I’ve written before on the confusion between Thomas Peyton Martin of Anderson, South Carolina and Thomas Pleasant Martin of Abbeville, South Carolina. The source of the confusion centers around the inaccurate assignment of Charles Martin (d. Abbeville 1808) as the father of Thomas Martin (d. Anderson 1830). However, my research activities of late have been more about collecting material than analyzing it as my thoughts are only as long as the attention span of a toddler. I don’t mean that as a metaphor. I mean that I have an actual toddler. He’s amazing, but if it takes longer to concentrate on a task than it takes him to eat his Cherrios … yeah, not gonna happen right now. So I have tons of time, but it is divided into three minute increments. To exasperate the problem, I am dyslexic and am an exceptionally slow reader. I’ve learned over the years what I need to do to help myself work, but I am not exactly the master of my own universe right now.

Now please don’t mistake this for a complaint. The number of joys in my life are only surpassed by the numbers of ways in which it is easy. Anything I don’t do is because of a lack of ambition rather than opportunity. And I do have time alone, but it is needed for other things.

With that long explanation, I will say that I didn’t even really appreciate what this letter was until it was highlighted by a distant relative and astute researcher. The following letter from Ms. Wakefield of The National Genealogical Society was included in the collection of files kept by the late Leonardo Andrea and now maintained at The South Caroliniana Library. Mr. Andrea compiled a record of the Martin family in South Carolina that includes material that cannot be found elsewhere. I think the letter does much to clarify the relationship between Thomas Martin (often seen as Thomas Peyton Martin) of Anderson, South Carolina (1767 – 1830) and Charles Martin of Abbeville, South Carolina (1741? – 1808).

Also please forgive any typos in the post above, keeping in mind the thin excuses outlined. 😀 Much care was taken, however, to copy the text of the letter below as it was transcribed in Mr. Andrea’s file.

THE NATIONAL GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

 

Washington, D. C.

                                    Miss Roberts P. Wakefield
Editor, N.G.S. Quarterly
3123 Adams Mill Road, N.W.
Washington 10, D.C.
August 16, 1956

Dear Kinswoman,
I am ashamed that so many days have passed since your book came in and is still not acknowledged. I had the Galleys in for the Sept. Quarterly which had to be read and corrected, these made into the day for page proofs. I have been overwhelmed and when I got it into the mail at 9:30 Saturday night at the main P. O. about 9 miles from my home (an hour each way by street car and bus,) I was ready to call it quits and lie around a day or so- all which reminds me that I am not as young as I once was! I had hoped to get a review into this Sept. issue, but it got here too late to make this issue, though Mr. Robinson  who prepares the reviews for me will have it ready in time for the December issue- I have to have it in hand to go to the printer by Oct. 15 when I send down copy for that issue.

You have done a tremendous amount of research to bring all these families together in print. Also I like the size of type in which it is set-

One thing I do regret and that is that you have placed Thomas Martin in the family of Charles who came into Abbeville Co. from Albemarle Co. where he definitely does not belong. In the 1790 Census of S. C. there were 4 Thomas Martins in S.C.-none in Abbeville or Anderson (Pendleton). Jacob says he was born in N.C. (1790) and in 1850, 1860 and on according to whether they were still living when the census was enumerated, all of THomas’ first 3 or 4 children state they were born in N.C. Jacob, the daughter Mary who married Thomas Welborn and the one Charity who married Ezekiel Murphy , certainly said they were born in N.C. The constant recurrence of the names, Thomas, William, Abram or Abraham and others lead one astray often, as I think Mrs. Graham has been lead astray in her charting of these Martins. William Martin of Anson Co., N.C. died in Anson Co., N.C. early in 1790’s- I have his will- among his sons were Thomas and Abraham- I have an abstract of his will containing “my older children” he had special provision for his wife (evidently no. 3) for her care of his “younger children”, (evidently children of wife no. 2) and then mentions them, and last his older children. By the 1800 census neither Thomas nor Abraham are found in Anson Co., N.C. but Thomas is found in Pendleton district, and Abraham in Edgefield Co., and in Anson Co., N.C. are left Jesse & 2 young ch.; John M. & 4 young ch.; Kirechan, 3 young ch.; and John, 3 ch. older than the other families just mentioned- Jesse had 3 slaves, John had 8, Kuichen and the 2nd John, no slaves. The Thomas of Anson Co., N.C. is the only one of the 4 in N.C. (1790) who had only one male and no female children in 1790. In Stokes Co., N.C. (1790) there was Abraham (among 8 other Martins) who had 3 ch.- one over 16 & he had 12 slaves. Kuichen & William has land grants, Kuichen in 1792 and WIlliam in 1792, grants Nos. 5011 & 4155 resp.

