Daughters Alma and Venora wrote that their father's full name was James William Thomas Martin.
William "Willie" Thomas Martin was born in Lithonia, Georgia on Sep 23, 1861 to William Winston Martin (Feb 3, 1834 - Sep 15, 1907) and Parthenia Jane Cagle (Sep 19, 1835 - Apr 1, 1892). Willie's father had owned the land where Stone Mountain stands but sold the land because he could not cultivate that big rock.
Willie came to the Holly Pond area in 1883 when he was 22 years old, traveling in a two-wheeled ox cart pulled by a pair of mules. Willie, along with his brother and sister-in-law, George Washington Martin and Susie Ann Williams Martin, set out from Georgia to seek their fortunes in "wild" north Alabama. It took more than a week for them to get to Gadsden where they stayed a day or so with an aunt and uncle, Rhoda Ann Martin and Sidney Shaw - who also soon moved to Holly Pond. When Willie and G.W. finally arrived in Cullman County, they first stopped for water at the Doc Estes farm near Holly Pond. They then followed a rough trail to New Hope Church where they spent their first night and then decided to stay there. The county was sparsely populated and the land was densely wooded. Making a living was a difficult job.
When Willie surveyed his new surroundings, he saw pretty fifteen year old Mary Jane "Mollie" House (Sep 8, 1868 - Jan 2, 1967) who was born in Holly Pond and was the daughter of William Nimrod House (Jan 22, 1847 - May 7, 1924) and Lucinda Huckabee House (Feb 25, 1850 - Aug 27, 1911). Willie immediately decided that he would marry Mollie but it took him until Jan 15, 1885 to save enough money to buy the marriage license and a 40 acre tract of land for $20. Mollie later recalled how on heir honeymoon trip (some 2 1/2 miles from New Hope to Holly Pond) as they crossed a little stream (no bridge, of course) she had to jump from the wagon so that her wedding finery would not get wet.
Oscar Walter Martin (Jun 6, 1886 - Apr 12, 1969) was born in the log cabin home that Willie and Mollie built. Oscar Walter Martin was a clerk in the C.A.Stiefelmeyer General Store in Cullman. On Oct 27, 1910, he married Vera Grace Sparks (Nov 23, 1891 - Jan 29, 1980) who had moved to Cullman from Carrollton, Georgia and they had one child, Mary Elizabeth Martin. Walter became a rural mail carrier in 1914. He owned 2 horses - boarding one at the end of his route. He rode one out and the other one back to town each day. He later worked in the Cullman post office and about 1925 became assistant postmaster, a position he kept until his retirement.
A new house, in front of the original log cabin, was built shortly after Walter was born. Willie and Mollie's other four children were born in the new home.
Lena Leola Martin was born Jul 5, 1889 and died 17 Mar 1974. Lena married John Trapp in 1914 and they moved to Ethridge, TN to raise their family of 4 children, Frances Elnora Trapp, Mary Louella Trapp, Leno Leola Trapp and John Martin Trapp.
Alma Martin was born Dec 25, 1891 and died Aug 25, 1990. Alma later added an ‘M' to her name as a middle initial because there were several ‘Alma Martin's working at Alabama Power Company in Birmingham at the same time.
Venora Martin was born Feb 6, 1894 and died Jan 4, 1996. Neither Alma nor Venora married although Venora was engaged to a man who died in WWI. Venora retired from Alabama Industrial Relations in Montgomery.
Elbert Martin was born Aug 10, 1898 and died Dec 19, 1991. Elbert had no middle name but got tired of writing "NMI" on legal forms so he chose the name Waldo. He retired from a successful military career and then went on to receive a PhD in Jurisprudence from Loyola University, the oldest person to receive that degree from Loyola, and then practiced law for 10 years in New Orleans. Elbert married Lucy Alcantara Fell, a widow with 5 children (Connie, Riley B., Dolores, Ramona, and Evangeline).
