STEPHEN MARTIN 1799 - 1875
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Obituary, Valdosta Times x31 Jul 1875:

"With sadness we announce the death, at his residence, on the 29th instant, of Captain Stephen Martin, an aged and highly respected citizen of this county. Captain M. was a man of many noble and generous qualities, and he had thereby summoned around him many friends to mourn his decease."

The early history of Captain Stephen Martin was told by his grandson and namesake in Pines and Pioneers, The History of Lowndes County, Georgia: "On the morning that he was eighteen, his father told him: 'I've got nothing in this world to give you but this horse and saddle and this advice: wherever you settle, get among the wealthiest people you can find and you will make out all right.' The boy got onto his horse and rode off, his only possessions were the clothes that he had on. He soon found a wife, and the couple's household goods were a bench and an iron pot for cooking in the fireplace in their cabin. At mealtimes, he sat on one end of the bench and she on the other, with the pot of food between them."

The wife that Stephen Martin found was Sarah Touchstone, daughter of Henry Touchstone. Stephen Martin's War of 1812 pension application indicates that the couple were married in Nov 1, 1818 in Barnwell District, South Carolina. The pension application confirms that Stephen Martin enlisted at Marion District Court House, and served in Captain James Johnson's Company, Major Loveless Gasque's Battalion, of the South Carolina Militia at Cat Island, Georgetown District, South Carolina on Sept. 24, 1814, as a 15 year old boy.

South Carolina Department of Archives and History records of Captain James Johnson's Company show that Stephen Martin enlisted with his older brother, James Martin on the same date, served together on Cat Island, and were discharged on the same date. Both men returned to their father's home on the Black River in Williamsburg County, South Carolina.

Stephen Martin continued his military career after his War service with a commission as an Ensign of the Edisto Company, 26 September 1818. On 11 August 1821, Stephen Martin was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Hartley's Creek Company, 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, South Carolina Militia. On 26 March 1825, he was meritoriously promoted to Captain and placed in command of the Edisto Company.

After leaving Williamsburg County, Stephen Martin settled on a fine parcel of land on Tony Hill Bay near Lemon's Creek in Barnwell District. He lived there from 1817 until 1842, when he removed to Lowndes Co., GA, settling on land near Grand Bay.

From the estate records of Joseph Tucker, 8 August 1842: "A certain note due the estate by Barney Elsey and Stephen Martin, dated January 13, 1841, for $220.00 principal, was identified as insolvent, due to Elsey dying insolvent and Martin having removed to Lowndes County, Ga., leaving no property here."

From Pines and Pioneers: " The Pioneers (of Lowndes Co.) usually fashioned a one-room house or double log house connected by a 'dog-trot', a wide open passageway between two square rooms. The pioneers found an abundance of ducks, turkeys, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, deer and bear. The early settlers raised sheep and goats. They especially liked to have some hogs, for they learned that the plentiful and varied mast of pine forests imparted a fine flavor to the pork. Upon one occasion, Stephen Martin told of riding nine miles with saddlebags full of corn to feed the razorback hogs in the woods.

However, the people of South Georgia, raised more cattle than anything else. On one occasion, cattle buyers from Savannah stayed two weeks with Stephen Martin, rounding up cattle which were scattered five to ten miles away. Subsequently, Mr. Martin tried penning his cows in a five acre clearing for the winter; he built a new pen every year and from the old one, made a new field which was already fertilized."

From Huxford's notes on Stephen Martin, Lowndes Co. deed records:

1841: Samuel Knight to Stephen Martin of Barnwell Dist., South Carolina, 6/23/1841, Lot # 176/11th Dist., $1,000, Book A, p. 252.

1841: Aaron Knight to Stephen Martin of Barnwell Dist., South Carolina, Aug 23, 1841, Lot 193, Dist. 11, $500, Book A, p. 251.

1845: C. Brinson, Sheriff to Stephen Martin, of Lowndes Co., Ga., 4/1/1845, Lot # 142, Dist. 11, property of John Hightower, $110.07, Book A, p. 253.

1845: Rezin Lyon of Newton Co., Ga. to Stephen Martin, 5/24/1845, Lot # 202, Dist. 11, $75, Book A, p. 253.

