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Note: NOTE: Attached copy from the diary of Samuel Martin with type written sheet for easier reading. Copied by Samuel's son Edwin Martin. (As written, to include the notes) Pittsburg Oct. 24th 1874 1. Received February 2, 1937 from Margaret Martin Naylor this was copied by her father from his father's diary. Wm. Samuel Martin I was born Dec 16th 1818 in Ireland, Co., Antrim, Parish of Ballinderry. Baptized in infancy in the Parish Church, church of England. My parents and all my relatives, I believe, being members of that Church. I had three Brothers, one older and two younger, that were born in Ireland They all died there and one Sister who is still alive. When I was a few months over four years old, Father and Mother sister and I, with Grandfather Beckett with his two sons, Thomas and Mathew and his youngest daughter Margaret left Ireland for this country on board of a sailing vessel April 30th 1823. there were no steam ships then for St. Andrews in the British Dominions. There was but one vessel at Belfast, the Port from whence we sailed to sail for a U. S. port at that time, but some accident having happened on that ship, the Captain and mate having been killed accidentally, they from some superstitions feeling perhaps and felt by all except Father, it was at any rate thought better to take passage for St Andrews than to go in that ship. After a short stay in St Andrews, having landed there about the 10th of June 1823, The passage occuping five weeks, they went on board a Schooner bound for Baltimore and after a long and tidius passage they landed in that City in the end of July 1823 having left Ireland the 30th of April, the passage was a long one but not much longer than usual in those days. I remember very little of Ireland and the passage over, one or two last scenes I do remember, we left our old home early before daylight in order to reach Belfast, 10 miles distant, and the vessel in proper time. the house was full of people indeed the " whole Countryside" was there, my Father Being at the time about 30 years of age and a great favorite. Uncle Thomas Beckett too was a young man and known and loved by all the young men of the neigberhood, Grandfather was a very fine Gentleman civil and kind to everyone. It would naturally be expected that everybody would come to see them off. We remained but a short time in Baltimore, they hired one of those six horse teams, ( the wagon had broad tired wheel and long and deep body covered on circular ribs with white cloth) to convey us to Pittsburg. My Uncle Arthur Hill had emigrated to this country in 1811 or 1812 and was living some 7 miles from Freeport, Butler, Co., on a large farm. Uncle Wm. Green had come to this Country a year before us, and was there living on the Kiskinminitus and working at the making of salt. These and their wives, Mother's sisters, were all the relatives we had in this Country hence the reason of our peoples desire to come to Pittsburgh. The women, my Mother and Aunt Margaret, and the children, (myself and sister Helena) rode in the wagon, and Grandfather occasionally. The men walked, that is Father Uncle Thomas and Mathew, all the way. Frequently they got far ahead of the wagon as it traveled very slowly, about 20 miles a day. When we reached Youngstown Westmoreland Co., Penn. Father and Uncle Thomas concluded to start early next morning and endevore to find Uncle Arthur's place. They knew he lived near Freeport but where that was situated they knew no more than the man in the Moon but enquiring of the Landlord of the Tavern where we put up in town, he gave them such general directions as to set the right course and road to take and as Father had a tongue in his head and a pretty lively one at that he had no doubt but that they could find the way. So early in the morning they started for Freeport on foot while the wagon persued its way to Pittsburgh. After a walk of 50 miles nearly they reach Uncle Arthur's place. Uncle Thomas had put on a new pair of shoes and he was completely used up. The walk had no bad effect on Father so next morning in company with Uncle Arthur started for Pittsburgh distant 30 miles. I don't know whether the wagon had reached the city when they did but Old Grandfather must have been greatly rejoiced when he saw my father for when they seporated at Youngstown, he was sure they would be lost. From Pittsburgh they went to Uncle Arthur's place and helped during harvest. Father moved from there soon to the Salt works at the Kiskiministis River and worked at boiling salt. Uncle Thomas worked at the same place while Grandfather, Uncle Mathew, who was still a boy, and Aunt Margaret, the youngest of the family, remained with Uncle Arthur. We did not