During the winter of 1898 Willie and Mollie bought and moved to a larger farm in the Fairview community. Both the house in Holly Pond and the house in Fairview are still standing and in good condition. Around 1917, the Fairview farm was sold and Willie and Mollie moved to the "big" city of Cullman and settled in a home just south of the First Baptist Church on the corner of 3rd Ave and 6th St SW. Some of that property was later sold to grandson-in-law, Ellis B Burns, for the construction of Burns Laundry, which later became L & L Laundry & Cleaners.
Moving to town meant having electricity in a house for the first time. Willie would sit on the porch and when the streetlights came on at dusk, he got up and went to bed. The first radio they had was used only for news. The first electric refrigerator that had a light in it was wasteful. No one ever convinced him that the light went out when the door was closed. The bulb was removed. He actually bought a car - a 1920 Ford. It had a shiny brass radiator and had isinglass panels that could be fastened to the sides when it rained. He kept it in the barn with the cow and used it only on special occasions - mostly on Sundays.
The five Martin children were raised in a God fearing home and encouraged to get a good education. Mollie learned to read, write, and solve math problems as the children did their homework. All the children taught school at some time in their lives.
William "Willie" Thomas Martin was born in Lithonia, Georgia on Sep 23, 1861 to William Winston Martin (Feb 3, 1834 - Sep 15, 1907) and Parthenia Jane Cagle (Sep 19, 1835 - Apr 1, 1892). Willie's father had owned the land where Stone Mountain stands but sold the land because he could not cultivate that big rock.
Willie came to the Holly Pond area in 1883 when he was 22 years old, traveling in a two-wheeled ox cart pulled by a pair of mules. Willie, along with his brother and sister-in-law, George Washington Martin and Susie Ann Williams Martin, set out from Georgia to seek their fortunes in "wild" north Alabama. It took more than a week for them to get to Gadsden where they stayed a day or so with an aunt and uncle, Rhoda Ann Martin and Sidney Shaw - who also soon moved to Holly Pond. When Willie and G.W. finally arrived in Cullman County, they first stopped for water at the Doc Estes farm near Holly Pond. They then followed a rough trail to New Hope Church where they spent their first night and then decided to stay there. The county was sparsely populated and the land was densely wooded. Making a living was a difficult job.
When Willie surveyed his new surroundings, he saw pretty fifteen year old Mary Jane "Mollie" House (Sep 8, 1868 - Jan 2, 1967) who was born in Holly Pond and was the daughter of William Nimrod House (Jan 22, 1847 - May 7, 1924) and Lucinda Huckabee House (Feb 25, 1850 - Aug 27, 1911). Willie immediately decided that he would marry Mollie but it took him until Jan 15, 1885 to save enough money to buy the marriage license and a 40 acre tract of land for $20. Mollie later recalled how on heir honeymoon trip (some 2 1/2 miles from New Hope to Holly Pond) as they crossed a little stream (no bridge, of course) she had to jump from the wagon so that her wedding finery would not get wet.
Oscar Walter Martin (Jun 6, 1886 - Apr 12, 1969) was born in the log cabin home that Willie and Mollie built. Oscar Walter Martin was a clerk in the C.A.Stiefelmeyer General Store in Cullman. On Oct 27, 1910, he married Vera Grace Sparks (Nov 23, 1891 - Jan 29, 1980) who had moved to Cullman from Carrollton, Georgia and they had one child, Mary Elizabeth Martin. Walter became a rural mail carrier in 1914. He owned 2 horses - boarding one at the end of his route. He rode one out and the other one back to town each day. He later worked in the Cullman post office and about 1925 became assistant postmaster, a position he kept until his retirement.
A new house, in front of the original log cabin, was built shortly after Walter was born. Willie and Mollie's other four children were born in the new home.
Lena Leola Martin was born Jul 5, 1889 and died 17 Mar 1974. Lena married John Trapp in 1914 and they moved to Ethridge, TN to raise their family of 4 children, Frances Elnora Trapp, Mary Louella Trapp, Leno Leola Trapp and John Martin Trapp.
