Louella Martin

Notes:

Her headstone is inscribed "Wife of J.S. Foretich."

Notes:

The following biography is courtesy of Melba Gene McLemore, from a book titled "Mississippi" by Dunbar Rowland, pages 537 through 539:

Martin, E. J., one of the representative citizens and influential business men of Meridian, is a member of one of the sterling pioneer families of Mississippi, with whose history the name has been identified for more than seventy years. he was born on the homestead plantation in Clarke County, Miss., on Sept. 16, 1854, being the only child of Norman and Eleanor (Chapman) Martin, both of whom were born in North Carolina. Norman Martin had previously married Anne Morrison, who bore seven children and who died in Georgia. Of the children of the first marriage three are living. Mr. Martin came from Georgia to Mississippi about 1830 and located in Clarke county, where he became a succesful planter and stock-grower, owning a large amount of land and about one hundred slaves prior to the Civil war. He was a man of distinctive honor and integrity and held the respect of all who knew him, while he was public spirited in his attitude and a man of influence in his community, though never active in the domain of practical politics. he died in Clarke county in 1883 and his widow passed away, in Lauderdale county in 1886, the former having been a member of the Methodist and the latter of the Baptist church. Mr. Martin was one of the board of commissioners of Lauderdale county at the time of its organization, having had landed interests here, since the same was originally a portion of Clarke county,

E. J. Martin, whose name initiaties this review, received his early training in the schools of Clarke county and later ws a student in Mississippi college, at Clinton. he assisted in the management of the home plantation until he had attained to the legal majority when he engaged in the same line of enterprise on his own responsibility, while he has ever since been identfied with the agricultural interests of this section, being the owner of well improved plantations in Lauderdale, Clarke and Kemper counties, ans also of other valuable realty, in Meridian and elsewhere. In 1880 he removed from his farm to Meridian, where he held the office of assistant postmaster until 1886, while he was appointed to the office of postmaster in the second adminstration of President Cleveland, serving from 1892 to 1896. In 1886 Mr.Martin was one of the organizers of the Progress Manufacturing Company, later the Martin Machine Works, which built up a large industry in the manufacturing of cotton and hay presses, engines, boilers and general lines of machinery and continued to serve as president of this company until 1902, when the business was sold to the present owners, the Wetherbee Brothers. Since retiring from the active administration of the affairs of this business, which was built up largely though his efforts, Mr. Martin has devoted his attention to the management of his farming interests, and in 1906 he organized the firm of E. J. Martin & Sons, engaged in general machinery and mill supply business giving special attention to the sale of portable saw mills. In politics, Mr. Martin is a conservative Democrat, and he has shown a loyal interest in public affairs in his State and county. For nine consecutive years he served as a member of the city council of Meridian and was president of the same. For four years he administered the fiscal affairs of Lauderdale county in the capacity of treasurer, and he has been given other testimonials of popular confidence and regard. He has served as delegate to county, congressional and State conventions of his party, and the interest of the party cause has been of close concern to him, while liberality and progressive ideas have ever characterized him as a citizen and business man.

Both he and his wife are valued members of the Baptist church, and in a fraternal way he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry, in which the honored fraternity he is an enthusiastic devotee and one prominent in the various departments of the York and Scottish Rite bodies. He is past master of his lodge, grand senior warden of Mississippi, past high priest of his chapter, thrice illustrious master of the council, passt eminent commander of the commandery of Knights Templars, past potentate in the temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, while he has held office in the various bodies of the Scottish Rite. He was a prominent delegate to the triennial conclave of Knights Templars held in the city of San Francisco in September, 1904, in which connection he had management of the excursion trains which transported the Mississippi delegation to the coast. He has been five times elected a member of the imperial council of the Mystic Shrine in North America.

In November, 1874, Mr. Martin was united in marriage to Miss Jennie McLemore, a daughter of Capt. Caleb H. McLemore and Louise (Smith) McLemore, well known citizens of Lauderdale county. Captain McLemore was a valiant defender of the Confederate cause in the Civil war, having been captain of his company in the Thirty-seventh Mississippi infantry and serving during the entire course of the war, while he took part in every battle in which his command was engaged, including the battles around Cornith and in the Georgia campaign from Dalton as well as battles of Franklin, Nashville and Shiloh. He was enlisted as a lietenant of the company, and when its captain was killed in the first battle in which it was engaged, Captain McLemore assumed command and remained at the head of his company until the close of the war.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin have five children; Percy L. , Louisiana agent for E. J. Martin & Sons, resides in Monroe, LA,; Edwin M., and traveling salesman resides in Meridian; Mary is the wife of John R. Moore, who is engaged in the commission business in Meridian; Robert E. is associated with his father in the machinery business, and Hugh S. is attending school.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, April 2010)

