John Martin Family from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880)

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Surname: MARTIN
Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, 
        The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 321-322

MARTIN, JOHN, was born in Portsmouth, N.H., in 1759, and, when a lad, went to Londonderry in 
this state to live with a man till his majority. At the age of seventeen he enlisted into the service of his 
Country in the Revolutionary struggles in which he remained three years. He was in the engagements 
around Saratoga, and at the surrender of Burgoyne and his army. Immediately after, about one hundred 
years ago, he married Rebecca Adams, and came to this town, and located on the Wier brook, so 
called, on a plot of land about four rods wide and fifty rods long, in a lone and desolate place, south of 
the residence of Edward A. Watkins, which is known to this day as "Martinis vineyard." Not many 
years since a hop vine might have been seen growing from the debris of the cellar, blooming and bearing 
annually and "wasting its fragrance on the desert air." He did not remain there long, but purchased of 
Col. Caleb Bellows, the sand bank now owned by Loring Ganzer, in the south part of the town, where 
he spent most of his days, and was the father of fourteen children, by one wife, who all lived to mature 
age. He died in 1849. His children were:
I. Samuel, m. Rebecca Hall, and had eight children. 1st, Harvey, d. at the age of 15. 2d, William, 
m. ----, dau. of Joseph Russell. 3d, Rebecca, m. Kendall Crossfield, of Greene, N. H. 4th, 
Lydia, m. Sylvanus Titus. 5th, Rhoda, m. Loring V. Ballou and went to Cleveland, Ohio. 6th, 
Almira, m. Jos. Carpenter, of Keene. 7th, Emily, m. a Hutchins, of Boston. 8th, Ezra, d. at sea.
II. Polly, m. Asahel Streeter, of Chesterfield, and had six children.
III. John, went west.
IV. Rebecca, m. Paul Kittredge.
V. William, had 6 ch. and lived till he was 84.
VI. James, m. Susan Fairbanks.
VII. Betsey, m. James Hall, of Littleton, Mass., and had eight children, five girls and three 
boys.
VIII. Jonathan, never married.
IX. Washington, never married.
X. Adams, never married.
XI. Nancy, m. James Stearns and had five children.
XII. Susan, m. Aaron Emory and had 8 ch.
XIII. Stephen, is a physician and lives in Janesville, Win.
XIV. Oliver, b. Feb. 25, 1807; m. Lois Derby, of Dublin, March 19, 1834. Oliver was the 
youngest child and began life with nothing but his hands and a determination to be something. At 
the age of eleven years, he worked for John H. Wiers, for his board, and a year or two later he 
was paid $4.00 per month. At the age of fifteen he went to live with Capt. John Dunshee, of this 
town, where he remained till his majority and received for the six years service $100, which was 
the nest egg for his subsequent accumulations. He worked for various persons, by the month, 
saving his earnings, till the age of twenty-seven, when he married and commenced life 
independently. He soon after purchased the farm now owned by Allen Dunshee, where he 
remained for several years, making various improvements on the buildings--making the old one 
story house what it now is, as one a of them. He subsequently sold out, and purchased the 
Thomas Seaver place, now owned by C. R. Crowel, and raised the house to two stories, with 
other improvements; and lastly purchased the Macy Adams place and built the house where he 
now resides, with his second wife, whose maiden name was Louisa Stevens, whose first 
husband was Theron Adams, and whose second was Walter Mead Esq.
Mr. Martin has for forty years had the superintendence of the Boggy meadow farms. He was a 
member of the legislature in 1860-61 and has been one of the selectmen of the town several 
years. He has always been ready to do his part in public matters pertaining to the town, and for 
many years has been a pillar of strength in the Congregational Society. In his business 
transactions he has always exercised good judgment for himself, by which, and by persevering 
industry, he has accumulated more than a competency. He has in many cases lent aid to the 
deserving, and of the poor no one ever went from his door empty handed. Ch. 1st, Emily J., b. 
Feb. 24, 1835; m. Charles Fisher. (See Ap.) 2d, Isabella, b. Aug. 29, 1849; m. Chas. L. 
Mead, of Brattleboro, Vt., May 12, 1864--issue 4 ch., 3 living. 3d, Elenora L. d. in infancy.