Alma Martin was born Dec 25, 1891 and died Aug 25, 1990. Alma later added an ‘M' to her name as a middle initial because there were several ‘Alma Martin's working at Alabama Power Company in Birmingham at the same time.
Venora Martin was born Feb 6, 1894 and died Jan 4, 1996. Neither Alma nor Venora married although Venora was engaged to a man who died in WWI. Venora retired from Alabama Industrial Relations in Montgomery.
Elbert Martin was born Aug 10, 1898 and died Dec 19, 1991. Elbert had no middle name but got tired of writing "NMI" on legal forms so he chose the name Waldo. He retired from a successful military career and then went on to receive a PhD in Jurisprudence from Loyola University, the oldest person to receive that degree from Loyola, and then practiced law for 10 years in New Orleans. Elbert married Lucy Alcantara Fell, a widow with 5 children (Connie, Riley B., Dolores, Ramona, and Evangeline).
During the winter of 1898 Willie and Mollie bought and moved to a larger farm in the Fairview community. Both the house in Holly Pond and the house in Fairview are still standing and in good condition. Around 1917, the Fairview farm was sold and Willie and Mollie moved to the "big" city of Cullman and settled in a home just south of the First Baptist Church on the corner of 3rd Ave and 6th St SW. Some of that property was later sold to grandson-in-law, Ellis B Burns, for the construction of Burns Laundry, which later became L & L Laundry & Cleaners.
Moving to town meant having electricity in a house for the first time. Willie would sit on the porch and when the streetlights came on at dusk, he got up and went to bed. The first radio they had was used only for news. The first electric refrigerator that had a light in it was wasteful. No one ever convinced him that the light went out when the door was closed. The bulb was removed. He actually bought a car - a 1920 Ford. It had a shiny brass radiator and had isinglass panels that could be fastened to the sides when it rained. He kept it in the barn with the cow and used it only on special occasions - mostly on Sundays.
The five Martin children were raised in a God fearing home and encouraged to get a good education. Mollie learned to read, write, and solve math problems as the children did their homework. All the children taught school at some time in their lives.
Daughters Alma and Venora wrote that their father's full name was James William Thomas Martin.
William "Willie" Thomas Martin was born in Lithonia, Georgia on Sep 23, 1861 to William Winston Martin (Feb 3, 1834 - Sep 15, 1907) and Parthenia Jane Cagle (Sep 19, 1835 - Apr 1, 1892). Willie's father had owned the land where Stone Mountain stands but sold the land because he could not cultivate that big rock.
Willie came to the Holly Pond area in 1883 when he was 22 years old, traveling in a two-wheeled ox cart pulled by a pair of mules. Willie, along with his brother and sister-in-law, George Washington Martin and Susie Ann Williams Martin, set out from Georgia to seek their fortunes in "wild" north Alabama. It took more than a week for them to get to Gadsden where they stayed a day or so with an aunt and uncle, Rhoda Ann Martin and Sidney Shaw - who also soon moved to Holly Pond. When Willie and G.W. finally arrived in Cullman County, they first stopped for water at the Doc Estes farm near Holly Pond. They then followed a rough trail to New Hope Church where they spent their first night and then decided to stay there. The county was sparsely populated and the land was densely wooded. Making a living was a difficult job.
When Willie surveyed his new surroundings, he saw pretty fifteen year old Mary Jane "Mollie" House (Sep 8, 1868 - Jan 2, 1967) who was born in Holly Pond and was the daughter of William Nimrod House (Jan 22, 1847 - May 7, 1924) and Lucinda Huckabee House (Feb 25, 1850 - Aug 27, 1911). Willie immediately decided that he would marry Mollie but it took him until Jan 15, 1885 to save enough money to buy the marriage license and a 40 acre tract of land for $20. Mollie later recalled how on heir honeymoon trip (some 2 1/2 miles from New Hope to Holly Pond) as they crossed a little stream (no bridge, of course) she had to jump from the wagon so that her wedding finery would not get wet.