(Research):

Census Information:

1880 Federal Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian
FHL Film #1254653, NA Film #T9-063
Page 43C
Edwin J. Martin Self M M W 28 Ms Farmer
M. Jennie Martin Wife M F W 25 MS Keeping House
Lou Ella Martin Dau S F W 7 MS MS MS
Percy Martin Son S M W 5 MS MS MS
Edwin M. Martin Son S M 3 MS MS MS
Caleb N. Martin Son S M W 9 months MS MS MS

1900 Federal Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1
Enumerated 6 June 1900
SD 5 ED 14 Sheet 9A
195-197
16th Steet
McLemore, Theodore J Head W M Aug 1858 41 M Miss Miss Miss Salesman
McLemore, Emma C Wife W F Apr 1860 40 M Miss Miss Tex
McLemore, Lorene E Dtr Apr? 1887 13 S Miss Miss Miss At School
14th Avenue
1520-197-199
Martin, Edward J Head W M Sept 1851 48 m28 Miss Scotland Ala Prop Machine Works
Martin, Mary V Wf W F Nov 1854 45 m 28 8/6 Miss Miss Miss
Martin, Percy L Son MW Jan 1875 25 S Miss Miss Miss Drummer
Martin, Mary V Dtr W F May 1883 17 S Miss Miss Miss At School
Martin, Robert E Son W M July 1885 14 S Miss Miss Miss At School
Martin, Hugh S Son W M Dec 1891 8 S Miss Miss Miss At School

Edwin married Mary Virginia "Jennie" McLemore in Nov 1874. Mary (daughter of Capt. Caleb Hill McLemore and Louisa C. Smith) was born on 2 Nov 1854 in Marion, Lauderdale County, Mississippi; died on 7 May 1923; was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Meridan, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Said by Larry Kingsley to have married Edwin J. MARTIN.

Notes:

From the biography of his son, Edwin J. Martin "Norman Martin had previously married Anne Morrison, who bore seven children and who died in Georgia. Of the children of the first marriage three are living. Mr. Martin came from Georgia to Mississippi about 1830 and located in Clarke county, where he became a succesful planter and stock-grower, owning a large amount of land and about one hundred slaves prior to the Civil war."

Shown on the "McDuffie Family" website as a son of Mary McDUFFIE, b. 1775 in NC and her husband, ____ MARTIN, and grandson of John McDUFFIE and Flora McDONALD, from the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

http://afamilyreunion.freeservers.com/mcduffie.htm

He is shown on the "Knox-Alston" tree at RootsWeb World Connect as a son of John Martin of Quincy, Mass and Mary Susan McDuffie of North Carolina. He is also shown as having two older brothers , Daniel and John Henry. Said to have resided in Greene County, Mississippi in 1830 and Lauderdale, Mississippi in 1840.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=larkmcc&id=P2588238203





(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Clarke County, Beat No. 4
Enumerated 13 Aug 1850
106-106
Norman Martin 52 M Farmer 1000 NC
Eleanor Martin 44 F $2000 SC
William Mott 21 M Farmer Ala
John Mott 19 M Farmer Ala
Joseph Mott 15 M Farmer Miss
Charles Mott 12 M Miss
George Mott 10 M Miss
Luke Savage 20 M Teacher Ala

1860 Census
Mississippi, Clarke County, PO Energy
Enumerated 2 Aug 1860
Page 137
922-922
Norman Martin 62 M Farmer 7600 32127 NC
Elendor Martin 54 F SC
Edwin Martin 9 M Miss
Mary Martin 85 F NC

Norman married Eleanor Chapman before 1850. Eleanor was born about 1806 in South Carolina; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Was married first to MOTT, and she and her second husband are listed with five of her sons from her previous marriage on the 1850 Clarke County, Mississippi federal census.

Shown on the "Knox-Alston" tree on RootsWeb WorldConnect as Eleanor Summers Chapman, born 8 Oct 1806 in Newberry, Newberry, South Carolina to Joseph Chapman and Martha Elmore of Newberry. She and Silas Mott were shown as the paretns of six children, William, John, Sarah (b. 1833 in Alabama), Joseph, Charles, and George.

Notes:

Married:
Eleanor Chapman Mott and Norman Martin had one only one son, Edwin Martin, and they can be found in Clarke County in 1860.

