Humphry Marshall’s 300th Birthday Anniversary was celebrated in October, 2020, where visitors learned about Humphry Marshall (1722-1801) and how he became America’s preeminent botanist and horticulturist.

The special day also saw the opening of the newly created Humphry Marshall Park as well as recognition the many historic landmarks including the ruins of Martin's Tavern (1764), the Blacksmith Shop (1750), a Heritage Center, and the Trimbleville Historic Interpretive Marker.

 

Who was Humphry Marshall?

Humphry Marshall (1722-1801), the namesake of Marshallton, Chester County, was a celebrated botanist and scientist who played a role in America’s transformation from a frontier wilderness to a productive landscape. As a Quaker, Humphry was not active in the American Revolution, but he saw himself as an American and encouraged his fellow colonists to understand and capitalize on the country’s native plants and natural assets. In his lifetime, Marshall was known for his contributions to astronomy, meteorology, agriculture, and natural science. Today, he is best known as the author of Arbustum Americanum (1785), the first publication and catalogue of native plants, shrubs, and trees written by an American and published in America.