The Martin Families of Knox County, Ohio

MILTON P. MARTIN.

One of the remaining links in the chain that connects the present age to a period long buried in the miss of the past in this history of the city of Mt. Vernon is Milton P. Martin, now living in honorable retirement after a long and successful life in his native locality, spent principally in farming and sawmilling. He has been a witness of wonderful transformations in his home country, has seen the virgin forests filled by the woodmen and the raw prairie sod upturned by the plowman, log cabins give way to pretentious homes, and villages spring up on every hand. He has kept untarnished the honored name of the family, well-known in Knox county for a century, his sterling grandfather having braved the wilderness here in the early period of the nineteenth century, when Indians were numerous and hostile and ferocious wild beasts roamed where now are having fields of grain and the happy homes of men. The members of the Martin family have not been merely spectators to this change in the face of nature, but they have been active in the work of development, each playing well his role in the drama of civilization as staged in local arena, and no family within the borders of this county is more deserving of representation in a volume of the province of the one at hand.

Mr. Martin was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, on November 9, 1844, and is the son of George R. and Agnes P. (Shipley) Martin. George Martin, the great-grandfather of the subject, moved with his family to Knox county in the year 1811, from Pennsylvania. He located at the foot of Main street, Mt. Vernon, and for some time followed the carpenter’s trade. He lived only a few years after coming to his county. His oldest son and child, Jacob, the grandfather of the subject, then became the head of the family.

He, too, was a carpenter by trade, to which he added cabinet-making. He also following undertaking. His family lived on what is now the corner of Main and Front streets, his shop being located on Front street Jacob Martin married Ann Adams, daughter of John Adams, who came from Virginia in 1817 and settled in Morrow township, Knox county, where he engaged in farming. The brothers and sisters of Jacob Martin were: Joseph, George,

Elizabeth, Mary and Nellie, all of whom are now deceased. The following children were born to Jacob Martin and wife: George, Samuel, John, Frank, Joseph, Albert, Ellen, Martha and Clara. Albert, the youngest son, and Clara and Ellen are still living.

George R. Martin, the oldest son in his father's family, was one of the pioneer sawmill and lumber men of Knox county, having been engaged in this business here from 1854 to 1890, during which period he became widely known as a progressive and successful business man. His mill, which was the first steam sawmill in the locality, was located at the junction of the Martinsburg and Granville road in South Vernon. It was originally built by C. P. Buckingham and bought by Mr. Martin, and during all the years from 1854 to 1890 he operated a mill upon this same site. His death occurred in June, 1899, his widow7 surviving until in February, 1905. The father of the subject was a Republican. His father was an original abolitionist, and being of Scotch-Irish descent, both the Martin and Adams families having come from northern Ireland, were Presbyterians. George R. Martin was much interested in public affairs and while he always supported whatever measures that had as their object the general good, he was not an office holder or seeker of public favors. He was a man of intelligence and progressive ideas and stalwart integrity.

Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George R. Martin, namely: Milton P., of this sketch: Ida is deceased: Frank A. lives in Richwood, Ohio: Alice is the widow of John Higbie; Jessie V. married Jesse B. Lafever, of Mt. Vernon: Harry lives in New7 Castle, Indiana; Luella married Hugh Green and lives in Harrison township, this county; George P. is deceased; one child died in infancy.

Milton P. Martin, of this review, grew up in Mt. Vernon and when old enough worked in his father’s mill. He was educated in the Mt. Vernon public schools. He has been twice married, first, on February 20, 1869, to Susanna Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William O. Johnson, of Mt. Vernon. To this union two children were born, Mary E., now the wife of Dr. H. W. Pyle, and Fred J., of Clinton township, this county. The wife and mother was called to her rest on April 1, 1875. In October. 1887, Mr.

Martin was married to Alice Page, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Page, of Delaware county, Ohio. To this union one daughter was born. Marguerite P., who is living at home. The death of the second wife occurred on October 1, 1896.

In 1874 Mr. Martin left the sawmill business and moved to his farm in Clinton township and there engaged successfully in farming for a period of twenty-six years, until 1900, when he moved to the old family home near the site of the sawmill, where his father was an important factor for so many years and where some member of the Martin family has resided for a period of one hundred years. The subject is now living a retired life with his daughter, enjoying the fruits of his former years of toil and endeavor. Politically, lie is a Republican and has always been more or less active in public affairs, but he has never been an office seeker, though he served for years as a member of the township board of education. During the Civil war he enlisted, in January, 1864, in Company M, Third Regiment Ohio Infantry, and was with Sherman’s army in General Thomas’ division and he saw active service through the Atlanta campaign and other activities, in all of which he acquitted himself as an excellent and faithful soldier, never shrinking from duty, no matter how arduous or dangerous, according to his comrades. He was wounded in the battle of Lovejoy near Atlanta on August 19, 1864. He was mustered out of service on August 4, 1865, at Macon, Georgia. He is a member of Joe Hooker Post, Grand Army of the Republic, in which he has long been active, and in 1911 he represented the post at the state encampment. He is a public-spirited citizen and a worthy descendant of Knox county pioneers.

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

Eighty-three years have passed since James Martin came to Knox county to cast his lot with its pioneers. People of the twentieth century can scarcely realize the struggles and dangers which attended the early settlers, the heroism and self-sacrifice of lives passed upon the borders of civilization, the hardships endured, the difficulties overcome. These tales of the early days read almost like a romance to those who have known only the modern prosperity and conveniences. To the pioneer of the early days, far removed from the privileges and opportunities of city and town, the struggle for existence was a hard and stern one, and these men and women must have possessed indomitable energies and sterling worth of character, as well as marked physical courage, when they voluntarily selected such a life and successfully fought the battles under such circumstances as prevailed in the "Northwest Territory."

