Individual Details
Robert Shipley Martin
(17 Jul 1765 - 8 Mar 1855)
West Virginia separated from Virginia on 20 June 1863 to become the 35th State.
Martin Family cemetery - tombstone inscriptions
This is a small family cemetery on the old Martin farm, Marshall County. It is near Pleasant Valley community off route 250 on county road 46.
MARTIN, Robert S.(Shipley) - 8 Mar 1855 - age 89/7/21
MARTIN, Rebecca - w/o Robt S - 13 Apr 1847 - 77/5/22
MARTIN, Hester R H - d/o R S & R - 5 Mar 1824 - 15/9/8
MARTIN, Jefferson T - 22 Oct 1802 - 18 Jun 1877 - 74/7/27 - s/o Robt & Rebecca - Was St Legislator at Richmond, Virginia, according to his letters dated 1842 - 1851
MARTIN, Cynthia A - w/o J T - 28 Jan 1863 (only date)
MARTIN, Hannibal - s/o J T & C - 3 Aug 1858 - 30/9/8
MARTIN, Presley - s/o J T & C - 24 Dec 1842 - 17/9/4
MARTIN, Hester Ann - d/o J T & C - 21 May - 1838 - 9/5/2
MARTIN, John - s/o Robt S & R - 3 Aug 1805 - 8 Nov 1885 - 80/3/5
MARTIN, Mary - w/o John - 29 Oct 1887 - 72/10/2
MARTIN, David - s/o John & Mary - killed by lightening - 11 Aug 1876 - 33/6/6
MARTIN, Mary Ann - d/o John & Mary - 30 Jul 1835 - 8 days
MARTIN, Franklin B - s/o Jothan & Rebecca - 26 Oct 1846 - 0/10/7
MARTIN, Elisabeth - d/o Jothan & Rebecca - 2 Nov 1849 - 5/4/25
MARTIN, Elisabeth Jane - d/o Jothan & Rebecca - 26 May 1852 - 3 Mar 1857 - 4/89/7
Residence - Residence in Crab Apple, Greene Co., Pennsylvania. Moved to Marshall Co., W.VA. in 1819 - near the headwaters of Stulls Run, two or so miles from Pleasant Valley. An educated man of unusual talent; letters attest to this. Farmer and built a mill on Stulls Run, Marshall Co., W.VA. See Jo Knight Journal, Page 60 for a partial history of the mill.
In a letter written in 1850, Robert S. Martin said of Mary Scott "She is said to be my granddaughter" Who is this Mary Scott? See Jo Knight journal #4, Page
PUBLISHED IN THE MARSHALL COUNTY ECHO IN AUGUST 2006:
MARSHALL COUNTY’S WATER POWERED GRIST MILLS
MARSHALL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESERVING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE
Paintings of overshot water powered grist mills evoke a sense of 19th Century romanticism. Marshall County had a number of these mills because they were an inexpensive way to convert grain (grist) into flour, if one discounts the value of labor. These mills were constructed by talented local men who had time on their hands and free construction materials.
The mills, including all of the machinery except for the stone burr wheels, were constructed of local hardwoods, which were mostly a nuisance to the first settlers. Winters were used to carve out the intricate gearing and all wood auger elevators used to carry the grain to the top floor of the mill. The water discharge elevation of an overshot waterwheel must be ten feet or so less than the elevation of the water supply, so mills were most likely to be constructed on small streams with steep gradients. Dams were also easier to construct on smaller streams and less susceptible to wash out.
There were several water powered grist mills in use in Marshall County as late as 1878, but it is questionable if any were in use by 1900. The maintenance of the water-powered mill was far more labor intensive than a stream or natural gas engine powered mill and the quality of stone-ground flour was not the same as the steel roller ground flour produced by the engine powered mills. Stone burrs ere worn down over a period of years, and the fine particles of stone became a part of the flour.
Listed below is a summary of early grist mills in Marshall County that most likely were powered by overshot waterwheels. The author could only find one mention of an undershot wheel, where water flowed under a wheel to make it turn.
Henry Conkle constructed a mill on Wheeling Creek, in Sand Hill District, in 1801. Henry Harsh later operated another mill on the same site. As late as 1878, E. and D. Lutes were also operating a mill 4 1/2 miles downstream from the Harsh Mill in 1878. It was called "The Wheeling Valley Mill" and had a steam engine as backup power. ROBERT MARTIN constructed a mill sometime after he moved to Marshall County in 1819. It was located near the headwaters of Stulls Run, two or so miles from Pleasant Valley (1). It was intact, except for waterwheel, into the 1970’s, when it was purchased, dismantled, and shipped to Meadow Croft Village, east of Wellsburg.(2).
