8zz2 (Letter from Col. William Martin, son of Brigadier General Joseph Martin to Lyman Draper - transcribed by William Kent Maritn)

Dixon Springs, Smith County, Tennessee

June 1^st, 1842

Lyman C. Draper, Esq.

Dear Sir,

On my return home lately from a long journey to the South, I found a letter from my brother, John C. Martin, of Cannon County of this State; enclosing one from you to him, of the 20^th March, informing that you were engaged collecting materials for the purpose of publishing Biographical Sketches of distinguished Pioneers of the West; and having understood that his father, General Joseph Martin, was one of that description, requested him to furnish you with the particulars of his life etc.

That is to say - when and where he was born - his ancestry - Early Education and employment: - When he settled on the Long Island of Holston and under what circumstances - His level and military services - Leading traits of character: and when, and where he died; and whatever else might be interesting. And my brother, knowing me to be much older than himself, presumed that I could give the information desired much more fully than he could, has imposed the duty on me.

This I am about to undertake, though have nothing but memory to assist me. This though is what may be called retentive. I will here remark, however, that I am now in my seventy-seventh year -- and my father's oldest son - and the oldest child but one; so that I was in active life many years before his death - was with him a good deal in his Western Enterprises. He was particularly communicative to me, and gave me a history of his early life - and that of his ancestry, as far as he knew. I now regret, and have long regretted, that neither he nor myself did write this out at the time. But the education of both was quite limited, and our employment such as inclined the mind to almost anything, rather than writing; meaning the frontier wars. For I was myself, long in those wars.

Know then that my father was born in the year 1740 in Albemarle County, Virginia, and near Charlottesville. His father was an Englishman, born and raised in the city

of Bristol, named Joseph; (the youngest of three children, two sons and one daughter), of a wealthy merchant of that place, engaged in the American trade.

He fitted off his said son Joseph, when young, to Va. As Supercargo in a vessel called the Brice. (He, my grand father, afterwards named one of his sons Brice, in memory of this ship - and it has been perpetuated in the family from then until now, and it has spread considerably among our friends).

There in Va. He married Susanna Childs, the daughter of _______ Childs, a respectable, wealthy farmer of that state. With this, his father's English pride became offended, as they (the English) considered the Colonists an inferior, degraded race, and determined to disinherit him, which he finally did - and my grand father never returned to England, but settled in Albemarle County, where he raised eleven children; five sons and six daughters, of unusually large stature; in other respects about mediocrity, except my father and two sisters who were superior. All respectable, and occupied what was called the middle rank in Society, as did their father.

He (my grand father) was a perfect Englishman. Large and athletic - bold, daring - self willed and Supercilious, with the highest sense of honor. And in him was detected, as my father has told me, the most complete form of the aristocracy of the British government. He lived to a good old age, and died about 1760, leaving a pretty good estate. My grand mother was one of the best of woman kind. Her parents were of English descent. They raised a large family of children, mostly daughters; all highly respectable and from whom have descended an immense offspring. As the Wallens - Carrs - Louises - Marks - Overtons - Minors - Terrys - Childs etc., now spread mostly throughout the Southwest.

My father was the third son of the family - large of stature - six feet in height, weighing about 200 lbs. He was one of the finest figures of a man that I ever saw, with proposing, commanding appearance. No man could approach him with indifference tho he was easy of access: Manners bland, and courteous - intellect of the highest order - and a spirit which knew no fear. And in him was combined what rarely happens in any one individual - that is, physical and mental powers of a most superior order - and a spirit of the most energetic - romantic - intrepid - daring

enterprise; which fitted him well for the theatre on which circumstances called him to act. Viz: the western frontier of the English Settlements, then founded by a cordon of powerful tribes of hostile, ferocious Indians.

This was well suited to his peculiar genius; nor did it fail to develop his whole powers. It was singular, that, notwithstanding his great commanding powers, he could neither speak nor write. And altho many years of his after life, associated him with men of fashion and refinement, and altho he was fond of fine clothes and dressed neatly - he never changed the fashion of his clothes; but tenaciously adhered to the small clothes - long stockings - shoe and knee buckles - wide back, straight breasted coat - shirted vest, and neck stock with the buckle. I have often thought it strange, that , not withstanding the many scenes he had gone through, and his associations with all descriptions of men, during a long and active life; that he would still cling with such indomitable pertinacity to the love of times past, with their associations. Indeed he had in his composition a good deal of the old English aristocracy which would occasionally leak out. And he prided himself much on being a Saxon.

