MICHAEL MARTIN, SR. was born about 1760 and is believed to have come
from Germany. He is first located through land records where he was granted
two tracts of land in York County, South Carolina in 1786. He was married
to MOURNING MANNING, a daughter of WILLIAM MANNING, probably in Virginia or
Pennsylvannia. She was born about 1762.
MICHAEL was involved in a number of land transactions in York County.
He sold 100 acres of land on October 23, 1793, this land being on Broad
River and Moores Creek, this being part of a tract of land granted by patent
bearing date 1788. He sold 76 acres of land on January 17, 1795, this being
part of a tract granted by his Excellency the Governor of South Carolina,
dated the 4th day of February 1788. He sold another 5 and 3/4 acres of land
on June 9, 1804. This land was located on the south side of Broad River
and Moores Creek. Another 45 acres of land was sold on August 27, 1807,
this land also having been located on the south side of Broad River and
Moores Creek.
MICHAEL MARTIN'S tombstone says he died January 7, 1830, but, he was not
found in any land transactions after the above date. His headstone is in
bad repair, and it is believed he died closer to 1808 instead of 1830.
On June 5, 1816, MOURNING MANNING, MICHAL MARTIN, JR. MANNIN MARTIN,
MORGAN MARTIN, Sr., MARY MARTIN and HARVEY RAMSEY entered into an agreement
with a MR. E. FEWELL for the sum of $150, conveying to MR. FEWELL all the
iron ore and enough timber required from time to time to run the iron
mining business, also water and a road or roads onto the property, but, not
to cross any cleared fields.
A land transaction dated March 20, 1822 states MORGAN MARTIN, SR. bought
a tract of land from JOHN B. DARWIN for $80.00. This tract of land was
bought by MR. DARWIN at a sheriff's sale, being sold as the land of MANNING
MARTIN, being a part of a tract of land formerly owned by MICHAL MARTIN,
deceased. This transaction would tend to prove that MICHAEL MARTIN, SR.
died before 1830.
A will was probated for MICHAEL MARTIN on January 30, 1830, however; the
will was not originally dated. The will states MOURNING MARTIN was to have
sole management of all his estate. If MICHAEL MARTIN didn't die until 1830,
he couldn't have named his wife as sole executor as she died October 8,
1826. MICHAEL and MOURNING (MANNING) MARTIN are buried in marked graves
in the Martin Cemetery near Smyrna, South Carolina. Their children were:
Michael Martin, Jr. born:00-00-1780 died:07-16-1854
Manning Martin born:10-02-1782 died:11-23-1842
Morgan Martin, Sr. born:03-07-1824 died:07-01-1875
Mary Martin born:00-00-1786 died:
Martha Martin born:00-00-1788 died:1840-1844
Mortical Martin born:00-00-1790 died:
MORGAN & JANE (RAMSEY) MARTIN, SR.
~ GENERATION TWO ~
MORGAN MARTIN, SR. was born March 7, 1784 in York County, South Carolina.
He was married to JANE RAMSEY, a daughter of JOHN and SARAH (SMITH) RAMSEY.
JANE was born July 16, 1798 in York County.
MORGAN MARTIN, SR. was also involved in a number of land transactions.
He was a blacksmith, silversmith and land surveyor by trade. He died July
1, 1875 in Smyrna, York County, South Carolina. JANE (RAMSEY) MARTIN died
September 9, 1871. They are buried in the family cemetery. Their children
were:
Morgan Martin,Jr. born:05-26-1815 died:1875-1880
Malinda Martin born:02-14-1817 died:
John Martin born:05-08-1819 died:03-29-1884
Moses Martin born:09-29-1821 died:02-04-1901
Sarah Caroline Martin born:05-22-1824 died:bef. 1871
Major J. Martin born:07-19-1826 died:
Martha Kathryn Martin born:07-22-1829 died:12-24-1879
Thomas Alexander Martin born:02-26-1831 died:12-30-1882
Colonel Abraham Martin born:05-26-1834 died:04-08-1907
Elizabeth Mary Martin born:01-14-1836 died:
MORGAN & MASINA (GILMORE) MARTIN, JR.
~ GENERATION THREE ~
MORGAN MARTIN, JR. was born May 26, 1815 in Smyrna, York County,
South Carolina. He married a cousin, MASINA GILMORE, a daughter of JOHN
and MOURNING (MARTIN) GILMORE. MASINA was born January 22, 1822 in York
County.
Like his father and grandfather, MORGAN MARTIN, JR. can be followed
through many land transactions. He appears to have been one of the first
of the family to leave South Carolina. On April 21, 1847, MORGAN MARTIN,
JR. and his brother, JOHN purchased 160 acres of land from their father.
This land was the land their father had purchased in Murray County, Georgia
(originally Cherokee County). On February 15, 1850, their father bought
from these two brothers, 514 acres of land which they had purchased in
York County, South Carolina in May of 1837.
Family rumors indicate that MORGAN MARTIN, JR. left South Carolina after
he had accidently killed and buried the body of his cousin, BECKIE TRULL.
The two were supposedly hoeing weeds in the cornfield and BECKIE, being a
little "slow", was pulling up the crops along with the weeds. MORGAN is
said to have hit her in the back of the head and the blow killed her. He
was then to have buried her body in the waters of a small stream near the
Martin home. MORGAN supposedly fled when he got wind that some of his
brothers were plotting to kill him in return. This has never been proven
nor has the existance of a cousin by this name been proven. It seems
unlikely that this could be true as he was involved in a number of land
transactions with family members after his removal from South Carolina and
he was in touch with family members in South Carolina. What is certain is,
SOMETHING happened to cause him to leave. He wrote a letter, dated April
19, 1867 to his brother, THOMAS which reads in part, "I never would have
left you in my life if it had not been that the devil had such power, that
my peace was destroyed, and there was to many devils there. I want to live
in peace." This letter was not written until he was living in Dawson
County, so, it seems unlikely the above story was the reason he left.
MORGAN MARTIN, JR. remained in Murray County, Georgia until September
19, 1863 when he purchased thirteen lots of land in Dawson (formerly part of
Cherokee) County. By this time, his children had married and had children.
It is still unknown what became of his daughter and her husband, but, their
daughter, FANNIE seems to have always lived with her grandparents.
Trouble apparantly followed MORGAN MARTIN, JR. (or he took it with him)
as he was arrested on April 23, 1873 in Dawson County for the assault of
one, JANE A.E. BRUCE which occured on April 7, 1872. He was found guilty
and charged $10.00 and all costs. He was again arrested on August 13, 1875
when his son, MICHAEL appeared before the Dawson County Superior Court,
stating he was in fear of his and his mother's life from his father. Again,
MORGAN was arrested, waived trial and was given bond the same date.
Perhaps the promise of a better life is what encouraged the next move.
MORGAN MARTIN, JR. sold his property and is believed to have traveled to
Alabama and left his family with relatives there while he and his son,
MORGAN F. MARTIN went ahead to settle homestead property in Kearney,
Nebraska. It is believed he died shortly after arriving. His son did
stay and his mother and brother followed, claiming homestead property as
well.
It is believed MORGAN MARTIN, JR. died about 1876. MASINA (GILMORE)
MARTIN died February 9, 1888 and is buried in a marked grave in Riverside
Cemetery, Buffalo County, Nebraska.
MORGAN & MASINA MARTIN had three children:
Michael M. Martin born:11-15-1840 died:05-23-1905
Morgan F. Martin born:08-30-1842 died:bet.1906-1907
