Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Martin, William Granville (1829-1892) |
Born |
Aug 6, 1829 |
Birthplace |
Shrewsbury, NB |
Father |
James Martin |
Mother |
Lydia (Parker) Martin |
Notes |
Buried in Center Lovell Cemetery. Burial permit states cause of death as pneumonia. Taken from the Spring 2013 Newsletter, written by John and Liz McCann: William Granville Martin and his wife Ocean Ann Russell Martin lived with their children in Lovell in the mid-19th century. Through their collection of 20 letters we get a glimpse of life during the Civil War, both in Lovell – hardscrabble and difficult – and at the front – deadly and dull. Granville enlisted in 1862, and was discharged for disability six months later. He re-enlisted in 1864 and served through the remainder of the war. On the surface, it seems the life of a dedicated patriot and Union man who wanted to fight. Undoubtedly that was one driver, but the larger one seems to have been more parochial. As soldiers have done for millennia, Granville went to war to provide for his family. The letters between Ocean Ann and Granville are filled with concern about the war but also with worries about money and debt. The challenges of paying taxes, buying supplies, and having enough wood for winter seem overwhelming at times. Yet Ocean Ann perseveres, essentially a single mother of six whose life is filled with worry for her husband at the front while she manages the daily grind of keeping her family warm, healthy, and safe. The first letter is a short note from Granville dated September 19th, 1862 from Camp Abraham Lincoln in Portland. He reports that he is well, as are his colleagues. Granville was a member of the 23rd Maine Infantry Regiment. This was a nine-month regiment, meaning it would go out of service in June 1863. During its service, the 23rd performed routine patrols in the vicinity of Washington. In the words of the regimental history: "By the fortunes of war it was never under fire, but this was no fault of the officers or men, who established a good reputation among all with whom they came in contact for good order, sobriety and excellent discipline." A letter from Ocean Ann dated November 30th 1862 says in part "you wrote that you get mad because you cannot fight and I get mad if I hear that you have to fight and I hope and pray you never will go into battle. I want you to stay your time out and come home to your little family. They need a fathers care but the little boys do well." This type of sentiment – expressing concern and then being reassuring – runs through nearly all of Ocean Ann’s letters. One can sense her desire to speak her mind without creating distress. Still, she needs to keep him up to date on what’s happening on their farm. She continues "the boys is going to school tomorrow. I have got them up warm and comfortable. They got their boots last night and they cost 25 cents for George and 25 cents for James Henry. Everything is very high. Flour is $10 a barrel… It will take all the state aid to live on things so high." The theme of money shortages, and having to live on state aid, will continue through the war years. This is a family living on the edge, doing all they can to keep it together. Granville may be at war, but Ocean Ann has her own battle to fight. Granville worked at the hospital in camp, where one of his friends lay ill. "Marshall Flint is here now sick with typhoid fever. I am a sitting on the side of his bed. How it will go with him I’m not able to say…but I hope he will get well for he has felt very near to me since we have been in this show. Charles Flint does not come to see him only a little while…if it was a brother of mine I would stay with him…Men grow hard-hearted after they go to the war." In a lighter note, and contrary to the sentiment of the Regimental history regarding good order and discipline, he talks about Thanksgiving 1862: "we had Thanksgiving here. They gave us some hard bread, a little roast turkey wouldn’t have hurt us but they said no…so I went off about 2 miles and stole a good fat sheep and we dine damn better." Granville’s friend Marshall Flint died in mid-December, and his note home is both sad and endearing. "Marshall Flint has gone to the spirit land. I was at the hospital all the time he was sick. Had as good care as we could give him. Tell Abby Flint that I tried to keep my promise." By January, Granville himself was ill. While no one in the 23rd Regiment was lost in battle, 50 were lost by disease, a far too common occurrence in the Civil War. Men were living very close together and exposed to diseases for which they had no immunity. Ocean Ann writes to him "I was glad to hear from the one I love but I feel sad to hear that you are sick. I often think if only I had a pair of wings and would fly I should be out there before this letter does to see if you had good care and to make you comfortable." Quickly shifting from the lyrical to the practical, she writes "if you can, better try to get a discharge before (you get better) and can’t come home". Money continues to be an issue for Ocean Ann. She describes a visit from an apparent creditor. "Old Homes was here last week…looking around at the steers and told me he had a claim on all of them. I would rather pay him up in steers for the bill will never get any smaller…I want to get out of Old Homes clutches any way as soon as possible for I despise him." By February, Granville had taken a turn for the worse and Ocean Ann’s brother, Corporal Benjamin Russell wrote to her to say "Granville is not very well. He did not feel well enough to write and wanted me to write for him. He has been sick a long time. Doc says he has got dengue fever. He lays abed most of the time. He is well taken care of for he worked to the hospital a great while before he was taken sick and the Doc and (everyone) thought a great deal of him they do everything they can for him. I wish he was home. I told the Captain the other day that he had better be sent home. The Doc said he would do everything he could to get his discharge and I think he will get it." Ocean Ann writes to Granville that she received Benjamin’s letter and is "sorry and sad you are so feeble and glad to hear you are coming home. The children are perfectly delighted to think Pa is a coming home, they talk about it all the time. I am as bad as the rest." Still, her joy is tempered by concerns over finances. "Granville I would like what money you have got by and pay some of your debts with…you might as well pay debts with it as lose it for it is a fact what I tell you, but do as you please." On March 15th, Ocean Ann writes "With pleasure I seat myself this evening my Dear Granville to answer your kind letter which I received…with unspeakable joy. To receive a letter and once more written by your own hand. I feared awhile that I never should hear from yourself again but through the providence of God you are getting up again and you and I both ought to be truly thankful". The letter continues with more money concerns, including the intriguing line of "no one knows what you done with your (enlistment) bounty it has been hunted pretty sharp and if they find it they will not let me have my state aid". The enlistment bounty varied but was typically several hundred dollars. One wonders what happened to it…did Granville spend it or hide it (or give it to Ocean Ann to keep). In any event, the creditors remain at the door and Ocean Ann continues to keep them at bay. The letter closes with "I dreamed I see you a flying and you went up high and higher and they said it was a sign you was going to be promoted but you come home soon." Ocean Ann got her wish. Granville was discharged and returned home shortly thereafter, if only for a little while. The Martin’s story is an eternal one which continues to this day. The soldier off to the front; the spouse keeping the family going strong; love binding all together. Although their writing is formal and stilted, there is an undercurrent of poetry and beauty in their descriptions of the routine and mundane. Their love and respect for one another shines through even in a sea of troubles. They were ordinary people in extraordinary times and they handled it with a grace and dignity to be admired. |
Occupation |
Carpenter |
Spouse |
Oceanann (Russell) Martin |
Children |
Ona Arabella Martin 1851 James H. Martin 1853 George G. Martin 1855 Lucy R. Martin 1858-1887 Abel H. Martin 1859 Ellsworth Martin 1862 Wilbur G. Martin 1864 Cyrus A. Martin 1867 Eva E. (Martin) Dresser 1869 Lyman L. Martin 1871 John B. Martin 1873 |
Deceased |
Mar 26, 1892 |
Deceased Where |
Lovell, ME |
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