U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Martin Isaac Parsons (1854-1920) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 661-663, ISAAC PARSONS MARTIN. Colonel Charles Martin, from Martinsburg, Maryland, was the first settler in Preston by the name of Martin to come to this county. His arrival in Monongalia was in 1769, and a few years later he built the Stockade near the state line at Crooked Run. Allen Martin, the immigrant predecessor of Isaac Parsons Martin, came from Charles county, Maryland, to the Glades of Valley about the same time the Fairfaxes did. He settled first near Morgantown. In 1806-9 he was keeping a tavern on the John W. Guseman place. He and his wife, Arlotta Maddox Martin, were buried at a place called the Bend of the River, near Little Falls. Only his son Aquila seems to have remained in Preston. The only son of Aquila was John A. F. Martin, whose mother was Mary Brown Fairfax. He was born April 22, 1822, and died January 24, 1898. He lived at Kingwood and Terra Alta, and became one of the most prominent citizens of the county. At one time he was sheriff of the county and was a member of the State Legislature, colonel of the 148th Regiment, Militia, and identified in a public-spirited way with a number of important enterprises. He accumulated considerable property, was a Bible scholar and a well- informed man. His affability was one of the characteristics of his nature, and that, with his great generosity and kindness of heart, made him a very popular man, especially among the poor. His wife was Susan Louisa Fairfax, daughter of Buckner Fairfax. The sisters of John A. F. Martin were: Alinda, born February 10, 1826; Sophia A., born August, 1828, and Emeline. His wife was born November 17, 1833, married October 19, 1852, and died August 25, 1854, fifteen days after the birth of I. Parsons Martin, their only child. Bereft of a mother's care the son was taken into the home of Buckner Fairfax, and then, under the tutition of his grandparents, was educated in the common schools and given a start in life. His earlier years were spent on a farm in Dunkard Bottom, and for a time he was in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. July 21, 1881, Mr. Martin was married in Grafton, W. Va., at the residence of Mr. V. T. Handley, to Miss Nannie Stanton of Jefferson county, Ohio. She was the daughter of H. B. Stanton, born January 31, 1820, in Warren county, Pennsylvania, and died July 28, 1864. He was a boat builder and soldier in the Civil War. His wife was Miss Mary A. Kimball, born June 15, 1825. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Martin took up their residence in Terra Alta, where Mr. Martin was occupied in the management of the Martin farm for a period of four years, after which he removed to the Fairfax homestead in Dunkard Bottom. They lived here until coming to Kingwood fourteen years ago, where the family now resides. Mr. Martin has been one of the largest farmers and most extensive landowner in Preston county. His possessions at this time amount to nearly four thousand acres of land. Aside from speculations in real estate and coal lands, Mr. Martin has erected a fine business block in Kingwood and operates through his son. Earl Fairfax Martin, quite an extensive trade in the hardware business. Kindness of heart, plainness in manner, and honesty and intent of purpose are the chief characteristics of Mr. Martin, and there is probably no man in Preston county more respected than he is. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Martin are: Earl Fairfax, born August 25, 1882. On September 1, 1909, he married Miss Jessie B. Huggins. They reside in Kingwood, where he is in charge of the hardware store of that place. John Russell Martin, the second child, was born October 24, 1890. He married Beatrice Jean Brown, May 10, 1910, and is connected with the West Virginia-Maryland Gas Company at Rowlesburg, W. Va. Two children: Jean Louisa, born September 11, 1911, and Frederick Fairfax, born October 12, 1913, are the fruit of this union. The Martin family are members of the Presbyterian Church. The family is no less distinctive socially than in church. Their marital relationship with the Fairfax family is known. I. Parsons Martin has in his possession a letter written by George Washington to Colonel Fairfax, dated March, 1789. The missive, rather a long one, pertains to Washington's estate at Mount Vernon, of which Colonel Fairfax was superintendent. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Register of Deaths, Preston County, WV (Page 48, Line No. 1) FULL-NAME: Isaac P. Martin BIRTH-DATE: August 10, 1854 DEATH-DATE: May 25, 1920 at age 65y-9m-15d DEATH-PLACE: Philadelphia MARITAL-STATUS: Widower OCCUPATION: Farmer FATHER: John A. F. Martin MOTHER: Susan Fairfax CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Cancer stomach --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------