MARTIN-James - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

James Martin, farmer, was born April 14, 1821, in Darke County, Ohio. He is the son of Thomas and Leah (Smith) Martin, the father from Pennsylvania, the mother from Ohio. The father was a farmer, and had nine children, eight of whom lived to be of age, and he never had a doctor in his house for professional service. James Martin has living one brother in Wells County, Ind., and one sister, Mrs. Leah Swanson, of this county, The father died October 1, 1870, aged seventy-four; the mother died December 8, 1872, at the age of sixty-nine; both were members of the Christian Church. In the fall of 1828, James came with his parents and settled near Newton, in Fountain County, Ind. They stayed there three years, then came to Benton County, settling on Mud Pine, three miles southeast of Boswell. Here they remained until 1842, when they came to Newton (then Jasper) County, and James bought of Jack Torbit 140 acres. Since that Mr. Martin has added 800 acres. It was then timber, brush and open prairie; it is all improved now, fenced, and he farms 400 acres; the rest is in pasture. When he came, he had $1,000 and a two-horse team; he gave it all for the 140 acres. His other land has cost him from $5 to $20 per acre. He is among the oldest residents of this county. He was married, November 20, 1842, to Miss Eliza Jane Harris, of Ohio; she died March 4, 1847, aged twenty-three. Mr. Martin was next married, September 28, 1848, to Miss Nancy Smith, of Darke County, Ohio; she died January 17, 1867, at the age of thirty-nine and a half. Mr. Martin was then married, March 10, 1867, to Miss Caroline Foy, of Blackford County, Ind. His children were born as follows: Perry, Charles T., Thomas, Eliza J., Joseph, David, Infant, Leah E., Harvey, William L., Rhoda, Franklin, Nancy, Christopher, Philip, Katie, Jasper, Esther, Newton, Harry, Gilbert. They died as follows: Perry, October 7, 1843, aged two months; David, February 28, 1881, aged twenty-seven years; Infant, January, 1856; Harvey, November 16,1861, aged one year and eight months; William L., February 25, 1864, aged one year and eight months; Rhoda, July 8, 1863, aged one year and three months; Nancy, February 10, 1875, aged nine years; Christopher, September 29, 1870, aged one year and four months; Philip, Febrauary 7, 1875, aged five years. Mr. Martin had three children by his first wife, and nine by each of the other two. In 1831, when Mr. Martin's father moved to Benton County, he had six horses, three cows, five steers, thirty sheep and thirty hogs. When the winter in 1831-32 was over, there were left of the above one yearling colt, one cow and four steers. Starvation was the cause. For two months, three of the four steers had to be helped up when they lay down. He had but one neighbor within seven miles; he was there five years before he saw a rabbit or a quail, but there were many prairie wolves; prairie fires were destructive to fowls and rabbits. Another hard scene was in the Black Hawk war. Mr. Martin has seen the road crowded for miles, almost day and night, mostly with ox-teams filled with men, women and children, many with only night clothes on, not having taken time to dress - women and men carrying children, all fleeing for their lives from the Indians. Had it not been for some wheat which he had left in Fountain County, the family would most likely have starved; they suffered very much as it was. Mr. Martin and wife are both members of the Christian Church. In politics, he is a Democrat. Mr. Martin never danced, never chewed tobacco, never was drunk, but says, "I might have been a drunkard had I not see my father drunk twice; that settled the question forever with me." Mr. Martin smoked for forty years, then quit, and has not touched the weed in three years. In 1839, Mr. Martin traded a heifer for five ewes; he still has the offspring of that flock; he has never changed the flock except by adding twenty to it at one time by purchase. He has sold two car-loads at one time, has butchered a great many, and the dogs killed sixty at one time, and a less number at many othe times; occasionally one has died a natural death. The wolves have at time been terribly destructive, and his flock now numbers 150; they have never been off the farm, and Mr. Martin thinks there is hardly a parallel case in the county.

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Grain dealer. In giving a list of the principal business men of Attica, ind, the catalogue would be incomplete if mention were not made of Mr. Martin, who is well known throughout his section as an extensive grain dealer and prosperous, enterprising and honorable man of affairs. He thoroughly understands every detail of his calling is a shrewd and intelligent purchaser, and as a result is firmly established in business and enjoys a comfortable competency. Mr. Martin first saw the light of day in Butler County, Ohio July 19, 1825, but his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Marshall Martin were born in Maryland. The fertile praries of the west had, however, many charms for them and in 1839 they found themselves in Tippecanoe County, Indiana and in 1844 in Keokuk, Iowa. In the last mentioned place they made their home until the father was called from life in 1876, his attention having been given to the occupation of pork packing, at which he was an expert. For many years he had also followed the calling of a merchant, in which he was likewise successful. At age 16 James Martin began serving an apprentiseship at the saddler's trade in Cincinnati, Ohio where he remained about 4 years, then worked about the same length of time at LaFayette, Ind after which he followed his parents to Iowa, and having save some money, engaged in general merchandising, and for four years thereafter did a fair business. At abut the end of the time he returned to Indiana in 1849 opened a mercantile establishment at Perryville, which he conducted with good judgment and with fair financial results until 1851, when he came to Attica and began buying grain, an occupation that has received his attention up to the present time, with the exception of the years from 1878 to 1882. During the long period during which Mr. Martin's attention has been devoted to this calling, his reputation for honesty and fair dealing has never been questioned, and the confidence which the people have in him has never been abused. He is acknowledged to be a leader in the business affairs of the town, and his intelligence, enterprise, integrity and many other estimable qualities have acquired for him a popularity not derived from any factitious circumstances, but which is a permanent and spontaneous tribute to his merit. His grain elevator, which was built when the canal was in operation, has a capacity of 100,000 bushels. During his career he has been in partnership with various men, Peter S. Veeder and himself being associated inb usiness for about 24 years. He was also associated with J.T. Nixon for 4 years, but his sons are his business partners at present. When the canal was first opened Mr. Martin also engaged in lumber, but when the railroad was built through the town he gav eup that enterprise to devote his time wholly to the business of buying grain, which has reached the sum of one million bushels per annum. He also has an elevator at Williamsport. He has always bee avery active Republican and in 1878 was appointed Postmaster of Attica, which office he held four years. In 1851 he was married in Perryville (Perrysville?) to Miss Mary M. Gookins, and by her is the father of the following children: Lucius G, Postmaster of Attica; Harry C, in the lumber business, Fred v and James R all of whom are associated in business with Mr. Martin. He has show his approval of secret organizations by joining the Masons, becoming a member of Attica Lodge No. 18 and also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In addition to the business above mentioned Mr. Martin has also given considerable attention to the shipping of stock, and is the owner of a tile factory which furnishes employment to about 12 men and whose annual output is 7 or 800,000. He is a Director of the Farmers Merchants' Bank is Treas and director of the City Milling Company and has been interested in other substantial enterprises. In fact, he is a wide awake and progressive man of affairs, as are also his sons, who are associated with him in all his enterprises and are proving themselves to be shrewd financiers.

File Created: 2006-Aug-29