DAVID J. MARTIN |
David J. Martin, P. O. and residence Covington; is a son of Jacob Martin, and grandson of John Martin; his grandfather came from "Morrison's Cove" Penn., through Cincinnati, Ohio, and located in Warren Co.. when there was but one frame building in Cincinnati. Jacob grew to manhood in Warren Co., and was married first to Abigail Thomas, who was of a Quaker family, and the mother of David J.; they removed to this county in 1830, and located in this township, near Clayton. Mr. Martin was a millwright, and built a great many mills in this vicinity; he laid out the town of Clayton, and was a useful and respected citizen; he removed to Iowa in 1852, and died there in 1856, at the age of 68. The subject of this sketch was born in Warren Co. in 1829, but grew up in Miami Co.; he learned the blacksmith's trade in a machine shop in Piqua, and followed his trade here and in Piqua, until 1862. He enlisted in the United States Army, was mustered with the 110th O. V. I., and remained in the service until after he witnessed the surrender of Lee, at Appomattox; since his return he has invented, or rather perfected the invention of, a "tweer" for blacksmith's forges, for which he has a patent, and which is now in very general use; he also invented an automatic car-coupler, which ought to be in general use, and would be, but for the parsimoniousness of railroad corporations, who place more value on a few dollars than upon the lives and limbs of their servants; he has also patented an animal trap, which has been quite extensively introduced, and is meeting with general favor. He organized the Covington Silver Mining Company, who purchased a mine near Rosita, in Custer Co., Colo., which is now being successfully operated by a Philadelphia company that have it leased. In 1873, he organized what is known as the Covington Stone Company, of which he is the only resident member, and of which he has had the sole charge. The company now employ from five to fifteen hands, and are shipping stone to all points within reasonable distance, their sales amounting to about $8,000 per year. Mr. Martin is an active, wide-awake business man, and an old, respected citizen of Covington. His residence is situated on the Piqua pike, near he eastern corporate limits. He was married in 1851 to Miss Mary, daughter of Samuel Thompson, whose biography also appears in this work.
Return to the Biography Index
Copyright © 2000 by Computerized Heritage
Association.
All Rights Reserved.