Uinta County WY Archives Biographies.....Martin, Samuel 1839 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wy/wyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 28, 2011, 4:51 pm Source: See below Author: A. W. Bowen (Publisher) SAMUEL MARTIN. In compiling a work devoted to the representative men of a young and growing state, the life records of the early pioneers cannot be ignored, for they are the real founders of the state, and their names will be ever associated with its history. As an instance of the success possible to well directed efforts governed by a definite purpose in life, attention is specifically called to the career of Samuel Martin. Reaching the far West when it was a wilderness, in many ways he has contributed to its development and to-day he is well and favorably known throughout a wide extent of its territory. He was born in Manchester, England, on December 7, 1839, the son of Ellis and Elizabeth (Partington) Martin, descendants of old Welsh families. The father was a slater and worked at his trade in Wales and England, dying in 1843, and leaving a widow and seven children, of whom Samuel was next to the youngest. Being thrown on his own resources early in life he had scant opportunity for the education of schools, but by diligent use of what chance he had he made rapid progress in studies, at the age of seventeen deciding to seek his fortune amid the larger opportunities and greater freedom of the United States, and in 1856, after a voyage of six weeks in a sailing vessel, he reached this country and for a number of years thereafter was engaged in farming in Wisconsin. When the Civil War threatened the integrity of the Union he promptly enlisted in Co. D, First Wisconsin Cavalry, and loyally followed the flag until disability incurred in the service caused his discharge in December, 1863. In the spring of 1864 he sold out in Wisconsin and removed to Denver, Colorado, and near that city witnessed the first Indian outbreak of that year, being on Sand Creek when the first whites were massacred and narrowly escaped the fate that overtook so many unfortunates. From Denver he went to Central City and was there employed by the New York Gunnell Mining Co., at seven dollars and a half per day, and worked seventeen months in the mines near that place, frequently making by working over time a record of fifteen days a week, and then entered the employ of Whitney & Whiting as a prospector. In this capacity he traversed a wide area and located a number of properties which proved to be very valuable. On December 6, 1865, at Burlington, Iowa, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Campbell, of England, who, according to a previous engagement between them, came from her native land to meet him in the prairie section of the great West. During the next two years they lived in Denver, Mr. Martin being engaged in contracting and realizing from his undertakings from twenty-five to thirty-five dollars a day. They then removed to a point on the Arkansas river in Colorado, but owing to the hostility of the Indians soon changed to a safer place of residence in El Paso county in that state, where he purchased a ranch, which he operated until 1871, then selling out and removing to Wyoming, but not finding the school facilities satisfactory he went to Argenta, Montana, and there opened a hotel, an unfortunate move which resulted in almost total financial ruin in one year. He then took up his residence at Cottonwood, Utah, and found employment as a teamster at remunerative wages. A year and a half later his faithful and devoted wife died at the early age of thirty-three wars, leaving two children, three others having previously passed away. The living children are Mary A. and Margaret F.; the others being Hattie, Samuel and Ellis B. In 1874 Mr. Martin went to Nevada but returned to Utah the same autumn, and with his two children removed to Montana and there followed freighting until the latter part of 1877. He then went to Washington and took up a claim in Klickitat county, being the first settler to turn the sod in that part of the country. While living there, on April 6, 1883, his daughter, Margaret, died and there, too, one month earlier, his other daughter, Mary, was united in marriage to Ralph Cousins, of Canada, who, with his parents, natives of England, settled there soon after Mr. Martin. In 1885 Mr. Martin disposed of his interests in Washington and in 1886 returned to Montana and passed the winter with a sister living at Arlington. In 1887 he again came to Wyoming and took up a preemption claim of 160 acres on Slate Creek, seventeen by six miles east of Opal, in Uinta county, where he has since been profitably engaged in farming and stockraising. Later he took up a homestead of 160 acres and in addition to his agricultural pursuits opened a roadhouse for the accommodation of the traveling public. Recently he sold his stock that he might give his whole attention to farming, in which his success has been very gratifying. He is now conducting operations in this line of industry on a scale of magnitude duly proportioned to his abilities; and with his life seasoned by the lessons of adversity and the deeper impressions left by repeated bereavements, he gives to his fellows an example of good citizenship and philosophical resignation. Additional Comments: Extracted from: PROGRESSIVE MEN OF THE STATE OF WYOMING ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO, ILL. A. W. BOWEN & CO. 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