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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Elegance and Grace

April 6, 2020

The Ultimate Blog Challenge

The year was 1917 in West, Texas. My Great Grandfather, Robert Gordy, and his family lived here. My great grandfather worked for the Katy Railroad while my great grandmother tended to the children and worked in the fields.

My great grandfather is pictured here with two of my Great Aunts. Minnie "Dolly" and Sarah Catherine Hillman. They are sisters of my Great Grandmother, Nancy Elizabeth. Also pictured are three of seven children born to the union of Robert and Nancy Hillman Gordy. They are Lucinda, sitting on the lap of her father; Joseph being held by Dolly on the right, and Sarah standing in the back is holding Sarah Rissa. The picture was taken circa 1897. 

from the personal photo collection of H2HSC2020

According to family legend, while he worked for the railroad in West, Texas; some of his coworkers played a joke on him and gave him a 'loaded' cigar. While he was smoking, it exploded in his face, blinding him. He subsequently always wore a rag tied around his head to hide his eyes. After the incident, the toxins went to his brain and was never the same. The family could no longer take care of him and they sent him away to Austin State Hospital (A.S.H.) where he later died. He is buried in the A.S.H. Cemetery.  

from the personal photo collection of H2HSC2020

After Robert passed away, Nancy Elizabeth was trying to raise a family and tend to the family's needs alone. Realizing she could no longer make ends meet, sometime after September 1917 and early 1918, my great grandmother loaded up a covered wagon with her family and a few of their worldly possessions and began making their way towards the Texas Panhandle looking for work. Imagine with me, if you will - the time it took for her to travel in a covered wagon with her children on dirt roads if there were even any dirt roads to travel. The Texas Panhandle today by car from West, Texas is at least a six-seven hour drive and that's going 65 mph. 

During this time, several of the children became quite ill. Lucinda cared for them while their mother worked. This had to be a great responsibility for Ms. Lucinda. (I can't even begin to fathom - the last few months of their life *father passed, *family moved*her siblings are ill* her mother is working in the fields to make ends meet.)

circa 1915, from the personal photo collection of H2HSC2020

Lucinda was the eldest child of this union. She is named after my 2nd Great Grandmother, Lucinda Perkins Hillman. She is the young lady in the white dress in the photo above. 

Lucinda is about 21- 22 years of age give or take right now. I'm sure the burden she carried on her shoulders was quite heavy - wanting to help her mother in any way she can.  

With Nancy Elizabeth's family so ill, she decided to make her way back towards West, Texas. From what I can gather in my research, this had to be sometime in the fall of 1918. As they traveled by covered wagon, sick children, extremely harsh weather conditions I'm sure (knowing the Texas Panhandle), my great grandmother more than likely was very weighed down by the family situation. I could imagine she was extremely exhausted on all levels. I know I would be...

Making their way through a town called, Dickens, TX. Lucinda became gravely ill with pneumonia. Family stories say Lucinda's body was so worn down due to helping her mother care for the other children that when she herself became ill, she could not overcome. On top of pneumonia, Lucinda also had influenza. This was the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. (the Coronavirus is being compared the Flu of 1918 because of the number of deaths that were associated with it). 

With a team of horses pulling the covered wagon with the family, they were on the outskirts of Dickens, Texas. Lucinda gracefully passed away. Being in Dickens, Texas - not knowing anyone, Nancy Elizabeth buried her oldest child Lucinda who carried herself with elegance and grace in an empty field. 

It's ironic that Lucinda's story is very similar to those we hear about in the news today regarding the Coronavirus. The church wasn't filled with people remembering her life. There weren't friends and family in the empty field to pay their respects. There was no pomp and circumstance in her honor. There were no last goodbyes. Only her mother, and her 5 siblings present - I'm sure they wept.   

My heart hurts as I write this story, thinking about the grief my great grandmother felt during this time. It had to be immense. Leaving her oldest daughter behind, sickly children, the family continued making their way towards, Stamford, Texas where they settled down and made their home. 

The Cemetery is in Dickens, Dickens County, Texas. Lucinda is buried on Row 17, Grave 24.

Lucinda's photo has resonated with my family for years. If I could turn back the hands of time, she would be someone I would enjoy visiting with. When I look at Lucinda's baby photo above, the one with her mother and siblings, then this one - I see a young, vibrant lady full of grace and elegance.

Rest in peace Aunt Lucinda and know that your memory and life story will continue for generations to come.  

Lucinda, 1918
 from the personal photo collection of H2HSC2020

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