John Marsh (pioneer)
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John Marsh (June 5, 1799 – September 24, 1856), later known in
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
as Don Juan Marsh, was a physician, ranchero, and linguist in California when it was still part of the
Republic of Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. Born in
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, Marsh immigrated to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
in 1836, where he became a Mexican citizen. He was baptized as Roman Catholic in order to buy land, and acquired the vast land grant of Rancho Los Méganos in Contra Costa. He became one of the wealthiest ranchers in California, and was among the highly influential men who worked to gain United States statehood after Mexico ceded this area following its defeat in the
Mexican-American War Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the United State ...
."Pioneer Doctor Foully Murdered," ''Berkeley Gazette,'' p. 1, Centennial Edition, July 5, 1976, Berkeley, California. Marsh knew Hebrew, Latin and Greek, and, while working as a US Indian agent at Fort Snelling, was the first person to compile a dictionary of the
Siouan language Siouan ( ), also known as Siouan–Catawban ( ), is a language family of North America located primarily in the Great Plains, Ohio and Mississippi valleys and southeastern North America with a few other languages in the east. Name Authors who ...
. He is the namesake of Marsh Creek and Marsh Creek State Park in Contra Costa County. The John Marsh Historic Trust was organized to protect his legacy.


Early life

Born in Danvers, Massachusetts in 1799, Marsh graduated from the private
Phillips Academy Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...
in Andover in 1819. He attended
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...
from 1819 to 1823 and received a bachelor's degree. Colbruno writes that Marsh was dismissed from Harvard for participating in a student uprising. He was readmitted in 1821, after promising not to engage in any further disturbances. He originally planned to study for the ministry, but changed his major to medicine after his readmission. Colbruno, Michael "Lives of the Dead: Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland."December 12, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2015. He studied medicine with a
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
doctor. Marsh migrated west, living in the
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
Territory, where he opened a school, the first in what is now
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
. Marsh was appointed by the federal government as a United States
Indian agent In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the U.S. government. Agents established in Nonintercourse Act of 1793 The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the Un ...
for the
Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
Agency at Fort Snelling, At Fort Snelling, Marsh took a Lakota/French mistress named Marguerite Decouteaux; they had a son Charles together. Territorial Governor
Lewis Cass Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was a United States Army officer and politician. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He was also the 1 ...
appointed Marsh as Justice of the Peace in Crawford County (which included what is now southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and portions of Iowa and Minnesota), whereupon he became known as "Judge Marsh." While at Fort Snelling, Marsh resumed his study of medicine, with the post doctor, Dr. Purcell. Because Purcell died before Marsh completed his studies, he never received a certificate. Marsh lived for a time in
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Prairie du Chien ( ) is a city in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 5,506 at the 2020 census. Often called Wisconsin's second-oldest city, Prairie du Chien was established as a European settlemen ...
, where he got involved in the
Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans led by Black Hawk (Sauk leader), Black Hawk, a Sauk people, Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of ...
between the United States and a group of Sauk,
Meskwaki The Meskwaki (sometimes spelled Mesquaki), also known by the European exonyms Fox Indians or the Fox, are a Native American people. They have been closely linked to the Sauk people of the same language family. In the Meskwaki language, th ...
(Fox), and Kickapoo, known as the " British Band". As the Sioux supported the US against their old rivals, Marsh was blamed for a Sioux massacre of Fox and Sauk warriors. As a result, he fled the area, taking Decouteaux and their son with him and settling in New Salem, Illinois. Leaving the pair there, he returned to Prairie du Chien. Decouteaux was pregnant again and pining for Marsh,; she tried to walk the several hundred miles to rejoin him. The journey exhausted her, and she and their second child died in childbirth. Marsh placed his young son, Charles, to be raised with a family named Painter in New Salem. He again became involved in Indian affairs. He was discovered selling guns illegally to some of the Indians and had to flee the territory, this time settling in
Independence, Missouri Independence is a city in and one of two county seats of Jackson County, Missouri, United States. It is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020 Unite ...
, where he became a merchant. Marsh visited his son again before his business failed, and in 1836 he emigrated, as an employee of the
American Fur Company The American Fur Company (AFC) was a prominent American company that sold furs, skins, and buffalo robes. It was founded in 1808 by John Jacob Astor, a German Americans, German immigrant to the United States. During its heyday in the early 19th c ...
, to
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. He proceeded to
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
via the
Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, the ...
. Both areas were part of the
Republic of Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, which had gained independence from Spain in 1821.


