By Staff
I want to continue with the Martin family, including some who settled in Escambia County, but first let me tell you about a home in our area that has been placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
I have mentioned several times the Solan Dixon Forestry Education Center complex off Hwy. 29, toward Andalusia. The old Dixon home was added to the Registry on Sept. 29, 2005. It sits on 80 acres of woodlands in the northeast corner of Escambia County (and the southwest section of Covington County). It was originally constructed around 1850 in the &#8220dogtrot” style. In 1900 the dogtrot was closed in and the Dixon family lived there for many years. In 1978, the home and land were donated to Auburn University to be used as a forestry education center. Today the house is the centerpiece of the education complex.
If you wish to see this new addition to the Alabama Registry, drive toward Andalusia on Hwy. 29, until you see the Solan Dixon-Auburn University sign on the left. It is not really kept as a tourist attraction; so don't expect to see anything fancy.
Now back to the Martin family. I left off with John Fears Martin (31 Dec. 1805) and his two wives, Sarah Cockcroft and Harriett Susan Rabon. I told you last week that this Sarah was related to my husband's family. I looked it up and found that Sarah was the daughter of John Cockcroft and Mary Still, the granddaughter of John Still and Jane Jolly and the niece to my husband's relative, Sarah Still Youngblood.
William Andrew Martin (19 May 1828-27 Nov. 1909) was the oldest child of John Fears Martin and Sarah Cockcroft. He married 18 March 1848 in Pike County to Nancy Elizabeth Strom. They were the parents of Dr. John Elijah Martin (10 April 1849), Sarah Jane Martin (10 Jan. 1851), Willie Lucy Martin (19 May 1853), Mary Elizabeth Martin (1 Jan. 1856), Moses James Martin (20 Jan. 1858), Susannah Amanda Martin (15 Nov. 1860) and Nancy Martin (8 Aug. 1863).
William Andrew Martin married second abt. 1868, Nancy Hooks. Their children were Lewis Bryant Martin (1871), Flora Belle Martin (7 April 1872), William Daniel Martin (1875), Thomas Rankin Martin (1878) and Maggie Jane Martin (1880).
James Fears Martin (25 Oct. 1829-23 Nov. 1915) was the second child of John Fears Martin and Sarah Cockcroft. He was married 24 Oct. 1853 Ellen Jane Lovelace and they had Elizer Martin.
Jane Elizabeth Martin (4 April 1831-July 1878) married 13 Dec. 1849 to William Dunkin Hooks.
John Bryant Martin (27 July 1832-16 Sept. 1900) married Susanna Hooks abt. 1855.
Moses Elijah Martin (8 Jan. 1835-18 May 1848) was the next child of John Fears Martin and Sarah Cockcroft.
Thomas David Martin (14 May 1836-7 June 1861) was the last child of John Fears and Sarah C. Martin.
Sarah Ann Martin (31 Aug. 1840-18 June 1895) was the oldest child of John Fears Martin and Harriett Susan Rabon. She married first to Henry Slaughter and second to a Strong.
Joseph Abney Martin (12 June 1842); Susanah Isabella Martin (16 May 1844-4 Sept. 1915) who married John L. Childs; Osmous Watson Martin (15 Aug. 1845-9 Jan. 1889) who married first in 1867 Narcissa A. Brooks and second 28 March 1872, Octavia A. McGee; and Harriett Amanda Martin (1 March 1847-26 Feb. 1902) who married John Strong were the rest of the children.
Next week I will get to the family of William Andrew Martin. This is the family who was more closely connected to Escambia County.