Martin Marsh (1777-July 26, 1865) was a

mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

, tavern keeper, and businessman from

Dedham, Massachusetts Dedham ( ) is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 25,364 at the 2020 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest b ...

. He built 19 Court Street in Dedham.

Personal life

Marsh was born in

Hingham, Massachusetts Hingham ( ) is a town in metropolitan Greater Boston on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts in northern Plymouth County. At the 2020 census, the population was 24,284. Hingham is known for its colonial history and location on B ...

in 1777 and moved to Dedham as a young adult. He joined the

First Church and Parish in Dedham First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

and became a deacon there. He was responsible for managing the church's finances. Marsh was a large landowner in Dedham. He was married for nearly 66 years at the time of his death. Marsh had a son, Henry. He was a

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

and a charter member of the Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves, which was formed at his tavern. He died in Dedham July 26, 1865.

Public life

Marsh was described as "public spirited ndat all times ready to aid in whatever might contribute to the improvement of society." For 36 years, he was chairman of the Board of Overseers of the House of Correction. He was also a selectman in Dedham for several terms. He was connected with the Fire Department in 1802 and was a candidate for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1844.

Career

Marsh was a mason by trade. By 1803, he was successful enough to advertise for an apprentice. Marsh was repeatedly reëlected as a Director and Treasurer of the Norfolk Insurance Company and was "a watchful guardian of the interests" of the Dedham Institution for Savings.

Norfolk House

During the first few years of the 19th century, several turnpikes, including those linking

Boston and Providence The Boston and Providence Railroad was a railroad company in the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island which connected its namesake cities. It opened in two sections in 1834 and 1835 - one of the first rail lines in the United States - with a ...

and Dedham and Hartford, were laid through Dedham. Inns and taverns sprung up along the new roads as more than 600 coaches would pass through Dedham each day on their way to Boston or Providence. As many as 40 coaches passed through town every day, and Dedham was the first stop on the way to Providence, or the last stop on the way to Boston. In 1802, Marsh built his brick home at what is today 19 Court Street and was then right on one of the new turnpikes. He obtained a 999-year lease from First Church for the land on June 15, 1801, for $30 a year. Marsh leased an adjoining parcel from the church on similar terms in 1809. He saw the traffic flowing daily past his house and quickly turned his home into a tavern. His establishment, the Norfolk House, like the other inns and taverns in Dedham at that time, were bustling with the arrival of both the turnpikes and the courts. The tavern was affiliated with the

Tremont Stagecoach Line Tremont may refer to: Places * Tremont, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia * Tremont, Nova Scotia, Canada United States * Tremont, Illinois * Tremont, Indiana * Tremont, Maine * Tremont, Mississippi * Tremont, Bronx, New York * Tremont, ...

. It had a fierce competition with the Phoenix Hotel's

Citizen Stagecoach Line Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...

. Though he wanted to sell it as early as 1814, Marsh maintained the tavern until 1818, and then sold it to Moses Gray and Francis Alden.

Notes

References

Works cited

* * {{Authority control Dedham, Massachusetts selectmen Deacons at First Church and Parish in Dedham Businesspeople from Dedham, Massachusetts