Life in California

In southern California, Marsh claimed he was the only person who had any knowledge of Western (or European-style) medicine. He presented his Harvard degree to the local Mexican government of
Alta California Alta California (, ), also known as Nueva California () among other names, was a province of New Spain formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but was made a separat ...
. The degree was written in Latin, which none of the local authorities could read. They took his word and granted him permission to practice medicine. Marsh was quite successful in his new profession, but his prices were very high. He sometimes charged as much as a head of cattle to deliver a baby. He is credited as being the first person to practice medicine in California. He was often paid in the currency of the day: cowhides and tallow. Marsh joked that his adobe looked more like a warehouse than the offices of a physician. In 1836, he sold his accumulated inventory to a Boston trader for $500 and rode to Northern California seeking a ranch to purchase. Since Mexico allowed only Catholics to own land in California, he became baptized as a Roman Catholic.Osborne, Thomas J. ''Pacific Eldorado: A History of Greater California''. 2013. John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved February 4, 2015.id=INjbmuwIlxAC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=%22John+Marsh%22+California+Catholic+convert&source=bl&ots=Mpuzpn6pf4&sig=_k6juCfHluhsrOojJJIrc7xXUbg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KoLSVPukC4TgggTpyYP4Cw&ved=0CCsQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22John%20Marsh%22%20California%20Catholic%20convert&f=false " ''California: Las Vegas, Reno, Baja California''.
1999. . p. 33.
In 1837, Marsh purchased the 17,000-acre Rancho Los Méganos, a land grant, from prominent
Californio Californios (singular Californio) are Californians of Spaniards, Spanish descent, especially those descended from settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries before California was annexed by the United States. California's Spanish language in C ...
ranchero José Noriega on what is now called Marsh Creek. This was east of what is now
Clayton, California Clayton (formerly Clayton's and Claytonville) is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 11,585 as of the 2020 census. History In 1857, the town of Clayton was laid out and founded by Joel Henry Clayton (1 ...
and on the western edge of the present-day city of Brentwood. (His acquisition of the rancho indicates that Marsh had become a naturalized Mexican citizen). The price he paid for the rancho was $500 (all of his savings). He became the first known non-Hispanic white settler in what is now
Contra Costa County Contra Costa County (; ''Contra Costa'', Spanish language, Spanish for 'Opposite Coast') is a U.S. county, county located in the U.S. state of California, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the ...
.Nolte, Carl. ''San Francisco Chronicle''. "CONTRA COSTA COUNTY / Remembering colorful but unpopular pioneer / Slain 150 years ago, man, his home are focus of coming park." September 24, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 201