Oscar Walter Martin (Jun 6, 1886 - Apr 12, 1969) was born in the log cabin home that Willie and Mollie built. Oscar Walter Martin was a clerk in the C.A.Stiefelmeyer General Store in Cullman. On Oct 27, 1910, he married Vera Grace Sparks (Nov 23, 1891 - Jan 29, 1980) who had moved to Cullman from Carrollton, Georgia and they had one child, Mary Elizabeth Martin. Walter became a rural mail carrier in 1914. He owned 2 horses - boarding one at the end of his route. He rode one out and the other one back to town each day. He later worked in the Cullman post office and about 1925 became assistant postmaster, a position he kept until his retirement.
A new house, in front of the original log cabin, was built shortly after Walter was born. Willie and Mollie's other four children were born in the new home.
Lena Leola Martin was born Jul 5, 1889 and died 17 Mar 1974. Lena married John Trapp in 1914 and they moved to Ethridge, TN to raise their family of 4 children, Frances Elnora Trapp, Mary Louella Trapp, Leno Leola Trapp and John Martin Trapp.
Alma Martin was born Dec 25, 1891 and died Aug 25, 1990. Alma later added an ‘M' to her name as a middle initial because there were several ‘Alma Martin's working at Alabama Power Company in Birmingham at the same time.
Venora Martin was born Feb 6, 1894 and died Jan 4, 1996. Neither Alma nor Venora married although Venora was engaged to a man who died in WWI. Venora retired from Alabama Industrial Relations in Montgomery.
Elbert Martin was born Aug 10, 1898 and died Dec 19, 1991. Elbert had no middle name but got tired of writing "NMI" on legal forms so he chose the name Waldo. He retired from a successful military career and then went on to receive a PhD in Jurisprudence from Loyola University, the oldest person to receive that degree from Loyola, and then practiced law for 10 years in New Orleans. Elbert married Lucy Alcantara Fell, a widow with 5 children (Connie, Riley B., Dolores, Ramona, and Evangeline).
During the winter of 1898 Willie and Mollie bought and moved to a larger farm in the Fairview community. Both the house in Holly Pond and the house in Fairview are still standing and in good condition. Around 1917, the Fairview farm was sold and Willie and Mollie moved to the "big" city of Cullman and settled in a home just south of the First Baptist Church on the corner of 3rd Ave and 6th St SW. Some of that property was later sold to grandson-in-law, Ellis B Burns, for the construction of Burns Laundry, which later became L & L Laundry & Cleaners.
Moving to town meant having electricity in a house for the first time. Willie would sit on the porch and when the streetlights came on at dusk, he got up and went to bed. The first radio they had was used only for news. The first electric refrigerator that had a light in it was wasteful. No one ever convinced him that the light went out when the door was closed. The bulb was removed. He actually bought a car - a 1920 Ford. It had a shiny brass radiator and had isinglass panels that could be fastened to the sides when it rained. He kept it in the barn with the cow and used it only on special occasions - mostly on Sundays.
The five Martin children were raised in a God fearing home and encouraged to get a good education. Mollie learned to read, write, and solve math problems as the children did their homework. All the children taught school at some time in their lives.
William "Willie" Thomas Martin was born in Lithonia, Georgia on Sep 23, 1861 to William Winston Martin (Feb 3, 1834 - Sep 15, 1907) and Parthenia Jane Cagle (Sep 19, 1835 - Apr 1, 1892). Willie's father had owned the land where Stone Mountain stands but sold the land because he could not cultivate that big rock.
Willie came to the Holly Pond area in 1883 when he was 22 years old, traveling in a two-wheeled ox cart pulled by a pair of mules. Willie, along with his brother and sister-in-law, George Washington Martin and Susie Ann Williams Martin, set out from Georgia to seek their fortunes in "wild" north Alabama. It took more than a week for them to get to Gadsden where they stayed a day or so with an aunt and uncle, Rhoda Ann Martin and Sidney Shaw - who also soon moved to Holly Pond. When Willie and G.W. finally arrived in Cullman County, they first stopped for water at the Doc Estes farm near Holly Pond. They then followed a rough trail to New Hope Church where they spent their first night and then decided to stay there. The county was sparsely populated and the land was densely wooded. Making a living was a difficult job.
