History of Richardson County, Nebraska, by Lewis C. Edwards, 1917, pages 930–931

CHARLES H. MARTIN

       One of the most progressive farmers of Barada precinct, Richardson county is Charles H. Martin, who was born May 14, 1863, in Fremont county, Iowa.  He is a son of John I. and Rachel (Reeves) Martin, both natives of Illinois [actually Rachel was born in Ohio], where they spent their earlier years, but came to Iowa in pioneer times.  John I. Martin, who was born on June 12, 1839, is a son of Isaac Martin, who settled at Tarkio, Missouri, about 1844, later moving to Fremont county, Iowa, thence to Richardson county, Nebraska, in 1866, settling near what is now the Falls school house.  Isaac Martin bought a farm one mile north of Falls City, of Jess Crook, for which he paid only five dollars per acre.  John I. Martin paid only three dollars and twenty-five cents per acre for his land, which he improved and there reared his children, and he made his home in Richardson county many years, but finally moved back to Iowa.  He spends his winters in California, and the rest of the time with his sons in Richardson county.  The wife of John I. Martin was born on December 11, 1840, and died on December 15, 1908.
       To these parents the following children were born:  Sarah Alice, born in Iowa, May 16, 1861, died August 9, 1863; Charles Herny [sic], of this sketch;  Elza, born June 11, 1866, lives at Hotchkiss, Colorado; Mary Florence, October 16, 1867, died at Howe, Idaho, April 5, 1914; Della Maria, April 21,1870, died August 18, 1871; Joseph Wesley, October 12, 1872, lives at Paona [sic], Colorado; Susan Nellie, June 24, 1872, died August 10, 1879; John Ambrose, May 12, 1877 [March 12, 1876] is the present postmaster at Barada, Nebraska; Mrs. Clara Lulu [Lula] Stephens, January 25, 1879 [1878], lives in San Diego, California, and Mrs. Ella Sayre [Sare], wife of Harvey Sayre [Sare], was born on October 28, 1881, and lives at Hotchkiss, Colorado.
       Charles H. Martin spent his boyhood in Richardson county and he received a common-school education here and in Fremont county, Iowa.  He first attended school in his grandfather's home, taught by his aunt, Mary Martin, who later married Isaac Ryan [Rhine].  He also attended the old Maddox school.  He remained with his parents on the farm until he was twenty-two years old, in 1885, when he began farming on his grandmother's place, now owned by William Nutter.  After living there two years he moved to a farm in Barada precinct, where he spent three years, then moved to Colorado in 1890, where he engaged in farming until 1896, having pre-empted forty acres, also bought forty acres.  He carried on farming there by irrigation and prospered and lived there until 1897.  It was a new country and he endured many hardships.  It was thirty-five miles to the nearest railroad, and prices for all household supplies were very high.  On account of his wife's health he sold out and returned to Nebraska and secured the farm he now owns, consisting of eighty acres in Barada precinct, on which land he had erected an attractive new home and has made other important improvements.  It is well located one mile north of the village of Barada.  He also owns a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Barada precinct.
       Mr. Martin was married on March 4, 1886, to Addah Dakota Butler, who was born on May 24, 1866 in Vermilion county, Illinois.  She is a daughter of Ephraim Porter and Minerva J. Butler, who are mentioned in the sketch of W. F. Butler, appearing elsewhere in this volume.
       The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Martin:  Alta Ruth, born on January 11, 1887, is the wife of Philip Markt, of Oregon, Missouri, and they have four children, Morris Henry, Bernice, Merrill and Adeline; Grace Elfie, October 14, 1889, is the wife of Roy Dunn of Falls City, Nebraska, and they have four children, Fern, Dale, Delpha May and [Marvin; and] Melvin Henry, December 5, 1896, is working with his father on the home farm.
       Politically, Mr. Martin is a Republican.  He served as precinct committeeman of Barada precinct for several years.  He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and belongs to the Evangelical church.

Richardson County 1985, by Richardson County History Book Committee, 1985, p. 220–221

CHARLES HENRY AND ADDAH DAKOTA (BUTLER) MARTIN
––––––––

       Charles Henry Martin was born May 14, 1863, in Sidney, Fremont County, Iowa.  He was the son of John I. (born June 12, 1839) and Rachel (Reeves) Martin.  In 1866, the John I. Martin family moved from Iowa to Richardson County.
       Charles had six sisters:  Sarah Alice, Mary Florence, Della Marie, Susan Nellie, Clara Lulu [Lula], and Ella.  He had three brothers:  Elza, Joseph Wesley, and John Ambrose.  When grown, most of the family moved to Colorado.  John A. remained in [also went to Colorado but in 1905 returned to] Richardson County and was a photographer of his Martin Studio until 1930, when he drowned in the Nemaha River south of Falls City.
       On March 4, 1886, Charles married Addah Dakota Butler, who was born May 24, 1866, in Indianola, Vermillion County, Illinois.  Her parents were Ephraim P. and Minerva (McCarthy) Butler, with whom she came to Richardson County in 1879.  The next year, they moved to Barada where Ephraim was a wagon maker.  Business was good, and he invested in 360 acres of land in the Barada precinct.
       Addah had one sister, Cellie, who married Malcolm M. Henricks.  Her two brothers were William Franklin, who married Ella Josephine Underwood, and Elmer Ellsworth, who married Ida Elizabeth Duerfeldt.
       Charles and Addah had three children:  Alta Ruth, who married Phillip Markt; Grace Elfa, who married Roy H. Dunn; and Melvin Henry, who married Matilda Matthews.  They had fifteen grandchildren.
       Charles farmed 160 acres, one and one-half miles north of Barada, until 1890.  Then he, Addah, and their two daughters moved to Paonia, Colorado, near Delta.  There he did irrigation farming for a couple of years.  Because of the altitude, Addah was not well, so they returned to Richardson County and lived in Falls City where their son was born.  After buying an eighty acre farm, they lived in a log cabin one mile north of Barada.  Then, in 1910, an attractive house was built on this farm.
       Addah was a faithful reader of the Bible, attended church regularly, and taught Sunday School.  Church friends on her eighty-seventh birthday, presented to Addah a large bible for the church pulpit in her honor.  Her vision had dimmed.  People felt sad as she could no longer read the new Bible.  However, she said it didn’t matter as she had a lot of God’s word stored in her heart. At this time she was the last living charter member of the Barada Evangelical Church.  Here is a verse from a poem, written by Lillian Grush for this celebration, that shows her devotion to the Lord.

“On foot and alone on prayer meeting night
She trudged the long mile by dim lantern light.
With undaunted courage, of the pioneer
Her duty before her, she had no fear.”

     After retiring, they moved to Verdon.  Charles died January 2, 1944.  Because of her near blindness, she lived then with her children.  She died May 27, 1954.
       Charles and Addah were members of the Barada Evangelical Church.  Both are buried in the Steele Cemetery.

Return to Charles Martin bio page.
Return to John Martin Family home page.