Jay County IN Archives History - Books .....Chapter VII 1896 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 22, 2007, 7:21 pm Book Title: Reminiscences Of Adams, Jay And Randolph Counties CHAPTER VII. George Washington Marquis was a rich land owner in France when the people of France were oppressed. He took sides with the people against the Empire, for which he had to leave the country. His friends smuggled him to America and his friends sent him large sums of money with which he bought land and slaves in the state of Virginia. Marques was a second cousin of General Marques De Lafayette. Marques was the father of six children, four boys and two girls, viz: Wm. Kid, Gardner, Wilson, James, Kissiah and Rebecka. Kissiah is the mother of the writer's father, J. G. Martin, and a near relative of Captain Kidd, the pirate. Her older brother was named in honor of the captain. John Gardner Martin was born October the 20th, 1820, in Harden County, Virginia. He was the second son of John and Kissiah (Marques) Martin. His mother died when he was seven years old, leaving a baby, James, a few months old, and Smith, the oldest, was twelve years of age. Shortly after the death of Mrs. Matin her brothers, Kid and James, moved to Dark County, O., near Union City, bringing the two oldest Martin boys with them, Remaining a short time in Dark County, Ohio, James Marquis moved to Jay County, Indiana, bringing J. G. Martin with him, and lived with him till he was married, in 1843. As this connects their lives up to this last date, I will not take up the history of James Marques. He entered a farm in Jackson Township, Jay County, Ind. A little later in the year he bought of Michael Zimmerman the farm now owned by Rev. Aaron Worth. The house that Marquis lived in was a split log house, the chickens roosting on the joists in one corner. On the south side of the house as a shed used for a stable and the north side by the chimney was a pig pen. In May, 1836, the Methodist Episcopal class was organized at Marques' house, it being the first religious organization in Jay County. The members were Marquis, William Vail, Jesse Gray, senior, David and William Baldwin, and their wives. The first temperance meeting was held at the same place in 1837. In June, 1837, Marquis commenced to build a water grist mill on Bear Creek. Boys and girls, you know this creek; can you imagine this stream large or swift enough to turn the wheels of a mill. The mill was built on the farm now owned by Samuel Read, where the oil wells are now thickest. They did not know that there was a richer investment a thousand feet below the ground than above it, so old time with his never ceasing discoveries was left to tell the story. But in January of 1838 that little stream of water began to turn the wheels of the second grist mill in Jay County. Like all of the pioneer mills it was a great blessing to a large section of country people coming to the mill from Adams, Wells and Blackford Counties, some coming horse-back carrying their grist on their shoulders. My father, at this time, was a boy of eighteen summers, helping to build the mill, and after its completion was the miller. Judge Studabaker told me of going there to mill and finding it full of people who had stayed all night. He said there was where he first met my father, who was but a few years his senior. But how time has changed things. That little stream that once turned the wheels of that mill to grind the grist of the people; it has gone down to a mere branch. So has the stream of time turned the boys of that day to gray haired men and brought new faces to us and stamped their existence on the era of time so it has left but few traces of the old mill, and has called that boy who stood by the hopper in the old mill to try the realities of an unknown world to us. Marquis also built the first saw mill in Jay County in the year 1839. Marquis, raised in the south by parents who owned slaves and thought it right, he was unlike them in that belief and thought every one created free and equal, and with the assistance of Martin, ran the railroad known as the underground railroad. How I wish I could recall some of the stories told by father about helping the negroes to their freedom. How easy it is to trace that disposition of spirit back to where it would cause people to fight for what they thought was right. A grandfather banished from France because he took sides with a people he thought oppressed and slaved. My grandfather Martin was once a slave owner, but he helped runaway slaves from the country in which they were held in bondage, and going contrary to the laws of their own state because they thought slavery wrong. James Marquis made the first abolishment speech ever made in Adams County. It was made in the forties; Judge Studabaker told me about it. Marquis was a large man, six feet and seven inches in height. Studabaker said the people of Adams County said no man could make such a speech as that in the county, but it was made at Alexander, now Geneva. So the day came, and so did Marquis. Some of the people in favor of slavery came with fife and drum with the intention of making so much noise that he could not speak: they had a little