Charles Marshall was born and educated in eastern Nebraska and spent his farming career in western Nebraska as a wheat and cattle producer. He was a life-long leader in farm organizations and a noted speaker on agriculture and rural-urban relations respected for his integrity and ability to understand agricultural issues. Charles unselfishly served in civic and community affairs and was a Lay leader in his church.
Ladies and gentlemen:
This, our Centennial has been a great year for Nebraska, since it is also the Golden Anniversary of the recognition of honorees, it is a great year for the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement.
Tonight we have gathered to pay tribute to one of Nebraska’s great men of agriculture -- Charles Marshall of Avoca. The contributions of Charles Marshall to agriculture -- and to Nebraska have been so great and of such a varied nature that it is impossible to enumerate them all -- in the time allotted to me.
The life of Charles Marshall reads like an Algier book. From humble beginning -- the life of a farm boy -- work with his hands -- milking cows -- chores -- hard work in the fields, and long hours. A busy life -- with always a helping hand for others. The making of a man -- a man who was destined to travel far up the ladder of accomplishments -- to many lands -- the far away places of the world. Honors were to come to him. He is known -- and has spoken in nearly every State in the Union. Many times he has been called to Washington to testify before Congressional Committees. Through all of this he has remained the same friendly, dedicated person that he has always been -- a man’s man -- facing the future unafraid.
Charles Marshall was born on a farm near Ashland in Saunders County, Nebraska. His life has been devoted to service related to farming and ranching. He lives on a farm today near Avoca.
On the 31st day of March, in 1923, Charles married Alma Clara Oehlerking at Clay Center, Nebraska. They were married by Mrs. Marshall’s uncle, who was pastor of the E.U.B. Church in Clay Center.
Mrs. Marshall lived on a farm near Wabash, Nebraska. In the absence of her mother, she being the eldest of four children, became the homemaker at the age of 12 years. This early experience must have been most helpful to her, since Charles says that Alma has been an inspiration to him throughout their almost 45 years of married life.
Two children were born to the Marshalls. A daughter who died in infancy and their son Clark -- a Captain in the Air Force, now stationed in the Azores, where he lives with his wife Penny and their three children -- Scott, Stacey and Shana.
The Marshall’s farmed for three years in Eastern Nebraska, Mrs. Marshall taught school for four years, and Charles drove an early day version of the modern school bus -- they called it a “kid wagon” in those days and it was a model T ford car. He did this for two years.
They plated their first wheat in Perkins County in the fall of 1925, and as Charles says -- “suit case farmed” until 1930, when they moved to a farm northeast of Grant.
Many of the accomplishments of Charles might be attributed to the varied fields in which he gained valuable experience. During the fall and winter of 1928-29 he delivered and demonstrated I.H.C. farm machinery for a firm in Porterville, California -- traveling the San Joaquin Valley from Bakersfield to Fresno. During the fall of 1929 and a portion of the winter of 1930, he worked as a postal clerk in the Lincoln Post Office.
The Marshalls lived for 11 years on the farm Northeast of Grant, in Perkins County. In 1941 they moved to the ranch they own today -- just south of the small town of Grandon, in Perkins County. Their cattle brand is the Star C. While they still live near Avoca they make many trips to the high plains wheat and cattle country of Southwest, Nebraska, and we would like to get them back. This high plains country where it “takes the sun longer to go down” has a charm all of its own -- and we feel that the Marshalls miss it. We Westerners feel that Eastern, Nebraska has had these fine folks “on loan” long enough, and it is high time that they return to the plains.
It was in Perkins County that Charlie started his long and varied career of public service. He became the first farmer member of the Grant Commercial Club and a charter member of the Grant Rotary Club. He served as administrator of the C.C. Lyon Estate -- a very large estate with many business interests. He supervised the measurements for the first Farm Program Aerial Maps in Perkins County. He also carried one end of a surveyor chain over most of the county. He became the first Chairman of the Corn-Hog Program of the A.A.A. in the early 1930’s.
He supervised a team of men who sold stock in the first Co-op refinery at Philipsburg, Kansas -- through Western Nebraska, Eastern Colorado and Northwest Kansas. He also organized and managed the retail stations in Phillips County, Kansas, for two years, while his brother Ray ran the Perkins County farm. He also organized and was the first President of the Co-op Credit Union for the Co-op and refinery employees.
The following is a partial list of the duties and honors that came to our Honoree as he gained State and National recognition.
Perkins County Fair Manager and Secretary.
Perkins County Farm Bureau President.
Board Member of the Grant Co-op Oil Company.
President of Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation 21 years.
President of Nebraska Non-Stock Cooperative Ass’n. 21 years.
President of Farm Bureau Insurance Company of Nebraska.
President of Farm and Ranch Supply Company of Nebraska.
Member of Board of Directors of American Agricultural Re-Insurance Corporation.
Member of first Board of Directors, American Agricultural Marketing Ass’n, Farm Bureau Trade Ass’n, and Farm Bureau Mutual Investment Company.
One of the American Farm Bureau Federation representatives to the International Federation of Agriculture, Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya Colony of British East Africa in 1954.
First Secretary of the National Agriculture Hall of Fame. Later served several years as Vice-President of the same organization, and is on the Board of Governors at present.
Was a member of the Agricultural Research Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Eisenhower Administration.
Recent Honors are -- The Distinguished Service Award of the Nebraska County Agricultural Agents Association and “Nebraska Agriculture’s Man of the Year Award” from the Nebraska Associated Industries.
During all of these activities he found time to serve as Sunday School teacher, Superintendent and Secretary of his church at different times. He was Deacon of the Congregational Church in Grant for many years, Lay Speaker of the Methodist Church in Elmwood, and is at present Chairman of the Board of Trustees of his church.
He has been active in civic and local organizations -- such as School Board member, Rotary Club member, and is a 32nd Degree Mason and Shriner.
In 1939 Charlie wishing further public service, filed for a seat in the Unicameral Legislature from the 37th District. Carrying his own county of Perkins by a landslide vote, he came within 26 votes of being elected. His opponent was a well known man, seeking his second term. Charlie would have made an excellent legislator, but was destined for a broader field of endeavor.
Our Honoree has always been interested in rural-urban relations and served for three years as Chairman of the Rural-Urban Relations Committee of the Lincoln Rotary Club. He also served a number of years on the Taxation and Agricultural Committees of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
His duties have taken him to meetings in many foreign lands -- Egypt, the Holy Land, India, Thailand, Hawaii, Rhodesia, and the Union of South Africa. Recently the Marshalls visited their son and his family in the Azores.
A long, varied and useful career. One of a family of six brothers, he is the only one who has had his home in Nebraska throughout life. A record for all Nebraskans to be proud of, and an inspiration to the young man of today, who wishes to make Nebraska’s basic industry his life work.
As president of the powerful Farm Bureau Federation in Nebraska for 21 years, Charlie Marshall has never hesitated to take a stand -- for or against -- anything that he felt was good -- or bad for agriculture -- and Nebraska. He was at all times, a gentleman, and was highly respected by those who may not have agreed with him. The Farm Bureau in Nebraska has grown by leaps and bounds, under the guidance of our Honoree, and has played an important part in bringing to Nebraska a new and fairer method of taxation.
Tonight Charles Marshall becomes the Golden Anniversary Honoree of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. He joins a long list of distinguished Nebraskans.
I wish that Clark and his family could have been with us tonight -- to share with Mrs. Marshall the pride and joy that she feels for her distinguished husband, with whom she has travelled these 45 years -- up the ladder of success.
We of the Nebraska Hall are honored to have him with us, and you may rest assured that wherever he may travel -- to other States -- or Foreign lands -- he will always be -- Charlie Marshall of Nebraska.
