WILLIAM C. MARR
William C. Marr, one of the proprietors of the Marr Novelty Works at Onawa, came to that city in July 1870, and shortly after entered into partnership with J.S. Maughlin, and engaged in carpentering, and wood work. M. B. Pullen, became a member of the firm which remained in business until 1878 when it was dissolved, and the present institution established.
Mr. Marr was born in Norfolk County, Canada, February 9, 1824, and is the son of David Marr, whose father was David Marr also. In the district schools of that locality he received the elements of an excellent education, which, with the characteristic intelligence of his race, for he is a descendant of the head of the clan of Mar, famous in Scottish history, he has much increased by reading. He learned the trade of a worker in wood of his father in early manhood. In 1856, he came to the United States and settled in Olmstead County, Minnesota, where in company with his brother, John H. Marr and S.G. Emes, he erected a sawmill. Owing to the hard times consequent upon the financial crisis of 1857, this speculation failed and he lost all his little capital. He then removed to Eldorado, Fayette County, Iowa, and bought a mill on Turkey River, but disposed of it four years afterward and moved to Dunn County, Wisconsin. He engaged in the lumber business there, but in 1868 sold out and came to Jackson County, Iowa, and from the latter to this county, as stated above.
Mr. Marr is the patentee of a number of useful inventions, among the most important of which are a sulky scraper, combined bitstock, combination washer and wringer, spiral conveyors for flouring mills, parallel plyers and many others. In 1882, he was sent to the Republic of Mexico by a mining company, to erect their stamp mills and was there a twelvemonth.
Mr. Marr is a member of the Prohibition party in politics, viewing with alarm the growth of the rum power in the Government of our company. He served as a member of the School Board and as Justice of the Peace for a number of years. He is a member of Vesper Lodge No. 223, A.F. & A. M., at Onawa, having been made a mason in 1858, at Pleasant Grove Minnesota.
In 1844, Mr. Marr was united in marriage with Miss Catherine S. Emes, by whom he had two children, both of whom are deceased. She died in 1854. He afterward married Mehetabel T. Emes, who was born in New Jersey, in 1825. By this union, he has had two children, one of whom is now living. Nahum C., born November 24, 1859. John Odell Emes, the father of Mrs. Marr, was born in New York, December 9. 1796. When he was but six years of age, his mother died and he was brought up by an uncle. Married in 1821, in 1835 he removed to upper Canada where he lived until 1863 and then came to Wisconsin. He accompanied Mr. Marr to Onawa in 1870, and died here February 9, 1889. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1837, and retained fellowship with the denomination for forthy-three years.
Mr. and Mrs. Marr are zealous members of the Methodist Church with which they united about 1842, and are foremost in all religious and educational work in the community.
Methodist Epicopal Church Society—The Methodist Episcopal Society was organized October 9th, 1870, by Rev. J.F. Walker, who was the first pastor.
The successive pastors were: Revs. L. H. Woodworth, A.L. Mattison, O.S. Bryan, J.B. Starkey, J. Warner, H.W. Jones, S.W. Owen, C.E. Chase, F.A. Burdick and A.J. Beebe, the latter being the present pastor. The edifice now in use was built in 1873, at a cost of $2,000. The society had previously held services in the public school house. The present membership is forty-three. The society has a parsonage, which was built in 1873, during Rev. Starkey's pastoral term. There is also a Sabbath School with about seventy-five pupils, the superintendent of which is Miss D.E. Smith. The present Trustees of the society are: M.W. Bacon, S.W. Grow, L.D. Sittle, W.C. Marr and T.C. Walton.
MARR FAMILY LINKS
