52 Ancestors - #7 Bertia Mae Duncan

The epitome of a loving, caring and brave frontier mother, Bertia Mae Duncan was the last child born to Matthew Madison Monroe Duncan and his wife, Rebecca Baxter Duncan.  She was the only child to be born in the Indian Territory that would become the state of Oklahoma.  Prior to her birth all of her siblings had been born in Tennessee. Sometime between the birth of her brother Nathan in 1873, in Tennessee and her birth on February 19, 1877, the family had moved to Lebanon, Indian Territory.  At the time of her birth, Lebanon was part of the Chickasaw Nation.  It is now part of Marshall County which was created when Oklahoma became a state.

In 1894, she married Alexander Campbell Martin in Mannsville, Indian Territory.  Mannsville would be included in Johnston County when Oklahoma became a state. Alex and Bertie would become the parents of 11 children.  Lovingly caring for her children and home made for full, busy days.  In addition to her other homemaking skills, she was an accomplished quilter and cook. She was known to have the talent of being able to recreate any dish she tasted without needing a recipe.

As a child of the plains, she discovered an aversion to mountains, which she discovered when she made a visit to her son and his wife in Utah. John and Babe were excited to share the beauty of their state with his parents; however, a drive to Park City proved to be rather terrifying for Bertie as she felt the mountains might topple on top of her.

During her lifetime, she personally witnessed the entry of Oklahoma into the Union as its 46th state in 1907; the devastation and tragedies associated with the Galveston Hurricane in 1900; the shift from horses for travel and farming to the automobile and tractors; the oil boom and its resulting oil fields; as well as two World Wars.

Martin Family about 1902
Front:  Walter, Bess, Verna
Back:  Alex, John, Bertie

Martin Family about 1926
Front:  Ethel, Bess, Alex, Ken, Bertie, John
Second Row:  Don and Vieva
Third Row:  Edith, Ora, Bill, Walt, and Verna

52 Ancestors - #6 Alexander Campbell Martin

Now I move into the ancestors I never had the opportunity to know personally.  I appreciate the tools that provide information to gain an understanding of these folks without the privilege of a face-to-face relationship.  Technology is helping to create this understanding in a convenient and more economical way. Sharing also increases our appreciation for our ancestors as more stories and information come to light.  As you look at the blogs shared in this challenge (other participant posts as well as my own), please share your memories of the individuals spotlighted.

Alexander Campbell Martin

Alexander Campbell Martin was born August 27, 1874 to Edward Lovell and Leann Hill Martin.  At the time the family was living in Eagle Creek, Overton, Tennessee.  Eagle Creek, no longer a town, was located in middle Tennessee not far from the Kentucky border.  It was between two current Tennessee State Parks, Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park and Standing Stone State Park.  Dale Hollow Lake is to the north.

Alexander was the fifth child of Edward and Leann.  His older siblings were: Thomas Welcome, known as Welk; John Stokely, known as Stoke; Mary Catherine; and William C.  He was followed by:  Nancy Elizabeth, known as Nannie; Carlis Chilton; Cordelia; and, Belle.

Sometime between the time the 1880 census was taken in Tennessee and 1883, the Martin family moved to Texas in search of better opportunities. Leann passed away in Hardy, Montague, Texas in 1883.  Alexander was just nine years old and the baby, Belle, was just one.

By the 1890s, the family had relocated to the Indian Territory, what is now Oklahoma.  Here Alexander met his future wife, Bertia Mae Duncan.  They were married on December 23, 1894 in Mannsville.  Mannsville was located in the Chickasaw Nation Territory.  Alexander and Bertie made their home in Earl, a small town less than five miles from Mannsville. It would become part of Johnston County when Oklahoma was made a state.  Within the coming year, Alexander's sister, Nannie, would marry Bertia's brother Nathan.
The family of Alexander and Bertia would begin to grow with the birth of their first child, John Eldredge Martin in October 1895.  John would be followed by Bessie (Bess) in 1897 and Walter in 1899.

Alexander, John, Bertia
Walter, Bess, & Verna 1902 

In 1900 the family is found in Brazoria County, Texas seeking the opportunities offered by the booming Galveston economy.  This would come to a sad ending with the Galveston hurricane in September 1900.  The storm wiped out their worldly possessions and claimed the life of Bertia's father from injuries sustained during the storm.  The little family would return to Earl and Indian Territory to start over again.

Alexander and his family returned to Earl where he became a tenant farmer.  Tenant farming in Oklahoma was a bit different than other locations in the South.  The main difference being that most of the tenants were white.  Indian Territory was about the last frontier with good farm land.  However, Indian law prohibited white land ownership as well as prohibiting Indians the right to lease their land to outsiders, but this was worked around by employing whites to work their land.  Under this work around, a flood of white tenants came to the territory between 1870 and the 1890s.  By 1900 three-fourths of all tenant farmers in Oklahoma were white.  Between 1900 and 1910, this number had doubled.

The usual arrangement with tenant farmers in Oklahoma was to return one-third of the grain crop to the landlord in addition to one-fourth of the cotton crop produced.  The Tenant was responsible to provide most of the equipment, animals, and furnishings.  Alex would remain a tenant farmer until 1920 when he moved the family to Healdton, Oklahoma.

Alexander's family continued to grow with the birth of Verna in November 1901.  Seven more little

Front:  Ethel, Bess, Alex, Ken (on lap), Bertia, and John
Middle:  Don and Vieva
Back:  Edith, Ora, Will, Walt and Verna

ones would join the family:  Ora Mae, November 1903; William Alexander (Bill), July 1906; Edith Bertia (Edith), January 1910; Don Edward (Don), January 1912; Vieva Rebecca (Vieva), July 1914; Ethel Marita (Ethel), October 1917; and, Kenneth Paul (Ken), October 1922.

