William Nichols Martin

Birth: Mar. 29, 1818

Abbeville County

South Carolina, USA

Death: Jan. 30, 1893

Russell County

Alabama, USA

William buried his first wife, Anne Wier, and then Julia, his first child by his second wife, Mary Elizabeth Hamilton - both in Upper Long Cane Cemetery, Abbeville, SC. Then the family relocated to Columbus, GA, about 1850, where the farming was reportedly better.

The 1870 census, Russell County, AL, has a W.N. age 53 born SC.

In addition to the six linked children below, William had four other children by his three wives. Total children:

by ANNE WIER:

...Reallura Anne Martin (1840-1901)

...William Wier Martin (1842-1909)

by MARY ELIZABETH HAMILTON:

...Julia Kathleen Martin (1845-1848)

...Jacob Hamilton Martin (1848-1905)

...Elizabeth Jane Martin (1849-??)

...Charles Thomas Martin (1852-1939)

...Benjamin Carlos Martin (1854-1905)

by ELINOR HARRIET JEBB:

...Zoe Alice Martin (1860-1937)

...John Jacob Martin (1862-1926)

...Henry Jebb Martin (1866-1928)

Family links:

Parents:

Jacob Moon Martin (1783 - 1863)
Nancy Moore Martin (1785 - 1855)
Children:
Reallura Anne Martin Abercrombie (1840 - 1901)*
William Wier Martin (1842 - 1909)*
Julia Kathleen Martin (1845 - 1848)*
Jacob Hamilton Martin (1848 - 1905)*
Charles Thomas Martin (1852 - 1939)*
Henry Jebb Martin (1866 - 1928)*
Spouses:
Anne Wier Martin (1819 - 1842)*
Mary Elizabeth Hamilton Martin (1825 - 1854)*
Elinor Jebb Martin (1830 - 1892)*
Inscription:

"1 Lieut.

Russell County Reserves" (Home Guard).

"C. S. A."

Burial:

Villula Methodist Church Cemetery

Villula

Russell County

Alabama, USA

WITH DUE RESPECT TO ALL OUR ALABAMA COUSINS, WILLIAM N MARTIN'S MIDDLE NAME HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE NICHOLS - AND NOT NICHOLAS, as written in "The History of Russell County, Alabama," by contributor/grand-daughter Ellen Martin and published by the Russell County Historical Commission in 1982. Sadly, Ms Martin is herself now deceased and cannot defend her position. Substantial proofs have been found subsequent to that publication, including relative family genealogy. See also the link to his editor/publisher/son, Charles Thomas Martin, below, whose writings included specific references to his father & mother, and paternal & maternal grandparents - all except his mother were from Abbeville, SC. - his mother was from nearby Anderson County.

William was one of three sons of Jacob Moon Martin who had relocated to Alabama. All three were named in Jacob's 1863 will as executors along with a fourth son who remained in South Carolina on Jacob's 800+ acre plantation.

William buried his first wife, Anne WIER, and then buried Julia, first child by his second wife, Mary Elizabeth HAMILTON - both in Upper Long Cane Cemetery, Abbeville, SC. Then the family relocated to Tuskegee, AL, about 1848/9, until the death of Mary (second wife) in childbirth (1854). He then moved his family back to Pickens County, South Carolina. William married a third time in 1858 to Elinor JEBB, an Irish school teacher in Pendleton, SC.

In December 1859, William again moved his family, this time to Columbus, GA, about 215 miles by wagon train. The trip was headed by William's eldest son, teenager William Wier Martin, with slaves driving horses, mules, and cattle; the trip took about a month. This history was written by son Charles Thomas Martin in 1926. Charles T was age 7 and was part of this move - but he does not write whether he was on the wagon train or went ahead with his father and step-mother. See more about this via the link to the son, Charles Thomas Martin, below.

During the Civil War, the family moved a few miles to near Silver Run (now: Seale), AL, where he continued farming.
The 1870 census, Russell County, AL, has a W.N. age 53 born SC.
In addition to the six linked children below, William had four other children by his three wives. Total children:
by ANNE WIER:
...Reallura Anne Martin Abercrombie (1840-1901)
...William Wier Martin (1842-1909)
by MARY ELIZABETH HAMILTON:
...Julia Kathleen Martin (1845-1848)
...Jacob Hamilton Martin (1848-1905)
...Elizabeth Jane Martin (1849-??)
...Charles Thomas Martin (1852-1939)
...Benjamin Carlos Martin (1854-1905)
by ELINOR HARRIET JEBB:
...Zoe Alice Martin (1860-1937)
...John Jacob Martin (1862-1926)
...Henry Jebb Martin (1866-1928)* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Sep 18 2023, 20:03:29 UTC