Copyright 28 November 2004, Esther Doyle Read

New 28 November 2004

READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS

WALTER EDWARD MARTIN5

857. WALTER EDWARD MARTIN5 (Benjamin F. Martin4, Lydia Read3, John Read2, Joseph Read1) was born 17 January 1857, in Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey. He appears as Edwin W. Martin in the Latter Day Saints files (LDS Batch #C509791, birth year is given as 1856). He was the fourth son and seventh child of the twelve children of Benjamin and Mary (Pittenger) Martin. Walter appears on the 1860 and 1870 as a resident of his parents household in Stillwater Township, according to the census, he did not attend school in either census year (1860 United States Federal Census, Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, page 308, 10 August 1860, Post Office Stillwater; 1870 United States Census, Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, page 219, 16 July 1870, Post Office: Stillwater).

Walter migrated to Michigan between 1870 and 1880. In 1880, he lived with the Bird family in Brandon Township, Oakland County, Michigan. The family included Samuel and Eliza Bird, who had come from New Jersey some 35 years previous, and three of their grown children: Robert, Mary and Ella, who were all born in Michigan and who were all in their early 30s. The elder Birds may have been natives of Sussex or Warren County as there were several families by that name that lived in those counties. Walter Martin worked as a laborer on their farm, he was not married in 1880 (1880 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 250, Brandon, Oakland County, Michigan, page 59D, 8 June 1880). By February 1881, Walter lived in Greenwood, Michigan. He is named as an heir to the estate of Benjamin Martin in a petition for Letters of Administration presented to the court in February 1881 by his mother (SCSCR Book A:224).

Walter settled in Muscatine County, Iowa in 1884. He had family in the county, his Aunts Sarah Martin Keen Raub and Lidia Martin Wintermute both lived there. He married shortly after settling in the county. Walter wed on 23 April 1884, Adelaide G. "Addie" McClean, daughter of William and Hannah McClean. She was born 2 March 1856 in Virginia (now West Virginia) (Richman 1911:585). A 1911 Muscatine County biography describes Walter's early years in Iowa as follows:

As an ambitious young man he desired to advance as rapidly as possible and in 1884 came to Muscatine county, Iowa, where he began farming on his own account upon rented land. Subsequently he purchased one hundred acres in Wilton township, upon which he lived for nearly nine years, and then in 1892 removed to Sweetland township, where he located permanently upon a tract of one hundred and sixty-three acres. As time passed he acquired more land until he now owns a beautiful place of two hundred and seventy-six acres which under his skillful management has become highly productive. He cultivates his farm along up-to-date lines and keeps thoroughly informed as to the markets and the most approved methods in agriculture and stock-raising (ibid.).

Walter was a general farmer. In 1900, he still had a mortgage on his Sweetland Township farm. He and Addie lived there with all six of their children. Joseph and Percy, the two oldest sons, worked as farm laborers on the farm for six months out of the year and attended school the other six months of the year (1900 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 110, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheets 7A-B, 18 June 1900). By 1910, the farm was no longer mortgaged. Two of the Martin children, Mary and Joe had married during the first decade of the twentieth century. Mary was married in 1907 to Henry L. Paul and Joe in 1909 or 1910 to Lois R. Darling. Percy, Lizzie, Ben and Clyde were still at home with their parents (1910 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 117, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 8A, 2 May 1910). A 1911 biography of Walter Martin gives the composition of the household in the same terms as the 1910 census, it also lists two grandchildren: Olive Mae Paul and Ina Faye Martin (Richman 1911:585).

The 1911 biography of Walter Martin includes a description of Walter's interests, memberships, hobbies, etc.:

Fraternally Mr. Martin is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Grange. He is a stanch friend of education and for many years has served as a member of the school board. In his wife he has found a worthy assistant and loving companion. She is a woman of fine social qualities and of excellent judgment. In the work of development and progress in the region where he lives, Mr. Martin has borne an active part and always contributes his full share toward any worthy undertaking (Richman 1911:585).

By 1920, Walter and Addie lived with their son Percy, his wife Pearl and their two daughters—Doris and Bonnie—in Sweetland Township. It is probable that Walter and Addie had sold the family farm to Percy and Eva and that they were living out their last years on the farm (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 130, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 6A, 23 January 1920).

Walter died in Muscatine County on 21 Febraury 1921, 13 months after the 1920 census was enumerated (Richman 1911:585). Addie lived for another 20 years, she died 4 March 1941. They are buried in Harker Cemetery, Muscatine County, Iowa (Muscatine County, Iowa, GenWeb).

Walter Edward Martin and Adeline G. McClean had 6 children born betweeen 1885 and 1895, and at least 18 grandchildren born between 1909 and 1922. I have identified 14 great-grandchildren, 30 second great-grandchildren and 9 third great-grandchildren. Total identified descendants equals 77.