When Willie surveyed his new surroundings, he saw pretty fifteen year old Mary Jane "Mollie" House (Sep 8, 1868 - Jan 2, 1967) who was born in Holly Pond and was the daughter of William Nimrod House (Jan 22, 1847 - May 7, 1924) and Lucinda Huckabee House (Feb 25, 1850 - Aug 27, 1911). Willie immediately decided that he would marry Mollie but it took him until Jan 15, 1885 to save enough money to buy the marriage license and a 40 acre tract of land for $20. Mollie later recalled how on heir honeymoon trip (some 2 1/2 miles from New Hope to Holly Pond) as they crossed a little stream (no bridge, of course) she had to jump from the wagon so that her wedding finery would not get wet.
Oscar Walter Martin (Jun 6, 1886 - Apr 12, 1969) was born in the log cabin home that Willie and Mollie built. Oscar Walter Martin was a clerk in the C.A.Stiefelmeyer General Store in Cullman. On Oct 27, 1910, he married Vera Grace Sparks (Nov 23, 1891 - Jan 29, 1980) who had moved to Cullman from Carrollton, Georgia and they had one child, Mary Elizabeth Martin. Walter became a rural mail carrier in 1914. He owned 2 horses - boarding one at the end of his route. He rode one out and the other one back to town each day. He later worked in the Cullman post office and about 1925 became assistant postmaster, a position he kept until his retirement.
A new house, in front of the original log cabin, was built shortly after Walter was born. Willie and Mollie's other four children were born in the new home.
Lena Leola Martin was born Jul 5, 1889 and died 17 Mar 1974. Lena married John Trapp in 1914 and they moved to Ethridge, TN to raise their family of 4 children, Frances Elnora Trapp, Mary Louella Trapp, Leno Leola Trapp and John Martin Trapp.
Alma Martin was born Dec 25, 1891 and died Aug 25, 1990. Alma later added an ‘M' to her name as a middle initial because there were several ‘Alma Martin's working at Alabama Power Company in Birmingham at the same time.
Venora Martin was born Feb 6, 1894 and died Jan 4, 1996. Neither Alma nor Venora married although Venora was engaged to a man who died in WWI. Venora retired from Alabama Industrial Relations in Montgomery.
Elbert Martin was born Aug 10, 1898 and died Dec 19, 1991. Elbert had no middle name but got tired of writing "NMI" on legal forms so he chose the name Waldo. He retired from a successful military career and then went on to receive a PhD in Jurisprudence from Loyola University, the oldest person to receive that degree from Loyola, and then practiced law for 10 years in New Orleans. Elbert married Lucy Alcantara Fell, a widow with 5 children (Connie, Riley B., Dolores, Ramona, and Evangeline).
During the winter of 1898 Willie and Mollie bought and moved to a larger farm in the Fairview community. Both the house in Holly Pond and the house in Fairview are still standing and in good condition. Around 1917, the Fairview farm was sold and Willie and Mollie moved to the "big" city of Cullman and settled in a home just south of the First Baptist Church on the corner of 3rd Ave and 6th St SW. Some of that property was later sold to grandson-in-law, Ellis B Burns, for the construction of Burns Laundry, which later became L & L Laundry & Cleaners.
Moving to town meant having electricity in a house for the first time. Willie would sit on the porch and when the streetlights came on at dusk, he got up and went to bed. The first radio they had was used only for news. The first electric refrigerator that had a light in it was wasteful. No one ever convinced him that the light went out when the door was closed. The bulb was removed. He actually bought a car - a 1920 Ford. It had a shiny brass radiator and had isinglass panels that could be fastened to the sides when it rained. He kept it in the barn with the cow and used it only on special occasions - mostly on Sundays.
The five Martin children were raised in a God fearing home and encouraged to get a good education. Mollie learned to read, write, and solve math problems as the children did their homework. All the children taught school at some time in their lives.
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