Martin Family Stories

The following stories are a combination of notes I found in my mother's, father's and grandmother's papers and information given by my cousin's son, Richard Alan McCool, in his researching of the Kennedy, Martin, McCool families.

Sam Martin

The earliest Martin we've been able to find was Sam Martin (my great great grandfather) who was born in Ireland and died in New York City. He was reputed to be a builder in brick work and most all buildings in New York at that time were brick.

James Brown Martin

James Brown Martin, his son, was my grandmother, Ella Moore Martin's, father. James had at least one brother, a bricklayer. James took up the building trade also. In his early 20s he became discontented, leaving home, and, according to one story, walking to Pittsburgh looking for work there.

Another story that appears to be true but not yet verified was that he went to New Orleans and participated in the building of the U.S. Mint there. The War Between the States broke out while he was there and, according to Chester Martin, he left New Orleans, travelled up the Mississippi River to Ohio where he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Military records show he enlisted in Ohio and spent much of his time stationed in Tennessee.

He didn't returned to New York until after the Civil War. At the age of 36 he joined the Union Army and at the age of 45 he married Jane Moore. They raised 7 children. Their first one, Sarah, died in infancy. Then came Maggie, Ella, Howard, Norman, Stanley and Florence. When he married in 1870 he bought a piece of property adjoining St. Ann's Church - an historical, beautiful church on a hill in the lower Bronx. On this lovely spot he built a house by himself, and a barn too

He, I think, finally had his own building business, hiring bricklayers and so forth. I believe he built the old Stock Exchange in lower New York. He also built a row of apartments in the lower Bronx. When he first went to the Bronx it was lovely farmland with a scattering of comfortable farmhouses. From their hill, called Martin's Hill, they could see the Harlem River. The only way to reach Manhattan from the Bronx was by a wooden drawbridge. Each day James had to travel on foot to 129th Street where he could get a horse car to lower New York, or later the elevated railway.

Jane Moore Martin

Jane Moore was born 1843 in Belfast, Ireland and died in 1898 in Bronx, N.Y. Jane Moore had relatives in this country, a sister and at least two brothers. She came here when she was about 18 years old. She married at 27, dying of pneumonia at 57.

Jane's mother, Eleanor, was born and died in Ireland. Though blind she made a visit to America after Jane was married. Jane's sister, Sarah Moore had a little Thread and Needle store on Grand Street. She lived back of the store and Jane lived with her when she first came to this country. When Ella (my grandmother) was old enough for school she went to live with her Aunt Sarah. When she was ready for college, called "Normal College for Women" (now Hunter College/CUNY), she travelled by horse car to East 66th Street on Third Avenue.

One of Jane's brothers had a livery stable on a side street east of Fifth Avenue near Central Park. He hired Norman (Ella's brother)to look after his business when he returned to Ireland for a visit. Another brother was in the real estate business in Patterson, New Jersey

Jane was a very frugal woman, turning over a penny twice before spending it. With such a brood, she had to be. Finally she saved up enough to buy an apartment house in the Bronx. The three boys had to keep it in order, going over each evening to light the gas lamps on each landing and returning at 10 to extinguish them. They also had to do all the painting and collecting of rents. By the time of her death they had acquired 2 or 3 more apartment buildings.

Back to James

After his wife's death in 1898 Maggie kept house for her father, who was 75 when her mother died. Five years later Maggie died of consumption and the home was broken up and sold. He then went to live with his daughter, Florrie, until her husband died. He then went for a short time with Norman and then to Ella. She was wonderful to her father, making his last years contented ones. Ella cherished her father's prayer and we have found it in her own handwriting.

The love that Norman had for his father was overwhelming - a very close relationship. Honest Jim Martin was the reputation that he cherished so dearly. After his death, among his possessions was found a New Testament and Psalms, with the Psalm section well worn for having been used so much. As a young boy Norman earned 50 cents for learning by heart the 91st Psalm.