KERR FAMILY CHRONICLES

© Christopher Earls Brennen

Appendix 5B. MARTIN FAMILIES

Here we document several Martin families from the area around Arboe that may be connected with our MacDonald family.


FAMILY OF HENRY MARTIN:

  1. Henry Martin of Upper Back, County Tyrone. His son:
    1. Robert Martin was born about 1823 and was married twice. At his first marriage on Apr.2, 1861, Robert Martin of Upper Back was married to Eliza Jane McVeagh of Elagh in Brigh Meeting House, Parish of Ballyclog. Robert was of full age, a bachelor farmer, the son of Henry Martin, farmer. Eliza Jane was of full age, spinster, the daughter of Thomas McVeagh, farmer. The witnesses were Henry Shepherd and William John Reaney. At his second marriage on Mar.15, 1866, Robert Martin of Upper Back was married to Martha Brown of Derrylillagh, County Armagh, in the Church of Ireland, Parish of Milltown. Robert was of full age, a widowed labourer, the son of Henry Martin, farmer. Martha was of full age, spinster, the daughter of Samuel Brown, farmer. The witnesses were William Brown and Adam Hunt. Robert died on Feb.9, 1885, at the age of 62; thus the 1901 Census lists 60-year-old widow Martha Martin, a Presbyterian farmer born in Armagh, as living in House 19 in Back Upper, Parish of Ballyclog, with her 21-year-old unmarried son, John, and a 13-year-old niece, Emima Martin. In the 1911 Census, 75-year-old Martha Martin is listed as a widowed farmer living in House 15 in Back Upper with her married 43-year-old daughter, Fannia Bartley (a nurse), and Fannia's husband 40-year-old business man, William Bartley (born in Scotland). Robert and Martha Martin had six children:
      1. John Martin was born on Jun.3, 1879, in Upper Back, Tyrone. On Feb.26, 1907, John Martin of Upper Back was married to Maggie Donnelly of Ochill, Ballyclog, in the registrar’s office in Cookstown. John was of full age, a bachelor farmer, the son of Robert Martin, farmer, and Maggie was full age, spinster, the daughter of William Donnelly, farmer. The witnesses were Simon H Shepherd and Maud Donnelly. In the 1911 Census, 31-year-old farm labourer John Martin and his 34-year-old wife Maggie are listed as living with Maggie's parents in House 7, Oghill, Ballyclog, along with John and Maggie's daughter, 2-year-old Mary Martha Martin, and their son, 1-year-old John L. Martin.
        1. Mary Martha Martin was born about 1909 and is listed in the 1911 Census as a 2-year-old infant living with her parents in House 19 in Back Upper, Parish of Ballyclog.
        2. John L. Martin was born about 1910 and is listed in the 1911 Census as a 1-year-old infant living with his parents in House 19 in Back Upper, Parish of Ballyclog.
        3. Hugh Henry Martin was born in Ochill, on Jan.29, 1919. Hugh Henry was the young man referred to by Sadie Kerr in Chapter Five (The MacDonald Family) of the Kerr Family Chronicles, as living in the back gate lodge of the Drumcairne estate in 1945, and as being some kind of cousin to her father James Macdonald. Hugh Henry Martin was a member of the reserve police force and was murdered by the IRA in 1977.
      2. Fannia Martin was born about 1868 and became a nurse. She married a Scottish-born business man, William Bartley. In the 1911 Census, 43-year-old Fannia Bartley is listed as living in House 15 in Back Upper with her mother and her husband, 40-year-old business man, William Bartley.
      3. ?? Martin
      4. ?? Martin
      5. ?? Martin
      6. ?? Martin
    2. Perhaps our Jane Martin was a sister of Robert Martin?


FAMILY OF JOSEPH MARTIN:

Transcription of the record of christeneing of Elizabeth Martin.
(Courtesy of Pat Grimes)

  1. Joseph Martin married a woman named Elizabeth and they had a daughter:
    1. Elizabeth Martin was christened in Arboe on Aug.9, 1812. This may be the Elizabeth Martin who married Alexander McDonnell of Killicolpy, Arboe, and had several children as described in Chapter 5.

Last updated 9/9/99.


Christopher E. Brennen