fight; someone had a gun and went to use it. Marquis grabbed it and held it up, and some one threw a wash tub that was sitting by, striking him on the shoulder. That quieted the racket and he made his speech. James Marquis was chaplain of Company E, Seventh Indiana Cavalry. I will tell a story that I have often heard told about him. It was on the Sabbath day and he was preaching with all the eloquence of an old time Methodist minister and there was a skirmish near by; the noise of the battle grew louder and louder and Marquis preached the louder, but the battle grew closer and closer and Marquis could stand it no more and said, "boys we had a d- sight better fight than pray." After the war was over he moved to Missouri and there fought his last battle of death. The death is unknown to us, but in writing this history I speak of one who was a father in action to my father. John Gardner Martin was married to Margaret Fitzpatrick in August, 1843. To them was born nine children, one boy and eight girls: the boy being the oldest child, died when he was six months old. The sixth daughter died when she was five years and some months old. The rest of the girls living, Margaret Fitzpatrick, was born on the Nations birthday, July 4, 1827, in Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana. Miss Fitzpatrick was a true American in every sense of the word, making no difference with her how low was the situation of any one, she was always ready to give them a kind word of encouragement for a better life. Her parents moved to Camden, now Pennville, when she was a little girl; she was converted and joined the Methodist church when she was 10 years old and was ever found ready to do her duty as a Christen. She was but sixteen years old when married. What a tender age to take the cares of a house, yet what a wife and mother she proved to be. She would often say she wanted us to walk alone, but in real need we ever found a helping hand held out by mother. When mother was married she could not read without spelling every word, but with that determination to know something she mastered that difficulty herself. As a Bible scholar she was good; she was well posted on the political issues of the day, studying everything on that line she could come in contact with. Being a great reader and having a good memory, there was few subjects but what she could talk on. In short, I was proud of mother and realize the old ade, a person's best friend is their mother. I do not know where or how my parents went to house keeping. Father entered a piece of land in Jackson Township, Jay County, (now owned by John Karney) when they were married. For five or six years they went into the dry goods business. Having none of the older girls to tell me of the early part of their business, I will leave that blank and take up the year of 1854. At the time they were keeping a general store in Alexander-Sale Buffalo-and now known as the city of Geneva, noted for her hustling business men, which I will make you acquainted with by reading their advertisements in this book. On the 5th of April, 1854, your humble servant, the writer of this sketch and author of this book, came to live at J. G. Martin's and boss the other three girls around for the next three years. At that time there was another girl came to make me dance to her music. In 1857 they were keeping store in Camden. They moved from there to West Liberty in '58 or '59. In looking over the Jay County Torchlight, the first Republican paper printed in Jay County, I see he was an authorized agent for the paper in the fall of 1863. He thought he would try farming, and he moved on a farm he then owned, and now owned by Mrs. Dillavon. Father had often wished to enlist in the service of his country, but by the pursuasion of wife, children, relatives and friends, waited, but in 1864, when'the Union called for volunteers, he knowing that his country needed his service, he could stand it no longer, and enlisted on the 12th day of October, 1864. Telling wife he was going to her Brother Harvey Fitzpatrick, at Winchester, on business, never hinting his intentions of the business of his country. I will never forget the day he started. There were seven girls of us. The way he kissed us so tenderly and elapsed mother to him as never before, taught us of what wras coming, as we watched him as he rode away on his favorite black horse, we waving our hands and the winds tossing our flaxen hair till he was out of sight, thinking his business was at Winchester, but a day or two later brought us the news that his business in the defense of our glorious flag of the free and the home of the brave. He enlisted in Company F, 140 Indiana Infantry. He said he could not stand it to stay at home when his country needed his service and he hated to bid farewell to wife and babies and them knowing where he was going. I do not know where he did go, but think it was in Alabama, but that which they all expected happened. He was of a delicate constitution and could not stand the hardships of war, was taken sick and removed to the hospital. The next we heard of him was when he was brought home on a horse, a man on each side of him holding him, and they carried