CHARLES E. MARTIN, one of Piqua's representative and reliable business men, who is engaged at Piqua as a general cement contractor, was born June 19, l852, at Piqua, 0hio, and is a son of Frederick and Louisa (Roempler) Martin.

Both parents of Mr. Martin were born in Germany, October 10, 1821, and April 10, 1822 respectively. In 1835 Frederick Martin came to Piqua, where he learned the carpenter's trade and later entered into general contracting. He married Miss Roempler, who came to America at the age of thirteen years, and they had four children, the three survivors being: George F., who resides at Peoria, Illinois; Henrietta, who is the wife of J. M. Hibben, who is the oldest merchant at Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio; and Charles E.

Charles E. Martin was reared and educated at Piqua, working in early manhood with his father, later engaging in general contracting and since 1884 has been confining himself to cement contracting, being the pioneer in the cement business in this section. He put up his own fine residence at No. 629 West Ash Street. Mr. Martin built the first, concrete bridge ever erected in Miami County, the first structure of the kind he had ever built. The bridge stands across the Washington Pike about two miles south of Piqua.

July 25, 1901, Mr. Martin was married to Miss Marietta Knight, who was born near Casstown, Ohio, a daughter of Stephen and Delilah Knight, her father being a member of a pioneer family. They have one son, Frederick. Mr. Martin and family are identified with the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and attends the lodge at Troy.