The Martin Families of Clark County, Ohio

Christian Martin is numbered among the progressive and influential farmers of Green township, where he has also been extensively engaged in stock raising and the breeding of shorthorn cattle. He is well posted.on the latest and best methods of practical farming, his valuable farm being kept in good condition, On it he raises cattle of good grade, and is authority in his community on the subject of shorthorn cattle, having had wide experience in the raising of these, in which occupation he has met with excellent success. Mr. Martin was born in Washington county, Maryland, October 20, 1836, and is a son of Emanuel and Anna (Doyle) Martin. The parents both died in Maryland, the father at the age of eighty-one years and the mother at the age of sixty-six.

On the home farm in Washington county, Maryland, Christian Martin was reared, receiving the privileges of a fair common

He worked on the farm for his father until he was about twenty-seven years of age, or until the time of his marriage, and from the time of reaching his school education.

majority he received from him a remuneration for his services. On the Ist of January, 1863, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Bowers, a former schoolmate, who was also a native of Washington county, Maryland. She was born December 10, 1843, and was a daughter of Jacob and Mary Ann (Bergesser) Bowers. Her father died in Maryland at the age of fifty years, while her mother is still living at the age of ninety years, making her home in Springfield.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Martin received from his father the earnings that had accumulated during the years he had worked on the home farm—about five hundred dollars. With this start he began his domestic life and rented a farm for five years. On the expiration of this period he had acquired about five thousand dollars. In 1869 he removed to Ohio, settling in Green township, Clark county, where he purchased eighty acres of land and lived thereon for In the meantime he about sixteen years. had purchased eighty acres upon which his home now stands, and on his removal to the latter place he rebuilt the house and also erected a substantial barn. The neat and thrifty appearance of the farm indicates the careful supervision of the owner, who is ever awake to the improved methods of the day in regard to farming and stock raising. Everything is in good sanitary condition, the farm is rich and productive, and the success of Mr. Martin has been assured from almost his first business venture, showing that he has sound business judgment and executive force to carry to a successful completion plans which seem to him to be best. His landed possessions are considerable. Besides the property above named, he owns a lot in Springfield and one hundred and sixty acres of land between the Springfield pikes.

Eight children have graced the union of Mr.. Martin and his wife, but one died in infancy. Harvey Grant, born March 27, 1864,-in Washington county, Maryland, is a graduate of Wittenberg College, in Clark county, of the class of 1889, and has engaged for some time in teaching; Silas Clinton, born in Washington county, Maryland, De-. cember 4, 1865, also received a good education; Emanuel Jacob, born September 12, 1867, in Washington county, Maryland, married Anna German, and resides in Springfield township, with his wife and five children: Ernest F., Lola, Walter, Jennie and Charles Lewis; John Henry, born January 15, 1869, in Washington county, Maryland, married Edith Davis, and has two children, Edna May and Alice Lenora; Charles Lewis, born February 21, 1872, died in March, 1872, in Springfield; Mary Catherine was born June 23, 1873; Albert Lewis, born October 17, 1876, married Ethel Grindle and has two children: Cecil and Harry Leo; Jessie Lulu, born August 30, 1882, was a graduate of Clifton College, in the class of 1899, receiving high honors.

Mr. Martin has strong faith in the principles of the Republican party, and has always advocated its cause, although he is retiring and does not desire office, preferring rather to devote his time and attention to his business pursuits. Both he and his wife were reared in the faith of the Lutheran church, but are now identified with the Presbyterian church, as are two of the children. The family is highly respected for their genuine worth of character, and in the enjoyments of the comforts of life and many of its pleasures, which are the result of their years of ` industry, they live in peace with their fellow men, respected and honored by all.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EMANUEL JACOB MARTIN, residing on a farm of seventy-five and one-half acres situated about five miles south of Springfield, Ohio, is one of the best known residents of Green Township. He was born in Maryland, September 12, 1867, is a son of Christian and Sarah E. (Bowers) Martin, and a grandson of Emanuel and Anna (Doyle) Martin. His grandparents both died in Maryland, the grandfather at the age of eighty-one years and his wife at sixty-six.