1853: C.H. Dasher to Stephen Martin, 4/3/1853, Lot 194, Dist. 11, Book A, p. 250.

1855: George Parker of Coosa County, Ala. to Stephen Martin, 11/24/1855, $500, Lot # 195, Dist. 11, Book A, p. 253.

1858: James M. Chitty to Stephen Martin, 12/13/1858, $2,000, Lot # 180, Dist. 11, Book A, p. 254.

In the 1850 US census of Lowndes County, Georgia, Stephen Martin's family showed as such:

STEPHEN MARTIN, age 50
SARAH MARTIN, age 50
WILLIAM MARTIN, age 24
STEPHEN MARTIN, age 22
JASPER MARTIN, age 19
McDUFFIE MARTIN, age 13
LUCIUS MARTIN, age 12
RACHEL MARTIN, age 8
MARY MARTIN, age 13
LAVINIA MARTIN, age 7
WILLIAM MARTIN, age 3

The last three children were orphans of Stephen Martin's deceased son, John Martin. Mary E. Martin, age 13 in 1850, was the only daughter of John Martin and his first wife, Mary Varn. Mary Varn died in 1837, in childbirth. From the 1838 Petition for Division of Estate below:

"Mary Varn, since his death, intermarried with John Martin by whom she had one child, Mary E. Martin, and [she] departed this life sometime in the year 1837, leaving her said husband and child surviving her, and entitled to her part of the estate of the intestate estate."

Lavinia, aged 7 in 1850, and William Columbus Martin, aged 3 in 1850, were the children of John Martin and his second wife, Mary Moody. John and Mary Moody Martin died about 1848 of yellow fever and the children were sent to Lowndes Co., GA to be raised by their grandparents, Stephen H. & Sarah Touchstone Martin.

Sarah Touchstone Martin died Feb 22, 1876. Her obituary in the Valdosta times reads:

"Mrs. Martin, consort of the late Stephen Martin, died at the residence of MAJ H.B. Holliday, last Tuesday night. She was interred at the old family burying ground about five miles in the country."

Her grandson, William Columbus Martin, son of her deceased son, John Martin, was the administrator of her estate.

The "old family burying ground" is the Old Antioch Cemetery off Knights Academy Road, northeast of Valdosta. MAJ Henry B. Holliday married, as his second wife, Rachel Martin (see photo), dau. of Stephen H. and Sarah Touchstone Martin. He was the father, by his first wife, of the famous gunfighter, "Doc" Holliday, who died in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, 8 Nov 1887.
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War of 1812 Pension Application of Stephen Martin:

"State of Georgia, County of Lowndes. On this the sixteenth day of April, A.D., one thousand eight hundred and seventy four, personally appeared before me, a notary public within and for the County and State aforesaid, Stephen Martin, aged seventy five years, a resident of Lowndes County, in the State of Georgia, who, being duly sworn according to the law, declares that he is the identical Stephen Martin who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain James Johnson, in the Regiment commanded by Major Gasque or Gaskey, in the war with Great Britain, declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812, that he enlisted at Marion Courthouse, Marion District, State of South Carolina, on or about the fifteenth day of October A.D. on thousand eight hundred and fourteen, for the term of twelve months, and continued in actual service in said War for the term of fourteen days, and was honorably discharged at Georgetown, South Carolina on or about the twenty first day of December, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fourteen. He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which he may be entitled under the act approved March 3rd, 1855. He also declares that he has not received a warrant for bounty land under this or any other Act of Congress, nor made any other application. Sworn to and subscribed before me, this April 16th, 1874. J.C. Wisenbacker, Notary Public of Lowndes County.

