Alexander Martin (1842 - 1917)

Born 11 Oct 1842 in New York, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 Jul 1917 at age 74 in Canton, St. Lawrence, New York, United States

Biography

This profile is part of the St. Lawrence County, New York One Place Study.

Pvt Alexander Martin was Wounded in Action during United States Civil War.

Pvt Alexander Martin served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Nov. 16, 1863
Mustered out: Nov 9, 1864
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Company H, 14th New York Heavy Artillery

Alexander was born in 1842. He was the son of Francis Joseph Martin and Julie Legros.

Sometime prior to 1863 he married Jane Elizabeth Wells the daughter of David H. Wells and Agnes Nancy Armstrong. She was a young widow with a child. (Note: the 1910 census lists this as her 2nd marriage and the 1870 census lists Hattie’s last name as Fleming)

Leaving his wife with two young daughters behind Alexander enlisted with the 14th New York Heavy Artillery on the 16 Nov 1863 at Canton, New York and was mustered in on the 17 Dec 1863 in Rochester as a Private in Company H. He signed on for three years. This regiment was organized at Rochester, and was chiefly recruited in the counties of Monroe, Yates, St. Lawrence and Jefferson.

At his enlistment he listed his occupation as farmer. Did he leave Jane to run the farm, did he hire help? Did she live with her parents? In 1870 we find the family listed between her parents and her brother’s household. I’m assuming he left her in good hands as it would have been difficult for a young woman with two small children, one still an infant, to take care of her children and a farm.

He was wounded on the 14 May 1864 while on Picket at Spotsylvania Court House. ^[1] Elements of Lee's army beat the Union army to the critical crossroads of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, and began entrenching. Fighting occurred on and off from May 8 through May 21, 1864, as Grant tried various schemes to break the Confederate line. In the end, the battle was tactically inconclusive, but with almost 32,000 casualties on both sides, it was the costliest battle of the campaign.

He was discharged for disability on the 9 Nov 1864 from Mount Pleasant General Hospital in Washington, D.C. He would return home to his wife and children to recuperate and continue their growing family.

They waisted no time as their third child Albert was born the following June. They would add three more sons to their family over the next eight years.

We can glean from his service record that he was 5’ 6” tall of dark complexion with black hair an grey eyes.

He passed away in 1917. ^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Spotsylvania Courthouse
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #58920196

• Rosters Of The New York Artillery Regiments During The Civil War—14th New York Artillery

• (New York) Martin, Alexander - Unit: 14th Heavy Artillery, Company: H - Enlistment Rank: Pvt, Discharge Rank: Pvt

• "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC1F-1ML :Tue., Jul 18 02:32:40 UTC 2023), Entry for Francis Martin and Julian Martin, 1850.
• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC4D-JR5 :Tue., Jul 18 01:41:24 UTC 2023), Entry for Franklin Martin and Julia Ann Martin, 1860.
• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8KK-MJ4 :Mon., Aug 21 21:25:41 UTC 2023), Entry for Alexander Martin and Jane E Martin, 1870.
• "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZFJ-LS5 :Thu., Aug 03 09:27:47 UTC 2023), Entry for Alexander Martin and Jane Martin, 1880.
• "New York State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK9Q-SJ1 :8 March 2021), Alexander Martin, Canton, A.D. 02, E.D. 01, St. Lawrence, New York; citing p. 28, line 49, various county clerk offices, New York; FHL microfilm 885,345.
• "United States Census, 1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M549-W3K :Wed., Jul 19 08:35:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Alexander Martin and Jane E Martin, 1910.
• "New York State Census, 1915", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9PQ-WVV : 3 June 2022), Alexander Martin, 1915.

• "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FX4Q-88F :1 December 2022), Alexander Martin in entry for Arthur B. Martin, 1873.
• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4PY-Z65 :10 November 2020), Alexander Martin in entry for Arthur B. Martin, 19 Jun 1873; citing Birth, Princeton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007011257.
• "New York Marriages, 1686-1980", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F63Q-4TF :21 January 2020), Alexander Martin in entry for Albert H. Martin, 1889.
• "New York Marriages, 1686-1980", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6HD-8FJ :21 January 2020), Alex Martin in entry for Arthur B. Martin, 1890.
• "New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ96-JGQ :9 March 2021), Alexander Martin in entry for Francis E Martin, 23 Mar 1922, St. Lawrence, New York, United States; citing ref. ID , county clerk offices from various counties, New York; FHL microfilm 885,352.