Esther Doyle Read, Copyright 2005

New 1 January 2005

Lydia Martin was the daughter of John Read and Elizabeth Ogden. She married Jonathan Martin in about 1819. They have an impressive family monument in Union Brick Cemetery in Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey. The monument is carved in marble and was in excellant condition in 2004. The Union Brick monument was not only for Lydia and Jonathan, but also for their sons David and John Ogden who died during the Civil War. David is buried in Louisville, Kentucky and John Ogden, who was killed in action in May 1864 in Virginia, is probably buried in Virginia. The monument has inscriptions on each of its four faces. The first is for Jonathan Martin, who died in 1869. I am fairly confident that Jonathan is buried in Union Brick. The second side is for David and John Ogden Martin. The third side is for Lydia Martin, who died in Iowa in 1883. I am not sure whether she was buried in Iowa or if her body was shipped home to New Jersey. The fourth was originally inscribed "Father and Mother" and was probably intended to stay that way. However, in 1926, or sometime thereafter, the name of the Martin's youngest son Philetus Bradley (who died in 1926) was added to this side. Philetus and his first wife were divorced—Sarah Catherine is buried in another plot in the cemetery (under a large stone labeled Martin) while Philetus is probably buried in his parent's plot.

 

 

The above photo is of Jonathan's side of the monument. The photograph was taken 21 November 2004 at about mid-day. The close-up shot of the inscription to the right was taken 24 March 2004 at dusk. Both photographs are by Esther Doyle Read. The inscription on Jonathan's face reads as follows:

JONATHAN
MARTIN
BORN
SEPT. 3, 1794
DIED
JAN. 29, 1869
———————
WE SHALL MEET

The inscriptions on Jonathan and Lydia's faces were obviously meant to be read as a unit. His begins the statement: "We shall meet" and hers concludes it with "Beyond the river." The second part of the statement may be seen below in the close-up of her face of the monument. This photograph was taken 24 March 2004 at dusk by Esther Doyle Read.

 

 

Lydia's face is inscribed as follows:

LYDIA
WIFE OF
JONATHAN
MARTIN
BORN
JUNE 5, 1801
DIED
AUG. 23, 1883
———————
BEYOND THE RIVER

The photograph to the right below is of the entire monument on Lydia's side. The flags were placed for her sons David and John Ogden on Veterans day. The monument is in the approximate center of the cemetery, on the edge a long steep slope leading toward the rear of the cemetery. As one enters the cemetery gate it is to the left. The photograph was taken 21 November 2004 at about mid-day by Esther Doyle Read.

 

 

Photos of the memorial face for the Martin's sons who died during the civil war may be viewed at the Family album of David R. and John Ogden Martin

Photographs of the fourth side of the monument, which is inscribed "Father and Mother" with the addition for Philetus Bradley Martin may be viewed at the Family album of Philetus Bradley Martin and Sarah Catherine Vaughn

Use your back button to return to this page from either of those album pages.