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Portrait and biographical album of Newayco (sp) County, Mich.
containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and
representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and
biographies of all the governors of Michigan and of the presidents
of the United States: also containing a complete history of the county,
from its earliest settlement to the present time.

Published by Chapman Bros., Chicago, IL, 1884

Transcribed by Linda Talbott

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Page 365
MARTIN, William
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William Martin, one of the pioneers of Newaygo County, was born in
Richfield, Otsego Co., N.Y., Jan. 7, 1814; and is the son of Elijah and
Mary Martin, natives of Connecticut.  Elijah Martin was a farmer, and had
a family of seven daughters and one son.  The latter, the youngest of the
family, was William, the subject of this sketch.  Leaving home at the age
of 25, he engaged in farming in Steuben and Allegany Counties,
successively.  In 1852, he came to Michigan and lived one year in Clinton,
Lenawee County.  He then went across the plains to California, via Oregon,
driving four yoke of oxen attached to a "prairie schooner."  He passed one
winter in Oregon, and two years in California, and then returned to
Lenawee Co., Mich.  After a short stay, he took his family to Iowa and
Illinois, in search of land; but found that all the desirable Government
land had been taken.  Retracing his route, he purchased an ox team at
Kalamazoo and came to Newaygo, in June, 1856.  Until the following
January, he kept boarders in the village of Newaygo.  With his ox team as
a conveyance, he then removed to Dayton Township, and purchased 160 acres
of land under the Graduation Act, paying 75 cents per acre.  He has bought
and sold at different times, and now owns but 80 acres, of which 30 acres
are improved.

Jan. 17, 1843, in Bath, Steuben Co., N.Y., he was married to Lovilla B.
Herkimer, a native of New York State.  They have had five children, of
whom three are now living,--George H., Michael and Helen L.  The last
named is the wife of A. E. Upton, of Fremont.  Nov. 13, 1878, Mr. Martin
was stricken with paralysis, and he has not walked a step since.  Most of
the time he has been in bed.

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