Col. Duncan McMartin

MCMARTIN, MCNAUGHTON, MCINTYRE, CADY, LIVINGSTON, STANTON, WRIGHT, BALDWIN, SMITH, COLE

Posted By: Gail Meyer Kilgore (email)
Date: 3/28/2004 at 23:09:30

COL. DUNCAN McMARTIN. This name will be readily recognized as that of a resident of Clay Township, Grundy County, who is extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising. With his sons he is the possessor of seven thousand acres of as fine land as can be found in the United States, and has two thousand acres under his immediate supervision in the home farm. Every acre of it is well improved, and its splendid condition is due entirely to his own good taste and enterprise. The estate is well supplied with the latest improvements in the way of machinery, and the fine horses and cattle to be found on his place are second to none in the state. The family occupy a beautiful residence, where home comforts and genial hospitality abound, and which is one of the most charming places in Iowa.

Colonel McMartin was born in the 24th of February, 1817, in Montgomery, now Fulton County, N. Y. He was the son of Peter McMartin, whose father also bore the name of Peter, the latter being a native of Perthshire, Scotland. Peter McMartin, Sr., came to the United States about 1768 and took up his abode on the estate where our subject was born. There he was so successful in his agricultural pursuits that he was enabled to leave to each of his five children a fine piece of property. He was very popular in his locality, and died at the advanced age of seventy-six years. His wife, the grandmother of our subject, bore the name of Christana McNaughton; she was born in Scotland, and departed this life in New York, when in her seventy-fourth year. They became the parent of five children; one of the sons attained much political prominence in the Empire State, being for many years a member of the Legislature.

The father of our subject, who was born in Fulton County, N. Y., died when a young man, aged thirty years. He was married four years previously to Miss Florence McIntyre, whose parents, Peter and Catherine McIntyre, hailed from Argyleshire, Scotland; they also made their way to United States, and in the above county and state departed this life at the respective ages of sixty-two and seventy-four years. The mother of our subject, who was one of a family of six daughters born to her parents, died in 1891, in her ninety-fifth year.

Our subject lived on the home farm until reaching his majority, in the meantime having received a good education by attendance at the district school and in the Johnstown Academy. When starting out in life for himself he entered the law office of Judge Cady, of the above place, where he read law for four years, and at the end of that time entered the law department of Harvard, where he took a thorough course. Then having been admitted to the Bar, he began the practice of his profession, locating first in Albany, and after a twelvemonth removed to Johnstown, where he spent a like period. Believing, however, that there was a better field for him in Albany he returned to that city and was very successful in his business, and there made his home for eight years.

September 5, 1842, while studying law in the office of Judge Cady, our subject married Miss Margaret Cady, who was born in Montgomery County, December 9, 1817. Her parents bore the names of Judge Daniel and Margaret (Livingston) Cady, and were natives of New York. They both lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years, while the mother of our subject reached her ninety-fifth year.

Judge Cady, who is too well known to our readers to need any introduction, was born in Columbiana County, N. Y., and is the father of Elizabeth (Cady) Stanton. He was the father of ten children, of whom four daughters are yet living. Mrs. McMartin is a highly educated and refined lady and moves in the best circles of society in the state.

Colonel McMartin does not take an active part in politics, although he always casts a vote in favor of the Republican party. He is immensely popular wherever he goes, which is evidence by the fact that while in this state entering land his friends in New York nominated him for Judge of the Supreme Court in the Fourth District, which was at that time strongly Democratic, and the Colonel ran one thousand votes ahead of his ticket.

At the outbreak of the late war, Colonel McMartin was one of the first in enlist his energies and sympathies in raising volunteers, and when offering his services was mustered in as Colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-third New York Regiment. While at Alexandria, Va., he was taken very ill and forced to resign his position, greatly to the regret of both privates and officers. After the close of hostilities, Colonel McMartin came to this state, making his home in a little frame shanty near his present palatial country seat. By both entering and purchasing land he soon became the possessor of seven thousand acres of as fine land as it is possible to find anywhere. As before stated, his home property consists of two thousand acres which is a veritable garden of loveliness.

To Colonel and Mrs. McMartin have been born five children. Flora W., born June 17, 1847 is married to William Wright. Mr. Wright was also in the War of the Rebellion, where he was shot through the lungs. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are at present living in Florida, where they have an orange grove. Elizabeth, now the wife of the Rev. Charles Baldwin, was born on the 8th of February, 1846, and has one child. Archibald M. was born on the 8th of August, 1848; he married Harriet Smith and they have a family of six children. Daniel C., born on February 12, 1853, married Mary Cole, daughter of Jud Cole, and they have two children. Anna, the youngest child, died when five years of age. Our subject gave his children the very best advantages for obtaining an education, the two daughters being graduates of Miss Porter's celebrated school, of Farmington, Conn., while Daniel C. took a course at Harvard and graduated from there in 1876, and also in the law department of the school of Des Moines. Archibald is one of the leading agriculturalists of Crawford County, this state.

Mr. And Mrs. McMartin and their children are among the most valued members of the Presbyterian Church. Socially our subject is connected with Andersonville Post No. 155, G. A. R., of Beaman.

Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
1894

Grundy Biographies maintained by Tammy D. Mount.
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