Eddie Hogan operated a mill on Big Grave Creek near the Twin Bridges, about three miles from Moundsville. The Porter Mill was located on the Eastern end (upstream) of Rosebys Rock. The Markey Mill was located at the mouth of Marky Hollow on Little Grave Creek, and the Hardesty Long Mill was located on Lynn Camp Run. The Fred Bower Mill was at the mouth of Maggorty Run, and the Silver Mill was located on Upper Bowman Run. The Dan McCardle Mill was located two miles up Bowman Run (which Bowman?). Another mill was located in Rocky Run, slightly over the Marshall County southern boundary.
There was a Johnson Mill located on Fish Creek, upstream from Graysville, and the Shepherd Mill on Burch Run, near the Shepherd Bridge on Wheeling Creek.
Also on Wheeling Creek was the Kittle Mill located near Andrew Langmeyers’ Farm. Jonathan Purdy operated a mill on Little Grave Creek, and traces of a mill race are located on Little Grave Creek on the former Standiford Farm. (3).
John Knox constructed a mill on Middle Grave Creek, close to the terminal of several ridge roads in 1835. The mill was enlarged in 1855 and operated by his son, William, and after his death, the mill was run by John Wetzel for a number of years. The mill was razed in 1930.
Being centrally located, two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a U. S. Post Office were located near the mill. The official name was Knoxville, but because several local families kept geese, it was nicknamed "Goosetown". With the demise of the mill and the Post Office , the community gradually disappeared. (4).
At Kausooth, William Colalt owned a grist mill and a saw mill with an undershot wheel, which he sold to J. H. McGlumphy. The dam soon washed out and Mr. McGlumphy constructed a new dam opposite where Reid Hill comes down to the creek. He then dug a 1/4 mile mill race and installed an overshot wheel to power the mill, which was thereafter known as the McGlumphy Mill. (5).
According to an article published in 1923, there were three water powered mills in the vicinity of Graysville, along Fish Creek. One of the three was located on Long Run, and operated by Andrew Wayne. A second one was located where Peter Yoho lived in 1923, and was operated by Mose Smawley. The third mill was on the road to Woodland, and operated by Timothy Mayhall. A fourth mill, built and operated by Thomas P. Hornbrook from 1848 to 1886, was the most renown, and the community, now known as Graysville, was called Hornbrook Mill. This mill may have been water powered. (6)
The most visible remains of a water powered grist mill are located four miles east of Moundsville on Middle Grave Creek. The mortised frame construction of the large gambrel-roofed barn and 100 yard of mill race behind the barn and homestead are the remains of Jerome Potts Mill, which was constructed in 1876 on the site of a former mill.
Middle Grave Creek Road was built atop the mill race for a distance of about 300 yards, to where the dam and mill pond were located. The dam site is now occupied by a reconstructed log cabin. The mill operated until the disastrous flood of 1884, which washed out the dam. Jerome Potts home, in Italianate styling, is located by the former mill, and has been occupied since its construction in 1860. (7)
This article has been researched and prepared by Joseph D. Parriott.
REFERENCES
(1) History of the Pan-Handle of West Virginia, Published in 1878
(2) Roberty Harness - Verbal
(3) Marshall County Grist Mills - Moundsville ECHO, May 1938
(4) Old Knox Mill - Moundsville ECHO, January 29, 1938
(5) Fish Creek Sixty Years Ago - Moundsville ECHO, July 17, 1937
(6) Hornbrooks Old Mill - Moundsville ECHO, May 11, 1923
(7) Parriott Family Oral History
Martin Family cemetery - tombstone inscriptions
This is a small family cemetery on the old Martin farm, Marshall County. It is near Pleasant Valley community off route 250 on county road 46.
