Berkeley County, West Virginia Biography of Paul H. MARTIN ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 371-372 PAUL H. MARTIN, clerk of the County Court of Berkeley County, has been a practicing lawyer in the courts of the Eastern Panhandle for ten years, and is one of the progres- sive leaders in that community. . He was born at Kingwood, Preston County, son of Joseph Ami and Mary Catherine (Snyder) Martin, grandson of Joseph and Ann (Foreman) Martin and great-grandson of Philip Martin, who was a son of John Martin. Paul Mar- tin's mother, Mary Catherine Snyder, was a daughter of Jacob and Clarissa (Carroll) Snyder and granddaughter of Jacob Snyder. Clarissa Carroll was a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Hawley) Carroll. Joseph Ami Martin was born on a farm a mile from Kingwood, and made the best of his limited opportunities to secure an education. On leaving the farm he removed to Kingwood, where for twenty-two years he held the office of clerk of the County Court of Preston County, finally declining to serve longer. He then turned his attention to railroad building. His first experience was in changing what is now the West Virginia Railroad from a narrow to a standard gauge. He then built fifteen miles of railroad extending from Morgantown to Kingwood, and was in oper- ating charge until the property was sold to Senator Elkins. He also built an electric line running out of Morgantown, following which he organized the company and built the first eight miles of railroad connecting Morgantown with Dunkard Valley, thus opening a large and undeveloped district. With this busy program completed he retired and lived at Morgantown until his death in 1917, at the age of sixty-eight. His widow is still living at Morgan- town. They reared four children: Grace, wife of William J. Snee; Bessie, wife of Frank P. Weaver; Paul H. and Carroll F. The parents were active members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, and the father was a Mason and Knight of Pythias. Paul H. Martin was educated at Kingwood, attended the preparatory school at Morgantown, and graduated LL. B. from West Virginia University in 1907. Before taking up the practice of law he spent two and a half years with his father in railroad construction. Then, in 1910, he established himself at Martinsburg and devoted his talents entirely to his growing private practice until 1920, when he was elected clerk of the County Court. He and Mrs. Martin are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Martin is a member of Equality Lodge No. 44, A. F. and A. M. October 27, 1909, he married Miss Marie Buxton, a native of Martinsburg, and daughter of George W. and Ella (Shaffer) Buxton. They have one son, Paul Buxton Martin. Mrs. Martin's father, George Washington Buxton, was a native of Bedford, Pennsylvania, son of George and Elizabeth (Trail) Buxton, of Frederick, Maryland. George W. Buxton served as a Union soldier, and while in the army he first visited Martinsburg, where after the war he located and became a contractor and builder and brick manufac- turer. He was very young when his father died, grew up in the home of his grandparents, and acquired a good education. He lived at Martinsburg until his death at the age of seventy-eight. His wife, Sarah Ellen Shaffer, was born in Martinsburg, daughter of Christian and Susan (Poisal) Shaffer and granddaughter of George and Mar- garet (Mussetter) Shaffer. George Shaffer was a son of Peter and Susan (Gussman) Shaffer. Peter Shaffer, a native of Pennsylvania, served in the Revolutionary army, and was a pioneer of Martinsburg, owning the land at the northeast corner of West King Street and South Maple Avenue. The house he occupied was built of logs, and some years later the exterior was veneered with brick, thus making a sub- stantial brick house with its solid log frame. The house faced West King Street, while a long ell extended down South Maple Avenue. The house in which Mr. and Mrs. Martin now live is at the rear end of this lot, and faces Maple Avenue. The son of Mr. Martin is the seventh gen- eration to live on this ground.