 Thomas Marshall was born in North Manchester , Indiana on March 14 , 1854 . Two years later , a sister was born , but she died in infancy . Martha had contracted tuberculosis , which Daniel believed to be the cause of their infant daughter 's poor health . While Marshall was still a young boy , his family moved several times in search of a good climate for Daniel to attempt different " outdoor cures " on Martha . They moved first to Quincy , Illinois in 1857 . Daniel Marshall was a supporter of the American Union and a staunch Democrat , and took his son to the Lincoln and Douglas debate in Freeport in 1858 . There the four @-@ year @-@ old Marshall met Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln and sat on the lap of whichever candidate was not speaking . He later referred to this as one of his earliest and most cherished memories . 
