, Michigan. Thanks to Jan Stilson, Church of God historian and writer, for the information that Julius was living in Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois in 1851 when Joseph Marsh recorded in his writings that he had visited Julius there. In the mid 1850's, Julius went down into Illinois near his nephew, Joseph Marsh (son of Walter) where land deeds were found in Menard County between the two men. There was also a lawsuit between Julius and Joseph Marsh against Benjamin Gibson, the husband of Joseph's sister, Amanda. In a book printed over the Peoria County, Illinois genweb, it was found that Julius was the pastor of the Congregationalist Church there from January 2, 1853, to May 1, 1854. When the grave of Julius's sister, Pamelia, was located in Greene County, Illinois, the cemetery records showed that Julius also spent some time in that area as there were two little boys buried in the same cemetery that belonged to Julius and Harriet.
A special thanks to David Graham for sharing a letter recorded in Joseph Marsh's newspaper that Julius wrote about the death of his sons.
"Dear Brother Joseph: Death has again entered our little family, and taken from our fond embrace, our two darling children, Albert C. and William Henry, our two youngest. Albert was 5 (?) yrs. and 6 months, and William H. was near 3 years old. They died of the scarlet fever. William Henry, our youngest, died the 22nd, and Albert C., the 29th of June, just one brief week apart. Our oldest, Edgar Alonzo, was first attacked, but is now getting better. How true the saying, dear brother, that "In the midst of life, we are in death!" O! may the Lord help us to be resigned to His will, and may we be prepared to meet our dear friends who have gone before, in that land of rest where sickness, sorrowing pain and death are felt and feared no more. O! how vain is the help of man! We had the best medicine that could be had, but all in vain. They are gone, and we miss their company. Greenfield, Ill. July 5, 1857.
Julius wrote to his brother, Joseph Marsh, to inform him of Pamelia's death; this can be read in the section for Pamelia. Greene County land records showed that Julius purchased land there from a James L. Hall in 1858-59.
In the 1860 census for Buchanen, Berrien, Michigan, there was a J.W. Marsh, 50, printer, born in Vermont. His wife was Harriet M., 30, from Pennsylvania. He had a son Ed.,11, Michigan, and a daughter, Lydia,2, born in Illinois.
That entry shows Julius as J.W. - Julius W. Marsh at the right age. Harriet is the same woman from the 1850 census. For some reason, the family was enumerated twice in the 1860 census. Perhaps one or the other parent was giving the information at separate times, but this highlights the errors of census taking when it is obviously the same family.
J.W. Marsh in Berrien stays the same. H.M. Marsh ,30, from Pennsylvania, Ed. Marsh, 11. Sylvia Marsh, 2, Illinois.
There are so many flourishes on the writing that it was hard to read whether Sylvia and Lydia could have really been the same name. Later census records show the name to be Sylvia.
Julius was the school inspector in Galien, Berrien, Michigan in 1863, according to the History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, Chapter XXX11, p.239.
Julius was found in the 1870 census of Waverly, Bremer, Iowa, enumerated as John W. Marsh for some reason. Harriet was listed, as well as Edgar and Sylvia Marsh. Julius died 4 November 1870, 60 yrs. 7 mos. 8 days, and he was buried in the Harlington Cemetery. There is a picture of his stone at genweb for Bremer County.
Harriet married George S. Fisher, 3 June 1871, in Waverly, Bremer, Illinois. A history for George was found at the Iowa Genweb for Butler County. George and Harriet had a child named Lillian Fisher about 1873.
Harriet was found in the 1900 census living with her daughter, Sylvia, and her husband, Henry Morrison, in Fallbrook, San Diego, California. The
census said Harriet was born in November of 1829, and she had five children, only two living. Henry died 26 Dec 1900, but Harriet was
still living with Sylvia in the 1910 census. Harriet died 25 Jan 1917 (age 85) in San Diego County, and Sylvia was living with her half sister, Lillian, and her husband, Valentine
Gredig in the 1920 census. Sylvia died 31 Mar 1924 (age 65), Lillian died 2 Feb 1944,and her husband, Valentine, was born 21 Jan 1866 in Switzerland
and died 21 May 1942, all in San Diego County (California Death Index).
Cemetery records for these two boys can be seen at Hermitage Cemetery.