Children of Walter Edward Martin and Addie McClean
References
1911 Biography of Walter E. Martin

Surname Index
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CHILDREN OF WALTER EDWARD MARTIN AND ADELINE G. McCLEAN:

3120. (i.) MARY M. MARTIN6, was born February 1885 in Wilton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa and died 1968 (1900 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 110, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 7A, 18 June 1900; Muscatine County GenWeb; Richman 1911:585). She married circa 1907, Henry L. Paul. He was born 7 August 1884 in Iowa and died Mach 1970, probably in Iowa (Richman 1911:585; Social Security Death Index). They are buried in Parr Cemetery, Pleasant Prairie, Fulton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa (Muscatine County GenWeb).

3121. (ii.) JOSEPH S. "Joe" MARTIN6, was born 21 February 1887 in Wilton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa and died May 1976 (Muscatine County GenWeb; Social Security Death Index). Joseph married circa 1910, Lois R. Darling. She was born 12 June 1889 in Indiana and died July 1973 (Richman 1911:585; Social Security Death Index). Joe and Lois are buried with their daughter Ruth in Harker Cemetery, Muscatine County, Iowa (Muscatine County, Iowa, GenWeb). Children of Joseph Martin and Lois Darling:

3122. (iii.) WILLIAM PERCIVAL "Percy" MARTIN6, was born 17 April 1888 in Wilton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa and died October 1970 in Iowa (Muscatine County, Iowa, GenWeb; Social Security Death Index). Percy married Eva "Pearl" Duncan, the daughter of of Fletcher Duncan and Laura Brooks. She was born 8 October 1891 in Iowa and died 14 January 1963. They are buried in Harker Cemetery, Muscatine County, Iowa (Muscatine County, Iowa, GenWeb).

3123. (iv.) LAURA ELIZABETH "Lizzie" MARTIN6, was born May 1890 in Wilton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa and died unknown. Her parents moved to Sweetland Township, Muscatine County in 1892, when she was about two years old (1900 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 110, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 7A, 18 June 1900; Richman 1911:585). She appears on the 1900 census as age 10, living at home with her parents in Sweetland Township, Muscatine County and attending school with her sister Mary and brothers Joe and Percy. She also lived with her parents in 1910 their farm in Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa (1910 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 117, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 8A, 2 May 1910).

3124. (v.) BENJAMIN CLIFFORD "Ben" MARTIN6, was born 26 July 1892 in either Wilton or Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa and died 9 June 1966 (Muscatine County, Iowa, GenWeb; Social Security Death Index). Benjamin married in Sweetland on July 22, 1914, Amanda B. Pace, daughter of Elvin Y. Pace and Ida M. Henneker. Amanda was born June 13, 1894, at Sweetland, Iowa and died 28 August 1990 at Lutheran Homes in Muscatine County, Iowa (Muscatine Journal, 28 August 1990). They are buried in Harker Cemetry (Muscatine County, Iowa, GenWeb).

3125. (vi.) RICHMOND "CLYDE" MARTIN6, was born April 1895 in Sweetland Twonship, Muscatine County, Iowa and died unknown (1900 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 110, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheets 7A-B, 18 June 1900, Richman 1911:585). He married circa 1917, Hazel (Last Name Unknown). She was born circa 1896 in Wisconsin and died unknown (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 133, Wilton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 3A, 9 January 1920).

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REFERENCES

PRIMARY

Census

1860 United States Federal Census
Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, page 308.

 1870 United States Federal Census
Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, page 219.

 1880 United States Federal Census
Enumeration District 250, Brandon, Oakland County, Michigan, page 59D.

 1900 United States Federal Census
Enumeration District 110, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheets 7A-B.

 1910 United States Federal Census
Enumeration District 117, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 8A.

1920 United States Federal Census

Enumeration District 130, Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 6A.
Enumeration District 131, Wilton Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, sheet 3A.

Newspapers

1990 Muscatine Journal, 28 August 1990, obituary of Amanda Pace Martin.

Probate Records

Surrogate Court Records Sussex County (SCSCR)
Newton, New Jersey
Letters of Administration, Book A, page 224

Vital Records

Social Security Death Index

Available on line through Ancestry.com, Church of the Latter Day Saints, or through Family Tree Maker

SECONDARY

Latter Day Saints (LDS)

n.d. Batch #C509791 On file, Family History Library, Church of the Latter Day Saints, Salt Lake City.

Richman, Irving B.

1911 History of Muscatine County: from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., Chicago.

WEB SITES

Muscatine County GenWeb

n.d. Muscatine County Iowa Geneology, use link to Cemeteries: see Harker Cemetery.

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This web site was produced by Timothy Doyle 5/5/98,
Questions regarding content should be directed to Esther Doyle Read readgen@adelphia.net