Christian Martin, the father, was born in Washington County, Maryland, October 20, 1836, and was there reared, and educated in the common schools. He worked on the home farm until he was twenty-seven years of age, when he was married, and his father, who had granted him remuneration from the time he reached majority, at that time handed him over five hundred dollars accumulated wages. With this sum for a start he set up housekeeping and for a period of five years rented a farm, with what success may be judged from the fact that at the time he moved to Clark County, Ohio, in 1869 he was possessed of five thousand dollars. He purchased eighty acres in Green Township, on which he lived sixteen years, then purchased an additional eighty acres in that township, which thereafter was his home until he retired from active business and moved to the city of Springfield, to enjoy the fruits of an industrious and well spent life. He has a comfortable home at 1322 South Limestone Street, and in addition to the properties named above has 160 acres lying between the Springfield pikes in Green Township.

On December 10, 1843, Christian Martin was united in marriage with Sarah E. Bowers, who also was born in Washington County, Maryland, and who is a daughter of Jacob and Mary Ann (Bergesser) Bowers. The following children blessed their home: Harvey Grant, Silas Clinton, Emanuel Jacob, John Henry, Charles Lewis, who died in infancy, Mary Catherine, Albert Lewis, and Jessie Lulu. Mr. Martin is a Republican in politics, whilst in religious attachment he is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Emanuel Jacob Martin was about two years of age when his parents came to Green Township and here he was reared to maturity, receiving his educational training in the school at Clifton. Upon leaving school he engaged in farming near Springfield for sixteen years, then purchased his present place in Green Township. He has a finely improved property, which he farms according to modern and approved methods, and has met with unqualified success.

Mr. Martin was united in marriage with Miss Anna German, a daughter of B. German, who was formerly the owner of the farm now owned by Mr. Martin. Five children were born to them — Ernest F., Lola, Walter, Jennie, and Lewis. Pohtically, he is a Prohibitionist. Religiously, he is a member of the Third Lutheran Church.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN W. MARTIN.

John W. Martin, who is now engaged in the business of renovating feathers on the Dayton pike, near Pleasant street, Springfield, was born near the Rocky Point school, southwest of the city, on a farm now owned by the Howell heirs. The date of his birth was February 28, 1840, and his parents were David and Rachel (Sands) Martin. His father was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1797, and was a son of Richard Martin, who was also a native of the Keystone state and died on what is now the Ben Mellinger farm in Clark county, Ohio. He was a farmer and cooper. He served in the war of 1812, and the father of our subject witnessed the burning of the capitol during that war, being then in Washington. ` The latter was fourteen years of age at the time.

In 1828 David Martin came to Clark county, Ohio, and located south of Springfield on the present Stratton farm. After a short time, however, he removed to the farm on which our subject was born, there living until 1840, when he went to Beatty and conducted a cooper shop there for a number of years. Later he took up his above at Yellow Springs, where he engaged in the cooperage business in connection with agricultural pursuits for about seven years. He next located at New Carlisle, where he farmer for about two years, after which he settled two miles south of Troy, carrying on agricultural pursuits at that point for seven years. His next home was at Gettysburg, Darke county, Ohio, but two years later he removed to the Adolph Smith farm and from there to the Miller farm, southwest of Enon. His next removal took him to Piqua, Ohio, and later he returned to Enon, where his death occurred September 21, 1874. His wife, who died June 24, 1884, bore the maiden name of Rachel Sands and was of English descent. There was a fortune left in England to the family but it was never claimed. Thomas Sands, her father, resided in Maryland, and in that state she was born in 1804 and there gave her hand in marriage to David Martin.

