CENTRE LINES

The MARTIN Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on MARTIN. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

One book in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte deals with one branch of this family at some length: Alice McCabe's The Smythe Sword: The Story of William Smythe (-1801) of Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland, and Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and Some of His Descendants.

There are 26 different first-name entries for Martin in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) but no one (with an identifiable Centre County connection) having a separate profile.

And, now, your ancestors' MARTIN neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Elizabeth M.--225 S. Allegheny Cornelius 40

In BENNER Township:

John, 61, laborer--Bellefonte Mary--Bellefonte Margaret M. William C., 34, farmer--Bellefonte Mussuria J.

In HAINES Township:

Adam M., 27, teacher--Aaronsburg Agnes Warren 4 Elsie E. Jeremiah, 23, laborer--Woodward

In HOWARD Township:

Catharine--Howard William 22 Lucy Hester

In LIBERTY Township:

Peter, 55, farmer--Blanchard Michael 28

In MARION Township:

James S., 41, farmer--Walker Laura F. Harry D. 15 Catharine V. Carl 1 mo.

In MILESBURG Borough

John C., 45, laborer Catharine William 17 James 14 Daniel H. 11 Patrick H. 9 Mary E. John 5 Mary F. Patrick B. 65 Ann Amelia R. Howard D. 22

In PATTON Township:

Frank--Fillmore Grant, 27, laborer--Fillmore Mary J. Margaret J. Celia Mary C. Ella Mary

In PENN Township:

John, 56, laborer--Coburn

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Harry M., 26, printer--Pine St. Laura H. Merle G. 3 William K. A., 37, civil engineer

In RUSH Township:

Eugene, 36, laborer--Philipsburg Mary E. Lola L. Harry F. 3 Jane L. Zyzie Willie 6 mos. Mary--Philipsburg Mary Thomas 10 Harry 8 Samuel 6 Laura

In SNOW SHOE Township:

Henry, 45, laborer--Clarence Theodore 15 Jerome B., 37, laborer--Snow Shoe Nancy E. Annie B. Susan J. Mary J. Milford I. 7 Jefferson 5 Mary L. E.--Peal Samuel D., 31, laborer--Clarence Anna M. Goldie E. Roy E. 6 Maud E. Jennie B.

In SPRING Township:

John H., 35, laborer--Bellefonte Mary N. Austin A. 16 Sadie J. Harry W. 10 Anna M.

In WALKER Township:

John J., 40, laborer--Nittany Ella S. Rebecca M. Mary B. Samuel A., 31, retired--Nittany Mary A. James E. 4 Alvirna