Oldest son, John, served in World War I, married a young girl from Salt Lake City, Edith Louise Backman, and would not return to Oklahoma to live.  Several of the children would marry and live in cities in Oklahoma and Texas.  Son Bill died in an oil field accident on May 21, 1931.  Bill was the first child to die.

According to the 1930 census, Alex worked in the oil fields as an engineer.  In 1932, the family moved to Durant, Oklahoma.

In he 1940 census, Alexander was the proprietor of a lunch stand in Durant.

Alex passed away on July 4, 1949 in Sherman, Texas.  He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Ardmore, Oklahoma.

52 Ancestors Blog Challenge - Ancestor #1 John Eldridge Martin

I ran across this challenge to those with family history blogs and thought it was a worthwhile goal.  I am already behind so I am going to start with an easy ancestor, my paternal grandfather, John Eldridge Martin.  His story begins in the Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma.

Grandpa was born October 14, 1895 in Earl, Johnston, Indian Territory.  Earl was located in the portion designated as the Chickasaw Nation. His sister Bessie was born in 1897 and in 1898 the family moved to Alvin, Texas, which was just three miles inland from Galveston.  His brother Walter was born there in 1899. The family made this move to take advantage of the better economy and job opportunities available near Galveston.

On September 8, 1900, the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history hit Galveston.  Killing more than 6,000 people, Grandpa's family lost all of their possessions.  His Grandpa Duncan would pass away about six weeks later from injuries sustained during the storm.  See a brief video describing the devastation caused by this storm http://on.natgeo.com/SsqoeF.

The family made their way back to Indian Territory to start over once again grateful that their little family was still all together. Grandpa said they felt like pioneers in a new land.  Starting school in the Territory many of Grandpa's classmates and friends were Choctaw Indians.

Alexander C Martin family about 1901

The family settled on a farm about five miles from Mannsville.  The family continued to grow with sisters Verna Leann coming along on November 4, 1901, Ora Mae on November 29, 1903, and brother William Alexander on July 13, 1906.

In 1909, the Indian Territory became the state of Oklahoma.  The family continued to grow:  Edith Bertia was born January 16, 1910; Don Edward on January 8, 1912; Vieva Rebecca on July 4, 1914, Ethel Marita on October 28, 1917; and, Kenneth Paul on October 17, 1922 (almost four months after the birth of my father).

As the oldest child, Jack learned early to accept responsibility.  While his father worked at the family store in Mannsville, he would work on the farm and help his mother with the house and other children.

Fort Douglas Museum & Parade Ground

Finances were always tight and in 1917, Jack enlisted in the Army in Ardmore, Oklahoma.  He was immediately sent to Fort Logan in Colorado where he was sworn in and assigned to the 20th Infantry based at Fort Douglas, Utah.  The map shows the layout of Fort Douglas in 1915.

During World War I Fort Douglas was an important mobilization and training military base. The soldiers received many invitations to community events and dances. Grandpa vividly remembered attending a performance of the Messiah in the Mormon Tabernacle.  In February 1918, he was invited to a dance at the Knights of Pythias Hall given by the Girls Friendly Association of the Episcopal Church. It was here he met his future wife, Edyth Louise Backman (nicknamed Babe).

They were married on June 25, 1918, just three days before Jack was to leave Fort Douglas.  The young couple didn't know where he was being sent.  Luckily the assignment was not overseas, but to
Camp Funston near Fort Riley, Kansas.  Jack remained here for the remainder of the war and was discharged in February, 1919 and he returned to his bride in Salt Lake City.

Their first child, a daughter they named Edyth, was born on November 5, 1919.  Unfortunately this beautiful little girl with beautiful black hair died shortly after birth.  The couple continued to live with Babe's parents as they regrouped following the death of their child.

On May 16, 1921 their second child, Donna was born.  Donna was followed quickly by the birth of their first son, Jack on June 19, 1922.  Another son, Bill, followed on January 29, 1925.  Their last child, a daughter they named Evelyn, was born October 9, 1930.

Grandpa had several occupations during his life.  After his discharge from the Army, he worked at Sugar House Lumber; during the depression the family moved to Ogden in an effort to make ends meet.  Here he worked for Sears in the plumbing department.  As for most folks in the country, this was a difficult time for the family.  It became harder when Grandpa was injured in a car accident.  He suffered a Y fracture in his neck and spent a few weeks in the hospital and then more weeks at home in a body cast.

Returning to Salt Lake, the family again lived on Jeremy Street.  At the suggestion and encouragement of his father-in-law, Grandpa went into business for himself installing furnaces.

Grandpa truly lived the adage: "I never met a man (woman or child) that I didn't like."  His warm, friendly personality made everyone happy to be around him.  His willingness to help others was a great example to all of us.  Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were taught "Old Dan Tucker," bounced on his knee, and cuddled.  Many of us enjoyed following along to work with him before there was a "Take your daughter/son (grandson/granddaughter) to work Day."

Grandpa loved fun.  For his 80th birthday, his brothers and sisters came to Salt Lake City to celebrate. I remember going with him to the airport to pick up his brothers Don and Ken.  Like three young boys they kidded, bumped and teased each other all along the terminal as we headed to the car.

Sadly, six weeks later Grandpa passed away but what a wonderful legacy he left!