Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGIIA1M COUNTY

Capitol City should be the scene of his future labors. He returned in the fall of 1866. Elisha Turner and his brother, James
Turner (who were doubtless relatives of the Dr Turner who
wrote the article referred to) befriended the young physician as
much as his independent spirit would allow.
WORKED WITH FATHER.
Before taking up the study of medicine the doctor had assisted
his father as contractor and builder. In the early months when
patients were scarce lie made use of this early training by building
himself a little office on Franklin Avenue between the bridge and
Washington Avenue. Ile boarded with other young men with a
widow who kept a boarding house on Turner street. The doctor's
mother had been dead for many years, therefore, the socks of her
knitting mentioned in the previous article were as much a myth as
Dr. Turner's enumeration of other articles of Dr. Marshall's
early equipment for practice.
The skill of the energetic little doctor soon brought him a
thriving practice. As little attention was paid to road building
in those days, roads were often impassable; he spent many hours
on horseback visiting the sick on the outlying farms.
The buck-board of those early days was later replaced by a
buggy of his own invention; a skeleton affair with side springs and
a swinging seat, which saved his delicate back from the jars of
rutty roads. The mud-spattered buggy with the small black
horse and the doctor's musical whistle were familiar sights and
sounds by day or night for many years as he answered the call of
his fellow man for help.
On Dec. 1, 1870, Dr. Marshall married Sarah Metlin after a
year of courtship. Maggie Metlin, whom Dr. Turner credits the
doctor with marrying, was an older sister. The statement that a
wife was selected for him by his lady patients is also fiction. The
suggestion was doubtless made but the doctor's fearless and determined character would never allow anyone to make his choices
or decisions for him.
BUILT HOME.
The doctor and his bride made their home for one year in a
house at the southeast corner of Seymour and Maple streets