With his equals and inferiors he was easy - sociable - jocular - convivial even to volubility. With Superiors, grave, dignified - commanding. Temperate in his habits: eat less than almost any man - drank no ardent spirits at any time, except a social glass, so called and, for many years of his after life none at all: never intoxicated in his life; nor was he profane. He had the finest flow of health and spirits - no pains - rarely even sick - never had his skin cut wit a lancet, and died without the loss or defection of a single tooth.

When a boy, he was large, rude and ungovernable - could not be kept at school - would often run off and spend his time in the neighborhood with idle boys; so that he got but little education. And such was his reckless disposition, that his father, with all his energy of character, could not govern him. He finally bound him to the carpenter trade. This, however, was too limited a sphere for his ardent temperament. He ran off from his master, and went and joined the army at Fort Pitt, now Pittsburg. This was during the war of fifty-six. And here, I will digress a little from the thread of the narrative in order to bring in an anecdote. Showing, in a small way, something of the features of the times. For it is by smalls, you get a whole.

My father, in his roving, among other boys of his own temperament, became associated with Tom Sumpter, who went with him to the war. Afterwards Gen. Sumpter, who so distinguished himself as a partegan chief in South Carolina during the war of the Revolution. Behold these two hopeless youths, those turbulent spirits that could not be tamed with the ordinary pursuits of civil life, now rushing along; (like water seeking its own level) for or five hundred miles; mostly through a wilderness interspersed with hostile Savages, in quest of element that might satisfy their craving appetites. Little did they, or any body else think at the time, that these were some of the rising spirits, that were to lead in the Revolution, which afterwards gave liberty to this country. How long they remained in the army or the part they acted there is not known, though it is thought a good while.

Sumpter however returned first. My father, in his return, found his friend Sumpter in jail at Stanton, for debt. He obtained permission to lodge a night in prison with his friend. In the morning, when he went out, he left with Sumpter his Tomahawk - and ten guineas. With one or both of these, he escaped from prison. Soon after, he went to South Carolina, changed his course of life, and became distinguished, as is known to all who have read the history of the Revolution.

Thus were they separated for many years and until at length, my father was at Richmond, Va. a member of the legislature. Sumpter was a member of Congress, and on his way called at Richmond, where they met the first time, for more than thirty years. What a meeting this must have been! To talk over old matters and things! They had both now become old, and highly elevated in the temple of fame. What proud satisfaction they must have felt in the retrospection. Before they separated, Sumpter handed my father Twenty guineas, having reference to the prison.

My father returned to his former home, or rather the Country where he had been raised; matured in manhood, and in the vices common to the times, with the exception of drinking. But a great proficient in the license of gambling. His father was now dead, having left him a small patrimony. This he soon wasted in riotous living and in addition, he became much involved in debt, as did several others of the associates engaged in this crusade of ruin. They finally concluded to break up - Separate and reform, of which, there was little hope, while they kept together.

This they did and most of them went to the South, and did well. One of the number was Col. Benjamin Cleveland, one of the heroes of Kings Mountain. My father, about this time married; poor and embarrassed as he was.

He was now twenty two years old. My mother was a woman of the first order for her station in life. She was also poor.

My father now seemed to feel the responsibility of his station, having a family to provide for - betook himself to industry, tried to work - made a poor hand at it, his restless spirit could not be patient at the plow.

About this time the relatives in England, who had inherited the immense family estate, to the exclusion of my grand father, wrote over; that, if some of the family would go there, they would divide the inheritance. My father was appointed to go - arrangements were made - and a passage engaged in a certain vessel. But something prevented his getting to the wharf in time, and she went off and left him. The vessel was finally lost at sea and all on board..

Failing in this undertaking, he betook himself again to the plow, disagreeable as it was to his aspiring genius. He still indulged in his favorite practice of gambling, more for the sake of gain than anything else, and by it he realized much, turning all to advantage, having now become provident. In gaming, in addition to being master of the art, and always keeping sober. And his superior physical powers and resolution, (for in fighting, he was the terror of the country) gave him a decided advantage over others.

At this time Peltry was in great demand - Many were engaged in pursuit of this article, and he determined to try it. The Indian wars being over, he accordingly engaged with others, and went far beyond the frontiers, there a hundred miles in advance of where he lived.