Notes:

Rev. William P. McLemore, in a section on his website devoted to notable McLemore's (Website: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/3476/mclem1.htm), has the following biography:

Caleb Hill McLemore was born in Covington, MS, in January, 1829, and is the fourth of a family of nine children. His father, Richard McLemore, was a native of North Carolina, and removed from that state to Tennessee with his parents when but a boy. He remained at home, assisting in the care of his family until he was twenty-one years of age. He then came to Mississippi and was married in Covington County, in August 1821 (sic), to Nancy P. Hill. They had born to them two sons and seven daughters. Capt. McLemore was twenty-one years of age when he began to till the soil and raise livestock. He located in Lauderdale county, and there were few older residents than he. He was married in his twenty-fourth year to Mrs. L. C. Brown, widow of John Brown, of Clarke county, MS. Seven children were born of this union. In 1802 (sic), he enlisted in Company I, Thirty-seventh Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, and was in the arm of the Tennessee. When his captain was killed, he was promoted to the position, which he held during the remainder of the war. After the declaration of peace, he returned to his home in Lauderdale county and resumed the pursuit of agriculture on the place where he now lives. Captain McLemore was a member of the Masonic fraternity for nearly thirty years, and a Knight of Honor. He also belonged to the Farmers' Alliance. (Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Volume II, 1891).

In a biography of his son-in-law, E. J. Martin, it was noted that Captain McLemore" served during the entire course of the war, while he took part in every battle in which his command was engaged, including the battles around Cornith and in the Georgia campaign from Dalton as well as battles of Franklin, Nashville and Shiloh."

(Research):

Census Information:

1860 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1. PO Marion
Enumerated 27 June 1860 by W. V. White
Page 23 and 24
148-147
C.H. McLemore 31 M Farmer $14,500 $12,000 Miss
L.C. McLemore 25 F Domestic Business Wife
Mary V McLemore 6 F Miss
Richard L McLemore 4 M Miss
Theodore J McLemore 2 M Miss
Elizabeth Smith 15 F Dom Bus Miss
J.H. Page 25 M Farm Laborer NC
John Butler 22 M Farm Laborer Miss

1870 Census
not located

1880 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian, Beat 1
Enumerated 16 Jun 1880 by E.J. Martin
Page 26 SD 2 ED 91
229-237
McLemore, C.H. W M 57 Farmer Miss NC Tenn
McLemore, Louisa W F 46 Wife Keeping House Miss --- NC
McLemore, T. J. W M 21 Son Farmer Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Inez W F 19 Dtr Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Oscar W M 12 Son In School Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Mittie W F 10 Dtr In School Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Earle W M 8 Miss Miss Miss
Vaughan, Jas W M 16 Boarder In School Alabama
Snell, R. J. W M 17 Boarder In School NC

Immediately following this listing was the listing for Ben and Sylvia McLemore, and Peter and Malinda McLemore. Both families were listed as Black.

1900 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian, Beat 1
Enumerated 19 Jun 1900
SD 5, ED 11 Sheet 17B
326-330
McLemore, Caleb H Head M W Jan 1829 71 M47 Miss NC Tenn Farmer (Retired)
McLemore, Louisa C Wife W F M?? 1834 66 M47 7/6 Miss SC Ala
Smith, Madori B Sister-in-law W F May 1851 49 S Miss SC Ala

Caleb married Louisa C. Smith on 8 Nov 1853 in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Louisa was born on 24 Mar 1834 in Mississippi; died on 28 Apr 1909; was buried in McLemore Cemetery, Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

It is assumed, but not proven, that Louisa's maiden name was SMITH, based on the name of her sister, shown as single, that lived with the family at the time of the 1900 Census. An Elizabeth Smith lived with the family in 1860 as well. Louisa was widowed at the time of her marriage to Caleb McLemore, her first husband being John Brown of Clarke County, Mississippi. It appears she was widowed at a very young age, as she was only 19 when she married Caleb. Lauderdale Marriage records show that Caleb H. McLemore married Mrs. Louisa C. Brown on 8 Nov 1853.

http://www.lauderdalecoms.com/marriages/lcmarriagesm.htm

Her FindAGrave Memorial page also lists her as Louisa Brown McLemore.

