San
Joaquin County
Biographies
SAMUEL L. MARTIN
The story of a real pioneer family
is to be found in the record of Samuel L. Martin, who came to California in
1857, and from that time until he died was counted among the real builders of
the county. A native of Tennessee, he
was born in Hardin County, May 22, 1833, and when he was but nine years old he
was taken by his parents to Arkansas and there reared and received such
education as possible at that time and place.
On March 22, 1857, he started for the Golden West, all alone, with his
blankets thrown on the back of his mule.
After traveling a few days he overtook a large train westward bound and
joined them, doing his share of the work in driving stock. In this train was the Scott family,
Kentuckians, and here he met his future wife, Miss Ala Scott, who was born in
Kentucky on July 16, 1835. As soon as
they reached California, the young folks were married in October, 1857. Some members of the train decided to choose
the well-beaten trails, while others who were over anxious to reach California,
took a shorter route and were murdered in the Mountain Meadow massacre.
Arriving safely after their
marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Martin began housekeeping on a ranch six miles southeast
of Lockeford, opposite the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Cole, who were
Forty-niners, Mrs. Cole being sister of Mrs. Martin. Mr. Martin acquired 260 acres of the Pico
Grant, and here he developed and improved a good ranch, carrying on grain and
stockraising with a fair degree of success.
Nine children came to bless their home:
William T., the eldest, was born on the Dodge place, where the parents
stopped a short time; the others, born on the old Martin ranch, being Joseph
H., Susie, Mary J., Samuel L., James H. H., Elizabeth, Carrie M. and Ellen
V. The survivors of the family are
William, James, Carrie, Mrs. Lewis Moreing, Mrs. McCall and Ellen. Mr. Martin died in December, 1914; Mrs.
Martin passed away on April 3, 1898.
The first seven years after locating
on his ranch, the crops were a failure owing to the overflow of the river. Mr. Martin, with others of his locality, put
through the drainage ditch into Martin’s Slough, and ever since, there has been
no difficulty with water. He was a
friend of education and helped build the Calaveras schoolhouse and served as a
trustee of the district for many years.
Mr. Martin was a whole-souled man, generous to a fault, ever ready to do
his share to develop the interests of the state, county and locality.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
904. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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