stay very long at the Salt Works, perhaps a year when Father rented or bought a farm adjoining Uncle Arthur's where we moved and commenced cleaning the ground. Father built a log cabin and for a window put in greased paper. I suppose glass at that time was scarce and dear, at any rate from what ever cause our window was greased paper. Father worked very hard on the farm and Mother help him all she could, he was poor and had no team, so his hands were all he had to depend upon, of the saplings and trees he cut down in cleaning the ground he made the fence rails and Mother carrying the rails to their places for that purpose and burning the brush on the ground. We had not lived there long when Uncle Arthur came over to tell us that Grandfather and Grandmother Martin and Uncle Samuel Martin had come to this Country and Uncle Sam was at Uncle Arthur's. Shortly afterwards Grandfather and Grandmother Martin came to live with us. I do not know where Uncle Sam went, he was my father's eldest brother and unmarried, but probaly to the salt works as that was about the only place a man could get work in those days and that at very low wages. Father make a loom taking all the timber out of the woods. Grandfather wove all the linen and woolen goods Uncle Arthur's family need for years afterwards. I used to wind the borbuis for him. Father also made a mill to grind corn. I have often afterwards when at Uncle Arthur's helped to grind corn. The two stones were made of hard sand stone. There was more or less sand from the stones in the meal but still it made very good mush. Father also made a lathe for turning wooden bowls he had a set of turning tools which were brought from Ireland I remember seeing him at this work and I saw some of the bowls of his make not many years ago. The loom I spoke of may be in use yet. I know Uncle Thomas had it not many years ago. I had a brother born there and as it was the custom in Ireland in The English Church to have children Baptized while young my parents wanted this one Baptized and made their request to Mr. Reddick the Presbyterian Minister at Slate Lick Church, he told them he could not unless they united themselves with his church. Father replied that they belonged to the Church of England and did not wish to change. So Father and Mother got ready and with their child in their arms started on foot to Pittsburgh and had him Baptized by the Episcopel Minister. Where would you find any one now would put themselves in so much trouble as to travel on foot 60 miles round trip to have their child Baptized? They were no better Christians perhaps. perhaps not so good as we have now but they certainly were more decided Church people. After living on the farm not more than two years father concluded that farming did not suit him so we moved to Pittsburgh I think in the year 18 25 to a house on 6th Ave., opposite Trinity Episcopal Church. We attend that Church having a pew in the gallery. Father got work at the carpenter trade which was properly his trade in Ireland as he carried the business there but has worked at the Stone Mason business had built a stone house in Ireland in which we lived sometime before coming to this Country. The first work he did in Pgh. was at shingling a house. This of course was a new experiance to him in the carpenter line as they had no shingle roofs in the old country, his wages was one dollar per day. I do not know how long he worked as a carpenter but not long as he commenced building cellar walls taking contracts in that line. About this time, 1826, The State let the contract go building the Western Division of the canal. Father and Mathew Patrick got the Contract of section 41 about 18 miles about Pgh. on the Allegheny River. After finishing this section they got another section one or two miles above that someone had got and being unable to finish had given it up. About the time this section was finished father got a contract to build a lock below Johnstown, Pennsylvania This was in the year 1828. My brother William Henry was born in Johnstown. After living in this house about two years and having spent nearly all the money he had made before, We moved to New Brighten near the mouth of the Beaver River. Father and man by the name of Kelley got a contract to build an aquiduct across the Big Run Creek below New Castle Lawrence Co., and we moved to New Castle ( there about?) Christmas 1831, shortly after we moved near the aquiduct. At the finish of this work we moved back to New Castle. About 6 months after, Father and Richard Lewis obtained a contract for a section of canal which was there being made by the State along the Mahoning River. the section was about 3 miles distant from New Castle. After Living there some time my father and Lewis dissolved