him in the house. I do not know whether he went back or not. He was offered a discharge for disability, but would not accept it, as his company was to receive their discharge on the 11th of July, 1865. While father was in the army mother moved to West Liberty. They moved to the farm a year or two and he went to West Liberty in the goods business again. He was keeping store there when the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad went through and Bryant was laid out. He built the second business house in Bryant, putting goods in he keeping the two stores for about a year. He built a dwelling house, the one now owned by the heirs. It is on Main street. We moved in the latter part of December, 1872, and in May, 1874, the news came to us that father was sick, and in the two weeks he lay sick everything that medical skill could do was done, but to no avail. He told us he hated to leave his family, but it was a change we all had to make. On the 16th day of May he was called to the unknown shore and to him death's mystery was a mystery no more. He was buried in the Miller cemetery. He had accumulated a great deal of property which he left to our mother, which she knew well how to take care of. He had always told and consulted her about business. She sold the store goods to Dr. M. Glentzer and brother. She bought and sold land, town property, horses, cattle, hogs, in fact everything there was any money in. On June 23rd, 1876, mother was married to Wm. Moore, who died in January, 1892. After that time she kept house, her daughter, Mrs. Bailey, a widow with three children, living with her. On the 17th of January, 1896, mother came to our house and stayed till the 25th. During that time she told me that she intended to have father removed from the Miller cemetery as soon as they would lay out a new one somewhere. They had been trying to get ground here where the new cemetery is for twenty-three years, but could not succeed. She looked up at me and said, "Matt, if anything should hapen to me never lay me in the Miller cemetery." Little did I think that in three short weeks we should be called in some way to fullfil her request, but on Sunday morning of the 9th of February, 1896, brought us a dispatch that mother was found dead in her bed. What a death, how sad, and yet how sweet to go to sleep in health on earth and wake up in eternity. While writing this the song comes to me, "What is Home Without a Mother?" How fully I realize it when I go back to the old home and other dear ones meet and welcome me, but the true friend and magnet of the home is gone it does not seem like home wothout Mother. We laid her in the Wells cemetery, about five miles from home, and on the next Friday took up father and the children from the Miller cemetery with the intention of laying them by the side of mother, when Mr. Alberson offered to lay out three acres in cemetery lots if we would lay them there, and when the sun had set they laid them away. The next day they brought the mother back and they all sleep side by side on the hill between their old home. West Liberty and Bryant. I do not want to tire the readers but will give a little sketch of my own life for my boys. On the 23rd of January, 1873, I was married to Mr. Allen T. Lynch, a Buckeye boy, he being twenty years and seven months old. We went to housekeeping in Adams County, Ohio; moved on a farm first thing. It was a quarter of a mile from the road and it was a novelty for me. I had been used to being in the store and with a big family. I amused myself by riding on the plows, fishing, tending the chickens and turkeys. The first of September we moved back to West Liberty, Jay County, Indiana. On the 7th of November, 1873, a stranger came to our house to live and boss the ranch. We named him Bertie Gardner. In the spring of '74 we moved on a farm owned by my father, and in August of the same year moved to Ridgeville, Randolph County, and lived there about three months, and then moved to Bryant, Mr. Lynch buying timber. On the nth of April, '83, another little boy baby made its appearance at our house, but made a short stay with us. In ten days he was taken from us, but in that short time he had won a place in our hearts that can never be filled by any one else. In August, 1883, Lynch went in the goods business, keeping a line of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, and ready made clothing. In the spring of 1884 I made a visit to my sister, Mrs. John Hammett, in Davison County, South Dakota. The country was new; it had only been settled about six years. I was not very favorably impressed with the country. Indiana is good enough for me. In 1886 A. T. Lynch was the candidate for sheriff of Jay County, being nominated on the 13th ballot, but was defeated at the election by a small majority. I suppose what defeated him was my believing on the other side of the political fence. I have heard it said that a house divided could not stand, but ours has stood for twenty-three and one-half years and all the change is a little improvement on my side. Our oldest boy votes the Republican ticket and I live in hopes that in sixteen years from now the other one will vote the same way with a prohibition