Martz - Jerome
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis: AW Bowen,
1913. p. 1251
Such a life as has been led by Jerome B. MARTZ, highly
respected retired farmer of Darlington, Montgomery County, merits
a record of its good deeds, that the debt due it may be
acknowledged and that it may serve as a stimulus to others to
endeavor to emulate it. But his record is too familiar to the
people of the locality of which this history deals to require any
fulsome encomium here, his life work speaking for itself in
stronger terms than the long-continued strength of body and mind
has been due to his conservative habits; wholesome living and
pure thinking. He is known as a man who likes to see others
succeed as well as himself, is hospitable and charitable, his
many acts of kindness springing from his largeness of heart
rather than from any desire to gain the plaudit of his fellow
men. He has spent the latter part of his life in our midst and
every year since coming here has not only found him further
advanced in a material way, but has added to his list of friends,
his relations with his fellow men having ever been of the
highest. Mr. Martz was born Sept 22, 1844 in Pickaway County,
Ohio and he was two years of age when, in 1846, in themonth of
September, he was brought by his parents to Montgomery County,
Indiana settling on what has since been called the old Martz
homestead, and thus our subject has spent practically all his
life, of nearly 3 score and 10 years in this locality and has not
only witnessed, but has taken an active part in thegreat
development from that remote period to the present day. He is a
son of Samuel and Mary Baker Martz. They were both natives of
Ohio, the father born June 19, 1821 and his death occurred
November 3, 1894. The birth of his mother occurred on Feb 14,
1824 and she was called to her rest March 28, 1890. These
parents grew to maturity, were educated and married in the old
Buckeye state, and they devoted their lives successfully to
agricultural pursuits. The father was a Democrat and he served
at one time as commissioner. After the Civil War he was a
Republican. Ten children were born to Samuel Martz and wife,
five stil lliving: William H; Chauncey M; Otis B. and Mrs. Mary
Killan. Jerome B. Martz grew to manhood on the old place and he
found plenty of hard work to do when a boy, assisting his father
with the general work of improving the same. He received a
meager education in the log school house of his vicinity, which
was typical of its day, clapboard roof, puncheon seats, greased
paper for window panes and open fireplace in one end. However,
this early deficienty has been more than met in later life by
actual contact witht he world and by wide reading at home of
periodicals and books. Mr. Martz was married March 7, 1867 to
Eliza CONRAD, who was born in this county November 13, 1846. She
was a daughter of Thompson and Elizabeth WYANT Conrad, both of
whom came to this location from Ohio in an early day, and here
Mrs. Martz grew to womanhood and received a common school
education. Her death occurred March 2, 1912 after a happy
married life. She was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, in the work of which she was active, helping build the
local church. She has a host of warm friends here, and was a
woman of fine Christian character. Two children were born to our
subject and wife: Mary, born Jan 8, 1868 married Edward LITTLE,
and they live on the farm owned by our subject; Perry E, died in
early life. Mr. Martz has followed farming all his life with a
very satisfactory degree of success, having been regarded as one
of the leading general farmers in Franklin Township. Having
accumulated a competency through his logn years of close
application and good management, he left his fine farm in 1910
and moved to his pleasant home in the town of Darlington where he
now resides, spending his old age in quiet. He place his
son-in-law on the home farm and Mr. Little is managing the same
very satisfactorily. The place consists of 160 acres,
productive, well improved and under a high state of cultivation,
the land being all tillable with the exception of a very little
where the creek cuts through. It is well tiled. He also owns 3
acres where he lives in Darlington. Mr. Martz attends the
Methodist Church, and politically is a Republican, but has never
been an aspirant for public office, preferring to lead a quiet
life. - typed by kbz