U.S. Data Repository
http://www.us-data.org/
 -- USGenNet Inc. --
 
Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on 
the following page:
<http://www.us-data.org/fineprint.html>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
History of Wetzel County, West Virginia
by John C. McEldowney, Jr., 1901

Page 53
PRESSLEY MARTIN.

Pressley Martin was born in Martin's Fort, in Monongalia county, in
which his father at that time was commander. He came to what is now
New Martinsville in the year of 1808, and boarded at the house on the
south of the forks of the creek and the Ohio river, which was then
owned by Abraham Hanes. In 1810 he purchased the land on which is now
situated the town of New Martinsville from Mrs. Dulin, the widow of
Edward Dulin, and erected a house on the north forks of Big Fishing
creek and the Ohio river, which was commonly known as the Point
House, on which is now situated the Grand Opera House, and the place
of business of Handron & Dulin. He carried the nails that he put in
the house from Morgantown to New Martinsville in pack saddles, they
having been made at that place by a blacksmith. A short time after
purchasing the land, he married Miss Margaret Clinton. While living
at that place he farmed the land on which is now situated the
prosperous town of New Martinsville, and often made trips to the
Kanawha river for salt. In 1836 he laid out the town of New
Martinsville and named it Martinsville, and in the incorporating of
the town the Assembly of Virginia prefixed the word New before the
Martinsville, making it New Martinsville, from the fact that there
was a town in Henry county, Va., by that name. He died in the year of
____. His name will always be remembered as the originator of the
town of New Martinsville.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other
articles in this book by going to the following URL which contains
a linked index for the book.

http://www.us-data.org/wv/wetzel/history/mceldowney.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------