The custom was, to spend six or eight months on a trip, return loaded with deer skins and furs. These sold high. He followed this several years, with the profits of which and for receipts of industry where at home, he became enabled to disenthrall himself from the debt which had so long pressed him down. He now considered and felt himself a freeman.

It may be remarked that altho he had long indulged in some of the gross vices of the time, he was considered honorable, and had the friendship of many of the best men in the county - and notwithstanding he was called the great bully of the county, he was, by no means quarrelsome, - but, on the contrary, good natured and conciliatory - not vindictive.

He continued his long hunting trips for several years, and improved his circumstances. In his wilderness roaming, he discovered Powels Valley, a body of extremely fertile land, with which he was much enamored. And whether he foresaw that the time was not far distant when the mighty emigration, then flowing to the west, would reach that point, altho a hundred miles beyond the settlements, and that a location would, in after times, give preferences or whether he contemplated making a permanent stand, there is not now known. Be that however as it may, he determined to make an adventure there. By this time he had become distinguished as a daring-enterprising back woodsman, and then, as ever, he had a commanding influence over those with whom he associated.

He soon, by the allurements held out, engaged a number of men, say, twenty or thirty, to go with him. They accordingly went and made their stand in the said valley at a place afterwards known by the name of Martin's Station on the great thoroughfare afterwards leading to Kentucky. Here they cleared land and planted corn and other vegetables. In the latter part of the summer, the Indians broke them up and they abandoned the enterprise, and went home. This was about the year 1768-1769.

This valley consists of a long reach of unusually fertile lands adjoining the Cumberland Mountain on the east side, embracing Cumberland Gap, notorious in western history. The principal part of the valley is now in Lee County, Va.

I have said above, that my father discovered this valley in his western rambles. It may not be improper to explain a little more on that subject; - not with a view to biographical notice, but as you are in pursuit of the legends of the West, it may not be uninteresting to know the history of the case I am now about to give; known to but very few, no living, even by tradition. Viz: About the close of the old French war or perhaps a little after, a treaty was held with the Cherokees, at Fort Chisel, on New River, (now Montgomery County, Va.) then a frontier. Col. Bird was Commissioner - The Standing Turkey, principal chief.

In the treaty, it was provided for some of the chiefs to visit England. Dr. Walker, a gentleman of some distinction, living in Albemarle, and neighbor to my father, was appointed to go with them. This he did. On their return, he accompanied them home. On their way, the Indians being guides, they passed through this same Powels Valley. They arrived at the place, now called Cumberland Gap, where they discovered a fine spring. They still had a little rum remaining, and they there drank the health of the Lord of Cumberland of England, with whom Walker had become acquainted while there. This gave rise to the name Cumberland Mountain, and Cumberland river. The latter rising in the former, and running parallel with, and near to it, (Southwardly) for or five hundred miles, and until it receives the Caney Fork, in this County (Smiths) where it turns north-westerly until it falls into the Ohio, as you know by the map. It may be remarked that the Cumberland Mountain is impassable for a horse, for more than twenty miles immediately before reaching the gap referred to.

That circumstances has given rise to its great notoriety, Walker, on his return, told my father of this valley, and represented it in such terms as induced him to go as above. He now quit his western rambles and concluded to try the soil, but having no land of his own, he engaged as overseer for a rich relation by the name of Miner.

Here he lived three years. By this time he had by great industry, improved his circumstances so as to purchase a good tract of land, which he did in Pittsylvania County, adjoining North Carolina, to which he removed in the year 1773. This Country was divided a few years after, and the new one, within which he fell, was named Henry and was the first new county laid out in the State, after they had struck for independence.

The next year the great Shawnee war, so called, broke out, and an immense frontier ensued. He engaged in that war and was long from home.

About this time 1774, Henderson and others, a company associated for the purpose, purchased of the Cherokees, the whole or nearly the whole of the Western parts of Va. and North Carolina, as those states then claimed (not before relinquished) a great part of which is now embraced by Kentucky and Tennessee. A History of this transaction which gave rise to such mighty results as flowed from it may be seen in Haywoods History of Tennessee. (This book altho quite imperfect in some respects and in others, light and trifling, nevertheless - contains a good deal of matter essential to the work you are engaged in. The particulars I allude to mostly are, Henderson's purchase, so called and the State of Frankland. I refer to them from the preoccupation that you are but little acquainted with Tenn. And may not have been made acquainted with the cases I refer to, or if knowing them at all, perhaps not from the best sources. I apprehend that the particulars of these cases are more fully embodied in this book. These are to be found any where else. Copies of this work are scarce. It has but a limited circulation.

