Editing Thomas R. Marshall (section)

===Law practice===
[[File:Thomas Marshall, bain photo portrait, circa 1912.jpg|thumb|Marshall c. 1912]]
Marshall opened a law practice in Columbia City in 1876, taking on many minor cases. After gaining prominence, he accepted [[William F. McNagny]] as a partner in 1879 and began taking many criminal defense cases. The two men functioned well as partners. McNagny was better educated in law and worked out their legal arguments. Marshall, the superior orator, argued the cases before the judge and jury. Their firm became well known in the region after they handled a number of high-profile cases.<ref>{{harvnb|Bennett|2007|p=22}}</ref> In 1880 Marshall ran for public office for the first time as the Democratic candidate for his district's prosecuting attorney.<ref name = g283>Gray 1977, p. 283.</ref> The district was a Republican stronghold, and he was defeated. About the same time, he met and began to court Kate Hooper, and the two became engaged to marry. Kate died of an illness in 1882, one day before they were to be wed. Her death was a major emotional blow to Marshall, leading him to become an alcoholic.<ref>{{harvnb|Bennett|2007|p=23}}</ref><ref name = g284>Gray 1977, p. 284.</ref>

Marshall lived with his parents into his thirties. His father died in the late 1880s and his mother died in 1894, leaving him with the family estate and business. In 1895, while working on a case, Marshall met [[Lois Irene Marshall|Lois Kimsey]] who was working as a clerk in her father's law firm.<ref name = g284/> Despite their nineteen-year age difference, the couple fell in love and married on October 2.<ref name = b46>{{harvnb|Bennett|2007|p=46}}</ref> The Marshalls had a close marriage and were nearly inseparable, and spent only two nights apart during their nearly thirty-year marriage.<ref>{{harvnb|Bennett|2007|p=47}}</ref>

Marshall's alcoholism had begun to interfere with his busy life before his marriage. He arrived at court [[hang over|hung-over]] on several occasions and was unable to keep his addiction secret in his small hometown. His wife helped him to overcome his drinking problem and give up liquor after she locked him in their home for two weeks to undergo a treatment regimen.<ref name = b46/> Thereafter, he became active in [[temperance movement in Indiana|temperance]] organizations and delivered several speeches about the dangers of liquor. Although he had stopped drinking, his past alcoholism was later raised by opponents during his gubernatorial election campaign.<ref name = g235>Gugin and St. Clair, eds., 2006, p. 235.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Bennett|2007|p=74}}</ref>

Marshall remained active in the Democratic party after his 1880 defeat and began stumping for other candidates and helping to organize party rallies across the state. His speeches were noted for their partisanship, but his rhetoric gradually shifted away from a conservative viewpoint in the 1890s as he began to identify himself with the growing [[progressive movement]].<ref>Gray 1977, p. 285.</ref> He became a member of the state Democratic Central Committee in 1904, a position that raised his popularity and influence in the party.<ref name = g234/><ref name="b46"/><ref>Gray 1977, p. 286.</ref>

Marshall and his wife were involved in several private organizations. He was active in the Presbyterian Church, taught Sunday school, and served on the county fair board. As he grew wealthy from his law firm he became involved in local charities. An enthusiastic [[Freemasonry|Mason]] in Columbia City Lodge No. 189 in the [[Grand Lodge of Indiana]], he was a governing member of the state's [[York Rite]] bodies, awarded the thirty-third degree of the [[Scottish Rite]] in 1898, and became an Active member of the [[Supreme Council, Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction, USA|Supreme Council, Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction]] in 1911. He remained a passionate Freemason until his death and served on several Masonic charitable boards. After his death, the $25,000 cost of erecting his mausoleum in Indianapolis' Crown Hill Cemetery was gratefully paid for by the Scottish Rite NMJ Supreme Council.<ref>Denslow, William R., "10,000 Famous Freemasons, Vol. 3." (Revised, reprint edition: 2007, Cornerstone Book Publishing), pp. 152–153.</ref>