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| Pioneers of the Bay of Quinte In 1840, Hittabold Martin petitions for land as the daughter of Richard Smith UE. She is a widow and does not give the first name of her husband. Bonny Campbell found records that a James Martin had a wife named Mehitable. It is very possible that Hittabold Smith married this James Martin. All of the work below, except the Overview, was done by Bonny Campbell and Nora Kearney and is posted with Bonny's permission. In 2023, Jamey Martin sent me a reference suggesting James Martin was 24 about 1798 and thus born about 1774. I have added a few updates. © Randy Saylor, Aug. 2012 and 2023 |
OVERVIEW From the information below it appears that James Martin was a settler and not a Loyalist and came to Upper Canada around 1790, purchasing a farm in concession 5, Thurlow. This is a short walk from the farm of Richard Smith where James would have known Hittabold Smith. Hittabold is the oldest daughter of Richard Smith and likely born about 1790. This makes her 13 years younger than James Martin but that would not be unusual at the time for them to be married. Below, the researchers provide names of possible children of James Martin. |
| JAMES MARTIN James Martin was born outside of Canada as he did the Oath of Allegiance as noted on his Upper Canada Land Petition that was done on the 28 Feb 1798. I found this in the Archives in Ontario. James Martin stated that he had been in Ontario since 1790 and petitioned for land while living in Thurlow Twp, Hastings County. He stated that he was 21 ( might be 24 as document difficult to read the number but 21 is more likely ) and that he had never received any land. 28 Feb 1798 received 200 acres. The location was not mentioned so I searched the original land record books at the Marilyn Adams Centre until I found him on lot 8 on the 5th conc of Thurlow. BIRTH YEAR Given a close look at how the 4 is written in the petition below, it is concluded that James is 24 on 4 Jan 1798. Likely his birth year is 1773. 1798 - updated This is the petition mention by Bonny above and brought to my attention by Jamey Martin in 2023. [117] "... James Martin, Thurlow, has been in the Province since 1790 and has taken the oath [of allegiance] before the L. C. [Lt Col] Chisholm Esqr and he being 24 years of age and never got any lands ...." Note that the 4 in age 24 is written the same as the date 4 Jan 1798. [fold] 28 Feb 1798, recommend for 200 acres. Source: UCLP, LAC, RG 1 L3, 1798, V330, M4/117, C-2193. Posted on LAC site, image 439. 24 June 1810 James Martin of Thurlow Twp purchased 100 acres of the west half of lot 8 in the 5th conc of Thurlow ( site of the former Corbyville Distillery) from Eleazor Youmans. Witness was John Longwell. Source was Hastings County Copy Book C 2 March 1811 Atremus Marsh Ross ( ? Rose) - grantor to Mathias Ross ( ? Rose ) with Zadoc Thrasher, James Martin and John Cairin, all of Thurlow Twp were witnesses 17 May 1812 Return of Hastings Militia Includes the privates that volunteered for active service under Captain John McIntosh and Captain Walden Meyers. James Martin was one of the names mentioned. Source: Randy Saylor's site. Hasting Militia 1812 and Hastings Militia Service 12 July 1812 A James Martin was a private in the Hastings Militia in the same company as Daniel Mathew Dean. Source Hasting Militia various 1813 25 March 1813 Hastings Militia Pay Lists as per Randy Saylor's site James Martin was on list B Pg 43-46 from 25 March 1813- 24 April 1813 under Captain Simon McNabb 22 Jan 1814 James Martin, yeoman of Thurlow, given mortgage from Allen Taylor, a merchant of Thurlow of Hastings County. Witnesses were Alexander O'Peline and John Taylor, both of Thurlow Twp. Signed in the presence of John Taylor and Neil McArthur Source: C 272, Hastings County Copy Book C 7 Sept 1815 Lot 8, Conc 5, Thurlow Twp George Thompson purchased 55 acres of the north half of the west half of lot 8, conc 5 Thurlow Twp, Hastings County, Ontario. Source Land Abstracts at the Marilyn Adams Centre in Ameliasburg 2 Nov 1815 James Martin repaid his mortgage money to Allen Taylor of Thurlow Twp. Source Land Abstracts at the Marilyn Adams Centre of Ameliasburg. 2 Feb 1835 James Martin sold property to Philip Hotte. James Martin's wife Mahetable Martin appears to have released her dower. Witnesses were Anthony Marshall and ___ Ketcheson, two of his Majesty's Justice of the Peace for Midland District. This was found by Nora Kearney of Belleville after tediously reviewing early land transaction microfilm in the Belleville Library. Source: Abstract Index book, Thurlow, Hastings, instrument O25, B&S, 2 Feb 1835, registered 5 Nov 1840, James Martin sells to Philip Hotte, part Lot 22, 6 Con, Thurlow, 80 acres, SE part. Image provided by Bonnie Campbell. |
