Click here for the John Martin Family home page. 3rd Generation - Levi Martin 

Levi Martin, the fourth child of John Martin, Jr., and Mary Ann (Wheeler) Martin, was born 14 Feb 1842 at Camargo, Illinois (which was then part of Coles County but was included in Douglas County in 1859).

Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Levi enlisted in the 79th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company E, at Tuscola, IL, on 7 Aug. 1862.  On account of physical disability he was mustered out at Nashville, TN, 29 Jan. 1863.  Having healed, he enlisted again in the 18th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company D, at Danville, IL, on 4 Nov. 1864.  He was sent to Little Rock, AR, where the regiment was reorganized and he was elected Orderly Sergeant of his company; then on 28 June 1865, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant.  He was on regiment and garrison duty principally, and had charge of building pontoon bridges at Little Rock, AR.  He was mustered out of the service 13 Jan. 1866 at Springfield, IL.

On 24 December 1871, Levi married Sarah R. Smith in Camargo.  She had been born 13 July 1849 in Gallia County, Ohio, the daughter of John William and Mary A. (Neal) Smith.  Levi and Sarah settled down on the 160-acre farm he had acquired in Bowdre Township of Douglas County.  They became the parents of two daughters:

  • Estella M. Martin, 1873–1934 (married William O. Beasley).1
  • Blanch Martin, 1879–1933 (married and later divorced Ewing Wilson Hill).

Many additional details of Levi’s life were revealed in a biographical sketch published in 1910.  However, an important detail omitted there was the fact that Levi passed away on 10 February 1910.  (He probably didn’t live to see his bio in print.)  Local newspapers published informative obituaries at that time.  Levi’s wife Sarah lived another 5 years and died on 4 February 1915.  Both are buried in the Van Voorhis Cemetery.

If you can suggest any corrections to the information above or provide any further details about the lives of Levi, Sarah, or their descendants, please contact me at the address shown in the image below:

P L Martin C O at G mail dot com

Thanks,      
     —Pete Martin

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Footnote:

  1. It's interesting to note that Levi's daughter Estella Martin Beasley was an official census taker for the 1900 census. Hence, her name appears at the top of every census page for Bowdre Township of Douglas County.
    2.