Signed Stephen Martin (X - his mark)"

Bounty Land Warrant Application of Stephen Martin:

Service: Pvt, Capt. James Johnson's SC Mil.
Enl: Sept. 24 1814, Dis: Dec. 5 1814
Residence: 1874 - Lowndes Co. (P.O. Valdosta)
Marriage: Sarah Touchstone, about Nov 1, 1818, Barnwell District, SC
Bounty Land Warrant: 113612.160.55
Claim for Pension: No. 21330
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Obituary for son, James A. Martin, Valdosta Times x Oct 7 1893:

"Death of An Old Citizen

Mr. James Martin, died at his late residence on Central Avenue, Monday, Oct. 2. He had been in feeble health for many months and a fall brought on a severe type of erysipelas, which resulted in his death after three weeks' illness. The deceased passed the age of seventy-two last month and has been long associated with the history of Lowndes County. While he was born in South Carolina, he was one of the residents in old Troupeville 35 years ago. He was a soldier in the Indian and Mexican Wars, receiving a pension for the same. Later he served gallantly in the Confederate Army. Mr. Martin was a good citizen, living peaceably with all men, enjoying the esteem and good will of his fellows.

Since the above was put to type the following brief sketch of the Veteran's record has been furnished:

James A. Martin was born in Barnwell District, S.C., Sept 25, 1821, and at the age of sixteen went into the Seminole War and was in service in that War one year. In 1847, he volunteered and sailed from Charleston, S.C., to Mexico where he served 14 months. He was engaged in the Battles of Vera Cruz, Pueblo, Cerro Gordo and City of Mexico. He received a painful flesh wound in the City of Mexico from a lance thrown from a window by a woman. He was given an honorable discharge at the close of the War, and passage by sailing vessel to Mobile, Ala., walking the rest of the distance to his home. The passage across the Gulf took about five weeks. At the beginning of the Confederate War, he volunteered and did service until the Surrender of Lee."

James A. Martin is buried with his wife Abigail, in Sunset Hill Cemetery, Valdosta, Ga. His wife, Abigail, was nee' Steedley, daughter of James Steedly of Barnwell Dist., SC. Buried in the same plot are Joseph Brown Martin, son of James and Abigail Martin, Leo Essie Fry, J.B. Martin's wife and W. Cordes Bailey, son-in-law of J.B. & Essie Fry Martin.
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Obituary of son, McDuffie Martin:

Valdosta Times, x 29 July 1893

"Death of McDuffie Martin

Died at his residence in Lowndes County, Ga. July 27th, 1893, McDuffie Martin, aged about 58 years. Mr. Martin was a great sufferer during the past three years, but bore his sufferings with Christian fortitude and died full of hope of a blessed immortality. His remains were interred in the cemetery at Antioch. The Times extends it's sympathy to the bereaved family."
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The Savannah Morning News, Sunday, x 5 April 1925:

Celebrates Eighty-Second Birthday

Mrs. Martin celebrated her 82nd birthday last Friday. She was born on April 3rd, 1843 in Lowndes County, near Valdosta, Ga., and is the daughter of James and Mary Davis, who were among the earliest residents of Lowndes County, owning quite an extensive tract of land within that county.

She was married on March 10, 1863 to McDuffie Martin, who lived until and died on July 27, 1892.

Mrs. Martin has two sons and four daughters living. They are: Charles M. Martin of Savannah, with whom she makes her home, L.B. Martin of Tampa, Fla., Mrs. Mamie DeVane of Tampa, Fla., Mrs. E.S. Blake of Jacksonville, Fla., and Mrs. Thomas Pinckney of Savannah, Ga. Her grandchildren number 21 and great grandchildren 23.

In the evening an informal reception attended by the family and a few intimate friends was given in her honor at Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Martin's residence on Barnard Street. The rooms were attractively decorated with bright Spring flowers; the table had as its center decoration a three tier cake, beautifully laced, with 82 burning tapers. Mrs. Martin was the recipient of many lovely gifts.

The Valdosta Times, x 4 October 1890:

Up to the present week, Valdosta could justly claim the oldest inhabitant of this section, if not the entire state, in Aunt Penny Touchstone, who died at the home of Mr. W.D. Martin last Tuesday at the age of 105. Gray haired old men remember "Aunt Penny" as an old woman when they were little boys. Aged matrons recall incidents that their mothers used to relate of the times when they and Aunt Penny were together. But, no one is now alive who remembers when she was young.

Estimates who ought to know, place her age at 110 years, but Major Holliday assures us that she was not more than 105, nor less than 103 years old.

