Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - John Martin

4^th WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 6 - 9/61 Point Pleasant, WV
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail.
Mustered Out: 12/21/64

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:
 

The 4^th West Virginia Infantry was a three year western theater unit. It passed the winter of 1861/'62 in the state's Wayne Valley. The summer of '62 was spent in the Kanawha Valley. Numerous skirmishes occurred with enemy forces during both of these periods. On 10/29/62 it was ordered south to join the Army Of The Tennessee.
 

On 5/18/63 the 4^th took part in the Union assault upon the fortifications of Vicksburg, MS. During this charge "its colors were torn to rags by bullets, both color sergeants were killed and all - but one - of the color guard was either killed or wounded. After the fall of Vicksburg on 7/4/63 the regiment took part in the Federal siege of Jackson.
 

The unit's next move was to Chattanooga, TN. There, it saw action at Missionary Ridge (11/23 - 24/63). It then joined the expedition to rescue the forces of Union Gen. Burnside at Knoxville.
 

In February, 1864 the 4^th marched 175 miles during a raid in Alabama. After that the regiment re-enlisted as veteran volunteers and the re-enlistees received their 30 day furloughs home.
 

Returning to duty on 5/1 the 4^th was ordered to take part in Union movements against Lynchburg, VA. Actions in the Shenandoah Valley followed. There it was engaged at 2^nd Winchester (6/13 - 15) and Cedar Creek (8/64). It also fought at Snicker's Gap (7/17) and Berryville (9/ 3 - 4).
 

At the expiration of their original terms of enlistment non-reenlisted veterans were mustered out. That December veterans and new recruits were then consolidated with the 1^st West Virginia Infantry to form the 2^nd West Virginia Veteran Infantry.  

REGIMENTAL LOSSES: 

Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 1; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:  2; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 80; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 156.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 33.5 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 6/1/61   Rank: Wagoner
Mustered In: 6/1/61
Mustered Out: Inf. Not Avail.
Highest Rank: Inf. Pvt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY: 

NOTE:  The birth - to - death biographical profile which follows was created in September, 2020 during the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It is not as detailed as other biographies found on this site because during the pandemic the U.S. Archives located in Washington, D.C. were closed. This meant military, pension and other veteran-related documents were not available. Those files will be acquired at later time and the information therein added to the narrative.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

John A. Martin was born 12/19/27 in England. His parents were George (b. 1795 Yorkshire, England - d. 1/83 Durham, England) and Elizabeth Catherine (nee Todd b. 8/28/92 Yorkshire, England - d. 1821 Durham, England) Martin.
 

George and Elizabeth produced at least seven children of which John was the sixth. Older than he were Jane (b. 1815), twins William and Benjamin (b. 1817), Harriet (b. 1822) and James Daniel (b. 1826). Younger than he was Elizabeth (b. 1835).
 

John came to America in 1854. What drew him across the water to the states is not known. Also unknown is where he may have initially settled. As of 1861, however, it appears he was residing in West Virginia. Although it is not documented, in later U.S. Census tallies John would list his occupation as "coal miner." He may have then been drawn to West Virginia by that region's coal mining industry.
 

 In June, 1861 John enlisted in the U.S. Army. His entry-level assignment was wagon teamster. He would later "rise" to the rank of private. Beyond this, without access to his military service records all we can say about his period of enlistment is that he survived The War and returned to civilian life.
 

Where John settled post - war is not known, but again, likely it was in West Virginia. It was there that same year that he married in the community of Mason. His bride was Ann M. (nee Bulmer b. 2/12/47 Durham, England). Ann had immigrated to the U.S. in 1856.
 

John and Ann would produce eleven children seven of whom were living in 1910. The identified Martin children were (all names and dates are subject to error): Elizabeth (b. ca. 1867 KY), John B. or W. (b. 12/2/67 Arden Berkley Co., WV), Margaret Jane (b. 1870 IN), Mary Harriett (b. 1872 IN), Emoline (Caroline?)  (b. 9/2/76 IN), George Benjamin “Ben"(b. 1/27/81 New Castle King Co., WT), Charles Robert (b. 3/20/83 New Castle King Co., WT) and James Henry (b. 6/24/85 Redmond King Co., WT).
 

The birth states of the Martin children do little or nothing to clarify when the Martin family arrived in King Co., WT. Further, although it is an agricultural census that first heralds their residence in the Puget Sound Region of the Pacific Northwest, from all other indicators John was lured here by the then-thriving coal mining culture of eastern King County across Lake Washington from Seattle.
 

In 1879 John listed his occupation as miner. A year later, when living in New Castle King County, he clarified that he was a coal miner. Again, in 1881, he said he was a miner.
 

The U.S. Census for 1890 was destroyed by fire, so we have no reading for the Martins that year. A decade later, however, as of 1900 the family had resettled in or near the east King County community of Redmond and, there, John was farming.  He claimed the same residential location and occupation in 1910.
 

As of 1920 John (his name was listed as Charles in the census) and Ann were living in Fall City, a small rural community located to the east of Redmond in King County.  By this time John apparently considered himself to be retired as he claimed to have "no income." He and Ann's residence may have been the home of son Benjamin.
 

John Martin died on 7/18/20 in Tolt (Carnation) (Another sources says Redmond) King County, WA. At passing he was aged 92 years, 8 months and 27 days. The cause of his death was heart disease. Burial was/is in the Redmond Cemetery.

On 5/15/91 in Washington former Civil War infantry soldier applied for and was granted a U.S. Government disability pension based ailments or other debilities which stemmed back to his soldiering days. Until his pension files can be accessed we do not have details about his stipend. However, we do know that after John’s death Ann applied to the Government to continue receiving at least a portion of her late husband’s benefits. While that request was granted on 8/23/20, again, no dollar amount details are currently available.
 

Ann died in Redmond on 1/11/27. She was/is buried beside John

Buried at Redmond Pioneer Cemetery