BIOGRAPHY: Martin L. Kilmer; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

MARTIN L. KILMER. While much of his time has been spent in the West, where he
has large and valuable mining interests, Mr. Kilmer has also become identified
with a number of the leading enterprises of Newburgh, and is now in charge of
the shipping department of the Kilmer Manufacturing Company, in which concern
he is also a stockholder and Director. The Kilmer Manufacturing Company,
concerning which mention is made in the sketch of W. A. Kilmer, on another
page, is one of the most important industries of Newburgh and gives employment
to a large number of hands. The plant is situated on Quassaick Creek, near
Washing-ton Heights, and in addition to the office in this city, there is an
office on Water Street, New York, and at No. 21 Quincy Street, Chicago; also a
western warehouse in Chicago. The principal products of the works are wire
rods, bale ties, barb wire, coiled steel wire, galvanized wire, ornamental
fencing and wire staples.

The birth of Martin L. Kilmer occurred at Howe Cave, near Cobleskill,
Schoharie County, N. Y.; March 31, 1844. Prior to the age of fourteen he
resided upon a farm, but at that time hesecured a clerkship, and was thus
employed in New York State until 1864. During that year he went to Montana for
the purpose of mining and prospecting. The trip to the West was a tedious one.
After reaching Atchison, Kan., he traveled northwest until he struck the
Platte River at Ft. Kearney, Neb. From that place he journeyed along the
course of the North Platte, then up the Wind and Rose Rivers to Yellowstone
Park, and from there to Virginia City, Mont. Leaving Atchison April 1, 1864,
he reached his destination in Montana on the 10th of July following. The
country was wild, settlers few, and he met with all the perils and hardships
incident to life on the frontier, but, persevering, he met with considerable
success.

In 1874 Professor Jenny discovered gold in the Black Hills. The following year
Mr. Kilmer, with his brother-in-law, Edward Davis, and others from Montana,
went to the new gold region, which they reached in advance of any other
miners. They took out the first gold on Spring Creek, near Custer, S. Dak.,
and later went to Deadwood, where they were also successful. After having
spent four years in the Black Hills, Mr. Kilmer returned East, though still
retaining his interests in the South Dakota mines. In 1876, while in the West,
he had become interested, as a stockholder, in the Kilmer Manufacturing
Company, and after coming back to New York he became actively, identified with
the concern, taking charge of the shipping department and be-coming a Director
of the company. When the. corporation transferred its headquarters from
Schenectady to Newburgh in 1887, he came to this city, and here he has since
made his home.

At Amsterdam, N. Y., in 1884, Mr. Kilmer and Miss Laura Sheely, a native of
Schoharie, N. Y., were united in marriage, and they are the parents of a
daughter, Adah. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Kilmer takes a great interest in
all party matters, and few men are better informed on the topics of the day
than he. He has never held nor sought any political office, yet few men who
are ambitious in that direction would fill a position of trust more worthily.
He has seen much of human nature, both the cultured product and the "diamond
in the rough," and has gained a broad, cosmopolitan range of intellectual
vision through his travels. In him the city of New-burgh has a faithful
friend, generous in his contributions toward any movement tending to the
general advancement.