James Martin is now one of the oldest living residents Oif Knox county, and few if any have lived longer within her borders. He was torn in the Crosscreek Village, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1807, the only child of Adam and Elizabeth ( Huston) Martin. The father was born in Ireland, where his father was a silk weaver. \Vhel a young man Adam Martin emigrated to the new world, — at a time when hostilities seemed imminent, — and he enlisted in the service at the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, as a champion of liberty. He was made first lieutenant in Captain Timothy Parker's Company and Colonel Warner's regiment, which marched on the first alarm, on the 19th of April, 1775. On the ist of August of the same year his name appears on the records as captain of a company, in which capacity he served until 1780. During the remaining years of the war he was paymaster. When the independence of the nation was achieved and peace was restored, he located in Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he followed farming until his death, in October, 1816.

Adam Martin married Elizabeth Huston, a daughter of James and Isabella Huston. They were both natives of the Emerald Isle and were married in county Armagh. Prior to the Revolutionary war they came to America, settling four miles from Trenton, New Jersey, where Mrs. Martin was born, being one of six children, — three sons and three daughters. One son, John Huston, was a teamster in the war for independence. Mr. Huston, the grandfather of our subject, resided on his farm near Trenfon throughout the period of hostilities, so that he was often in the midst of the contending amiies. He was a weaver by trade, always following that pursuit. His daughter, Elizabeth, was born July 4, 1767, and.in 1806 gave her Iiand in marriage to Adam Martin. She was early left a widow and when her little son was only eleven years of age they came to Ohio, arriving in Knox county, in June, 1818. Here her death occurred August 13, 1844. They first took up their above in a Tented cabin on Schenck's creek, and the following year removed to a farm owned by Mr. McGibeny, who was a nephew of Mrs. Martin.

On their arrival their possessions consisted of one horse, two cows, a calf, and ten sheep. Four of the sheep were sold to buy chairs and other necessary furnishings for the house. After four years spent on the McGibeny farm they were compelled to move on account of the property changing owners, and James Martin then leased a neighboring farm. Only one acre had been cleared and the prospects were very gloomy, for Mr. Martin was hardly more than a boy and the outlook was hardly an auspicious one, but he made the best of the condition, and living upon the farm for five years, he raised tobacco and thus saved enough money to buy a horse. He then removed to another farm, owned by his cousin, Mr. McGibeny, and while living there, with his hard-earned savings, he purchased, in 1828, one hundred and seventy-three acres of land, — a part of his present farm. From this time forward his future seemed brighter. The improvements he placed upon his land, on Vhich he located in 1830, now belonged to him, and as the years passed he transformed his place into a very valuable property and extended its boundaries until he now owns one hundred and ninety-five acres, from which he annually secures a good income.

On the 12th of April, 1832, Mr. Martin married Miss Sarah Rigg, a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John and Nancy Rigg, who came to this county in 1830. They had two children, John and Isabelle, but both died in 1869. They have, however, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

In connection with his general farming Mr. Martin began breeding short-horn cattle in 1860 and in the business met with excellent success. For many years he followed this enterprise, and became one of the best-known breeders of fine stock in this part of the state. Long years have passed since he had to practice the rigid economy which enabled him to gain a start in life, and now he is surrounded by all (that constitutes a fine farm while his income supplies him with the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. In politics he is a stanch Republican, but has never aspired to public office. For the past sixty-six years he has been an active member of the Congregational church and he is also connected with the Sons of the American Revolution. He has passed the ninety-fourth milestone on life's journey and in the evening of his days can look back over the past without regret, for he has accomplished much in business and has ever merited and enjoyed the confidence and high regard of his fellow men.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CLAY D. MARTIN.

Clay D. Martin, who is engaged in general farming in Berlin township, was born in Fayette county. Missouri, November 24, 1863, and is the youngest of the three children of John A. and Elizabeth (Lloyd) Martin. The father was born and reared in Pennsylvania, and removing to Missouri there engaged in farming. His wife was a native of Kentucky, and there spent her girlhood days. She was afforded excellent educational privileges and was graduated from Louisville College. She belonged to a very prominent family of that state and was a lady of marked culture and refinement. She died in Kansas when about sixty-eight years of age. In the family were two-sons and a daughter, the latter being Laura, the wife of Sterling Curry, a farmer of Vernon county, Missouri.

Mr. Martin, of this review, was reared in the west and imbibed the progressive spirit which has led to the wonderful development of that portion of the country. His youth was passed in Missouri and Kansas, and his education was acquired in the Montevallo schools in Vernon county, Missouri. In 1889 he came to Ohio, making his way direct to Berlin township, Knox county. Here he has a small farm and is successfully engaged in the cultivation of the cereals best adapted to 'this climate. In summer the green fields give promise of golden harvests and the neat and thrifty air which pervades the place indicates the careful superT.sion of the owner.

On the 28th of April, 1887, in Missouri, Mr. Ivlartin led to the marriage altar Miss Elizabeth Leedy, a daughter of Rev. Isaac and Nancy (Bostater) Leedy. Their union has been blessed with four living children: Cora, Pearl. Ollie and Martha. They also lost one child in infancy. They have a pleasant home in Berlir, township and delight to entertain their many friends. They hold membership in the Brethren church, and Mr. Martin belongs to the Grange. He has always been a Democrat, and on that ticket he was elected township trustee in 190 1. There have been no exciting chapters in his life history, but his career illustrates what can be accomplished through determination and strong purpose. Depending on his own resources he has gained a place among the substantial and leading young farmers of his adopted county.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.