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County Commissioner James M. Marshall, aged 81 years, a Civil War Veteran and widely known throughout the county, died on Monday at his home on North Ninth street from a complication of diseases, following a long illness. The deceased, who was a son of Scott and Hannah Ramsay Marshall, was born on a farm in Blacklick township, near Jacksonville.

When a lad of only 14 his sincere patriotism prompted him to enlist in his country's defense and shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War he ran away from home to join the Union forces, but on account of his age was not accepted. The following year he made another unsuccessful attempt to enlist but later was accepted and served as a member of Company D, 206th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers throughout the remainder of the war. Returning to his home county he prepared himself for teaching. He received his early education in the township schools and later in the Jacksonville academy and the Curry institute in Pittsburgh. He attended the Indiana Normal, enrolling as a student in 1876, to better equip him for teaching, having been employed as an instructor In the county schools for some time. Later securing a permanent teacher's certificate he served as principal of several schools in the county where he was employed in the profession of teaching for a period of 20 years.

For many years he was employed as subscription solicitor for a number of newspapers in Indiana and this occupation cultivated for him an acquaintance in all sections of the county. He was occupied for a time in compiling a county history which was published in the seventies and was author of many of the sketches of the publication.

A Republican in politics he was chosen by his party to serve as County Commissioner for four terms, having been elected to this office in 1887, 1908, 1915 and 1927. He also served a portion of an additional term by appointment. He won the distinction of holding this office for a longer period than any other resident of the county being the only one ever elected to a second term. He achieved a record as a faithful public official. When he was inducted into office last January he was suffering a decline in health and during the greater part of the present year was unable to be at his desk.

The deceased, who had been a resident of Indiana for half a century, has occupied the home where he died for the past 40 years. He was married March 3, 1876 to Miss Ida McNulty, of town, who survives with a son, G. Meade Marshall, of Chicago, and a daughter, Mrs. Zilla Anderson, of San Diego, Calif., also a brother, Frank S. Marshall.