partnership. Father taking a section they had obtain in Warren Co., Ohio some two miles from the town of the same name. Together with the promise of several hundred dollars to be paid in money. Lewis taking the old section tools ? Later in the fall of 1834 or 35 we moved to the new section. We worked on that section all that winter cleaning off the timber. Mch 16th 18 35 or 36 while cutting down a tree in that work occurred a thing which has had a very great influence on all my after day (life?) think. In cutting down a tree a chip struck me in the left eye, which at once entirely distroyed the sight of it. I suffered a great deal of pain and had to wear constantly a poultice of slippery Elm bark over my eye to help down inflamation. The pain was so great that I could neither eat nor sleep with any comfort and in consequence I became wasted away so as to be a near skeleton almost. After 4 months my eye ceased to pain me and I rapidly got well. I believe the year when this occurred was 1835 and I have so made the alteration. Father found that this job would not pay as the price was low and the digging hard and rather than lose money he gave up the work and opened a stone quarry some miles below Warren and got cut stone for a large culvert. Sometime toward fall of that year father obtained a section of the canal on the Shenango River near Sharon Penna. and we left the quarry and moved there. That section we finished some time in the summer of 1838 but made little or no money clear. There he got a job on the some line of canal in the border of Erie Co., Penn. We moved there in the fall of that year. There was a good deal of timber on this section to be cleaned off before commencing the excavation. This father had sublet to a man and we went to work with a few men to quarry stone for a large Culvert which we had to build on that section. Father took sick that winter 1838-39 and died in Feby. (sic)(From a beating by thugs) This disarranged all our plans for altough my name was in the contract as my fathers partner, yet I was young and having received a offer of a good sum from two canal contractors. we concluded to sell and return where we were known so I transferred to them the work with the approbation of the superintendent of the Division, who had been acquainted with father and acted very kindly toward us. We moved to Sharon Penn where a relation of our William Bickett lived after remaining a few months we moved to New Castle 1839. Uncle Thomas Beckett visited us here and persuaded Mother to build a house on his farm, offering her as much land as she wanted and plenty of (fire, fine) wood, accordingly mother moved to Butler, Co. I will give some account of my relatives. My Grandfather Samuel Martin and Grandmother Mary died in Pittsburgh. The latter in 1826 and the former in 1829 and were buried in Trinity Church Yard, I believe. My father died and was buried in Erie co in 183 9. My mother died in Pittsburgh, at the house of John Rebman, her son-in-law in 1875 and buried in my lot in Allegheny Cemetary. Grandfather Beckett died at Uncle (Written-May 10, 1876)>> Hill's house in Butler, Co ., in 1840 or 41. I believe aged 84. Uncle Arthur Hill died in Freeport about 5 years ago, and Aunt Helena Hill in 1874. Uncle Wm. Beckett died in Armstrong Co., a few years ago. Uncle Wm. Beckett who married Aunt Margaret died several years ago in Illinois. Aunt Margaret, Uncle Thomas and Mathew are still alive. Aunt in Illinois and the Uncles are living on their farms in Butler, Co., for farmers they are both well to do having every comfort they require. Uncle Thomas is an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and is highly respected as an honorable upright and religious man. Uncle Mathew is, I believe, an Elder in his Church, the U. P. Presbyterian Church and is very highly esteemed. My brother Thomas Beckett(Martin), is living in Galesburg, Illinois ., to which place he removed from Freeport several years ago, being a wagon maker by trade, which he learned in Freeport, he carries on the business in connection with the Blacksmithing, and is doing very well. He is a strong Episcopalion, Senior Warden of his church to which he often officiates as Lay Reader, and is a true and sincere Christian. My brother William Henry is living in Pittsburgh and is associated with me in the lumber business, he is a Methodist having strayed from the fold of which his Father and Mother and his brothers and sisters were and a remembers, from what cause I do not know, but being a good Christian Man I trust he will find pasture in the enclosure to which he is attached, to the salvation of his soul. My Sister Helena Rebman is living in Pittsburgh and has two children now grown up, John and Mary, her husband John