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Obit For Curtis Fletcher Marbut
Headline DR. CURTIS MARBUT, BARRY COUNTY PRODUCT, DIES SUNDAY IN MANCHURA

WILL BE BURIED IN OAK HILL CEMETERY AT CASSVILLE

Native Of This County Was On Way To China To Make Soil Survey When Double Pneumonia Kills Him
Text Aug. 25, Word of the death of Dr. Curtis Marbut, chief of the soil survey of the Department of Agriculture and former geology professor at the University of Missouri, in Harbin Manchuria, was received today by the State Department. Dr. Marbut, 72 years old, reached Harbin Monday suffering from pneumonia after a railroad trip from England by way of Moscow. He was on his way to Peiping to study Chinese soils at the request of that Government.

He sailed on a six-months leave of absence from Baltimore July 17 to attend a meeting of the International Conference of Soil Workers in Oxford, England, before going to China. He intended to come back through India to Italy for research work in Rome before returning home.

In charge of the soil survey since 1910, he would have retired from Government service July 1, 1936.

Dr. Marbut was internationally known for his soil research work. In 1919 he made a study of soils in Central America with a party sent under the direction of President Wilson and in 1923 he was member of a party sent to the Amazon River Valley by the Government to study the possibilities of rubber development. He was awarded the Cullum medal of the American Geographical Society in 1929 for research conducted into Africa soils and the next year, after a trip to Russia, published a study of wheat production possibilities in that country.

Born July 19, 1863, near Verona Mo., he was graduated from the University of Missouri in 1889. And received a graduate degree from Harvard in 185?. (Wrong date). He later received honorary degrees from the University of Missouri and Rutgers College. He joined the University of Missouri faculty in 185?, [date not complete] serving until 1910.

Arrangements are being made to have the body cremated and returned to Cassville, Mo., for burial.

Thus passes an outstanding son of Barry County, a man whom every civilized nation interested in soil and in agricultural progress has used. Down near McDowell, Dr. Marbut was building a house in which he had expected to retire soon. In fact, he had retirement in sight when he started work on the house last year, but he was drafted for some work up at the University of Missouri and shortly he was back in the harness of going good, and other countries were calling for his services. Mr. Marbut was born near Verona, Mo., July 19, 1863.

He was graduated from the University of Missouri in 1889. he later received honorary degrees from the university and from Rutgers College. He joined the staff of the University of Missouri in 1895, serving until 1910. Since that time he had been sent on government missions and had been used by the university from time to time.

Mrs. Marbut died several years ago and is buried at Cassville. That is where the ashes of Dr. Marbut is expected to be burial.

Five children survive: Mrs. Leroy Moomaw of Dinkinson, N.D., T. Fiske Marbut of Emporia, Kas., Dr. W. Martin Marbut, Echo, Ore., Helen Marbut, Harrisonburg, Va. And Frederick B. Marbut of Washington, D.C. Jake and Ethel Marbut are brothers of Dr. Marbut and Vede and Clint Marbut are cousins. Mrs. Marbut, whose maiden name was Martin, died in Columbia in 1909 of pneumonia.

In the news dispatches, Verona is given as Dr. Marbut’s birthplace, but that is because Verona was the post office of those who lived in the Marbut Valley, or Little Flat creek in those old days. The new home which Dr. Marbut has under construction is a short distance down the valley road from the Marbut spring and thence up a little ravine in a secluded spot. It is near the spot where his father settled something like 100 years ago.
Newspaper or Funeral Home Cassville Democrat
Date Aug. 29, 1935
Death Cert Link -
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Submitted by Barbara Erwin