MARTIN, Robert S.(Shipley) - 8 Mar 1855 - age 89/7/21
MARTIN, Rebecca - w/o Robt S - 13 Apr 1847 - 77/5/22
MARTIN, Hester R H - d/o R S & R - 5 Mar 1824 - 15/9/8
MARTIN, Jefferson T - 22 Oct 1802 - 18 Jun 1877 - 74/7/27 - s/o Robt & Rebecca - Was St Legislator at Richmond, Virginia, according to his letters dated 1842 - 1851
MARTIN, Cynthia A - w/o J T - 28 Jan 1863 (only date)
MARTIN, Hannibal - s/o J T & C - 3 Aug 1858 - 30/9/8
MARTIN, Presley - s/o J T & C - 24 Dec 1842 - 17/9/4
MARTIN, Hester Ann - d/o J T & C - 21 May - 1838 - 9/5/2
MARTIN, John - s/o Robt S & R - 3 Aug 1805 - 8 Nov 1885 - 80/3/5
MARTIN, Mary - w/o John - 29 Oct 1887 - 72/10/2
MARTIN, David - s/o John & Mary - killed by lightening - 11 Aug 1876 - 33/6/6
MARTIN, Mary Ann - d/o John & Mary - 30 Jul 1835 - 8 days
MARTIN, Franklin B - s/o Jothan & Rebecca - 26 Oct 1846 - 0/10/7
MARTIN, Elisabeth - d/o Jothan & Rebecca - 2 Nov 1849 - 5/4/25
MARTIN, Elisabeth Jane - d/o Jothan & Rebecca - 26 May 1852 - 3 Mar 1857 - 4/89/7
Residence - Residence in Crab Apple, Greene Co., Pennsylvania. Moved to Marshall Co., W.VA. in 1819 - near the headwaters of Stulls Run, two or so miles from Pleasant Valley. An educated man of unusual talent; letters attest to this. Farmer and built a mill on Stulls Run, Marshall Co., W.VA. See Jo Knight Journal, Page 60 for a partial history of the mill.
In a letter written in 1850, Robert S. Martin said of Mary Scott "She is said to be my granddaughter" Who is this Mary Scott? See Jo Knight journal #4, Page
PUBLISHED IN THE MARSHALL COUNTY ECHO IN AUGUST 2006:
MARSHALL COUNTY’S WATER POWERED GRIST MILLS
MARSHALL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESERVING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE
Paintings of overshot water powered grist mills evoke a sense of 19th Century romanticism. Marshall County had a number of these mills because they were an inexpensive way to convert grain (grist) into flour, if one discounts the value of labor. These mills were constructed by talented local men who had time on their hands and free construction materials.
The mills, including all of the machinery except for the stone burr wheels, were constructed of local hardwoods, which were mostly a nuisance to the first settlers. Winters were used to carve out the intricate gearing and all wood auger elevators used to carry the grain to the top floor of the mill. The water discharge elevation of an overshot waterwheel must be ten feet or so less than the elevation of the water supply, so mills were most likely to be constructed on small streams with steep gradients. Dams were also easier to construct on smaller streams and less susceptible to wash out.
There were several water powered grist mills in use in Marshall County as late as 1878, but it is questionable if any were in use by 1900. The maintenance of the water-powered mill was far more labor intensive than a stream or natural gas engine powered mill and the quality of stone-ground flour was not the same as the steel roller ground flour produced by the engine powered mills. Stone burrs ere worn down over a period of years, and the fine particles of stone became a part of the flour.
Listed below is a summary of early grist mills in Marshall County that most likely were powered by overshot waterwheels. The author could only find one mention of an undershot wheel, where water flowed under a wheel to make it turn.
Henry Conkle constructed a mill on Wheeling Creek, in Sand Hill District, in 1801. Henry Harsh later operated another mill on the same site. As late as 1878, E. and D. Lutes were also operating a mill 4 1/2 miles downstream from the Harsh Mill in 1878. It was called "The Wheeling Valley Mill" and had a steam engine as backup power. ROBERT MARTIN constructed a mill sometime after he moved to Marshall County in 1819. It was located near the headwaters of Stulls Run, two or so miles from Pleasant Valley (1). It was intact, except for waterwheel, into the 1970’s, when it was purchased, dismantled, and shipped to Meadow Croft Village, east of Wellsburg.(2).
Eddie Hogan operated a mill on Big Grave Creek near the Twin Bridges, about three miles from Moundsville. The Porter Mill was located on the Eastern end (upstream) of Rosebys Rock. The Markey Mill was located at the mouth of Marky Hollow on Little Grave Creek, and the Hardesty Long Mill was located on Lynn Camp Run. The Fred Bower Mill was at the mouth of Maggorty Run, and the Silver Mill was located on Upper Bowman Run. The Dan McCardle Mill was located two miles up Bowman Run (which Bowman?). Another mill was located in Rocky Run, slightly over the Marshall County southern boundary.
There was a Johnson Mill located on Fish Creek, upstream from Graysville, and the Shepherd Mill on Burch Run, near the Shepherd Bridge on Wheeling Creek.
Also on Wheeling Creek was the Kittle Mill located near Andrew Langmeyers’ Farm. Jonathan Purdy operated a mill on Little Grave Creek, and traces of a mill race are located on Little Grave Creek on the former Standiford Farm. (3).
John Knox constructed a mill on Middle Grave Creek, close to the terminal of several ridge roads in 1835. The mill was enlarged in 1855 and operated by his son, William, and after his death, the mill was run by John Wetzel for a number of years. The mill was razed in 1930.
