My Genealogy Hound

Marcellus Ketchum, hotel-keeper and farmer, at Knobel, Clay County, Ark., was born in Williamson County, Ill., in 1852, being the third of seven children born to Jesse and Elizabeth (McCowan) Ketchum, who were born in North Carolina and Illinois, respectively. The maternal grandfather, who was a native of Ireland, became an early settler of Illinois. Jesse Ketchum followed the occupation of farming throughout life and died when his son Marcellus was a child. The latter has been familiar with farm life from early boyhood, but received little or no educational advantages in youth. At the age of nineteen years he began farming for himself in his native State, which occupation he followed there until 1877, then coming to Clay County, Ark., where he resumed farming near Peach Orchard. In 1887 he bought property in the village of Knobel and opened a hotel, but still continues his agricultural pursuits in the vicinity. He has about fifty acres devoted to raising such crops as are intended for feeding stock, his hogs amounting to about 100 head and his cattle to thirty. In his political views he is conservative, and always votes for whom he considers the best man. In 1873 he was married to Miss Mary Jane Fozzard, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Edward Fozzard, who was captain of Company G, Eighty-first Illinois Cavalry. He was a well-known farmer of Williamson County and died in 1876. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum two children have been born: Minnie and Lebert Otto. Mr. Ketchum is an enterprising citizen and is rapidly becoming identified with the growth and prosperity of his section.