Obituary of Ambrose Martin

[Note: The following is transcribed from a photocopy of a handwritten document found on file in the Coles County Library in Charleston, Illinois. There is no indication of who placed the document there. The spelling, punctuation, and capitalization shown here duplicate those of the handwritten document.]

Mar. 2, 1900 Tuscola Journal (copied from microfilm from State Archives)

A Tribute

To the Memory of Ambrose Martin, One of the First Settlers of Central Illinois - Written by J. T. Irwin.

Ambrose Martin was born in Meiggs Co., Ohio Dec. 16, 1812 and died Feb. 18, 1900. His age was 87 yrs. 2 mos. 2 days.

In his younger days he cut cordwood at 25¢ a cord to boil salt water at the salt works located at Pomeroy, O. By industry and economy he saved enough money to bring him to the faraway west. He came about the year 36 or 37 and from the fact that he had come from a timbered country he selected a farm in the timber 2 mi south of where Camargo now stands. At his death he owned 200 A.

Now only think that at that time this was a wild wilderness, the red man was here, and wolves and rattlesnakes were a plenty. Mr. Martin was rugged and stout. Uncle Will Hammond says he was the stoutest man in all the country and a great worker. Now if he had only written a history of Douglas County it would have been a large volume full of interest as he had witnessed changes in the past 60 years.

He was a devoted man. At one of Uncle Tip Helm's meetings at the school house in Judge Brown's neighborhood, Father Martin bore a good share of the burdens. Later on some moved away, some died, others went to Camargo, and so on. Father Martin resolved he would live a consistent, upright life and the neighbors all say he was a good man and a kind neighbor. In the closing hours of his life he seemed to want to review the past. Our minister visited him often. Uncle Ambrose was free to discuss the importance of a Christian life. Bro. Greer says there is hope in his case. In time of prayer he shared a part of the blessings. Now, be it remembered in Father Martin's day they did not have the light and helps of today. Then above all things have charity for our old pioneers, for charity will cover a multitude of sins.

In his family there were 5 children, 2 only of whom are living, they being Ambrose Martin, Jr., and Mrs. Marsh Walmly¹ of Kansas, who was unable to be present at the funeral. He leaves many grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. His remains were followed by a long procession to their final resting place in Camargo Cemetery.

I can assure the relatives and friends they have the sympathy of the entire community.

Uncle Will Hammond regrets it very much that he did not hear of the funeral until it was over for he says he had known Uncle Ambrose ever since he was a boy.

¹This apparently is meant to refer to Ambrose's daughter Sarah Melissa, who lived at this time in Morris County, Kansas, but so far as we know, she was still married to James P. Worrall at this time. We have no record of her having married a second time. Moreover, such a remarriage would have required a divorce, as James Worrall outlived her by eight years.

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