In many respects, she was a remarkable woman, was never sick until a week before her death, never wore glasses, yet no one remembers a time when she could not thread a needle as quickly, or make stitches as neat as a girl of sixteen summers. She was never idle.

Such instances of longevity are usually too remarkable for the incredulous, and too far away for investigation. This instance belongs to Valdosta, and may be substantiated here.

From Pines and Pioneers, p. 209:

Nearly everyone in Valdosta had a cow, and many had hogs and chickens on the back of the lot. Mayor H.H. Smith owned a number of cows, five of which preferred to sleep in the street in front of the Methodist Church each night. On his way home one evening, Mayor Smith did not see the cows; he fell over them and "brusied himself considerably."

Thereupon, he and J.B. Martin, a member of the city council and chairman of the police committee, put through an 1883 ordinance which established a pound for stray animals. They saw to it that the pen had a secure gate with a good lock; they set the impounding fee at 25 cents, giving all good citizens sufficient notice to keep their cows and hogs confined to their yards.

On the first night that the ordinance was in effect, the authorities took three cows into custody. Valdosta women happened to own all three. The next morning, one matron brought an axe to the pound, broke open the lock and set loose the cows. This intrepid rustler did not take her own cow home. Instead, she let it back into the streets, where she thought it had a God given right to roam. Thereafter, enforcement of the ordinance slacked off somewhat until another incident occurred.

Into Mr. J.B. Martin's store, a big, old sow and her eight pigs wandered and tore open several sacks of meal before he was able to run them out. On the way, the mother hog seized a side of meat and escaped. After that experience, the police, at Councilman Martin's firm insistence, rigidly enforced the Valdosta pound ordinance.
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Granddaughter of Stephen Martin:

Nashville Herald, 6 Nov 1908:

Death of Mrs. E. W. Overstreet

Mrs. Lavinia E. Overstreet, wife and consort of Rev. E. W. Overstreet, of Nashville, Ga., was born April 17th, 1843 in Barnwell District, South Carolina, and died November 2nd, 1908, having reached the age of sixty-five years, six months and sixteen days, when the Lord said, "It is enough, come up higher."

So she has passed from us to glory. She was born in South Carolina but reared near Valdosta, in Lowndes county, by her Grandfather, Capt. Stephen Martin. She was married to Rev. E. W. Overstreet in 1867, and by this union she became the mother of nine children, their names as follows: Messrs. Henry L., Arthur W. and Charlie E. Overstreet, and Mrs. Ella J. Home, Mrs. Jennie Jefferson, Mrs. Georgia L. Warren, and Misses Minnie L., Laura O. and Annie Lithia Overstreet, all of this county, except Arthur, who resides in Lake Butler, Florida, and little Annie Lithia who preceded her mother to the grave many
years ago.

Mrs. Overstreet was a kind and affectionate companion, a tender and loving mother, and kind and loving friend, always striving to do the right. She lived a consistent member of the Baptist church nearly forty years, having lived a Christian from early life in the Methodist church.

All that skilled medical aid, kind friends and loved ones could do to alleviate her suffering was done, but an All-Wise Providence called her spirit home.

"Weep not for her, loved ones,
For God has called her home
To minister with the Angels
Around His Holy Throne.
Revere the hand that striketh,
Tho, to us it seemeth amiss,
Turn your weeping to rejoicing,
That she is in endless bliss.
Free from sin and sorrow
And the world's most angry storm,
With open arms she'll welcome you
In the Great Resurrection Morn. "
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Stephen Martin deposition in the probate of the Last Will and Testament of his neighbor, John Tucker, 1834, Barnwell District, SC. The heirs of John Tucker challenged his Last Will and Testament on the grounds that one of the witnesses, Paul Johnson, had "negro blood" and could not serve as a witness to the Will, thus invalidating the instrument. Both Stephen Martin and Isaac Copeland had known Paul Johnson's mother, and were called to testify as to her appearance:

"And by an argument of the counsel, the Court went into an examination of the following witnesses against the Will. Mr. Isaac Copeland, being sworn, said he was acquainted with Mrs. Johnson, the reputed mother of Paul Johnson, that she was an old woman when he became acquainted with her and that from her complexion, he took her for a colored woman and that he could not see her hair as she wore a cap. Deponent further states that he also knew Paul Johnson, Jr., her reputed son, and that he was also a dark complected man, and that he would scarcely have suspected him as such, had he not known his mother, and, further states, that he does not know what he thought of him at that time. Deponent further states that he has known many persons as dark colored as Paul Johnson and would have never even suspected them of being colored persons."

