Dr. Charles H. Marshall, Dr. C. Herbert Marshall Jr., Charles Marshall, III, Raleigh Marshall
Dr. Charles H Marshall arrive from Virginia in 1894 and opened an office in this home.
His son, Dr. C Herbert Marshall, Jr who attended Dartmouth and graduated from Howard University and later its medical school, continued that practice next door at 2712 P Street until the mid-1970’s. The younger Dr. Marshall would talk about the diseases prevalent in the so-called “slum” alley dwelling and his father’s dedication to serving even the poorest African American families: “People would put up big sign, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Smallpox or whatever it was. But my father put on his white jacket, got on his horse, Prince, at Palmer’s Livery and his buggy, and went anyway to help them.” The second Marshall Jr. continued his father’s tradition of public service. Charles Mitchell, III remembers his father as the designated spokesman for the African American community. Under C. Herbert Jr.’s dynamic leadership the Rock Creek Citizen Association, founded in 1916, African Americans in Georgetown became quite civic minded and influential in decision making in Georgetown involving police conduct, better streetlights, alley and street cleaning. The organization also was instrumental in petitioning for the removal of “ For Colored Only” signs leading to Rose Park becoming the first integrated playground in the District of Columbia.. By the time Charles Marshall III took control of the helm, he lamented that not enough children remained in Georgetown to field a softball team.
The family owned several properties on P Street and Poplar Alley.
The Great Grandmother of Charles Jr. named Melinda was a slave of Chief Justice John Marshall who moved from a plantation in Nokesville, Va. to a small town called Amissville near Warrenton in Rappahannock County. She had 5, possibly 6 children, including Charles Sr. Charles Sr. moved to Washington, DC and put himself through college and medical school and married a woman from Buxton Iowa. That union produced their only child, Charles, Junior.
(Source: Black Georgetown Remembered )