Here I opened my book of factual data collected gradually last winter, as I had some time to go for & copy in formal form & I find the will of William was dated 16 Sept. 1793. He mentions, wife Rebeckah; young son Jones & Daughter, Sarah & Nancy; 4 first ch.; William, John, Thomas, Abraham, Cathera, Lewis, Andrew, and Isacs; Wits., William Lindsay & John Smith; Exes.; Thomas Wining & Thomas Martin.

Jesse Martin is explained by his father, Joseph’s will, dated 1781, which mentions wife Catherine; sons Jesse & John Hall Martin, and daughter Nancy. I assembled these data last winter after Hampton Wigington was here and managed to get it copied decently, but have not had time since then to set it out as I have done here for you as proof that our Thomas was in N.C. & son of William & brother o Abraham all living in 1790 in Ansco., William dying and leaving will mentioning his ch.: Abraham going first to Edgefield where he acquired property but moving soon afterward to Anderson Co., (then Pendleton) dying before 1810- Thomas settling his estate, going to Edgefield (riding his horse) and charging his expenses against Abraham’s estate; Abraham leaving his widow, Anne & small children, who I traced years ago through the census records- they were mostly girls as I remember without looking back through a great accumulation of Martin data. I have all of Thomas & Hester’s children, their grand ch. & most of their greats and great-greats. I have had little time to put on my 11 lines since 1935- my job was a tremendously heavy one, and for 11 years now I have had full responsibility for the G & the voluminous correspondence related to it. Perhaps I shall get time to locate William in his proper place with full proofs, but perhaps I have not the time left and I hope for proof that Hester was “Rountree” as has come down to us & not Rogers. Hester is certainly a Rogers name & I have not found a Hester among the many Rountrees located. In the 1790 census Humphrey Rogers & William and Richard Rogers lived next in succession, to Thomas Martin, and Joseph Duckworth lived next to Abraham Martin- all in Anson Co., N.C. and not far from the other Thomas Martin, both Thomas having only 1 child, a male under 16. I have had all this, but not assembled, for a long time, except William’s will naming Thomas & Abraham as sons, and I assembled it soon after Hampton Wigington was here and I then asked two very “critical questions” whether they would consider these data as proof that would stand up. Their answer was “yes”. This was all done and set up in form before I heard that you were working on your book. I am sorry that I did not know it before, so that you could have been given a chance to weigh this evidence against other data given you. I’d be glad to hear what you think of it. I have known that the Story in Mrs. Vandiver’s Anderson Co. History along with a lot more in it was incorrect, or at least questionable. Joseph Duckworth also disappears from Anson Co., N.C. in 1600 and is found in the same general location as the other Duckworths and Rogers who are much intermarried in Pendleton Dist. S.C. There is no question that Charles who came from Albemarle Co., Va. to Abbeville Co., S.C. was son of Thomas & Mary Moorman Martin. I found them all years ago; nor is there any question that all of these and some of those, at least in Edgefield, if not all were kin.

My grandmother, Annie (Martin) Watkins was dau. of Abram Martin and Ruth (Duckworth) Martin; Abram was son of Thomas and Hester Martin, and now that I have proofs that he was son of William, I think I may be able to add a new bar to my D.A.R. ribbon, perhaps 2, if I can prove that Thomas had service being born in 1766. Mr. Welborn Pickens always called him, “Thomas the Old Rev. Soldier.” Well, William seems to have had service, also Keuchin, & Mr. Pickens often mixed Keuchin in with Thomas. Keuchin then of Va. had a pension. I think I’ll get his record & all about what he turned in to get it, also one Thomas of Va.; one Wm. of N.C. & 7 Williams of Va.; I’ll get them all!

My congratulations on your book except for those 2 or 3 pages & best wishes to you.

Hurriedly, but sincerely your,

Roberta Wakefield