Name: Isaac Marston
Bay City, Justice of the Supreme Court of Michigan, was born January 2, 1839, at Poyntzpars, County Armagh, Ireland. His father, Thomas Marston, was of English descent, and the owner of a small estate--in fee--in Ireland, sufficient to support a family of moderate wants; but, as his habits were somewhat extravagant, and the pride of his class would not permit him to engage in business, his property was, at his decease, so encumbered as to be of little value. His family were left nearly without means; but his widow, Amelia Marston, was of the vigorous and sturdy North of Ireland stock,--of a family remarkable for energy and longevity. Her natural business qualifications were excellent. With uncommon force of character, she succeeded in maintaining and educating her children respectably, and apprenticed her son, at the age of thirteen, to a grocer, with whom he remained three years. As the boy matured, he naturally looked beyond the little neighborhood, for a wider field, one better suited to his ambition. He decided to try the New World, to which, in 1856, he emigrated, and began his career on a farm, in Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan. Here, for the pittance of nine dollars a month, he worked to enable himself to add to his knowledge, by further attendance at school. He supplemented his education by reading, with avidity, whatever books fell into his hands. An excellent memory retained all that he thus gathered. In 1859 he enrolled himself as a student at Ann Arbor. His whole stock of money consisted of thirty dollars; but his ambition and his will were not to be checked by any obstacle. "Where there's a will, there's a way" proved a fact in his case. The resident professor in the law school, now Judge Cooley, provided work, by which the young student defrayed his expenses. Here, while a diligent student, his good nature and ready wit won many friends. He graduated in 1861, and it is probably safe to say that few men ever went through college with less money or harder work. Six months of law practice, at Alma, Gratiot County, added to the number of his friends, but did not enrich him financially. Had not his temperament been naturally buoyant, and his determination unconquerable, he would have given up in despair. At the close of a few months' waiting for clients, his office, with such books and valuables as he had collected, was consumed by fire. Still further trial of Gratiot County, at Ithaca, in partnership with Moses Tompkins, proved that it was not, at that time, a suitable place for the exercise of his talents. The population was small, the litigation limited, and the few cases tried were generally managed by counsel from abroad. While at Ithaca, his marriage to Emily Sullivan, of Southfield, took place; an event which added greatly to his happiness. He removed to Bay City in 1862. If Gratiot County seemed a field in which the harvest was thin and the sheaves small, Bay City, for a time, threatened no harvest at all. For three months, the ambitious young lawyer neither saw a client, nor received one dollar for services. This, to a man whose sole acquisition was a wife, was not encouraging. A little business fell into his hands, at the end of that time, which was so promptly and faithfully done, that it became the nucleus of a respectable practice. In 1863 Mr. Marston entered into partnership with Herschel H. Hatch; and, in 1874, by the admission of Edgar A. Cooley, the firm became Marston, Hatch & Cooley. The public appreciation of Mr. Marston's ability elevated him, successively, to Justice of the Peace, Prosecuting Attorney for the county, and City Attorney. While Justice of the Peace, as a member of the Town Board, he performed important service,--in filling the township quota, under the President's call for troops. His duties as Prosecuting Attorney were conscientiously discharged; he spared no fair effort to bring a real offender to justice, but always refused to prosecute, when he did not believe it to be demanded by equity. The practice of the firm became very large. Important cases were constantly requiring their attention; and their skill in the management of these gave them, as early as 1869, a reputation throughout the State. In 1873 Mr. Marston was in the State Legislature; and, the following year, on the resignation of Attorney-General Ball, was appointed, by Governor Bagley, to fill the vacancy. A large amount of business awaited him. He determined that nothing should be left in arrears when his term expired. In January, 1876, a vacancy occurred in the office of Justice of the Supreme Court, by the election of Judge Christiancy to the Senate; and, almost by common consent, Mr. Marston was nominated and elected. He took his seat in April. On the bench, he found two of his preceptors, and, naturally, his associations were exceedingly pleasant. He was diligent and faithful in the discharge of his duties. His opinions were always clear and forcible, as he aimed at strength rather than polish. In politics, Judge Marston has always been a Republican, but he has never felt himself bound by nominations which he could not approve. In 1870, when the Congressional Convention nominated a man whom he believed unfit, he denounced the action, and promised to defeat it if possible. His promise he was able to fulfill. The "boy from Bay," as he was derisively termed, took the stump in favor of an independent candidate. His energy gave him a large following in his own party, and enabled him to succeed in his effort. This bolt led many to predict his political ostracism, but they proved false prophets. Judge Marston joined the Masons, at one time, though press of work has prevented his personal interest for some years. The St. Patrick's Society, of Bay City, made him their President, and he has been an efficient officer; he has labored earnestly, and with great success, to make this a society in which all Irish-Americans can meet on a ground of common brotherhood, and celebrate one day in the year, with a mantle of good fellowship cast over all differences in religious creeds or political associations. Judge Marston, in infancy, was baptized into the Church of England. He now attends the Presbyterian Church. Though making no profession of faith, he recognizes the ordinary observances of Christian people; and his influence is always in favor of morality, sobriety, and good order. His mother lives to enjoy his celebrity. His excellent wife, and four children, constitute a household upon which the sun of affection and cheerfulness perpetually shines. Judge Marston's friends look upon him as still growing and expanding in intellect, and confidently predict that his career as a judge will be unceasingly honorable to himself, and beneficial to the State of his adoption.