Deacon Horatio Marsh was one of the very first settlers of Windom. He, with several others, brought their families from West Union in May 1856, and settled in the vicinity of Saints Rest. Mr. Marsh was born in Vermont in 1802, the second o nine children.

When he was 19 years old his parents removed to New York, where he remained twenty eight years. During these years he engaged in the saw and grist mill business. June 1831, he wedded Cynthia Rose. She still survives him, residing in Austin.

In 1854 Mr. Marsh and John Rose brought their families to West Union, but remained there only to raise one crop. The journey to Windom was indeed a hard one, often all the fourteen yoke of oxen and two span of horses being utilized to draw on load through the muddy sloughs.

After eight days they arrived finding only one house, the inmates of which were unable to furnish one meal. They immediately began building log houses and raised a crop of potatoes and some breaking was done the first season.

During the summer of 1857 there were less than 50 sunny days. The crops mildewed and nothing could be hauled with a team. Mr. Marsh always took great interest in religion, and often opened his home for services. In 1880 he came with his wife to live in Austin. June 1881 the aged couple went to Beloit to reside with their adopted son, Forest, and here ended the deacon's peaceful, godly life in 1888.

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Submitted to MnGenWeb by Darrel K. Waters