Saturday, April 11, 2020

Remembering Martin's Creek

11, April 2020
Day 11 in the 
Ultimate Blog Challenge

I want to introduce you to my 5th Great Grandfather, Daniel Martin Sr. 1781-1851. 



There has been much confusion by many in the world of ancestry and genealogy - because not only is this Daniel Martin my 5x's gg, I also have another Daniel Marin in my family tree that is my 4th great grandfather! Let's NOT get the latter confused with the other as my 4th gg full name is Daniel HUGH Martin...(his story will be for another day and trust me, it's definitely a reader.  I still shake my head when I work his branch). 

While working on my family tree that can be found on Ancestry, I noticed I had a message in my inbox. It was someone asking me how I was connected to Daniel Martin. My reply, which one? As I have several of those names in my tree. Sr's, Jr's, etc. 

Several minutes passed and this person replied. She informed me that she was a descendant of Daniel Martin and Mary Ayers - my 5th Great Grandparents. She and I have confirmed we are 5th cousins by way of DNA as our common ancestors are Daniel and Mary A. Martin. We immediately connected and that's where I learned of the Facebook group for descendants of Daniel Martin, Sr. 

I have had this particular branch built up on my tree for a few years prior to meeting this new cousin. I had never thought to do searches out on social media for a living and breathing relative. I was only thinking about the ones who had past up to the point! Thank goodness this cousin reached out to me as my world of ancestry just had that 'AHA moment'. I realized at that moment, not only do I need to keep searching for the history of my ancestors that have passed, but I should be connecting with people who are ALIVE and breathing!!! The ones who can keep the memories alive. The ones who may have family photos of yesterday. Talk about the light bulb going off...

Daniel Martin was born on the 20th day of April 1781 in Hampton, Hampton County, South Carolina. He passed from this life on the 11th day of April 1851 in Panola, Panola County, Texas. 

Martin, in the Company of Tucker's Reg't, South Carolina Militia, fought with Andrew Jackson in the Creek War of 1813-1814 in Florida.  After the war, he returned to Florida, he met Mary Eleanor Ayers, daughter of a Sugar Plantation owner. 

The following is an excerpt from the book, "Tatum...A Place to Call Home" by  Cecil Williams and shared on Ancestry by bear071811 who originally shared this on 20 Mar 2010
(I've been trying to get a copy of this book for a while now). I learned this last week 'how' to purchase the book!!! (doing the happy dance...) 

The parents never consented: and when all hope was gone, Mary Ellen and Martin met one evening at a dance. Martin had disposed of all his property except two of his best horses. During the dance, the two eloped. They fled toward the north and the west and continued their journey as fast as possible for several days. They eventually reached Missouri and settled in what later became Clay Co. Here they lived until the fall of 1832. Leaving his oldest son, Jim Martin, in Missouri, this bold backwoodsman, with his wife and seven other children, packed his household goods on wagons and left for Austin's Colony in the Mexican Province of Texas. They crossed the Arkansas Territory and entered the Republic of Medico at Pecan Point. Over the Trammel Trace, Martin passed on southward intending to settle somewhere between the Trinity and Colorado Rivers.
At this time, the territory lying between Pecan Point and Nacogdoches was a wilderness infested with wolves, bears, and panthers and many Indians whose activities toward the white people were not at all friendly. As a result of Mexican colonization laws, scarcely any white people lived on or near the Trace.
It was during the first days of the Spring of 1833 that Daniel Martin, his family and a man by the name of John Iron climbed a hill south of the creek, which now bears Martin's name and camped. They camped, fully planning of continuing their journey southward within a few days. But they never journeyed farther.
Under the Republic of TX, the Martin settlement prospered. Other settlers came as the government became more secure. By 1845 there were, in addition to Martin and his children, a family of May, the Wyatts, The Huffs, the Williamsons. Jim Reel patented a league of land and was living just north of the creek. Silas Metcalf came in 1845 and taught the first school of the settlement. When TX became one of the United States, the Martin settlement was filled with approximately seventy-five plain, but happy and prosperous inhabitants. 

My 5th great grandfather Daniel Martin made history in Texas and today, his descendants, like me stay in communication with one another and attend the annual Martin Cemetery Annual Homecoming which is held in May. (guess it won't happen this year). 

Today is the 169th anniversary of Daniel Martin's death. He is buried in the Historic Cemetery called, "Martin Cemetery" (named after him). It is on the Panola Rusk County Line. Martin Creek Lake State Park is also named after him.







His Descendants, like me,  keep his memory alive! Rest in peace 5th Great Grandfather and thank you! Without you, I wouldn't be here today...

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