Walter Glenn MARTIN was born 29 Apr 1869 in Richland County, South Carolina, the oldest of six children born to Jesse Allen MARTIN, Sr. (1845-1905) and Ella MILES MARTIN (1838-1930).
a tree cut for gathering sap to make turpentine
Walter’s great-grandfather, Joel E. MARTIN, is my 3rd great-grandfather. This makes Walter my 2nd cousin, twice removed.
Men’s work starts early
In the 1880 census, Walter is employed as a distiller helper, probably working for his father who was a turpentine distiller in the Center Township of Richland County. Walter was 12 years old. He had received enough schooling to be able to read and write.
In 1890, Walter married Lishie RIMER MARTIN (1871-1961). Over the next 18 years, they would have eight children, 2 girls and 6 boys.
Lumber work to farming to lumber work again
Walter and family were living in the Upper Township of Richland County in 1900. Walter was 33 years old. He rented a house, and he worked as a sawyer. His father was in the lumber business, too.
not his farm…just A farm
In 1910, Walter was no longer a sawyer but a general farmer in Fairfield County, which is next to Richland County. Walter was farming in 1920, also, but now his address was Blythewood, South Carolina which is in Richland County and less than five miles from the Fairfield County line. (Blythewood is also about 18 miles from Columbia on present-day Interstate 77).
Walter and Lishie and their children stuck close together like this family of geese
In 1930, at age 63, Walter was back to lumber work as a laborer at a lumber mill. I guess farming had gotten old. Walter and Lishie and five of their grown children lived in the same house. Three sons were laborers at a lumber mill, too. Another son was a carpenter. His daughter living with him was working at home, helping her mother run the household no doubt. And another son and his family lived next door.
The last year
In 1938, Walter was diagnosed with heart disease. When he died on 28 March 1839, his death was unexpected. Yes his health had been declining but his death wasn’t imminent. He was 72 years old.
According to his obituary, he ‘was one of Blythewood’s most prominent and best known residents.’ He was a member at Sandy Level Baptist Church in Blythewood which is where he is buried.
I didn’t find a lot about Walter, but I would say he and Lishie had a tight knit family considering that all of their children were still living in Blythewood when Walter passed away. I would also say he was a hardworking man all of his life.
Copyright © 2016 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
Patricia Martin Brite says
January 16, 2017 at 7:34 pmI remember visiting Dalton Glenn Martin (Walter Glenn Martin’s son) as a child with my father Jesse W. Martin. He had lung problems and was on oxygen when we visited him and his family. I found it very interesting to hear my dad and Dalton talking about old times. My dad was born in 1916 in Columbia and he would talk about the family turpentine business.
NancyHVest says
January 18, 2017 at 1:04 pmGotta love those old family stories. 🙂 Have you written down the stories, Patricia?