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Tyler
County
West Virginia Genealogy
Trails
A part of the
Genealogy Trails History Group
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Tyler County Biographies
"M"
Surnames
MARTIN, CAPTAIN
ABNER - an old and
well-known river man of Eastern Ohio, was born in Tyler county, Va.,
in 1820, the son of Alexander and Jane Martin. Alexander Martin was
the son of R. Martin, a native of Wales, who came to the United
States previous to the war of the revolution and settled in
Virginia, and afterward moved to West Virginia, and started the
first blacksmith shop ever operated in the present city of Wheeling.
He afterward moved near Mansfield Ohio, where his death occurred at
the advanced age of one hundred and four years. He bora a
distinguished part in the war of American Independence, and figured
prominently in the early history of the Virginia counties, where he
settled. Alexander Martin, the father of the subject, was born in
the year 1796, and spent his early life in the vicinity of Wheeling,
W. Va. He served in the war of 1812, and at the close of that
struggle moved to Tyler county, Va., where his death occurred about
the year 1866. He was married abou the year 1819, to Jane Dixon, by
whom he had eight children, four living at this time. Absalom
Martin, uncle of our subject, established and operated the first
ferry, at Wheeling, W. Va. Captain Martin spent his early life at
the home of his parents, in Tyler county, Va., and at the age of
thirteen began clerking on a steamboat which plied the Ohio and
other rivers. He worked his way upward from a clerk until he became
captain of a boat one of the first that engaged in the Mississippi
river traffic, and he followed boating principally between Pittsburg
and New Orleans, with occasional trips on the Alabama, Red and Yazoo
rivers for a number of years. He took charge of a boat as captain in
1852, and ran as such until 1865, during which time he commanded
several boats which did an extensive trade. During his career on
steamboats, Captain Martin met with many thrilling adventures and
accidents, some of the latter of which were of national interest. A
brief outline of his adventures will prove of general interest and
it is given as follows. He was on the steamer "Roanoke" when it sank
at the mouth of the Big Hocking river, in 1836. He was on the
steamer "Brooklyn" when she collapsed her flues in 1846 twenty-five
miles below Vicksburg, Miss., and he was also on the steamer
"National" when a similar accident happened to her fifteen miles
below Paducah, Ky. Captain Martin was associated with the famous
"Mark Twain," when that erratic humorist was learning to pilot on
the Mississippi reiver, a period which he afterward described so
amusingly in his many stories. He and Captain Martin were together
for eleven months, on the fated steamer "Pennsylvania," which
exploded her boilers on June 13, 1858, seventy-five miles below
Memphis, Tenn. At the time of this terrible accident there were on
board 500 passengers, of whom 260 were lost, a brother of "Mark
Twain" being one of the number. After the breaking out of the civil
war, Captain Martin was engaged in transporting troops and stores
for the United States government, and during this period he
frequently passed through dangerous adventures and hair-breadth
escapes. He was usually very lucky with the boats he commanded
during these stirring times, his only loss occurring at
Johnsonville, Tenn. While lying at that point in 1864, on the
steamer "Mountaineer," the rebel generals, Forest and Hood,
bombarded the fort and burned the transports that were there.
Captain Martin and his associates were transferred by rail to
Nashville, Tenn., through a country thickly infested with
guerrillas, which made the trip one of thrilling interest and
danger. In 1861, Captain Martin moved his family to Columbiana
county, and located on a small farm which he still owns and upon
which he has since resided, in the pursuit of agriculture. He
married Rebecca Jolly, who bore him eight children, three now
living, viz.: Madison B., William I., and Eleanor V. His wife died
in 1855, and he afterward married Lucinda Calhoun, a union which
resulted in the birth of two children: James H. and Ida I., who with
their mother are still living. Captain and Mrs. Martin are members
of the Methodist Episcopal church and he belongs to the Masonic
fraternity. The captain has now reached his seventieth year, having
lived a life filled with many stirring adventures, and not entirely
devoid of hardships. He has many friends in Columbiana county, and
along the river, and is well respected by all who know him.
[History of Upper Ohio Valley, 1891-Transcribed by C.
Anthony]
MEREDITH, JAMES A. - a descendant of
a sturdy and thrifty ancestry, and a highly reputable citien, an
attorney-at-law by profession, residing in Fairmont, was born at
Centreville, now Alma, Tyler county, West Virginia, January 27,
1875.
