Discoveries await at the Marshall library genealogy room | Director learns more about local ties

Life is a funny thing. When I took the job as library director back in 2004, my family (primarily located in Weston) told me they were so happy to have me located back in Marshall because of the family history in Marshall.

As many of the people they were referring to passed on either before I was born or while I was quite young, I didn't realize the extent of my family's connection to Marshall.

It turns out that my family has been in the Marshall since 1848 or 1849 when my great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Flynn, moved to area. He married a local girl from Shackelford -- Bridget Holms.

My great-grandfather was named John W. Crow (also known as Pat). He moved to Marshall in 1909 -- the same year he married Frances Flynn, daughter of James R. Flynn and Mary Ellen Clements and granddaughter of Thomas and Bridget Flynn. He worked for the Rea & Page Milling Company for 40 years.

John W. Crow was a long-time friend of Leo Hayob and served as a Marshall City Councilman for eight years. Frances and John W. Crow had two children: my great-uncle J.W. Crow and my grandma Mary Ruth Crow. Mary Ruth married a man from Weston (north of Kansas City) and that's where I spent most of my childhood.

Several of these people are buried out at the Ridge Park Cemetery.

And in a strange twist of fate, two of my great-great-aunts (from the Weston branch of the family) were nuns who came to Marshall in 1925 and taught at the Zion Academy (later known as Mercy Academy.)

You may ask: how did I learn all this? One of the library's jewels is the Maggie Duggins Genealogy Room and we have a volunteer extraordinaire in Marvin Wilhite. Marvin was the first to tell me that I had a lot of family history in Marshall. I was amazed when he gave me this information.

The Maggie Duggins Genealogy Room started its summer hours this week. They have an average of 600 visitors a year who make use of the resources there. And that number doesn't include the phone call and email requests the staff handles. They are now open on Monday and Tuesday evenings until 8 pm and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I invite you to stop by and explore!

And for the history buffs, don't forget History Speaks: Interviews With The Past on March 22 at 6:30 pm. Bryan Berlin will be portraying this local figure and Anita Wright will be interviewing him as he shares the legacy of Russell Nicholas and Howard Beazley -- both fascinating members of Saline County History.

New materials
Fiction
--"The Thief" by Clive Cussler (thriller)
--"Cinnamon Roll Murder" by Joanne Fluke (mystery)
--"The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman (historical)
--"Honor Redeemed" by Loree Lough (inspirational)
--"Lone Wolf" by Jodi Picoult (general)
--"The Fourth Wall" by Walter Jon Williams (science fiction).

Non-Fiction
--"The Mormon People" by Matthew Bowman
--"Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me" by Mindy Kaling
--"My Friend Tom" by William Jay Smith.
**Have a question? Want to make a suggestion? Amy can be reached at

crumpa@marshallpublib.org