There is a lot of confusion surrounding Obadiah Martin – dates, places and even wives. Was he born in 1738 or 1761? Did he live in Amherst County, VA or Caroline County, VA? Or maybe Surry County, N.C., or was it Orange County N.C.? Caswell County N.C.? Kentucky? Or maybe all of the above? Did… Read More Unraveling the tangled knot of Obadiah Martin
James Martin Elizabeth Crawford b. August 25, 1699, New Kent County, VA d. March 3, 1775, Amherst County, VA b. October 15, 1700, New Kent County, VA d. circa 1771, Amherst County, VA James Martin was born in 1699 in either New Kent County or King & Queen County, Virginia. King & Queen County was… Read More James Martin & Elizabeth Crawford
There has been a lot of interest in the land deed for Obadiah Martin that I referenced in a former post, so as promised, I’m providing it. A few years ago I found an obscure reference to a 1796 land deed for Obadiah Martin in Tennessee. At that time I was trying to determine if… Read More 1796 TN land deed for Obadiah Martin
While the name Obadiah (Obidiah, Obediah) may not make the top 20 list of boys names today, it was surprisingly popular in colonial eighteenth century America. The surname of Martin was also popular, with Martin men arriving at east coast ports from all over Europe. As a result there were many men named Obadiah Martin… Read More Did Obadiah Martin (b. 1738) die in 1766 or 1820?
How exciting! I had no idea where this journey would lead when we packed our family up four years ago and moved from the Rocky Mountains to the Smoky Mountains. The move came because of an incredible job offer but ended up being a wonderful exploration of family history. Six months ago my husband verified… Read More The Martin’s are a First Family of Tennessee!
Many Martin family researchers list the land upon which James Martin lived in Albemarle, Virginia as the New South Wales Plantation. This is identified as the 1600 acres James bought from John Chiswell along the banks of Rockfish River, a tributary off the James River. Many Martin researchers list the place of birth for James’… Read More The confusion of New South Wales – country or plantation?
Several years ago my family took my Dad on a road trip to Arkansas to visit the old Martin homestead. We spent time visiting family in Springdale and fishing on the Bull Shoals Lake, then we took a drive to Martins Springs near Norfork. It’s a little town on the White River just south of… Read More Stories of Old Joe and Tom part 1
Obadiah Martin has been an elusive relative that has intrigued me from the beginning. My Obadiah is the youngest son of James and Elizabeth (Crawford) Martin. What makes him so difficult to track is his nephew Obadiah. The younger Obadiah is the son of older Obadiah’s brother David and the two are often confused. Both… Read More Who is Obediah Martin?
Several years ago I contacted the county clerk of Amherst County, Virginia and asked for a copy of original will of James Martin. Following is the transcribed document. It is found in the Amherst County Virginia Will Book 1, page 279. The will is written on September 25, 1771 and presented in court on March… Read More James Martin’s will 1775
Last year my father took a DNA test from DNAtribes. My father, who I won’t name here since he is still healthy and kicking around at 88 years old and prefers to remain unknown to the world wide web, has some interesting results. Interesting because the results are so, well, homogeneous. Much more so than… Read More Debunking a Family Story Through DNA