Thomas R. Marshall House

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Yet another Hoosier who served as Vice President was Thomas Marshall. He was born in North Manchester, Indiana onMarch 14, 1854 and was the only son of Daniel
M. and Martha A. Marshall. From the age of six until he departed for Wabash College, Marshall lived in Pierceton, Indiana. He graduated from Wabash in 1873 and then moved to Columbia City. There, he studied law under the direction of Judge Walter Olds (a future Indiana Supreme Court justice) and passed the bar exam by 1875. Within two years, Marshall had started his own practice with William F. McNagny.

Marshall’s first attempt at elected office was unsuccessful. He ran for district attorney in 1880 and lost. He wouldn’t run for another public office until his 1908 campaign for governor. This was followed in 1912 by a successful
attempt at Vice President. He was Woodrow Wilson’s running mate and the pair ended up serving two terms (1912-1920) although they almost lost the second time to
Republicans Charles Evan Hughes
and Charles Fairbanks (a fellow Hoosier). Marshall wanted the Democratic nomination in 1921, but the Democrats chose James M. Cox instead. He returned to Indiana and continued to lecture. He died in 1925 from a heart attack.

Marshall married later in life. He was 41 when he married Lois Kimsey in 1895. They purchased the house at 108 West Jefferson Street and lived there for over 30
years. Currently owned by the Whitley County Historical Society, the house has been restored and serves as a house museum.