"Mr. Stephen Martin, being sworn, said that he was acquainted with Mrs. Margaret Johnson, about 17 years ago, and that she was a mulatto of about the half breed, a dark mulatto, and was generally considered so. Deponent further states that he was acquainted with Mr. Paul Johnson, Jr., that he knew him to be her son from common report and that Mrs. Margaret Johnson did not claim for herself during the time she was at his home the character of a white woman and that she was generally considered the daughter of a Negro fellow by a white woman. And, that her sons and daughters were generally dark complected, and intermarried with white men and women who ranked as white. Deponent further states that Mr. Paul Johnson was received at his house as a white man, and believed him to be so treated at other houses, that [Rev.] Johnson had ministered in his Company and there were no objections made to his ministering to a white man."

Note: Captain Stephen Martin served in and commanded the Edisto Company in the South Carolina Militia, 1818-1832.
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Letter of "Doc" Holliday descendant, Mrs. Susan McKey Thomas, author of "In Search of the Hollidays" to Mr. Charles C. Martin, a descendant of Stephen Martin:

"105 East Moore Street
Valdosta, Georgia 31601

January 15, 1979

Mr. Charles C. Martin
c/o Conrad Construction Company
603 East 69th Street
Savannah, Georgia 31405

Dear Mr. Martin,

Thank you, so much, for your warm holiday greetings; and I do hope that you and yours had a very Merry Christmas and that 1979 holds much happiness for you.

I appreciate, so much, your forwarding the photographs of Major Holliday and Rachel Martin Holliday Gloer to me. I feel extremely fortunate in being able to have them, and I do thank you for your kindness in making this possible.

I am trying to persuade my neice, Sally McKey Dry, to track down some information on the photographer who made Major's picture. (Sally lives in Philadelphia.) If we can determine from an existing city directory when this photographic gallery was in operation, perhaps we can better determine the year in which the photograph was made.

Meanwhile, I am enclosing some information concerning your Martin relatives (those known to me) who are buried in our local cemetery, Sunset Hill. I know that you are interested and I trust that this small bit of information might be helpful to you in tracing the various members of your family.

Thank you, again, for the photographs and for being so helpful to me. Maybe some day you will make it to Valdosta for a visit.

With all good wishes,

Sincerely,

Susan McKey Thomas"
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Below is a portion of a second letter written by Mrs. Thomas which explains relationships regarding the Martin and Holliday family:

"I do have copies of pictures of Rachel, Major and my Aunt Alice - all of which have been positively identified by family members - so, if there is some doubt of identity as to the copies you have, I would be able to validate them from the pictures I have.

In his telephone conversation to me, Reverend Martin said that he thought your family had letters written by Doc Holliday to some members of his family - possible written to his father. (Major Henry B. Holliday who is buried in the same plot as William D. Martin.) Would it be possible for me to obtain copies of these letters?

I know that Doc sent a picture to my family. The picture was made in Prescott, A.T. (Arizona Territory) in 1880. This is the picture which appears on page 37 of our book, In Search of the Hollidays. I have always thought that if he cared enough to send a photograph home, that he cared enough to write his people. Unfortunately, we did not find any correspondence from Doc among my Aunt's effects. However, it is far more likely that he wrote his Father, if anyone.

At any rate, it would mean a great deal to have copies of the letters which Reverend Martin indicated were in your Mother's possession. As you know, so much of what has been written concerning Doc is purely fiction; and it would mean a great deal towards putting the puzzle of this man's life together to have knowledge of what is contained in his correspondence.

As you may know, both of Doc's parents are buried in our local cemetery, Sunset Hill. His Mother is buried on one of our family lots. Unfortunately, there is no marked grave for Major Holliday. Nevertheless, we know from U.D.C. records (and others) that he is, without doubt, buried in this cemetery.

