William Waddell and Sarah Elizabeth Mills Martin Family Papers
Collection — Container: Box 1-2
Identifier: Mss-0248
The collection consists of originals and copies of accounts, correspondence, deeds, a discharge, envelopes, Martin family genealogies, legal documents, lists, mortgages, notes, plats, promissory notes, receipts, land titles, transcripts, and other material relating to the activities of the Martin family for the period 1852-1925. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence between members of the Martin family -- particularly between William and his wife, Sarah -- and with others during William's service with the 22nd South Carolina Infantry and the 1st South Carolina Cavalry from 1862-1865.
In the Civil War correspondence William describes camp life and health, mentions various rumors and pieces of news, makes suggestions as to what to do on the farm, and tells of desire to be back with his family. Sarah asks for advice and writes about her situation at home, family news and health, and her need for him to return soon. Letters from other members of the family and friends discuss their wartime experiences on the home front in South Carolina and in Confederate service in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Other material in the collection includes a number of legal papers (mainly deeds and mortgages) relating to son Silas Martin's role as executor of his mother's estate; letters from brother A. F. Martin on life in Lee and Union Counties, Mississippi in 1871-1872; letters from Sarah Martin and D. C. Stewart describing activities on their farm in Franklin County, Ga. during 1870-1871; and genealogies of the Martin Family. Additional correspondents include Elizabeth's brother Daniel Mills and William's sister Martha H. Martin.
William Waddell Martin was born on August 12, 1829 in Anderson, SC. A farmer, he served in Company F, 22nd South Carolina Infantry (1862-1863) and Company F, 1st South Carolina Cavalry (1863-1865) during the Civil War. He married Sarah Elizabeth Mills (born 1821) and they had ten children: Deborah (or Debra) Ette, Sarah (or Sara) M. Susannah (born 1846), William Alfred (born 1850), Lucy Hannah (1855-1934/5), Mary Renick (born 1857), Martha Elizabeth (1860-1918), Willie Ann Matilda (September 18, 1862-August 18, 1938), Warren Columbus (1866-1954), Laura Namonia (1871-1943) and Silas Abraham Clayton (May 22, 1875-1939). William Waddell Martin died August 29, 1896 in Pickens, SC. His wife Sarah died April 17, 1911.
Sarah married D. C. Stewart, who served in Company B, 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Rifles during the war. Other members of the Martin family and related families include William’s brothers A. F. Martin, M. A. Martin, and J./T. Martin; his sister Martha H. Martin; his brother-in-law Daniel Mills, who served in Company I, Palmetto Sharpshooters during the war; and a cousin, John Rampy, who also served in the 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Rifles with Companies L and E.
0.675 Cubic Feet
English
The original material in the collection was initially arranged by number, assigned in the order in which each item was found. Copies and transcripts / summaries of the originals were arranged the same way. The material is now arranged by type of material, with copies and transcripts following the originals. Items in each folder are arranged chronologically. Lists of the numbered items and the genealogies precede the originals.
Loyd C. Martin donated the papers in 2001, accession 01-62.
Copies numbered 101 and 105-111, as well as the copies of genealogies and land records, have no analogous originals in the collection. There is also one unnumbered original fragment in the collection. Transcripts were created by the processor of the collection for items 44, 99, 100, 103-104 in order to fill in the gaps of originals without transcripts; items 101, 105-111 and the land records, being copies only, have no transcripts.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository