Thomas Marshall (Virginia politician, born 1730)

Thomas Marshall (1730-1802) was a prominent figure in the early history of Kentucky and Virginia. Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, he was a surveyor, soldier, and politician. He served in the Virginia House of Burgesses and later the Virginia Convention, contributing to the movement for independence from Great Britain.

Marshall was a close friend of George Washington and served under him in the French and Indian War. He was actively involved in land speculation in Kentucky, and he moved his family there in the late 1780s, establishing a home at Buck Pond near Versailles. He held several important offices in Kentucky, including member of the Kentucky legislature.

He is perhaps most well-known as the father of John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Thomas Marshall played a significant role in shaping his son's early education and instilled in him a strong sense of civic duty and public service. His influence extended to the development of law and governance in the young United States through his son's later work. He died in Kentucky in 1802.