Oren married (1) Amanda Chase in Meigs County on 9 Oct. 1856.  She had been born 10 Jul 1837 in Bedford Township, the daughter of Lewis and Nancy (Edwards) Chase.  Oren and Amanda apparently had two children together:

• Locena Martin, 1857–1924 (married Charles Emerson Hoschar).
• Amanda Martin, 1861–1947 (never married).

Oren’s wife Amanda apparently died in the early 1860s (perhaps in giving birth to their daughter Amanda?).  So far, though, I have found no record of her death or burial. 

On 2 May 1864, during the Civil War, Oren signed up for 100 days service in the 140th Ohio Infantry, Company C (shown as “Orren B. Martin” in the official roster).  His regiment was sent to Charleston, WV (about 50 miles from home), and was assigned to guard army stores along the Kanawha and Gauley Rivers.  Oren held the rank of sergeant.  He mustered out with his company on 3 Sept. 1864.

The Ohio County Marriages index shows that “O. D. Martin” married (2) Rebecca Aumiller 18 April 1867.  Various lines of evidence, however, show that the maiden name of Oren’s second wife was Rebecca McKenzie.  The 1860 census showed 19-year-old Rebecca McKenzie living with her parents, Colon and Elizabeth (Ralston) McKenzie in Sutton Township of Meigs County.  Listed on the same page were three Aumiller households, and two more households of Aumillers were on the previous page.  It seems likely that Rebecca married one of her Aumiller neighbors in the early 1860s and that that husband died within a few years.  This is all inferred, though, as I have not found any official records of Rebecca’s first marriage or of her husband’s death.  I surmise, however, that the “Rebecca Aumiller” Oren married in 1867 was Mrs. Rebecca (McKenzie) Aumiller.

The 1870 census shows “Branch Martin” and Rebecca living in Sutton Township, and their neighbors, on the same page, include two households of Aumillers (Rebecca’s ex-in-laws?).  Oren’s two daughters from his first marriage are in the household, and so are two other girls: 7-year-old Mirilda and 2-year-old Mary.  Mary obviously is the first child that Oren and Rebecca have had together.  Mirilda, however, is probably the same girl who shows up, 10 years later, in the household of Elizabeth McKenzie, identified as her granddaughter, Mirilda Aumiller.  Hence, she would be Rebecca’s daughter from her first marriage.

At the time of the 1880 census, “Branch M. Martin” and Rebecca are still in Sutton Township, and they have added to their household 3-year-old Marinda (shown as “Malinda” in the census).  The next available census, from 1900, shows Rebecca as the head of household, without Oren.  In fact, we know that Oren had died in an accident on his farm on 10 May 1900, less than a month before that census was taken.  A great-granddaughter of Oren tells me that he was dragged to death by a team of horses while plowing a field.  Oren was buried in the McKenzie Cemetery in Meigs County.

By 1900, all of the previously named children had grown up and moved out, but two younger children are shown in Rebecca’s household:  19-year-old John and 14-year-old Louisa B.

I have not found Rebecca in the 1910 census.  The 1920 census shows her living with her son John A. Martin in New Brighton, Beaver County, PA.  Rebecca passed away in 1925.  I don’t have a more exact date and don’t know exactly where she died, but she is buried alongside Oren in the McKenzie Cemetery in Meigs County.

Rebecca’s listing in the 1900 census noted that she was the mother of eight, but only five were living.  Clearly, she must have had three children who died in infancy or childhood, but I have found no record of them.  Her five living children would include Mirilda Aumiller, mentioned above, plus these four that she had with Oren:

• Mary P. Martin, 1868–1924 (married John Philip Roush).
• Marinda I. Martin, 1877–1929 (married Timothy M. Nease).
• John Ambrose Martin, 1880–1958 (married Avis Omer).
• Louisa Bess Martin, 1886–1965 (married William R. Sproles).