| MARRIAGE In 1840, a Hittabold Martin applied for an Upper Canada Land Petition as a daughter of Richard Smith. Initially it was written that she was married but that was stroked out on the document and widow replaced it. So if James Martin's wife Mahitable was Hittie or Hittabold Smith, then James Martin died between 1835 and 1840. Source: UCLP, LAC, RG 1 L3, 1840, V365, M22/84, C-2219. Posted on LAC site image 609. Nora Kearney of Belleville found a land record for James Martin of Thurlow Twp that proved that his wife's name was Mehitable and I believe that she was the Hittie or Hittabold Martin, daughter of Richard Smith. [Note: I assume that this record is the 2 Feb 1835 record immediately above.] |
| CHILDREN Possible but unproven children for James Martin and Mahitable or Mehitable Smith are: 1) John Martin is named as the Heir at Law of James Martin in an 1840 sale of Lot 3 Con 13 Hungeford. This makes John the oldest son. Source: Book O, #413. 13 June 1840. John Martin of Tyendiaga, yeoman, Heir at Law to James Martin [thus deceased] the origianl grantee from the Crown. Sells to Benjamin Reed of Hungerford, yeoman, for £20 the North half of Lot 3, Con 13, 100 acres. Witness James Dafoe, Belleville, Gentleman. Image sent by Bonnie Campbell. 2) Elizabeth Abigail Martin born 1817 that married Peter Holmes. Nora Kearney is related to me through our shared ancestor Samuel Allen Way. She is a descendant of Elias Holmes, a mulatta, who had a price on his head, was injured during the American Revolution , described as a cripple and escaped to Sorel Quebec. He remained there but his descendants came to Hastings County. Peter Holmes that married Elizabeth Abigail Martin was one of his descendants. She contacted me as she felt that my Francis Smith Martin and her Elizabeth Abigail Martin may have been siblings. We have your records to definitely prove our theory at this time. 3) Francis Smith Martin born 1819 that married Sarah Ann Freeman, daughter of Simeon Freeman and unknown wife. Two of Francis Smith Martin's children said that he was born in Latta Mills which is in Thurlow Twp and approximately 7 miles down the river from the site of the Corbyville Distillery site according to a cousin Sammy Dean of Belleville, Ontario. 4) Mary Martin that married Joseph Holmes seen as Homes on the same list of marriages of my Francis Smith Martin and Sarah Ann Freeman. I guess her birth year around 1820 based on an appropriate age to marry. She was deceased by the 1851 census. 5) Nicholas Martin born 1835 who was seen with the family of Francis Smith Martin and Sarah Ann Freeman on the 1851 census and has never been located since. 6) Thomas Smith Martin born 1835 based on an appropriate age to marry and as well has not been traced any further. Thomas Smith Martin married Catherine Margaret Sharp and I do not know who she was. |
| JOHN MARTIN, POSSIBLE FATHER If you look at Early Land Owners of Mecklenburg in 1790, a John Martin was living on lot 1 of conc 5 in Sidney Twp. This John Martin is a possibility for the father of James Martin as he was on lot 1 of concession 5 of Sidney Twp in 1790. James Martin stated in his Upper Canada Land Petition that he had been in Ontario since 1790 but if born around 1777, he would only have been 13 in 1790 so therefore probably came with his parents. I have not researched lot 1, conc 5 of Sidney Twp of 1790. [Comment] The Abstract Index book shows lot 1, Con 5 Sidney being patented by the Crown to Harriet MacLean on 10 Jun 1801. No subsequent sale or purchase involves a John Martin. Randy Saylor |