Marvel Family Settled Here Early

The following is a transcription of an article taken from the Brownsburg Guide, February 15, 1955, published at Brownsburg, Indiana. I found the article at the Sullivan Historical Society, Sullivan, Indiana.

      Marvel Family Settled Here Early

 

     Among the earliest settlers of Brown Township were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marvel who have many descendants living today in this area. John Marvel, one of their sons, is pictured above with his wife. Mr. Robert Marvel was born in 1804 in Delaware and was married in Muskingum County, Ohio in 1827 to Sarah Wilkins.

     They came to Indiana with three children in 1835 and Mr. Marvel entered 80 acres of wild land just west of Marion County in Brown Township, Hendricks County. He received the deed from the President of the United States.

     The Marvel family had been in America since 1652 when Robert Marvel’s great-great-grandfather, John Marvel, came to America from Cambridgeshire, England and settled in Accomac County, Virginia.

     Six more children came to bless the Robert Marvel home. The nine included John, George, David, Betsy, Jehu, William, Mary, Josiah and Hester Ann. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marvel and three of their children are buried on the Wilson farm on Wilson Road named for them.

     John Marvel grew up on his father’s farm and always devoted his attention to agriculture. He was one of the successful farmers of Brown Township.

     He married Mary L. Wilson in 1859. They bought an 80 acre farm and the improvements they made on it were among the best in the township. It was just north of his father’s farm and 40 acres of it is now a part of the DeWitt Brown place on the north side of 85th Street and the other 40 is now on the south side of 86th Street owned by Mr. Oertly.

     Mr. and Mrs. John Marvel had eight children, among whom were Annie and Everett. Annie married Frank Gardner and Everett married Alice Mark, a schoolteacher.

     She taught in several of the one-room schools of the township. They had three children, Elsie (Mrs. Gus White of 322 North Green Street, Brownsburg), Clarence Marvel of Wilson Road, and Elnora (Mrs. Clarence Vice of Brownsburg)

     John Marvel was a well known horse breeder. He was so proud of the crops he raised that he always entered them at the Indiana State Fair which he attended every year. His garden produce and grains of the field won him many blue ribbons and premiums.

     The family were members of the Macedonia M.E. Church. John died on his farm at the age of 75 years.
George Marvel married Sarah Dickerson and among their six children was Rosa, who married Alonzo Sims. Two of their daughters, Bonnie and Genevieve Sims, live in Clermont today.

     Mary Marvel married George Hough and their children included Fred, William, Laura Hough Herring, Icy Hough Wilson, and Sallie Hough Beasley. Grandchildren of Mary Marvel Hough still in this area include Frank Herring, Marion Beasley, Mrs. Annis Dickey, Charles and Russell Hough, and Mrs. Joyce Waggoner.

     Josiah Marvel married Nancy Wilson and their children were Charles, who married Cora Gossett; Ida (Mrs. Wm. Ruse); Mary Alice (Mrs. John Wilson); Cora (Mrs. Clay Weaver); and Harlen H, who married Nannie Mark.
Among descendants of Charles Marvel in the Brownsburg area are Ray Marvel and Mrs. Nancy Everett and children. Hrs. Hassel Maloney is a daughter-in-law.

    Those who are in the area that are descendants of Mary Alice (Mrs. John Wilson) are Mike Wilson, Mrs. Edwin Lovell and children and Guy Wilson

(A photocopy of the page is here – Marvel Family Settled Here Early )