(I) The first of the line here under consideration was
Davis Meredith, a Welshman, who came to this country and located in
what is now Marion, formerly Monongalia county, about 1796, building
his home just above Hoodsville on Little Paw Paw creek. He was a
prominent factor in the upbuilding and improvement of the section
wherein he resided. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He died in
1825. He married (first) ______ ________, and his children were: 1.
Thomas, married Millie, daughter of Richard and Susanna (Stull)
Morris; they settled in Marietta, Ohio, where many descendants
reside. 2. Job, removed to Ritchie county, West Virginia. 3. Davis,
see forward. 4. William, settled in Ritchie county, West Virginia.
Davis Meredith married (second) Nancy __________, and their children
were: 5. Millie, married James Arnett. 6. Nellie, married William
Arnett.
(II) Davis (2), son of Davis (1) Meredith, was born
on the old home farm near Hoodsville, now Marion county, West
Virginia. He was reared on a farm, and in early manhood settled at
Hoodsville, where he cleared and improved a farm adjoining the old
Morris farm. Subsequently he became a minister of the old Methodist
Episcopal church. He removed to Noble county, Ohio, and about 1857
to Tyler County, now West Virginia, where he spent the last years of
his life. His career was an active and useful one, and he strove
most earnestly to fulfill every duty and responsibility. He was
formerly an old line Whig in politics, joining the Republican party
upon its organization. He married, near Rivesville, Marion county,
West Virginia, Naomi Snodgrass. Children: William N; John W; Absalom
P., see forward; James Alva; Thomas P.; Alexander; Nancy, married
_____ Beatty; Luverna, married William Gleen; Martha. The father of
these children died in 1895, surviving his wife several years, her
death occurring in 1885
(III) Absalom P., son of Davis (2)
Meredith, was born in Noble county, Ohio, in 1843. He was reared to
agricultural pursuits, educated in the common schools, and at the
age of fourteen years accompanied his parents to Tyler county, now
West Virginia. Upon attaining young manhood he settled ona farm in
his native county, which he cultivated and improved, and this
occupation claimed his attention throughout his active career. At
the breaking out of the civil war he enlisted in Company C, Seventh
West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, with which he saw considerable
severe service; he served for three years, at the expiration of
which time he was honorably discharged. After his marriage he
removed to the state of Illinois, where he remained one yera, and
then returned to West Virginia, settling on a farm in Tyler county,
from which he derived a lucrative livelihood. His church membership
was with the Methodist Episcopal demoniation, and his political
allegiance was given to the Republican party. He was a member of the
Grand Army of the Republic, and the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. He married, in 1864, Catherine Riley, of Sistersville, West
Virginia, born in Tyler county, Virginia, 1837, daughter of Turner
Riley, a pioneer settler of that region. She was a school teacher
prior to her marriage. Children: 1. Charles S., born in 1869; a
merchant of Spencer, West Virginia. 2. Laura, twin of Charles S.;
married John Kelley, of Ritchie county, West Virginia. 3. Gilbert
B., born in 1873; foreman for Hope Natural Gas Company, at
Smithfield, West Virginia. 4. Jennie A., married John W. Horner, of
Ritchie county, West Virginia. 5. Rufus, twin of James A., connected
with the oil business in Oklahoma. 6. James A., see forward. 7.
William H., engaged in real estate business at Middlebourne, West
Virginia. 8. Emma, married Campbell Martin of Ritchie county, West
Virginia. 9. Emery D., connected with the South Penn Oil Company, at
Lynch, Harrison county, West Virginia. Absalom Meredith died in
1904, survived by his wife, who is living at the present time
(1911).
(IV) James A., son of Absalom P. and Catherine
(Riley) Meredith, was educated in the common schools of Tyler
county, taught school at sixteen, graduated from the Normal and
Classical Academy of Buckhannon in 1895, and from the West Virginia
University in 1900, receiving his B. A. and L. L. B. degrees at the
same time. He was immediately admitted to the bar at Middlebourne,
West Virginia, and entered active practice of the law. In January,
1903, he located in Fairmont, where he acted as cashier of Fairmont
Trust Company for about a year, resigning to resume the practice of
his profession, and has built up a successful and lucrative
practice. He is in every way thoroughly equipped for his work, and
his reputation is fully established in the community in which he
resides. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and
is an active member of the Republican party. He is a member of the
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He married,
September 17, 1902, Gillian, born May 25, 1877, daughter of James M.
and Elizabeth (Boyers) Jamison, who resided in Morgantown, West
Virginia, both of whom are now deceased. They are the parents of one
child, Jamison, born August 5, 1903.
[Genealogical and Personal
History of the Upper Monongahela Valley, Volume III,
1912-Transcribed by C. Anthony]
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