This worthy couple became the parents. of eight sons and one daughter, namely: Samuel wedded Katherine Deaver, now deceased, by whom he had two children, one of whom is dead, while the other resides in Kansas. Richard married Elizabeth Martin, who died in 1898. Thomas wedded Caroline Newhouse and died in October, 1899, while two of his five children are also deceased. David wedded Mary Speelman and died January 7, 1899. He had four children, two of whom are now deceased. Elizabeth, the only daughter, died at the age of three years. John W. of this review Joseph married Sallie Gibbs and they had three children, one of whom is deceased. William married Frances Beadle and of their five children one is deceased. James married Minnie Graves and they have two children. The four eldest sons of the family were coopers and our subject became a farmer, while the younger sons were carpenters.

Under the parental roof John W. Martin. was reared to manhood and when he arrived at years of matúrity he became a soldier, enlisting on the 15th of August, is the next younger.

1861, as a member of Company I, First Ohio Cavalry, being mustered in at Piqua. He was then sent to Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, where the regiment remained until the first of November, when it took the field in Kentucky. Mr. Martin was in the service for four years and fifteen days, and he had three brothers who were also soldiers. Samuel, the eldest, contracted illness at Vicksburg which caused his death after his return to his home in Miami county, Ohio. John W. Martin participated in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Shiloh, the siege of Atlanta, and the engagements at Lovejoy Station and Champion Hills, after which he returned to Louisville. He had previously been in three raids, including the Kilpatrick raid around Atlanta and through Tennessee after General Wheeler. He was under fire at Atlanta for four days and nights. The third raid was that of General Wilson from Mississippi through Alabama and back to Georgia. During this raid he participated in a heavy battle at Columbus, Georgia, and was also in a hard fight at Selma. Before the Wilson raid the regiment had gone back to Louisville to get arms and horses, having given up their own to General Kilpatrick's men. Mr. Martin was at Atlanta for two months, thence went to South Carolina, where he remained until the ist of September, 1865, when he went by vessel from Hilton Head to New York city and thence returned to Columbus, Ohio, where he was mustered out in September, 1865. He had enlisted for three years and on the expiration of that period he rejoined the army as a veteran. He was a dashing, gallant soldier and on one occasion was one of two volunteers to ride into what is supposed to have been an ambush to reconnoiter. Fearless and loyal in defense of duty he made for himself a most creditable military record.

In January, 1867, Mr. Martin was married to Miss Susan E. Aldrich, a daughter of Aaron and Sarah (Bell) Aldrich, who were farming people. The Aldrich family came to Ohio from Maine and the father was born in Clark county, while the mother’s birth occurred in Champaign county, this state. Mrs. Martin was born in 1848, and by her marriage to our subject became the mother of two daughters: Effie, born February 13, 1868, is the wife of John Burroughs, of Springfield, and they have three children, Mabel, George Wesley and James. Cora, born August 15, 1870, is the wife of Ed Baker, who is living on the corner of Ludlow avenue and Harrison street, Springfield, and they have two children, Irvin and Wayne. Mrs. Martin died August 27, 1877, and on the 28th of October, 1880, Mr. Martin was again married, his second union being with. Miss Mary Manzella Reed, who was born at Plattsburg, Ohio, and is a daughter of Josiah Wesley and Charlotte (Taylor) Reed, from Maryland. She is heir to.some land in that state but knows little of her early ancestry. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, entered the Union service in 1861, and at the end of sixteen months was discharged for disability, but he finally re-enlisted on the 2d of May, 1864, in the One Hundred and Fifty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Being taken prisoner, he was first incarcerated at Andersonville and later in the military. prison at Mullen, Georgia, where he died July 3, 1864. By his second marriage Mr. Martin has one child, Laura May, who was born May 16, 1883, and is yet living with her parents. She was educated in Springfield and is now a successful music teacher.