Rebman is now notary Public. They own the house on Congress St. where they reside. I have said but little, I believe, of my progenitors and will now give what little I learned and can remember from my Grandfather Mathew Beckett; he told me that my forefathers on both sides of my house were Englishmen. That they were both Captains in the English Army and came over with King William the Third and fought in the Battle of The Boyne. That they than settled in Ireland in the Co., Antrim where I was born, he said also that his family and mine were registered meaning as I understood it, That their Children were legitimately intitled to their names and those whose names were not so registered, were bastard children and had no legal title to the name they bore. This is all I can remember. My Father had three brothers Robert, Samuel (and James who died young) and two sisters, I think, Eliza and Helena. My Father being the youngest, at least of the sons. The first Baptism by an Episcopal Minister I ever witnessed (except when my self was Baptised as an infant) although many years ago) and being as different from any service of the kind to which I had been accustomed still remains vividly in my mind and has had a powerful effect in shaping of my after life. Mother desired to have her two youngest children, Thomas Beckett (Martin) 8 years and Joseph Crawford (Martin) 5 years, Baptised. She requested Rev. Wm. Hilton then Rector of the Church in Freeport to come to her house and hold service. At the time appointed he came with three or four members of his congregation. The house was built of hewn logs and contained but one room on a floor with a large stone fire place at one end. The windows and door was without paint and the floor without carpet but the poorness of the place made no difference. Mr. Hilton heart (?) as much in his work there as any where else. The neighbors knew of the time of service and many gathered in, enough to fill the room. The service was a novel one to most of those present. They being mostly Presbyterians. Mr. Hilton read the evening service and preached a short off hand discourse and Baptise the children. I had not been within reach of an Espicopal Church for several years and knew little of the service. Anyone who knew Mr. Hilton may remember his dignified bearing and the Impressiveness of his voice and gesture, he spoke as one having authority and the whole service being so novel, attracted our undivided and earnest attention and with me the wonder was that any one after listening to it could be satisfied with any other. Mother and one brother, the minister full of years and good works and many more who were present at that service have laid down their burden of care and trouble here and have taken up the harp beyond the river, but the rememberance of it remains in my memory as fresh as ever. END? This diary was sent to Francis Thomas Beckett Martin in 1927 by Margaret Martin who married J. W. Naylor, who lived at 200 North Cornell, Fullerton, California in 1927. This was copied by Edwin Martin from his father 's diary, Samuel Martin. A copy was sent to Ralph J. Beckett in Ten Sleep, Wyoming by Charles Wellington Martin, Omaha Nebraska. A phone number is not presently listed for the Naylor name in Fullerton, California. 1992. In 1991 Ralph made a copy of a letter found in Ireland It was written by Ella May Whitaker nee Martin to Robert Beckett, #26, in Ireland at " Rosevale" It was sent on November, 1926, from Clinton, Mo., returned for want of a better address, mailed again from Omaha, in February, 1927 and finally a copy wound up in the hands of Bobby Burns, Crumlin, Co., Antrim, Ireland Ralph placed an advertisement in a Clinton Mo., and a Omaha Newspaper which was answered by Charles Wellington Martin II. It appears that Ella May Martin Whitaker and her brother Charles Wellington Martin I were interested in genealogy. Their brother Francis Thomas Beckett Martin's I son, Francis Thomas Beckett Martin II fell heir to this interest and went on a trip to Ireland with them. Francis passed the information to his brother Charles Wellington Martin II who answered the newspaper article placed by Ralph Beckett. The Robert Beckett above married Margaret Anna Beckett, a daughter of Matilda Beckett and John Beckett. Who wants to look for the rest of the diary? RJB. Census 1880, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Last Name MARTIN First Name SAMUEL Age 62 Sex MALE Color WHITE Occupation LUMBERDEALER Skill Level ENTREPRENEUR,MERCHANT Relation to Head of Household HEAD Marital Status MARRIED Months Unemployed 0 Place of Birth IRE Father's Place of Birth IRELAND Mother's Place of Birth IRELAND Ward Number 14 Street FIFTHAVE.
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