Miss Darst's Family

Marion Curtis Darst a.k.a. "Miss Darst" - Marion was born in Circleville, Ohio on October 11, 1860.  She is the daughter of John Jacob Darst and Anna Brower.  Marion was a wonderful artist,  whose main works included paintings and designing stained glass with her brother.  Marion never married and had no children.  Marion's photo can be seen below.  Standing next to her is her nephew, Brower Murphy.

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• Artwork of Marion Curtis Darst

  • Portrait of Bvt. Brigadier General William Watts Hart Davis​

  • Stained Glass - First Presbyterian Church of Athens, OH.  (The church has a wonderful document on the stained glass at their church.  Click here for the link to that information.  The oldest stained glass there is credited to a "C. Bower Dant" of New York.  The church has been contacted to update the name in their article to "C. (Christian) Brower Darst" (who lived at the time in New York City) and to also credit Marion for the design, as she is cited in a newspaper article from December 1906 as having worked with her brother on this stained glass).

  • Stained Glass - Circleville Presbyterian Church

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Edward Davis Darst a.k.a. "Uncle Ned" - Edward, brother to Marion, was born in Circleville, Ohio on November 21, 1868.  Edward never married, but eventually moved in with his sister to live in Doylestown.  In early 1951, while walking in Willow Grove, Edward was hit by a car driven by a 15-year old and was sent to the Abington Hospital.  While he recovered from the accident, he suffered from a coronary occlusion that spring, and passed away on April 25, 1951.  Edward never married and had no children.

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Christian Brower Darst a.k.a. "C. Brower Darst" - Christian was born in Circleville, Ohio on June 18, 1863.  He was an artist like his sister, Marion, specializing in painting, stained glass, and wood carving, for which he was a teacher in an art school associated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  Christian passed away on September 28, 1928.  He was not known to have ever married or have had children.

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Walter Curtis Darst - Walter, also one of Marion's brothers, was born in Circleville, Ohio on August 9, 1858.  Walter did not move to  Pennsylvania like his other siblings, but rather stayed in Circleville, where he passed away on October 7, 1931.  Walter was quite famous in Circleville in his time, as he was the editor of the local newspaper there, The Circleville Herald.  He had originally purchased the paper with his brother-in-law, Charles W. Murphy, and subsequently purchased his brother-in-law's share of the company.

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Margaret Darst Murphy - Margaret was born in 1852 and was Marion's half-sister.  Her father was Jacob Darst and her mother was Anna Brower.  She eventually moved to Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Charles W. Murphy.  Margaret had three children - Clark Darst Murphy, Kenneth Murphy, and Brower Murphy.

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Marion had four other half-siblings: Elizabeth Catherine "Lillie" Darst, Harvey Jacob Darst, Harriet C. Darst, and Alice Darst.  More information is forthcoming about these siblings.

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Brower Murphy - Brower was Marion's nephew, and the son of her half-sister, Margaret.  Brower was born on March 2, 1893 in Ohio, and moved to Atlanta, Georgia.  He married Evelyn Smith Lenc.  Brower looks out for the interest of his Aunt Marion, and sells the Doylestown property to Sweetie, Lew, and Lewis while arranging permanent boarding there for his Aunt so that she may live in her home with the Grahams until she passes away.  Brower Murphy was a kind gentleman, trusting the Grahams to take care of his Aunt as he continued to live in Atlanta.​​​​​  Brower's photo can be seen below.  He is standing next to his Aunt, Marion Curtis Darst.