Do you (or any other member of your family) know the exact location of his grave? Of course, it would have been Rachel's prerogative as to the final resting place. Reverend Martin indicated to me that his grave site had been pointed out to some member of his family in years past.

(Last two paragraphs skipped for brevity's sake.)

With all best wishes

(Mrs.) Susan McKey Thomas
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Petition for Division of Estate 1838

Elizabeth Varn
William McCormick & wife, Eliza
Daniel Varn

vs.

John Martin
Mary E. Martin
Aaron Varn

South Carolina ) To the Honorable Chancellors of the Said State
Barnwell District )

Humbly complaining sheweth unto your Honors, your Oratrines and orator Elizabeth Varn, William McCormick and Elizabeth McCormick, his wife, Daniel R. Varn and Anna Varn, an infant by the said Elizabeth Varn, her mother and next friend of Barnwell District, that George Varn, late of the District and State aforesaid, being seized of a considerable real and personal estate, that is to say [this portion omitted] ... and the following slaves, namely Andrew, Crawford, Isaac, Old Lucy, Old Jenney, Young Lucy, who has subsequently had a child called Charles, Clarrisa, Little Jenney and Louisa, besides plantation stock, furniture and so forth, on or about the 14th day of April 1835, departed this life intestate, whereupon the said estate, real and personal, became distributable between your Oratrines and Orators, and the intestate Mary Varn, in the following proportions, that is to say, to the said Elizabeth Varn, the intestate widow one third, to the said William McCormick and Eliza, his wife, one sixth, to the said Daniel R. Varn and Anna Varn, each one sixth, to the said Mary Varn, one sixth part; that administration of the intestate personal estate was granted to Aaron, who has possessed himself thereof, and has sold the same except the slaves before named, who are still in his possession; that the intestate daughter, Mary Varn, since his death, intermarried with John Martin by whom she had one child, Mary E. Martin, and departed this life sometime in the year 1837, leaving her said husband and child surviving her, and entitled to her part of the estate of the intestate estate.

Any your Oratrines and Orators further shew unto your honors that they are anxious and it would be for the benefit of all the parties interested to have a distribution of the intestate estate. To the end, therefore, that the said John Martin, Mary E. Martin and Aaron Varn, may answer all and singular, the premises that distribution and partition of the said estate may be made under the sanction of this court, that a writ of partition directed to proper commissioners may issue for that purpose, that matters of account relating to the said estate may [portion omitted] ... Court there and then a full and true answer made to all and singular the premises, and to abide and perform such order and decree therein as to your Honors shall seem agreeable to equity and good conscience and your Oratrines and Orators will ever pray and so forth.

Patterson & Butler
Compl Solrs [Complainant's Solicitors]

On motion of Patterson & Butler, the complainant's solicitors, it is ordered, with the consent of the defendants, that a writ of partition do issue and directed to Joseph Howell, Jesse Howell, William Carter, George W. Muse and Eason Smith, to divide and make partition of the lands and slaves within mentioned and described between the parties, according to the prayer of the written bill.

March, 1838
Alf. Adrich, Judge, Court of Equity.
Filed March 28, 1838. Writ of partition issued same day.

I acknowledge the decision of process to answer this bill for my wards, John Martin & Mary E. Martin and consent that a writ of partition to issue to divide the lands and slaves herein described and mentioned, according to the prayer of the written bill.

[Date unreadable] 1838

Stephen (mark "S") Martin
Guardian for John Martin & Mary E. Martin

Note: Stephen Martin was appointed legal guardian for his son, John Martin, who, having been born in August 1819, had not yet reached the age of majority by 28 March 1838 and John & Mary Varn Martin's infant daughter, Mary E. Martin, who was born in 1837. John and Mary Varn Martin had only one child, Mary E. Martin. After Mary Varn Martin died, John remarried to Mary Moody and had at least two more children, Lavinia Martin and William Columbus Martin. John and Mary Moody Martin died 1848 in Barnwell Co., SC. Autosomal DNA from descendants of William Columbus Martin have confirmed the Moody line in Barnwell and Marion Counties, South Carolina.