THE MARTIN FAMILY were natives of York county, Penn., and in the latter part of the eighteenth century Peter Martin came to Washington county, Penn., with his wife and family, and settled on the farm where the remainder of his life was passed, and which is the present home of his descendants. He died at the age of eighty years, and rests beside his wife, who bore him seven children, all of whom are now deceased. James Martin, son of Peter Martin, was born in 1792, in York county, Penn., and came with his parents to Washington county, where, in 1821, he was united in marriage with Mary White (who was born in 1800), daughter of Samuel White, and she bore him the following children: Peter B., born February 4, 1822 (deceased); Samuel, born January 24, 1824; James, born December 12, 1826; John White (now a merchant in Canonsburg, this county), born January 11, 1828; Matthew, born December 7, 1829; Mary Jane (deceased at the age of twenty-two), born September 21, 1832; Ebenezer Henderson (drowned in the Appomattox river), born June 21, 1834; Ann Elizabeth (deceased in 1838), born November 2, 1837; Elizabeth Margaret, born October 10, 1839; William Henry, born September 4, 1842, and Thomas Jefferson, born August 28, 1847. Of these children Ebenezer Henderson enlisted in the Civil war, Company G, 140th P. V. I., and afterward became a member of the Signal Corps. Mr. Martin cleared and improved his farm, and, with the aid of his sons, also managed a sawmill. He was actively interested in politics, having first been a Whig, and after the formation of that party became a Republican. He held several political offices, and in early manhood was captain of a militia company. In religion he was formerly a member of the Seceder Church, afterward uniting with the United Presbyterian Church. He died at the age of eighty-five years, following his wife, who died in 1878 in her seventy-eighth year. MATTHEW MARTIN, son of James and Mary (White) Martin, grew to manhood on the home farm in South Strabane township, Washington county, and received his earliest education in an old log schoolhouse, which was built and furnished in the most primitive manner the large chimney at one end, greased paper for windows, a rough puncheon floor, the writing desk fastened to the wall, and the rude seats supported by wooden pegs. After leaving school, young Matthew worked on the farm and assisted his father in the sawmill. He is now a prosperous man. He votes the Republican ticket, and has filled the position of supervisor of roads three or four terms. WILLIAM HENRY MARTIN (brother of Matthew) was married January 17, 1867, to Annie M. Thome, a resident of North Strabane township, this county, and they have two children: Abbie Ettie (wife of Rev. William Jones, pastor of a Presbyterian Church at Pittsburgh), and James Willis. William H. Martin is now a school director of his township, and in religion a member of the U. P. Church, of which he is an elder. In 1884 the brothers erected their present handsome dwelling. Their farm consists of over 400 acres of land, situated five miles east of Washington borough, in South Strabane township, which is one of the most comfortable and cosy homes in the vicinity. The brothers devote a great deal of time to stock raising, and now own about eight hundred fine Black-Top Merino sheep. This farm was patented to Jacob Shively, in 1786. The patentee sold to Peter Martin in 1811, and it has been in the Martin family since that year.

Text taken from page 1191 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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