Mr. Martin is a member of the Odd Fellows society and has held all of the offices in Ephraim Lodge, No. 146, with which he is identified. After his return from the war he was ill for a year and then began business. He is now engaged in feather renovating and receives a liberal patronage in this line. In matters of citizenship he is as loyal and faithful to-day as when he wore the blue uniform of the nation and fought for the defense of the-stars and stripes on southern battle-fields.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ABRAHAM MARTIN, a much esteemed resident of Bethel Township, residing on a farm of fifty-six and three-quarters acres, was born October 23, 1827, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of David and Esther (Martin) Martin.

David Martin was born and reared in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In his earlier years he engaged in farming, after which he conducted an inn until a railroad line was built through that section of Lancaster County, when, finding this interfered with his business, in 1840, packed his belongings into a two-horse wagon and brought his family to Ohio.

They came on the newly-built Dayton Turnpike through Springfield to Dayton, where they had relatives, and thence to Enon. Mr. Martin remembers that there his mother sent him into a store to buy eggs, and he received just 100 eggs for twenty-five cents. The little store where the purchase was made is still in existence. They then proceeded to Tippecanoe City, Miami County, then to Medway, Bethel Township, and finally purchased land in Donnelsville. Mr. Martin conducted a hotel at Medway for some time, but later followed gardening. His death occurred in 1864, when eighty years of age. He was survived by his widow until 1866, when in her eighty-first year. There were ten children born to David and Esther Martin, namely: Fanny, who married Frank Hawthorn, both deceased; Hattie, who married Dr. Miller, both deceased, her death occurring in Cahfomia when in her ninety-first year; Ann, who married John Steele, both deceased; Christian, deceased; David, deceased; Magdaleua, who died in youth; Mary, who married George Alban, both deceased; Henry, who is a resident of Dayton, Ohio; Eliza, who married James Allen, both deceased; and Abraham.

Abraham Martin was a lad of thirteen years when his parents removed from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Clark County, Ohio, Springfield being at that time a very small village. He received his education in the district schools of the pioneer type, with the slab benches, and he assisted his father in clearing the land and chopped many cords of wood for others at twenty-five cents per cord. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed until about fifty' years old. and during his younger days also taught school during the winter months.

Mr. Martin was married October 12, 1818, just eleven days previous to attaining his majority, to Sarah Ann Allen, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Allen, both of whom came to this county at an early age, the former from New Jersey in 1801, at the age of four years, and the latter from Kentucky when young. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have had five children, namely: Minerva, widow of Lewis Schatfner, who died in 1887, has two children. Bertha, who married W. Ebersole, and has four children, and Cassius L., who married Alice Smith, has two children; David, who died aged 35 years, married Fanny Ziegler, also deceased, and had four children, Thui'za, Sadie, Abraham, and Roscoe; Mary (Mrs. W. Hicks) has three children, Abraham 0., Gertrude, and Ruth; J. Cassius married Rosette Miller, and has seven children, Harry, Viola, deceased, Irene, Ethel, Delia, Abraham, Edna; Nora, deceased wife of Willis Morningstar, is survived by four children. Otto, Fern, Frank, and Nellie. Mr. Martin is the great-grandfather of fourteen and the grandfather of twenty children.

In the year before his marriage Mr. Martin had purchased one acre of land upon which he erected a small house, and since then has always owned his own home. In 1862 he purchased forty acres of his present farm from Frederick Gordon, later adding sixteen and three-quarters acres. In May, 1861, he entered the army, enlisting in Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until September, 1864. Upon his return to Clark

County he engaged in carpenter work for several years, building bank barns as a specialty, his sons in the meantime operating the farm for him. Mr. Martin subsequently conducted the farm himself for a time, but acquired the larger part of his ample fortune by loaning money. For some time he has rented his land, taking care to have reliable tenants.

Mr. Martin is one of the oldest men in the township, and although past eighty years of age, is still remarkably hale for a man of his years, and has but once since his marriage I'required the services of a physician for himself. Politically he is a Republican, and has served his township in various offices. He is a member of the Mitchell Post, G. A. R., and has been a member of the Masonic order since 1857.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.