Henry was born in early 1817 at Penmennor in the parish of Stithians, Cornwall, the 7th of 11 children born to carpenter John Martin (1777-1863) and his wife Elizabeth (nee Martin)(1784-1841). He was baptized at the Stithians parish church 12 Jul 1817. His mother's maiden name was also Martin, but no common ancestor can be found for his parents, going back three generations.
In the census of 1841 Henry lived at home and worked as a copper miner, probably in the adjacent parish of Gwennap, the most productive copper mining precinct in the world at that moment. Also boarding and working as a laborer at a farm in Penmennor, at the time, was Henry's future wife, 18 year-old Grace Dunstan of Burras in Wendron.
The couple married at the Wendron parish church on 23 Nov 1843. Henry signed his name to the register, Grace made a mark. The lead mining region of northwest Illinois was then an attraction to the opportunity-seeking young miners in Cornwall and Henry and Grace departed for that locale soon after their marriage. They settled at East Fork in Jo Daviess county where their only child Elizabeth was born on 12 May 1847.
Grace died on 14 Dec 1848.
In 1850 Henry and his small daughter Elizabeth lived in East Fork and Henry continued work as a miner. Also living at East Fork in 1850 was Keturah (Thomas) Jenkin , whose husband William was in California digging for gold along the American River. William apparently died in the adventure. Keturah and Henry concluded to travel life's thorny path together an were married on 24 July 1852.
By 1860 they had 4 children together and lived at Scales Mound, where Henry was a farmer. They had two more children by 1870 and continued farming at Scales Mound to the end of their lives.
In the census of 1841 Henry lived at home and worked as a copper miner, probably in the adjacent parish of Gwennap, the most productive copper mining precinct in the world at that moment. Also boarding and working as a laborer at a farm in Penmennor, at the time, was Henry's future wife, 18 year-old Grace Dunstan of Burras in Wendron.
The couple married at the Wendron parish church on 23 Nov 1843. Henry signed his name to the register, Grace made a mark. The lead mining region of northwest Illinois was then an attraction to the opportunity-seeking young miners in Cornwall and Henry and Grace departed for that locale soon after their marriage. They settled at East Fork in Jo Daviess county where their only child Elizabeth was born on 12 May 1847.
Grace died on 14 Dec 1848.
In 1850 Henry and his small daughter Elizabeth lived in East Fork and Henry continued work as a miner. Also living at East Fork in 1850 was Keturah (Thomas) Jenkin , whose husband William was in California digging for gold along the American River. William apparently died in the adventure. Keturah and Henry concluded to travel life's thorny path together an were married on 24 July 1852.
By 1860 they had 4 children together and lived at Scales Mound, where Henry was a farmer. They had two more children by 1870 and continued farming at Scales Mound to the end of their lives.
Henry was born in early 1817 at Penmennor in the parish of Stithians, Cornwall, the 7th of 11 children born to carpenter John Martin (1777-1863) and his wife Elizabeth (nee Martin)(1784-1841). He was baptized at the Stithians parish church 12 Jul 1817. His mother's maiden name was also Martin, but no common ancestor can be found for his parents, going back three generations.
In the census of 1841 Henry lived at home and worked as a copper miner, probably in the adjacent parish of Gwennap, the most productive copper mining precinct in the world at that moment. Also boarding and working as a laborer at a farm in Penmennor, at the time, was Henry's future wife, 18 year-old Grace Dunstan of Burras in Wendron.
The couple married at the Wendron parish church on 23 Nov 1843. Henry signed his name to the register, Grace made a mark. The lead mining region of northwest Illinois was then an attraction to the opportunity-seeking young miners in Cornwall and Henry and Grace departed for that locale soon after their marriage. They settled at East Fork in Jo Daviess county where their only child Elizabeth was born on 12 May 1847.
Grace died on 14 Dec 1848.
In 1850 Henry and his small daughter Elizabeth lived in East Fork and Henry continued work as a miner. Also living at East Fork in 1850 was Keturah (Thomas) Jenkin , whose husband William was in California digging for gold along the American River. William apparently died in the adventure. Keturah and Henry concluded to travel life's thorny path together an were married on 24 July 1852.
By 1860 they had 4 children together and lived at Scales Mound, where Henry was a farmer. They had two more children by 1870 and continued farming at Scales Mound to the end of their lives.
In the census of 1841 Henry lived at home and worked as a copper miner, probably in the adjacent parish of Gwennap, the most productive copper mining precinct in the world at that moment. Also boarding and working as a laborer at a farm in Penmennor, at the time, was Henry's future wife, 18 year-old Grace Dunstan of Burras in Wendron.
The couple married at the Wendron parish church on 23 Nov 1843. Henry signed his name to the register, Grace made a mark. The lead mining region of northwest Illinois was then an attraction to the opportunity-seeking young miners in Cornwall and Henry and Grace departed for that locale soon after their marriage. They settled at East Fork in Jo Daviess county where their only child Elizabeth was born on 12 May 1847.
Grace died on 14 Dec 1848.
In 1850 Henry and his small daughter Elizabeth lived in East Fork and Henry continued work as a miner. Also living at East Fork in 1850 was Keturah (Thomas) Jenkin , whose husband William was in California digging for gold along the American River. William apparently died in the adventure. Keturah and Henry concluded to travel life's thorny path together an were married on 24 July 1852.
By 1860 they had 4 children together and lived at Scales Mound, where Henry was a farmer. They had two more children by 1870 and continued farming at Scales Mound to the end of their lives.
Gravesite Details
b. in Cornwall, England
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