Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Martin, James 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 14, 2008, 2:25 am

Author: Past & Present Will County IL 1907

James Martin, deceased, was one of the earliest settlers of Will county, where 
he arrived in May, 1836, casting in his lot with the pioneer settlers who 
reclaimed the wild district for the purposes of civilization. He was born in 
County Longford, Ireland, in 1809, and in his youth came to America, residing 
for some years in Monroe county, New York. He was reared to the occupation of 
farming, which he always followed, and in May, 1836, when a young man of about 
twenty-seven years, he came westward to Illinois and located at Wilmington, 
where he engaged in farming. The undeveloped condition of the country is 
indicated by the fact that much of the land was still in possession of the 
government and he entered a claim of two hundred acres of prairie land in 
1838. He also purchased forty acres of timber land, which is now in possession 
of his son, James W. Martin. With characteristic energy the father began the 
arduous task of developing and cultivating new land, making the first furrows 
over the hitherto virgin soil and continuing the work of improving his farm 
until the spring of 1850, when he crossed the plains in a wagon to California, 
attracted by the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast. He entered the mines 
of that state, but died there in August, 1851, and was buried in the far west. 
His wife, who bore the maiden name of Catharine Garrihand, was also a native 
of Ireland, and came with her parents to America when a little girl. She gave 
her hand in marriage to Mr. Martin in Monroe county, New York, and long 
survived her husband, passing away in November, 1898. They had a family of 
eight children, of whom two died in infancy, while four died after attaining 
their majority. The members of the family now living are: Mary, the wife of 
Thomas Baskerville, of Wilmington, Illinois; and James W., of Joliet. The 
latter has resided in Will county throughout his entire life. He lived on the 
old homestead farm in Florence until twenty-seven years of age and was 
identified with general agricultural pursuits until 1887, except four years 
when first serving as county treasurer, from 1873 to 1877. In 1887 he moved to 
Joliet, where he has since made his home, now covering a period of twenty 
years. He has held the office of township treasurer, township supervisor and 
justice of the peace, filling these various positions in the town of Florence, 
where he resided altogether for thirty-six years. Higher official honors 
awaited him, however, in his election to the office of county treasurer, which 
position he filled for four terms, having been elected the first time when 
only twenty-seven years of age. No higher testimonial of capability, fidelity 
and promptness in the discharge of his duties could be given than the fact 
that he was so long retained in the office. He also filled the position of 
United States revenue agent, to which he was appointed in December, 1898, 
resigning in June, 1901. He has always regarded a public office as a public 
trust, and those acquainted with him recognize the fact that no trust reposed 
in him is ever betrayed. He is now engaged in the real-estate business with a 
large and profitable clientage. On the 13th of January, 1875, Mr. Martin was 
united in marriage to Miss Viola Linton, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth 
Linton, a native of Parke county, Indiana. They became the parents of four 
children: Charles, now a telegraph operator in the main office of the Chicago, 
Burlington & Quincy Railroad in Chicago; Robert W. and James Walter, who are 
engaged in the practice of law in Joliet; and John L., who is pursuing an 
agricultural course in the State University. The eldest son, Charles, was 
appointed by President McKinley as first lieutenant in the signal service in 
the Spanish-American war in May, 1898, and served until August, 1899. In the 
meantime he had been advanced to the rank of captain. During most of the 
period of his service he was in Cuba and while there had charge of the 
construction of one hundred and eight miles of telegraph line. He is a 
graduate of the Joliet high school and the other three sons are graduates of 
the Wilmington high school. Robert W. and James Walter pursued full courses in 
the State University and are also graduates of the Illinois State University 
Law School. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/martin2653nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 5.1 Kb