/ref> Marsh prospered there, both as a rancher and as a doctor. He continued to invest by purchasing more land near his original rancho. Before his death, he claimed that his rancho contained about 40,000 acres of land. In practicing medicine, he again charged very high prices, generally in relation to how far he had to travel to see the patient (which often meant being away from his ranch for days or weeks). There is some evidence that during this period, he cared for some of the survivors of the
Donner Party The Donner Party, sometimes called the Donner–Reed Party, was a group of American pioneers who migrated to California interim government, 1846-1850, California in a wagon train from the Midwest. Delayed by a multitude of mishaps, they spent ...
. Marsh acquired tens of thousands of head of cattle for his rancho and lived the life of a wealthy ''ranchero''. He was known to pay very low wages to his workers, and many were said to hate him. In 1841, when the first American emigrant party, the Bartleson-Bidwell Party, reached California from Missouri. There were 32 men and one woman and her baby. Marsh invited them to be his guests. The
California Trail The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California. After it was established, the first half of the California Trail f ...
thus terminated in Brentwood. After entertaining members of the Bartleson-Bidwell Party, Marsh was said to invite them to slaughter one of his steers for breakfast the next morning. The next day, however, he found that the party had also slaughtered his best work oxen, which comprised a highly valuable commodity and were critical to ranch operations. Although it was likely a mistake, Marsh was angry and bitter toward the party. Later there were further disagreements between them. John Bidwell reportedly said that "John Marsh is the meanest man I ever met."Weinstein, Dave. "Saving the house that Marsh built."
''San Francisco Chronicle''. December 7, 2002 Retrieved January 25, 2015.
Among the Bartleson-Bidwell Party was Nancy Kelsey, known as the first woman to cross the Sierras to reach California. She later became known as the "Betsy Ross of California" after she created the state's first flag. As early as 1837, Marsh worried about being able to retain ownership of the great rancho. Americans and some other foreigners considered the Mexican courts in California to be corrupt and unpredictable in their rulings on such cases. In addition, there was evidence of competition by the Russians, French and English, who were independently preparing to seize the province. Marsh was determined to have the territory become part of the United States to protect his holdings. He felt the best method to achieve that was to encourage emigration by Americans to California, and in this way repeat the history of Texas as a takeover by more numerous Americans. Marsh conducted a letter-writing campaign espousing the California climate, soil and other reasons to settle there, as well as the best route to follow, which became known as "Marsh's route." His letters were read, reread, passed around, and printed in newspapers throughout the country, and stimulated the first significant migration to California.Lyman, George D. ''John Marsh, Pioneer: The Life Story of a Trail-Blazer on Six Frontiers'', pp. 237-9, The Chautauqua Press, Chautauqua, New York, 1931. Marsh invited immigrants to stay on his ranch until they could get settled, and assisted in their obtaining passports. After ushering in the period of organized emigration to California, Marsh helped take California from the last Mexican governor, thereby paving the way to California's ultimate acquisition by the United States. Marsh worked behind the scenes to promote American statehood, at the urging of U.S. consul Thomas O. Larkin. In March 1845 he wrote a letter signed by himself and 23 other expatriates, announcing a clandestine meeting for the Fourth of July. This letter has been designated by modern historians as the "Call To Foreigners". While Marsh did not take credit as the author, historians agree that it is his work. The meeting's purpose was to, "promote the union and harmony and best interests of all the foreigners resident in California..." Marsh also participated in the
Battle of Providencia The Battle of Providencia (also called the "Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass") took place in Cahuenga Pass in early 1845 on Rancho Providencia in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles, California. Native ''Californios'' successfully chal ...
(also known as the Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass), and managed to persuade Americans on both sides that it was foolish to fight one another. As a result of Marsh's urging, these soldiers united, which resulted in the defeat of unpopular Governor Manuel Micheltorena's forces. Micheltorena was deported to Mexico and replaced by native-born Californian
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. During this period Marsh began a search to reunite with his son, Charles, but was unable to find him. In 1851, the Reverend William W. Smith introduced Marsh to Abigail "Abby" Smith Tuck, a schoolteacher from New England, who served as principal at a girls school in San Jose. After a brief two-week courtship, they married on June 24, 1851. Soon after the wedding, the couple moved into the old adobe. On 12 March 1852, she gave birth to a daughter they named Alice Frances.Mero, William. "Love, Life and Death on the California Frontier: A Woman's Life in Old Contra Costa."
, Contra Costa History Society, Retrieved January 25, 2015.


