Homepage of Joyce OConnell

Homepage for Joyce OConnell

Welcome to the MARTIN and MEYER Family Trees

I am your host: Joyce (Martin) O’Connell. I was born in 1950 and raised in Rome, Oneida County, New York. The genealogy bug hit me when I was young. It started in my ears when I would listen to the discussions among family members. I found it all fascinating! Then the “bug” went to my hands and I started hand recording the stories and data as it came out of the mouths of the “old” family members. Then all was compiled via the typewriter, then later retyped onto the 5 inch floppy discs on which I created my own family tree format. All was lost when the “new” computer, with its 31/2 inch disc, came into our home and I had to retype ALL the information into a program. But now that has paid off and I have over 9000 people in my MARTIN file and about 1000 in my MEYER file with various other small family files remotely related to these two families.

I hope you will enjoy this site and discover that you, too, are related to these folks. Please write me with comments, questions, or revelations at [email protected].

Click HERE to BEGIN or READ ON about the families' histories and PLEASE sign our Guestbook...Thank you!
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THE MARTIN FAMILY

The MARTINs are my father’s side.

This MARTIN story begins with BARTHOLOMEW MARTIN who died about 1711 in New Port, Rhode Island. I know this from his “Last Will and Testament” which was proved in 1711 in New Port. I also learned from this document the names of his 4 surviving children and his wife, SARAH (LANGLEY). But that is ALL we know of him! I do not know when, where or to whom he was born - he is my BRICKWALL!

As you follow the descendants of Bartholomew’s son, William, you will see that his son, William Jr., married into another MARTIN family. This other Martin family descends from JOHN MARTIN (1635-1714) and JOHANNA ESTEN (1645-1733). JOHN MARTIN was born in Ottery St. Mary, Devon, England to EDWARD MARTIN and JUDITH UPHAM. This information came from photos of the actual Baptismal records found at Ottery St. Mary, England via the Mormon’s Family History Library IGI. Much has been learned about JOHN MARTIN. He built a house on Barrington River, RI near the bridge. It is privately owned today. His son, JOHN MARTIN JR., built a farm house in Swansea, MA. Today it is the “Martin House Farm Museum” (see link)

The MARTINs migrated from Rhode Island through CT to Massachusetts to NY in a matter of a few years. It was EBENEZER MARTIN (1738-1812) with his wife TABATHY SMITH (????-abt 1842) along with their children who ventured out into what was then a wilderness to seek better farm land in Westernville, Oneida County, New York. Enroute, Ebenezer’s children were born, died, married all along the way making for interesting research. They traveled with other families as well: CAPRON, DENISON, TEFFT, CRONKITE, COGSWELL, PIKE, and most settled (abt 1800) in and around Westernville, NY where my father was born (1911). Yet some in the next generation moved on to Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. Yes, I’d have to say the “gypsy fever” started with Ebenezer and Tabathy from 1766 to 1800 and it hasn’t cooled down yet! I currently correspond with cousins living in OR, AR, OK, MN, NE, OH, FL, GA, NY, NC, ID, CA, MO, WI, VT, CT, RI, NH, NJ, IA, MA, GERMANY and FRANCE.

Thus, you can see I’m very busy researching two MARTIN lines in many locations around the globe!

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THE MEYERS FAMILY

The MEYERS are my mother’s side.

Only 3 generations before me, did the Meyers family emigrate from Oberseebach, Alsace, France. In 1849, with eight children and his second wife, FRANCOISE (DEMULET), FRANTZ MARTIN MEYER came to the United States to seek a better life. Research has shown there were others from Oberseebach who were already here in Oneida County, NY. FRANTZ MEYER joined them in Verona, Oneida County, NY. Some of their surnames are: TOEPP, KNITTLE, FRISON and KLEIN. You will see their names in these files and their relationships with the Meyer family. Please keep in mind that the surname MEYER may have previously been MAYER but much later changed to MEYERS and then to MYERS. It just makes the research more fun!

My great grandmother, JOSEPHINE RITTER, came to the US April 9-26, 1872 on the ship “Weser” from Bremen to NY, at the age of 18. The following year, 1873, she married my great grandfather, PETER JACOB MEYERS, who came from Oberseebach, France in 1849. The RITTERs came from Hagenbach, Germany, about an hour’s drive (these days) from Oberseebach, France. The RITTERs and the MEYERs families both spoke German and shared similar customs, despite the moving borders of France and Germany. Surprisingly enough, my own husband was born and raised for 12 years in Landstuhl, Germany, also an hour’s drive from both Oberseebach and Hagenbach! Small world!

I’ve got another coincidence: My Aunt CATHERINE MYERS married FRANCES DONALD FRESON - they were both the second generations born in America from the time their ancestors came over - from the SAME hometown: Oberseebach, France! They never knew that until the research was done! Sadly, though, it only took two generations to forget their roots but that has all changed now. We have learned so much about our ancestors and continue to learn about their way of life both here and abroad.

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Nothing is absolute in this line of work. I have used many, many sources but errors do still occur. I apologize for them in advance. New data (hopefully) will surface and give us a clearer picture of these distant ancestors.

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DEDICATIONS

First I’d like to dedicate this research to my father, CARLETON FENTON MARTIN (1911-1996). It was through his conversations with cousins, Barbara Martin and Marion Chiarello, that sent me off seeking answers to our ancestry. Around age 25 I just felt someone had to start recording all the stories and information. I stepped up to the challenge and have continued now for over 25 years (minus 10 years while raising three children). From these years of research many friendships have evolved, many more cousins discovered, several generations back have been unearthed, Family Reunions have been resurrected, and I have enjoyed every minute of it! Thanks Dad!

Second, I’d like to thank my mother, ROSANNA MYERS MARTIN, now living in Florida. She has dug deep into her memory and photo boxes to reveal precious pictures, documents and information expanding both sides of my family tree. She has patiently recorded many oral histories of her past which will become priceless heirlooms for many generations. She has delighted in my every “find” and loves the now annual Myers Reunions that she once attended when she was young.

Thirdly, my family needs to be thanked. My husband KEVIN O’CONNELL and my three children: ERIC, MICHAEL and KELLY. They patiently hear my enthusiasm with each new discovery. They attend the Reunions AND participate in them! They might even ask a couple of questions! I especially appreciate their patience while I tromp through yet another cemetery. They have been very helpful in locating gravestones for me! Oddly, it has almost become a family “thing” to check a cemetery no matter where we are!

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WEBSITES:

E-mail me: [email protected]

GEDPAGE: Changes a GEDCOM to HTML and GEDCLEAN: Removes information on “living” people in your files - http://www.frontiernet.net/~rjacob/gedpage.htm

http://www.geocities.com/thecunards/DFT.html

Family Relationship Chart - http://www.isn.net/~dhunter/cousin.html

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Here are some additional favorite websites:

National Society of Colonial Dames of America - Martin House Farm Museum (http://www.nscda.org/museums/massachusetts.htm)
Oneida County, NY GenWeb Project (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyoneida/)
The translated version of the Hagenbach, Germany website (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.hagenbach.de/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhagenbach%2Bgermany%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8)


This page belongs to Joyce OConnell.