Should it be that you are not in possession of the facts referred to, and wish to have the book, and cannot get it, otherwise, I have one at your service. In the event of your wanting my copy, I would just remark that I have a grand son-in-law Major Cothran, a lawyer of Carrollton, Mi. Who is by appointment to be here next month, and by him I could send it, if no other opportunity should offer.

(You will know how to excuse my frequent digressions from the story I have undertaken to write out. I know it is presuming pretty freely on the patience of a stranger. My motive is, to assist you as far as I can. If I fail in this, accept the will for the deed).

Above, I have referred to Henderson purchase, etc. My father was appointed entry Taker and agent for the Powels Valley department. He and others went on in the early part of the year 1775; (at the same time Kentucky was settled) and made their stand at the very spot, on which he had raised corn several years before.

This place is fifty miles in advance of the then frontier, and on the road of path to Ky. Here they made corn that year. The next year 1776 the great Cherokee war broke out, as it was called at the time. It may be remarked that the Cherokees were then a great and powerful people, and their strength unbroken, living not far from Powels Valley, and being initiated by British agents, sent among them, commenced a sudden, devastating war, on the whole frontier border, with the ferocity common to barbarians.

Powels Valley felt her full share of this mighty onset, and the whole settlement was broken up. This happened in June of that year 1776. My father now returned to his home in Va. - raised and commanded a company of men, and joined a campaign, planned against the Cherokees. This was commanded by Col. Christian. This campaign of two thousand men, marched on the Cherokees in the autumn of that year - laid waste a great part of their settlements, and returned, having met with but little opposition.

On the return of the army, it was disbanded, except a few companies posted on the frontier. My father commanded one of these companies. In the Spring of the next year, 1777, the Indians sued for peace. In June following, a treaty was held at the Long Island of Holston. This was then the extreme frontier and one hundred and twenty miles from the nearest Indian settlements. In this treaty, the Indians relinquished title to a large territory embracing the Long Island. This Island, however, was reserved as neutral or common ground, to be claimed specifically by neither party, but considered peace or beloved ground. That whether in war or peace, the parties might meet here, without fear of molestation, and under no circumstances was blood ever to be shed here. It was agreed also, that the British agents should be expelled from the Indian Country - and one appointed by the W. States to Superintend, etc. and to reside on the peace grounds. This Island is now in Sullivan County (named for gen. Sullivan of the Revolution). It is from four to five miles in length and of variable width; in no part exceeding a mile and it is very fertile. At this treaty my father attended with his company as a guard.

The character he had, by this time, made for himself, called the attention of government to him, and he was appointed agent of the Cherokees, an office then considered of great importance. He settled on this Island, where he continued in the same capacity, without interruption, until the year 1789. Say 12 years.

His situation at times was critical, as the Indians were frequently at war, mostly occasioned by the encroachments of the whites, boundary lines being regarded by them, no longer than it suited their convenience to transcend them. This brought on frequent conflicts, and placed the agent in a delicate situation. But such was his tact and energy of character, that he sustained himself throughout, often having to go to the nation through great perils.

He once came in personal contact with the British agent there, and with the influence he ever maintained with the Indians, expelled him finally from the country. There was an occasion which called forth his superior powers with advantage to the Country, (for this was at the darkest period of the Revolution) and afforded an opportunity for that gallant hoard that fought and conquered at Kings Mountain, (and which gave the first favorable turn to our army in the Southern States) to leave their houses in safety for a great proportion of the force that fought there were frontier men. Thus did he, in the main, retain the confidence of both parties, which no other kind of man could have done. And here, from a combination of peculiar circumstances, he was placed in a situation, where he could render and did render to the country (which required at the time the action of his whole strength) more service than he could have done in any other.

After the war, he continued in this situation, by this time surrounded by a dense population. He had become very popular, and altho still agent, engaged freely in all the political affairs of the Country - was a Justice of the Peace and elected frequently to the legislature of North Carolina.

In the military line, he was promoted from one grade to another until he was appointed Brigadier General.

He frequently joined in campaigns against the Indians and once commanded a large army against them.

In 1783, he was appointed commissioner with Shelby, late of Ky. And Donaldson (father-in-law to gen. Jackson) to hold a treaty with the Chickasaw Indians at the French Lick, now Nashville. And I will here remark, that those Indians always regarded the provisions of that treaty, and were ever after friendly to the white people.

