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In an era when their contemporaries were
marrying for wealth and position, John Marshall and Mary "Polly" Willis Amber
married for love. It was a love that was to last a lifetime and
influence the career decisions of a major figure in American history.
John Marshall, who
was to become Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, met Polly Ambler when
she was a girl of 14. When Marshall first proposed Polly burst into tears; he
was taken aback and left in despair. A cousin of Polly's caught up with
Marshall as he was leaving and gave him a lock of Polly's hair. Marshall kept
the talisman and proposed again several years later. She accepted and they
were married in 1783 when he was 28 and she was 17.
Along with his good
fortune in obtaining the hand of the girl he loved, Marshall also inherited
the law practice of Edmund Randolph who relinquished it to run for governor of
Virginia. With this practice and his own clients, Marshall had a thriving
practice. He also had a growing family and in 1788 John Marshall purchased a
one-block lot in the center of Richmond. While their house was being built
the Marshalls lived in a small two-story cottage on the grounds. They moved
into the two-story brick house in 1790. The main house still stands, though
the large kitchen dependency, laundry, smokehouse, carriage house and
Marshall's law office are gone.
The John Marshall
House itself has been open to the public since 1913, and it contains the
largest collection of Marshall memorabilia in existence. The Marshall silver,
returned to the house for his 225th birthday celebration, is here as is the
French porcelain purchased by Marshall when he was Ambassador to France in
1797. His wife’s invalidism and nervous disorders meant that Marshall did
far more of the housework and child care than men typically did in the 18th
century. Although Polly did not enjoy entertaining, he frequently invited 30
fellow attorneys for his "lawyer dinners."
His tenure as
ambassador was one of the rare times Marshall accepted an appointment away from
Richmond. As chief justice, he was able to do much of the case work at home.
When you look at the portrait of Polly Marshall at age 33, you can see why he
was reluctant to leave her. She was a gorgeous woman despite her ill health
that came in part, from bearing 10 children and suffering several miscarriages.
Marshall also had health problems; he had over 1,000 gallstones removed with
only alcohol for an anesthetic. Despite their problems both lived long lives,
Polly Marshall to age 66 and John to just prior to his 80th birthday.
John Marshall may well have attributed some of
his long life to his wine cellar. He spent a tenth of his income on wine.
His Richmond home boasted a superb wine cellar that has been restored. A
reproduction of a sundial John Marshall set in place in the 18th century can be
seen on the lawn.
The John Marshall
House is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Admission
is charged, either for this house alone or as a Court End block ticket that
provides reduced admission to three houses and St. John’s Church on a
self-guided walking tour which includes ten additional points of interest. The
block ticket provides admission to the Marshall House, the Wickham-Valentine
House and the John Brockenbrough House which served as the White House of the
Confederacy (see selections).
Directions: From I-95
south, take Exit 74C to Broad Street west. Travel to 9th Street and make a
right. The John Marshall House in at 818 East Marshall Street on the corner of
9th and Marshall streets.
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