ZACHARIAH H. MARTIN

 Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: HOLT, SAWYER, DALE,

was born in Claiborne County, Tennessee, near the Virginia line, October 8, 1848. His father, Hugh Patterson Martin, was a native of North Carolina, and his mother, Rhoda (Holt) Martin, was of English descent, her parents having located in Tennessee. John Martin, the father of Hugh P., was an officer in the Continental army during the Revolution. The family always made their home in Tennessee. Hugh P. was a blacksmith, but followed farming the latter part of his life. He settled in Sequachie Valley at an early day, and from there moved to Claiborne County, and subsequently Union County, near by where he built the first house in Maynardville, the county seat. In 1859 he removed to Warren County, where he died, in 1884, at the age of eighty years. He had a family of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, of whom five sons and two daughters are now living.

        The subject of this sketch lived with his parents until the fall of 1865, attending private schools a part of the time. His last schooling was at the Maynardville Academy. He then went to Chattanooga and became a clerk under his brother-in-law, Major J. M. Sawyer. Shortly afterward he took charge of a hotel and store combined, called the Halfway House, on the Georgia and Tennessee line, near Lookout Mountain. He remained there until the fall of 1866, when he went to Rutledge, the oldest town in East Tennessee, and sold goods for his brother-in-law, who was United States Claim Agent and Internal Revenue Collector, Mr. Martin doing all the writing for the business, and remaining there about seventeen months. He then returned to Warren County, Tennessee, and visited his parents for a few months, and then went to Bedford County and became Deputy Postmaster under his brother, J. D. Martin. His brother also had a general merchandise store. At the end of four years he and two others bought out his brother's business, which they carried on for one year, when he came to California, in 1872. He first went to prospecting for quicksilver in Sonoma County, regarding which there was much excitement at the time. He was there two years.

        He was married, May 7, 1876, to Mary E. Dale, daughter of E. Dale. During this time he was engaged with his brother, E. B. Martin, in farming. They had 260 acres in grain and 300 acres of grazing land in San Mateo County. In 1876 he came to Santa Clara County and remained about a year, when he returned to San Mateo County, near where he had formerly lived, and began to improve 196 acres belonging to his wife. In 1882 he returned to Santa Clara County, where he has since remained. For two years he worked in orchards and vineyards, and the rest of the time has engaged in farming. Mr. Martin formerly belonged to the Christian Church, but now belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Mountain View. He has three children : Matilda E., Anna S., and Hugh P., now living. He lost two, who died in infancy.

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.

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