Notes:

Married:
http://www.lauderdalecoms.com/marriages/lcmarriagesm.htm

McLemore, Caleb H. to Brown, Mrs. Louisa C. 8 Nov 1853

Notes:

Meridian, the capital of Lauderdale county, is situated 140 miles east of the Mississippi river, from Vicksburg, and 15 miles west of the State of Alabama; being on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, 135 miles above Mobile. It claims a population of 25,000 and is growing rapidly. The Alabama Great Southern, New Orleans & Northeastern and Alabama & Vicksburg railroads have their terminals at this point. Its location, about 1854, was the result of the proposed crossing of the Mobile & Ohio by the Alabama & Vicksburg, then known as the Vicksburg & Montgomery railroad.
Cotton and corn fields occupied its present site, surrounded by oak and pine forests over clay hills and bottom lands of the head waters of the Chickasawhay. Richard McLemore possessed most of the lands and his plantation home was the only notable residence in the vicinity. So little did the M.& O. regard the point for a while, that it was with difficulty persuaded to put in even a switch for a flag station; and when it did, called the place "Sowashee Station," from a creek near by.
L.A. Ragsdale, meanwhile, had brought out R.McLemore, and John T. Ball had purchased a tract of 80 acres, and both parties immediately began to lay off town lots. They were the pioneers. Mr. Ragsdale's plat was for "Ragsdale City;" Mr. Ball's for "Meridian," he having first secured a postoffice by that name.

Source: Rowland, Dunbar, LL.D. MISSISSIPPI; COMPRISING SKETCHES OF COUNTIES, TOWNS, EVENTS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PERSONS, ARRANGED IN CYCLOPEDIC FORM, V. 2. Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association, c1907.

(Research):
Census Information:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Southern District
Enumerated 17 Oct 1850
315-324
Richard McLemore 52 Farmer South Carolina
Nancy McLemore 48 NC
Martha McLemore 23 Miss
Caleb McLemore 21 Miss
Sarah McLemore 17 Miss
Charity McLemore 15 Miss
Moriah [Juriah?} McLemore 13 Miss
Joshua McLemore 10 Miss
Equilla T/Siner? 90 North Carolina

1860 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1. PO Marion
Enumerated 27 June 1860 by W. V. White
Page 24
149-148
Richard McLemore 63 M Farmer $36,000 $60,000 Tenn
Catherine E. McLemore 40 F Dom Bus Miss
J.W. Wiggins 35 M Farmer Ala
Charity Wiggins 26 F Dom Bus Miss
William Wiggins 6 M Miss
Louis Wiggins 4 M Miss

1870 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Township 6, P.O. Meridian
Enumerated 28 July 1870
Page 31, Stamped 36
244-245
McLamore, Richard 71 M W Farmer $10,000 $1,000 SC
McLamore, Catherine 58 F W Keeping House Miss
David William 19 M W Attending School Miss
McLamore, John 65 M B Domestic Servant Miss
McLamore, Jane 50 F B Domestic Servant Miss

1880 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1
Enumerated 5 Jun 1880 by E.J. Martin
Page 2, SD 2, ED 91
14-18
McLemore, Richard W M 80 Farmer SC SC SC
McLemore, Isabella W F 52 Wife Keeping House Ala Ky Ga

Richard married Nancy Perry Hill on 9 Aug 1821 in Covington County, Mississippi. Nancy was born on 20 Mar 1802 in North Carolina; died on 30 Sep 1858 in Marion, Lauderdale County, Mississippi; was buried in McLemore Cemetery, Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Said to be the daughter of Caleb HILL and Mary FLYNT, and sister of Elizabeth HILL, the wife of Amos McLemore, a brother of Richard's.

Notes:

Married:
Marriage certificate not viewed.

Rueben McLemore prepared a two page typescript (undated) titled "McLemore History." He writes that "Richard McLemore was born in Virginia, Sept. 21, 1798. He married Nancy Perry Hill, also of Virginia, and in 1831 he moved into what is now Lauderdale County. Here he bought several thousand acres--the entire region of Meridian and Marionpppand built his home...To McLemore and Nany Hill were born two sons, Joshua and Caleb; and seven daughters, Mary, Nancy, Martha, Lavina, Sarah, Charity and Juriah. Sarah McLemore, the sixth child, was born in 1833. Her birth is the first recorded white birth in Lauderdale county. After the death of Nancy Hill McLemore in 1858, Mr. McLemore married Catherine E. Carter, and after her death, Isabella Ann Roberson. He died Aug. 11, 1881....The old family Bible, from which most of the information in this article was taken, is being kept at the home of Meridian businessman, T. J. McLemore, a great-grandson of Richard McLemore. There are, of course, no children of this Meridian pioneer living today, however, two grandchildren still make their homes in Lauderdale county. They are Mrs. Silas THOMPSON and Mrs. Sally McNEALEY, both of Bonita. "