The following information was compiled by Ella Armstrong Yeakel and published in the 1924 Annual Reunion of the Marvel Family in Peoria, Illinois.

    Patience Marvel, the second child and oldest daughter of Prettyman Marvel, Sr. and Lavina (Rogers) Marvel was born in Kent county, Delaware, 1796.  In the autumn after her birth, her parents emigrated to Green county, Ga., where her childhood was passed.  When the family moved to Southwestern Indiana, Patience was just entering the years of young womanhood.  Being the eldest daughter in this pioneer household, many responsibilities fell to her lot, as she was the main helper of her mother.  In the Marvel home, as in all frontier homes of those early days, the fireplace built across one end of the cabin was the heart of the household.  In cold weather the hugh back logs were dragged in by a horse and here the family gathered in the genial warmth.  As they were a hospitable people as are all Indianans, the family circle was often augmented by visitors.  Among these was no more frequent comer than Robert Montgomery, a staunch young Presbyterian who attended the same church in Greensboro Ga., where James Knowles worshipped.  He came to Indiana in advance of the marvels and was making his home with a Mr. Moore on the Patoka river, but when he heard the Marvel had arrived, he came over among them.  Now the eldest Marvel daughter spoke with a lisp which only made her more attractive in the eyes of young Robin (Robert) and as he watched her assisting in the many tasks of the home spinning, weaving, tending the kettles which swung from the crane, or heaping coals around the dutch oven on the hearth, her glowing eyes and flushed checks evidently kindled an ardent flame in the heart of Robin (Robert), and withall he was a canny young man for, as he saw her busy at many tasks, he considered she would be a proper helpmate and companion for the home which he wished to make.  The story of his proposal to Patience marvel is a tale which has been treasured and handed down in the family.  The compiler of this record heard it many years ago from her mother.  It is related in the “Knowles History” written by the Rev. Levin Wilson (now deceased).  One morning he followed the girls, Patience and Comfort, to the milking gap, where, seated upon stump he made himself useful by holding a calf by the ears while Patience milked.  as he sat pondering these things, he evidently concluded to have this important matter settled for he suddenly said, “Patia, will you milk my cows?”  Now Patience like all girls evidently would have like more romance in her wooing for she replied rather shortly, “No, Yobin, I wont milk your cows.”  There was silence for a time while Patience thought the matter over, she considered Robin’s many good qualities and her heart softened and she said, “Say that again Yobin.” “Say what?” said Robin.  “What you said before,” Patience replied.  So Robin repeated his question and this time Patience answered “Yes, Yobin, I’ll milk your cows.”  So in a few weeks when the Methodist circuit rider came around they were married.  As the county was not then organized, no record was made of the marriage.  Robert Montgomery was a soldier in the war of 1812, and in after years when his widow applied for a pension she failed until Nathan Knowles, the only living witness of the marriage, testified to the facts.  They made their home in Section 10, Smith township, Posey county, Indiana.  (Precilla Knowles Montgomery and her son Kirt C., now live on this farm).  Robert Montgomery was born in about 1798 in Georgia.  He died in 1864 and was buried in a family cemetery on the farm of his son James.  After his death his widow made her home with the youngest son Thomas.  Se died in 1883 or 1884 and was buried at Antioch.  They were the parents of eleven Children as follows:  William, Prettyman, John, Elizabeth, Nancy, Samuel, John, Lavina, Robert Jr., George, and Thomas.

The following information is from the 1968 Mildred Marvel Burwell revision of the Marvel History Book by Mrs. Ella (Armstrong) Yeakel.

Patience Marvel, the second child of Prettyman and Lavina Marvel, was born in Sussex County, Delaware in 1796. She was a small baby when her parents migrated to Georgia, where her childhood was spent. Being the eldest daughter in a pioneer household, she was the main helper of her mother. She was 13 years old when her parents moved to the Indiana Territory. In the Marvel home, as in all pioneer homes, the fireplace built along one end of the cabin was the heart of the household. The Marvels were hospitable people and their home was a gathering place for friends and relatives. A frequent visitor was Robert Montgomery, a staunch young Presbyterian, who attended the same church in Greensboro, Georgia, where the the James Knowles family worshipped. He came to Indiana earlier than the Marvels, and was making his home with a Mr. Moore on the Patoka River, but when he heard of the arrival of the Marvels, he moved to be close to them. Now Patience Marvel spook with a lisp, which only made her more attractive in the eyes of young “Robin,” and as he watched her in the many tasks of the home, spinning, weaving, tending the kettles which swung from the crane, or heaping coals around the Dutch oven on the hearth, her glowing eyes and flushed cheeks evidently kindled an ardent flame in the heart of Robert Montgomery. He knew she would be the proper helpmate and companion for him. The story of his proposal is a tale that has been treasured and handed down in the family. It was related in the “Knowles History” written by Rev. Levin Wilson. Ella Yeakel repeated it in “The Marvel Family History” as she had heard it from her mother, Lavina (Marvel) Armstrong. One morning he followed the girls, Patience and Comfort, to the milking gap where, seated upon a stump, he made himself useful by holding the calf by the ears while Patience milked. As he sat there, he concluded to have this important matter settled, for he suddenly said, “Patia, will you milk my cows?” Now Patience, like all girls, would have like more romance in a proposal, for she replied rather curtly, “No Robin, I won’t milk your cows.” There was a silence for a time while Patience thought the matter over. She considered Robin’s good qualities and her heart softened. She said “Say that again Robin.” “Say what?” asked Robin. “What you said before.” Patience replied. So Robin repeated his question, and this time Patience answered “Yes, Robin, I’ll milk your cows.” Patience was the first of the children of Prettyman and Lavina to leave the family home. When the Methodist circuit rider came around, they were married in 1812. This was said to be the first marriage in the Black River Basin in the Indiana Territory. Robert Montgomery was a soldier in the War of 1812, and in after years when his widow applied for a pension, she failed until Nathan Knowles, the only living witness to the marriage, testified to the facts. Robert and Patience (Marvel) Montgomery made their home in Smith Township, Posey County, Indiana. Robert Montgomery died April 15, 1846 and was buried in the family cemetery on the farm of his son James, near Cynthiana, Indiana. Patience Montgomery made her home with the youngest son, Thomas, in Gibson County, Indiana. She died in 1883 or 1884 and was buried at Antioch, Indiana.