John Marsh House

Marsh soon began construction of a mansion built entirely of stone quarried from the nearby hills. Abby chose to site the house next to Marsh Creek, with a fine view of the surrounding valley and
Mount Diablo Mount Diablo is a mountain of the Diablo Range, in Contra Costa County, California, Contra Costa County of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. It is south of Clayton, California, Clayton and northeast of Danville, Califo ...
. The present city of Brentwood, California developed north of here. Designed by
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
architect Thomas Boyd, the Gothic-Revival style home incorporated a tower and exterior porch supported by octagonal pillars. The entire cost of the home did not exceed $20,000. Abby died in 1855, before the Stone House was completed. Marsh moved into the new house about three weeks before he was murdered. His son and daughter inherited the ranch and stone house, in which they continued to live. They apparently let the property fall into disrepair and decay, and eventually became renters. They were visited in May 1862 by William Henry Brewer and the
California Geological Survey The California Geological Survey, previously known as the California Division of Mines and Geology, is the California state geology, geologic agency. History Although it was not until 1880 that the California State Mining Bureau, predecessor to ...
. The mansion still stands as part of the Marsh Creek State Park, formerly known as Cowell Ranch/John Marsh Property State Historic Park. The state has supported applying for status for the property as a National Historic Monument. The park includes of natural habitat.California Department of Parks and Recreation. "Cowell Ranch/John Marsh Property State Historic Park."
/ref> The mansion is on the list of
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. The Cowell Foundation (founded by industrialist S. H. Cowell) donated the house and surrounding property to the county in 1960, with the condition that the house would be restored. it is now part of Marsh Creek State Park, which is not open to the public. The house has not been restored, and awaits funding for this project.


Death

Marsh was active in California politics. On September 24, 1856, he began a journey from his land in eastern Contra Costa County to San Francisco for a personal or political appointment. On the road between Pacheco and Martinez, he was ambushed and murdered by three of his ''
vaquero The ''vaquero'' (; , ) is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in what what is today Mexico (then New Spain) and Spanish Florida from a method brought to the Americ ...
'' employees over a dispute about their wages. Initially the three men escaped. Two of the killers were found ten years later and brought to trial. One man turned state's evidence and was released without trial. The other was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, though he was pardoned 25 years later. The third man was never caught. A
California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meetin ...
(#722) plaque marks the site of the murder. Both Abigail and John Marsh are buried in Mountain View Cemetery, in
Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
.


Legacy

According to local tradition, shortly before Marsh's death, a young man arrived at his house, saying he was seeking shelter from a harsh storm. It was his son Charles, who had journeyed to California in search of his father. They enjoyed a happy, although short-lived reunion. Charles tracked down one of his father's murderers, Felipe Moreno, and brought him to justice. The orphaned daughter Alice Marsh was entrusted to the care of Mrs. Thompson at Marsh's Landing, not far from present-day
Antioch, California Antioch is the third-most populous city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. The city's population was 115,29 ...
. As a young woman, Alice Marsh moved to Oakland, where she married William Walker Camron, one of the builders of the Mt. Diablo toll road. They lived in the Camron-Stanford House, which still stands. They had two daughters, Amy and Gracie; the latter died in infancy. Camron lost Alice's fortune in some bad real estate transactions. The couple divorced in 1896. Alice never remarried. She and Amy (who remained unmarried) operated a San Francisco boardinghouse, and later moved to Santa Barbara. After their deaths, both women were buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, as their parents had been. Marsh Creek, a stream in Contra Costa County, is named for John Marsh. An elementary school in
Antioch, California Antioch is the third-most populous city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. The city's population was 115,29 ...
bears Marsh's name. A non-profit known as the John Marsh Historic Trust was organized to preserve structures and areas associated with his history in the state. The California State Route 4 around the cities of Oakley and Brentwood has been named John Marsh Heritage Highway in honor of Dr. Marsh. This portion of SR4 runs from the intersection with SR160 in eastern Antioch to the Marsh Creek/Vasco Road intersection in Brentwood."Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Planned for John Marsh Heritage Highway." John Marsh Historic Trust press release. May 1, 2009.
Accessed March 5, 2017.


See also

* Marsh Creek, California *