In 1780, he was appointed commissioner with Pickens and Hawkins to treat with the Cherokees and Choctaws at Hopewell. The appointments go to show the high confidence the Gov't had in him, after so many years in its service.

In 1782, my mother died and in 1784 he again married a young woman, by whom he had eleven children, and seven by my mother.

About the year 1785, he was one of six commissioners appointed by the Legislature of Georgia to form a settlement in the bend of Tennessee. Then a part of Georgia - to lay out and organize a county - open a land office - sell land warrants etc. After much preparations, in procuring goods to quiet the Indians - engaging men etc. they went on the next year by water, and made their stand accordingly. But soon it was discovered to be impractable to sustain themselves against the growing hostility of the Indians, with whom they were closely surrounded. They therefore broke up - returned and reported the result of which they were authorized to enter five thousand acres of land each, as indemnity.

This in addition to his Indian agency, left him a great part of his time for many years, in public employment of one kind or other, such was the versatility of his composition, that he could turn hand to anything.

In 1784, the question about the State of Frankland arose and caused much confusion. The people were much divided. Some supported, some against the proposed new state. On this question, my father now in the negative, with his usual decision on all public matters, for he was never indifferent in any matter on which he might be called to act. In 1788, he was a member of the Convention of N. Carolina, for the adoption or rejection of the Federal Constitution.

This Convention rejected it, though my father was in favor of ratification. Another Convention met the next year of which he was also a member. This meeting ratified the Constitution.

During this year, he resigned his Indian agency and returned to his old home in Henry County Va. (from which he had never removed his family but visited them occasionally) after having spent a great part of the last twenty five years of his life in the Western Country, and half that time in public employment.

It is singular that a man of his enterprising spirit with the advantages he had in the West, had not located himself to advantage there rather than treurn to the country from which he had been so long absent, that he was almost a stranger in it.

But he knew how to make himself known to advantage any where, for he was firstly much like the Apostle Paul in one particular, viz: he could become all things to all men. Nor have I ever known any man who possessed this talent in so high a degree as he did. And it never seemed to cost him a labored effort.

To the most of the incidents referred to in this narrative from the time of my father's settling in Powels Valley the second time, to wit, in 177? - I was myself cognizant, having been much with him in the West. But when he returned to Virginia, we parted. The particulars of his after life, I have received mostly from others.

Soon after his return to his old home, in Henry County, he was elected to the Legislature of Va. and was continued in that service until he, himself thought he was, by age, unfitted for usefulness and declined. Here he acquired a high standing for foresight - integrity - and firmness of purpose. That altho as before said, he could neither speak nor write, had nevertheless had a powerful mind, and such integrity that he seemed to arrive at his conclusions as if by instinct. And such was his might in the house, that he had much in his power to control the proceedings and was Mr. Madison's right arm, on the famous Va. Resolutions of 1798 and 1799.

It is remarkable that among the thousand of persons, whom by his fine - manly - engaging appearance - his easy address - and courteous manners, together with his great public services, he attached to his fervor, he was never known to lose a friend that is, a man once his friend, always his friend.

I had forgotten to mention in the proper place, one part of my father's public service, which was this - He was appointed in the year 1800, by the Gov. of Va. a Commissioner with Taylor and Stewart to run and mark the boundary line between Va. and Ky.

Perhaps his greatest natural talent was Military. But he never moved on a theatre to cultivate it, the most of his service in that way was partigan commands of military against Indians, where more depends on personal courage, than skill in commanding. He served as Brigadier General many years in Virginia, with as much expected as any could do, with militia in time of peace.

He was always fond of office - but never seemed to aspire beyond or higher than his acknowledged merits. And this I have thought was one , and all-important reason of his great popularity where ever he lived.

He might at any time, for many years been elected to Congress, but he served to think that that was a station higher than he could fill with honor to himself or advantage to the country.

After retiring from public business he devoted himself to his domestic concerns.

He became quite confluent, and in the autumn of 1808 was struck with paralysis, and shortly expired in the 68year of his age - and was interred with the pomp of masonic and military honors - leaving a wife in the vigor of life, and several minor children.

His death was deeply lamented by a numerous offspring, and a large - very large circle of friends.

He was remarkably kind in his family, and for benevolence proverbial.

I have thus drawn out, in the best way I am capable of doing, the leading traits of the character of my venerable father. In doing which, I have had, necessarily , to refer, incidentally, to several transactions, unconnected with biographic - real notice. But you will know how to select the material matter from the mass.

Wm Martin