addition. In the spring of 1887 we added to our line of goods a millinery goods department, and on the 23rd of June sold out to Jeol Townsan. Then he went in partnership with Votaw and moved to Winchester, Ind., and started a spoke and hub factory and remained in parternership with him till the last of June, 1889, then selling his half interest to his partner, A. Votaw. Mr. Lynch then moved to Decatur, arriving at this place August 10, at 6 o'clock p. m., bought the brick property on Madison street and moved in it in the afternoon. We took dinner at A. E. Huffman's, supper at home. Lynch had brought the machinery and started a spoke factory in the Studabaker factory building on the G. R. & I. railroad. In January of '93 I caught a severe cold and it settled on my lungs. The doctors pronounced it consumption and said only a change of climate was the only relief, so on January 25th they carried me to the sleigh of Pendleton Rice, whose history you will find in this book. He drove me to the G. R. & I. train and Lynch sent me to the land of oranges and flowers, known as Florida. At that time baby Ralph was only one year, nine months and six days old. They wanted me to leave him with my sister, Mrs. Votaw, but I would not do it and took him with me. Bertie, the oldest boy, went with us to take care of us. We left a land of 2 1/2 feet of snow and three days we were in sunshine and flowers; in central Florida. Our longest stay was at St. Petersburg, on the Gulf of Mexico. We were at Leesburg, Wildwood, Polatka, Tampo, Pansdeloon Springs, St. Augustine, Jacksonville and some other towns I do not remember the names of. Bertie left me at St. Petersburg and came home. I had partly recovered my health. Was you ever sick away from home and have some one to go back and leave you? I was very lonesome after he left, and traveled around some, finely landing at Atlanta, Georgia. I was there a week when I got a letter from home telling me I could come home about the 20th. This was the 13th of April. I packed my trunk and the next morning started for home; stayed two nights in Chatanooga, went up on Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, National cemetery and all the places of interest. Arrived at home on the 17th of April and it was snowing and they had all the carpets up and the stoves out and were cleaning house, thinking I was safely housed in Chattanooga. But be it ever so dirty, there is no place like home, at least I thought so when I got back. In the summer of '93 Lynch bought fourteen acres of land at the west side of the city and laid it out in town lots, calling it Lynch's addition. It was done with the understanding that the lots were to be sold and the proceeds to go to building a chair factory. There were thirty-four of said lots sold, the contract to pay for lots when said factory was in operation. Lynch built the factory and had it in operation on the 1st of January, 1894. There were twenty-three men paid for their lots, and there were eleven refused to pay, and he brought suit against them and carried it to the supreme court. But the courts decided it a lottery and the contracts illegal. The supreme court said where you place a name in a hat and a number in an other is was a lottery, and that is the way they decided location of lots. The lots were sold for $100 to $250, the location depending. We had to sell spokes, home and everything saleable at from a discount of a third and a half of valuation to meet our obligations, and in the fall of 1894 we had a fire at the storage room. We had $900 worth of A and B hub blocks, the building had cost us $185 and about $400 worth of machinery stored in the building, with $500 of insurance. Everything burned, also buggy and harness and several other little things. He tried to pull through, but it and the panic in times was too much for him, so on the 23rd of February, 1895, he deeded everything to preferred creditors. On the 18th day of May, 1895, I got my mother to go on my note for $500 to go in the spoke business again and with that assistance we have been able to make a living and paid some of our debts, and at the time of writing have a brick chair factory 150 feet long by 50 feet wide with a brick engine room and chair machinery and no money to operate with, a nice big mortgage of $2,425 which we would like to sell. With good health and plenty of grit we hope to soon be able to pay. When we are, like the old honest blacksmith in the old reader, we can look the whole world in the face and owe not any man. Well, I don't think Decatur will be big enough to hold us, we will have to lay out another addition. Now I will tell you a little secret. On the 21st of July I will be that most dreaded of beings, a mother-in-law. The future Mrs. Bertie Lynch is now Miss Mammie Houlthouse, the daughter of T. Houlthouse. the shoe man. Yours truly, MRS. MARTHA C. MARTIN LYNCH. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties Compiled by Martha C. M. Lynch Ft. Wayne, IN: Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster Circa 1896 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/jay/history/1896/reminisc/chapterv543gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 21.1 Kb