Robert David Hunter Marshall was born on March 15, 1853, the son of Reverend James Marshall and Elizabeth Smith Marshall. He married his cousin’s widow, my great, great grandmother Katherine Cartwright. He had one child Robert David Marshall and two step children George C. Marshall and Lillie Marshall.
Robert David (R.D.) Marshall Sr. served as Sheriff of Davidson County for two terms from 1887 to 1891. He also served in the Tennessee State Legislature for two terms representing the 23rd District. (McBride, 1979, page 599) “Uncle Bob” was a strong member of the Democratic Party and was well known for his whole hog barbeques on the farm. When campaigning for office, he was a logical orator and farmer who knew what farmers wanted.
In a November 27, 1917 newspaper article from the Tennessean he thanked voters after he lost his last election for magistrate. “I was constable in the county for six years, Sheriff for two terms, served in the Legislature in 1883–‐1885–‐and 1899–‐1901 and have been elected to magistrate three times. …I have no grievance on account of my defeat. Never in any previous race in which I was a candidate was I beaten: I ran for one office too often.”
R.D. Marshall and Katherine Cartwright had a son named Robert David Marshall born Aug.31, 1895 in Whites Creek. His 16th birthday party/hayride was captured in an article in the Tennessean dated Sept 1, 1910.
The party left the home of Mr. and Mrs. Allen P. Connell where the host is spending the summer at 5:30 in the afternoon and drove out on Paradise Ridge to Devil’s hole, where a picnic supper was served. The merry party returned late into the evening. Mrs. O.L. Bryan was the chaperone, Maud Lindley, Grace Baker, Freddie Lee Bryan, Effie Smith, Annie Owens, Janie Peach, Amy Duke, Myrtle Owen, Nalla Knight and Messrs. Robert Marshall, Douglas White, Howard Travis, Hubert Cunningham, Jennings Bryan, James Owen, Charlie Peach and Robert Peach.
R.D. Marshall went to school at the Wallace Academy, now MBA. He served in World War I as a private in the 209th Engineer Division. He married Georgia Smith who was by all accounts a real character with a great sense of humor and they had a daughter Katherine Cartwright Marshall. Active in Democratic politics, he became the head of the Tennessee Highway department and then ran for Sheriff of Davidson County, where he won the election in 1940. He was the vice president of the then newly formed Tennessee Prison Association. One year later, he suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 45.
Their home was one of the oldest log cabins in Davidson County (Edgerton, 1979), located on Whites Creek Pike. He was easily spotted in the Whites Creek Community by his long black car and members of the community fondly recall the large picnics and barbeques that fed the Davidson county political scene. His funeral was held at his home. The pallbearers were Tom Proctor, Sam Hunt, Hubert Cunningham, James O Bess, Jake Petway, Jim Richardson, Kennard Grimes and Allen Connell.
Submitted by Angela Williams