Being centrally located, two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a U. S. Post Office were located near the mill. The official name was Knoxville, but because several local families kept geese, it was nicknamed "Goosetown". With the demise of the mill and the Post Office , the community gradually disappeared. (4).
At Kausooth, William Colalt owned a grist mill and a saw mill with an undershot wheel, which he sold to J. H. McGlumphy. The dam soon washed out and Mr. McGlumphy constructed a new dam opposite where Reid Hill comes down to the creek. He then dug a 1/4 mile mill race and installed an overshot wheel to power the mill, which was thereafter known as the McGlumphy Mill. (5).
According to an article published in 1923, there were three water powered mills in the vicinity of Graysville, along Fish Creek. One of the three was located on Long Run, and operated by Andrew Wayne. A second one was located where Peter Yoho lived in 1923, and was operated by Mose Smawley. The third mill was on the road to Woodland, and operated by Timothy Mayhall. A fourth mill, built and operated by Thomas P. Hornbrook from 1848 to 1886, was the most renown, and the community, now known as Graysville, was called Hornbrook Mill. This mill may have been water powered. (6)
The most visible remains of a water powered grist mill are located four miles east of Moundsville on Middle Grave Creek. The mortised frame construction of the large gambrel-roofed barn and 100 yard of mill race behind the barn and homestead are the remains of Jerome Potts Mill, which was constructed in 1876 on the site of a former mill.
Middle Grave Creek Road was built atop the mill race for a distance of about 300 yards, to where the dam and mill pond were located. The dam site is now occupied by a reconstructed log cabin. The mill operated until the disastrous flood of 1884, which washed out the dam. Jerome Potts home, in Italianate styling, is located by the former mill, and has been occupied since its construction in 1860. (7)
This article has been researched and prepared by Joseph D. Parriott.
REFERENCES
(1) History of the Pan-Handle of West Virginia, Published in 1878
(2) Roberty Harness - Verbal
(3) Marshall County Grist Mills - Moundsville ECHO, May 1938
(4) Old Knox Mill - Moundsville ECHO, January 29, 1938
(5) Fish Creek Sixty Years Ago - Moundsville ECHO, July 17, 1937
(6) Hornbrooks Old Mill - Moundsville ECHO, May 11, 1923
(7) Parriott Family Oral History
Events
| Birth | 17 Jul 1765 | Maryland |  | ||
| Marriage | Aug 1787 | Rebeca Michener | | ||
| Residence | 1788 | and paid taxes - Loudoun Co., Virginia | | ||
| Residence | 1789 | and paid taxes - Loudoun Co., Virginia | | ||
| Moved | 1819 | Marshall Co., West Virginia from Greene Co., Pennsylvania | | ||
| Census (family)-shared | 1850 | (Jefferson T. Martin and Cynthia A. Burley) Marshall Co., Virginia | |||
| Property | 25 Oct 1851 | to Lycergis Dunlap and Shipley Vickers Foster - land on the waters of Stull Run, Marshall Co., Virginia | | ||
| Death | 8 Mar 1855 | (West) Virginia | | ||
| Burial | Martin family cemetery, Marshall Co., West Virginia | |
Families
| Spouse | Rebeca Michener (1769 - 1847) |
| Child | Elizabeth Martin (1789 - 1852) |
| Child | Sarah Martin (1791 - 1871) |
| Child | William Martin (1795 - ) |
| Child | Lois Martin (1798 - 1873) |
| Child | Shipley V. Martin (1800 - 1870) |
| Child | Jefferson T. Martin (1802 - 1877) |
| Child | John Battin Martin (1805 - 1885) |
| Child | Hester Martin (1808 - 1824) |
| Child | Lydia Martin (1813 - 1895) |
| Father | John Martin Sr. ( - 1800) |
| Mother | Rachel Shipley (1740 - ) |
| Sibling | Joshua Martin ( - 1826) |
| Sibling | John Martin Jr. (1762 - 1824) |
Endnotes
1. , "Jotham Martin journal #3," 33; , ; privately held by Joe Tucker, .
2. Jo Knight, "," Jo Knight Journal #2: 43.
3. Jo Knight, "Jo Knight Journal #4," Page 2; , ; privately held by .
4. Jo Knight, "Jo Knight Journal #4," Page 3; , ; privately held by .
5. Jo Knight, "Jo Knight Journal #4," Page 47; , ; privately held by .
6. Jo Knight, "Jo Knight Journal #4," Page 62; , ; privately held by .
7. "Jo Knight Journal #5," , Page 1, .
8. Jotham Martin Journal #2, 26.
9. Martin family cemetery, Marshall Co. West Virginia - headstone inscription. .
10. Jo Knight, "Jo Knight Journal #4," Page 46; , ; privately held by .