Dr. Elton T. Martin

Elton T. Martin, the son of Rev. Wilson and Dilla (Pringle) Martin, was born at Westfield, Morrow County, Ohio on July 12, 1839. His father was a farmer and an itinerant preacher for the United Brethren Church. Elton Martin was brought up on the family farms at Westfield, Morrow County and Waldo, Marion County, Ohio. Those two towns were just a few miles apart. On February 26, 1861 at Marion County, Ohio, Elton married Miss Dorcas Crawford. The couple was married by his father, Rev. Wilson Martin. Dorcas Crawford, the daughter of Calvin C. and Elizabeth (Moses) Crawford, was born at Marion County, Ohio on August 25, 1840. The Crawford family were natives of Marion County but in 1849 the family moved to Brown County, Illinois where the father died the next year. Her mother, Elizabeth Crawford, struggled to raise the family of seven children in the wilderness but in 1858 she decided to return to Waldo Township, Marion County, Ohio. The Crawford and Martin families came to live at Liberty Township, Henry County, Ohio during the Civil War.

The early married life of Elton and Dorcas Martin was spent on a farm at Waldo Township, where their first daughter, Elizabeth Jane, was born on Oct. 3, 1861. A second daughter Dilla was born in January, 1863. When the Civil War began, Elton Martin enlisted at Waldo, Ohio in Co. K, 66th Regt., Ohio Foot Volunteers and he served as a corporal. Elton enlisted on Nov. 6, 1861 and he was discharged because of sickness on April 23, 1862. In 1863 the Martin and Crawford families moved to Henry County, Ohio. Shortly after their arrival, the Martin's infant daughter, Dilla, died on October 1, 1863. Dilla was buried at Morrison Cemetery in Liberty Township.

Elton Martin again enlisted in the U.S. Infantry at Napoleon on May 25, 1864. This time he served as a private in the 168th Regt., Ohio Infantry. When the Civil War ended, Elton Martin returned to Liberty Township where he farmed and taught school in the winter. At this time he also began the study of medicine with Dr. E.B. Harrison of Napoleon and in 1868 Dr. Martin was graduated from the University of Michigan's medical college.

According to the accounts in the Democratic Northwest newspaper, Dr. Martin at first decided to locate his medical practice at Weston, Wood County, Ohio but shortly after this time it was announced that he would locate his practice at Liberty Center. He remained at Liberty Center, where he also ran a drug store along with his medical practice. At one time he went into partnership with Dr. F.R. Boyd at Liberty Center. The partnership of Martin & Boyd, Physicians and Surgeons, began in March of 1880 and lasted until about January, 1881 when Dr. Boyd left the area suddenly for parts unknown. The only exceptions to Dr. Martin's long and honorable stay at Liberty Center were two short periods of time when he left for other places. In the early 1870's he and his father went to Auburn, Indiana to operate a drug store but they both returned to Columbus Grove, Ohio. In 1879 Dr. Martin left his practice at Liberty Center to regain his health. At Liberty Center Dr. Martin meet with success as a physician and he became a very prominent citizen of Henry County.

Dr. Martin was a great lover of secret orders and he was a member of the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Defiance Chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic, and the Masons. He was raised in the Marion Lodge, No. 70, F. & A.M., on Oct. 10, 1862. On Jan. 30, 1872 Dr. Martin became a member of the Haly chapter No. 136, R.A.M.; He was a member of the Oc-co-nox-il Council No. 55 at Defiance but he withdrew on December 3, 1878. Dr. Martin was created a Knight of the Red Cross in the Toledo Commandry No. 7, on October 22, 1875, and Knight Templar on Nov. 10, 1875. At Toledo he had been one of the charter members of the Commandry and he was held in the highest esteem by the Masonic orders. From 1881 to 1884 Dr. Martin was the most eminent high priest of Haly Chapter, No. 136 R.A.M. at Napoleon and he again was elected H.P. in 1888. The Martin family were also members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Liberty Center.

For many years Dr. Martin had suffered from consumption, a disease which took the lives of most of his brothers and sisters. Dr. E.T. Martin died on June 4, 1891 at his farm one and one-half miles west of Liberty Center. The prominence in which he was held was shown by the large number of mourners who attended his funeral. Nearly three thousand people assembled at Liberty Center to pay their last respects and the funeral was said to have been the largest ever witnessed in Henry county. Two special trains, one from Defiance and Napoleon and the other from Toledo, were sent to Liberty Center to transport the large number of mourners. After an impressive Masonic funeral, Dr. E.T. Martin was laid to rest in Young's Cemetery at Liberty Center.

Dorcas Martin came to live at Napoleon with her daughter and son-in- law, Elizabeth and George Morey in 1893. At Napoleon they lived in a large house on West Clinton street and then on West Washington street. During their entire married life, the George Morey's had lived under the same roof with Dorcas Martin. After the death of her husband, the Martin farm was divided into shares. She also received a government pension for her husband's service in the Army. Dorcas Martin was known for her kindness and wit. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Liberty Center and Napoleon. Dorcas Martin died at Napoleon on Jan. 6, 1922 at the age of 81 years and she was buried at Liberty Center.

Submitted by: Robert Barnes