WI BIO - Dane Co - MARTIN, Nathaniel
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 514-516

Nathaniel MARTIN, a resident of Vienna Township [Dane County], Wisconsin, was 
born in Franklin County, Vermont, in 1832. His father was Nathaniel MARTIN, 
born in New Hampshire in 1795, and his father, Thomas MARTIN, also a native 
of New England, came from an Irish father and a Holland mother. The great 
grandfather of our subject, whose given name is not known, was a gunsmith 
from Ireland, who came to New England at a very early day. The grandfather 
followed the occupation of farming and reared his son, Nathaniel to farm 
life. Thomas MARTIN was one of a large family of children. His father was 
an active participant all through the Revolutionary War, and wounded by a 
bullet through his arm. He was a musician, a fifer, and now both he and his 
wife are sleeping in the little graveyard in Sheldon's Corners [Franklin 
County], Vermont. This place was named for George SHELDON, the maternal 
grandparent. Grandfather MARTIN died at the age of seventy years, and his 
wife soon after. Grandfather SHELDON died in Sheldon, Franklin County, New 
York, at the age of ninety-three years, having reared six sons and three 
daughters, to whom he left an estate for that day, and the old homestead is 
still in the family. He was a typical frontiersman and hunter, and enjoyed 
life thoroughly. He was well and widely known, and for his prowess he was 
held in high esteem, and the town was named after him. His father was of 
English lineage, and was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War, having at one 
time the command of the post where Major ANDRE was tried and convicted. His 
faithful old wife survived him some time [p 515] and died at the age of 95. 
The last one of the family, John SHELDON, died at Appleton [Outagamie 
County], Wisconsin, in 1890, aged about eighty.

Nathaniel MARTIN moved to New York in 1834, settled in Franklin County, and 
there bought an improved farm of some 70 acres, but in 1847 he came to 
Wisconsin, settled in Dane Township, Dane County, for two years, being one of 
the first settlers and organizers of that township. He was a Baptist 
preacher, and preached the first sermon ever delivered in the town of 
Springfield [Dane County, WI], where he now lives. Two years later he sold 
this land in Dane Township, and removed to Springfield Township, four miles 
away, where he bought 600 acres of Government land. He sought this location 
on account of water privileges. In those days they did not know how to reach 
the hidden fountains, deep in the earth, nor how to harness the wind to draw 
it, and a good living spring was a treasure. At this place Mr. [Nathaniel] 
MARTIN thought he had made his permanent home, but within three years death 
claimed him, and in his 58th year of lung fever, and his last resting place 
is in the Kingleigh cemetery. His wife lived nearby a quarter of a century 
after his death, a widow, and died at the age of eighty-three years, and was 
laid to rest by the side of her husband.

The subject of this sketch, Nathaniel MARTIN, is the youngest of seven 
children, of these Giles died in early childhood, in Vermont, and the next to 
die was Polly, the wife of Horace PAYNE. They moved from Springfield [Dane 
County], Wisconsin, to Nebraska, where she died on the farm, of fever, aged 
fifty-seven years. She left three sons and three daughters. The living 
children of Nathaniel's household are: Smith G., a farmer of Nebraska, aged 
seventy-four years; George S., a Baptist preacher, of Ottawa County, 
Michigan, aged seventy-two; Henry, a farmer of Rock County, Minnesota, aged 
seventy; Sarah became the wife of John BABCOCK, of Dane Township [Dane 
County, WI], who came to Wisconsin in 1846. She is now his widow, residing 
on his farm in Hamilton County, Nebraska, at age sixty-five years, and has 
three sons and four daughters.

Mr. MARTIN lived at home with his parents. His father died when he was 
twenty years old. He was married to Miss Lucy MARTIN, his cousin, a daughter 
of Phineas MARTIN and Rosalba (HERRICK) MARTIN, both natives of Vermont, 
where the daughter was born. They came West to Wisconsin in 1852, via 
railroad and lake to Milwaukee. Nathaniel MARTIN was a farmer in good 
circumstances, and lived for thirty-two years on the old homestead, where 
nine children were born to them. Of this number, two died in early 
childhood, namely: (1) Albert Lincoln, born in 1860 died two years later; 
(2) Alva died in 1872, aged eleven months, and the living ones are: (3) 
Giles P. a farmer near the old homestead, and has one son and two daughters; 
(4) Delilah, who married Starky LESTER, a farmer nearby; (5) Eugene, a 
prosperous merchant of Jefferson [Greene County], Iowa; he has one son and 
two daughters; (6) Annetta, the wife of Isaac G. BRADEN, is now at home, but 
is a resident of Dane, where Mr. BRADEN has been in the mercantile line, and 
they have one daughter and one son; (7) Andrew J., single, at home, is a 
regular farmer; (8) Eva, a young lady, a teacher is at home; and (9) Emma 
M., the youngest, is now teaching. Five of these children have taught 
schools, and Giles, the eldest, was a veteran teacher, having taught for many 
years, and was considered by his superintendent to be one of the two best in 
the district.

Mr. Martin has been Supervisor for Vienna and Springfield [Dane County, WI] 
for eight terms, and [p 516] has been Chairman of the Board for six terms. 
He is a Democrat, but was elected to this office in a strong Republican 
township. He is Chairman at present of the town of Vienna. Mr. MARTIN has 
220 acres in this farm, which is a fine one, within one mile of the 
Northwestern railroad depot, at Waunakee [Dane County, WI]. This place he 
bought in 1886, for $7,000, including the present fine farm house, with 
Milwaukee white brick*. The place was run down, but now shows the thrift and 
neatness of its thorough owner. He does mixed farming, and keeps a fine 
stable of good horses, of all work, of which he has 15 head now, and as he 
considers hogs the most profitable and sure stock, he raises a good many of 
them. Mr. MARTIN has turned off as many as 150 head per year. He shipped as 
many as 110 to Chicago in 1882, or 1883, which averaged 340 pounds, and 
brought $2,400. He grows corn, oats and wheat, and also a fine crop of hay. 
His dwelling and outbuildings stand a fine, dry elevation, sloping to the 
southeast, and this is one of the most attractive and pleasant-looking farm 
houses in the district. Mr. MARTIN is one of the best and most thrifty 
farmers, and has received but little assistance from his parents. Socially 
he affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
[* Probably refers to the cream-colored brick from which many of the 
buildings in Milwaukee were constructed, giving it the name "Cream City."]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly