Alexander C. Martin ^{1 2 3 4 5}

  General Notes:

E-mail from DEBBLEIN@cs.com
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 01:17:17 EST
Subject: Alexander C. Martin & Sarah Lightfoot

Alexander C. Martin was born July 4, 1777 and came to America in 1797, from Belfast, Ireland. Alexander C. died Oct 17,1865. Prior to coming to America, he had clerked on a sailing vessel, making seven trips across the Atlantic. He first settled in the vicinity of Lake Erie. There he married and reared a family which the person who wrote this paper knew nothing of. After the death of his first wife, he came to York County, Pennsylvania and married Sarah Lightfoot. According to this paper Sarah was born in 1798 and died Sept. 20, 1882. Alexander C. was a school teacher.

Jefferson Martin devoted his active life to agricultural pursuits. Jefferson Martin married Elmira J. Fortney, daughter of David and Mary A. Leckrone Fortney, and four children were born, Mary A., Sarah A., Lillian F., the fourth child is unknown.

Mary A. married John H. Martin who was of no relation.

Sarah A. married Jacob E. or F. Cook.

Lillian F. married Jacob R. Weaver.

Jefferson Martin was liberal in his religious views. In politics Jefferson was active in the work of the Democratic Party, having served as Judge of Election and Constable for several years. Jefferson Martin was one of the Veterans of the Civil War having enlisted in 1861 in Company H, 87th Private 1, in which he served three years. At the end of his term of service he reenlisted and served until the war was over. He was wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek.

I hope this information is helpful to you. My grandmother's maiden name is Helen Martin.

Thanks,
Deb
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He worked as a Clerk aboard sailing vessel about 1795. ⁶

• He immigrated in 1797.
⁶

• He appeared on the 1830 US Census in Monaghan Township, York County, PA on June 1830. ¹

1830 US Census
Page 272, Roll 160
Monaghan Township, York, Pennsylvania

1 Male 50-60..Alexander C. Martin..Head..(age 53)

(Living with wife and 5 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1840 US Census in Carroll Township, York County, PA on June 1840. ²

1840 US Census
Page 222, Roll 502
Carroll Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States

1 Male 50-60..Alexander Martin..Head..(age 63; should have been in the 60-70 category)

(Living with wife and 9 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1850 US Census in Monaghan Township, York County, PA on 7 August 1850. ³

1850 US Census
Page 314B, Household 56, Roll 840
Monaghan Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States
Alexander Martin..73..Ireland..School Teacher

(Living with wife, 2 sons, and 1 daughter or perhaps granddaughter.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 4 Jul 1777, then his age should have been 72 instead of 73.
.

• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in Monaghan Township, York County, PA on 20 July 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 58, Family 423, Roll 1201
Monaghan Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States
Alex C. Martin..83..Ireland

(Living with wife, 4 children, and 2 grandchildren.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 4 Jul 1777, then his age should have been 82 instead of 83.
.

• He was buried after 17 October 1865 in the Fileys Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery in Dillsburg, PA.

Find A Grave Memorial 167644899
. ⁵

Alexander married Sarah Lightfoot, daughter of Daniel Lightfoot and Caterina Salome Schmidt, about 1816. (Sarah Lightfoot was born in 1798 in York County, PA,^{7 8} died on 20 September 1882 ⁸ and was buried after 20 September 1882 in Fileys Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery, Dillsburg, PA ⁸.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1830 US Census in Monaghan Township, York County, PA on June 1830. ¹

1830 US Census
Page 272, Roll 160
Monaghan Township, York, Pennsylvania

1 Male under 5..(probably Cyrus, 5)
1 Male 5-10..(probably William, 6)
1 Male 10-15..(probably Leslie, 13)
1 Male 50-60..Alexander C. Martin..Head..(age 53)

2 Females under 5..(probably Harriet, 1; Cynthia, 3)
1 Female 30-40..(probably Sarah, wife, 32)

7 Total in household
.

• They appeared on the 1840 US Census in Carroll Township, York County, PA on June 1840. ²

1840 US Census
Page 222, Roll 502
Carroll Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States

1 Male under 5..(probably Henry, 5)
1 Male 5-10..(probably Alexander, 6)
1 Male 10-15..(probably Cyrus, 15)
1 Male 15-20..(probably William, about 26)
1 Male 20-30..(probably Leslie, 23)
1 Male 50-60..Alexander Martin..Head..(age 63; should have been in the 60-70 category)

1 Female under 5..(probably Rebecca, 3)
1 Female 5-10..(probably Catherine, 9)
2 Females 10-15..(probably Harriet, 11; Cynthia, 13)
1 Female 40-50..(probably Sarah, wife, 42)

11 Total in household
.

• They appeared on the 1850 US Census in Monaghan Township, York County, PA on 7 August 1850. ³

1850 US Census
Page 314B, Household 56, Roll 840
Monaghan Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States
Alexander Martin..73..Ireland..School Teacher
Sarah Martin..42..PA
Jefferson Martin..10..PA
Jackson Martin..12..PA
Serah E. Martin..6..PA

NOTE - Sloppy handwriting by the enumerator caused the Martin surname to be originally indexed as Marler.

Sarah was most likely Alexander's wife but her age was greatly understated. She should have been about 52 instead of 42. The names of Jefferson and Jackson were alledgedly twins but somehow have ages that are 2 years apart. The young female, Sarah, at age 6 must be a granddaughter to the 73 year old Alexander but it is not known who her parents were.
.

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Monaghan Township, York County, PA on 20 July 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 58, Family 423, Roll 1201
Monaghan Township, York, Pennsylvania, United States
Alex C. Martin..83..Ireland
Sarah Martin..63..Pennsylvania
Henry Martin..23..Pennsylvania
Jane Martin..20..Pennsylvania
Jeferson Martin..20..Pennsylvania
Jackson Martin..19..Pennsylvania
Allen Martin..8..Pennsylvania
John Martin..0..Pennsylvania

NOTE - The two young Martins, Allen and John, aged 8 and 0, were obviously grandchildren but the names of their parents are not yet known.
.

  Marriage Notes:

E-mail from Keith A. Dull:
They resided in Monaghan Township, York County Pennsylvania in 1830 and in Carroll Township, York County, Pennsylvania in 1840.

NOTE - The 1850 and 1860 Census shows them living back in Monaghan Township.
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E-mail from DEBBLEIN@cs.com
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 01:17:17 EST
Subject: Alexander C. Martin & Sarah Lightfoot
Hi! According to a paper I found in an old family bible Alexander and Sarah had 3 other children. They were Leslie J. born May 14, 1817. John H. born Dec. 2, 1818 and died Aug 18, 1825. Lucinda born Dec. 9, 1822 and died Oct. 23, 1823. Elanor should be Elanora. Elanora was born on March 8, 1844. Cyrus was born July 29, 1825. Cynthia was born August 6, 1827. Harriet was born Sept. 13,1829 and died April 7, 1890. Catherine was born Sept 27,1831. Alexander L. was born March 11, 1834. Henry L. was born Oct.14, 1835 and died Dec. 26, 1888. Rebecca J. was born June 29, 1837. Jefferson was born on July 29, 1840, along with a twin brother Jackson.

NOTE - Even though this paper suggests the Jefferson and Jackson were twin brothers, and their names alone suggest that they might have been twins, both the 1850 and 1860 US Census records provide differing ages for each.

Alexander C. Martin was born July 4, 1777 and came to America in 1797, from Belfast Ireland. Alexander C. died Oct 17,1865. Prior to coming to America, he had clerked on a sailing vessel, making seven trips across the Atlantic. He first settled in the vicinity of Lake Erie. There he married and reared a family which the person who wrote this paper knew nothing of. After the death of his first wife, he came to York County, Pennsylvania and married Sarah Lightfoot. According to this paper Sarah was born in 1798 and died Sept. 20, 1882. Alexander C. was a school teacher.

(His son,) Jefferson Martin devoted his active life to agricultural pursuits. Jefferson Martin married Elmira J. Fortney, daughter of David and Mary A. Leckrone Fortney, and four children were born, Mary A., Sarah A., Lillian F., the fourth child is unknown. Mary A. married John H. Martin who was of no relation. Sarah A. married Jacob E. or F. Cook. Lillian F. married Jacob R. Weaver. Jefferson Martin was liberal in his religious views. In politics Jefferson was active in the work of the Democratic Party, having served as Judge of Election and Constable for several years. Jefferson Martin was one of the Veterans of the Civil War having enlisted in 1861 in Company H, 87th PV l, in which he served three years. At the end of his term of service he re-enlisted and served until the war was over. He was wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek.

I hope this information is helpful to you. My grandmother's maiden name is Helen Martin.

Thanks,
Deb
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The 1850 US Census is somewhat problematic for several reasons. First, the indexing project thought the sloppily written surname was Marler instead of Martin. Next, the age of Sarah the wife was shown as
42 instead of about 52. The names of the sons Jefferson and Jackson who have been assumed to be twins born in 1840 were shown with ages that are 2 years apart. And finally, the name of the young female, Sarah, at age 6 must be a granddaughter to the 73 year old Alexander but it is not known who her parents could have been.

Sarah was most likely Alexander's wife but her age was greatly understated. She should have been about 52 instead of 42. The names of Jefferson and Jackson were alledgedly twins but somehow are shown with ages that are 2 years apart. Even their birth year of 1840 strongly suggests that they were actually grandsons instead of sons to Alexander who would have been about 63 at the time of their births.The young female on the census, Sarah, at age 6 must have been a granddaughter to the 73 year old Alexander at the time but it is not known who her parents were. Alexander's daughter, Cynthia Ann Martin was married to Samuel Hunsberger in 1849 and they had a daughter, Sarah Ellen Huntsberger, who could have been staying with her grandparents when the census enumeration was completed but her birth date of 22 Mar 1851 seems to be well documented so it is doubtful that it was her.