History of Easton, (Washington County) New York United States of America

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Charles Henry Marshall, shipping merchant, was born at Easton, N.Y., April 8, 1792; son of Charles and Hephzebah (Coffin) Marshall, and grandson of Capt. Benjamin Marshall, and of Capt. Nathan Coffin, both of Nantucket, Mass. He received a limited education, and at the age of fifteen joined the crew of the whaling ship Lima, Captain Swain, at Nantucket. He made several voyages, 1807-12, and meanwhile studied and taught in Northampton, N.Y. He was second mate and mat on the ship Mary, bound from New York to Oporto, 1815-16; entered the Liverpool trade as first mate of the Albert Gallatin in 1816, and later in 1816 commanded the Julius C?ser, owned by Philetus and Gabriel Haven. In 1817 he took command of the James Cropper, a Liverpool packet ship, belonging to the Black Ball Line. He was married in 1822 to Fidelia, daughter of Dr. Lemuel Williams of Piermont. He commanded the Britannia and South America of the same line, and in 1834 assumed the management of the line, later becoming the principal proprietor, and retained the business for thirty years. He built and equipped several vessels; carried the packet service to its highest point of utility, and as sailing vessels gradually gave way to steamers he employed his packet ships in other lines of traffic. He built and equipped the steamer United States, on the route between New York and Southampton, but the vessel was sold to the Prussian government for war purposes. He was commissioner of emigration at New York, 1851-55; chairman of the executive committee of the New York Chamber of Commerce for several years; president of the Marine society for twenty years; a trustee of the Sailor's Snug Harbor, and refused the presidency of the Chamber of Commerce, as its acceptance would necessitate his retirement from the former institution. He was a member of the board of pilot commissioners for the port of New York, 1845-65, and aided the Seamen's Fund and Retreat, and the Home for Seamen's Children. He was an original member of the Union Defence Committee organized April 20, 1861; a founder of the Union League club, and its third president. He visited Europe in 1865, and died in New York city Sept. 23, 1865.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Easton, (Washington County) New York

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