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ANDREW MARTIN, one of California's early pioneers, was born in LaFayette County, Missouri, in 1824 his father
was a pioneer to that State. In 1837 they moved to Platte Purchase, and took up 160 acres of heavily timbered land.
Andrew prepared to leave home at the age of twenty one years, but owing to his father's illness he remained at
home and looked after his interests. June 15, 1856, he entered the Government service at Fort Leavenworth, under
Colonel Price, as teamster during the Mexican war, driving the ammunition wagon. At Taos, in January, 1847, he
volunteered under Lieutenant Dyer, of the artillery, and fought all day through that engagement. A few fights subdued
the Mexicans, and he then returned to Santa Fe, and later to Fort Leavenworth, where he was mustered out in June
22, 1847. The following year he worked at home, except four months, engaged in driving freight teams to Santa Fe.
In July, 1848, he was married in Clay County, Missouri, to Miss Mary L. Bradbury. After spending the winter in
Kansas, in May, 1850, they started across the plains for California, driving an ox team of five yoke, and one horse
for his wife to ride. They joined a train commanded by John Morris, and after many hardships with the Indians sickness
among the company, cholera and short supplies, they arrived in California by the Carson route, having been four
months on the road. Mr. Martin first mined in Amador County one winter, then in 1851 he went to Cold Springs, where
his camp was burned and all his effects were lost. In October, 1852, they came to Santa Clara County, and in 1853
went to Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, and there remained eight years. They took up what was supposed to be Government
land, but which proved part of a grant, and they were finally put off, thus losing eight years of labor during
the best part of his life. In the spring of 1866 he took up land at Pescadero, San Mateo County, and remained there
until 1873, raising hay and teaming in the Redwoods, and also Making pickets and shingles. Mr. Martin then passed
one year in Oregon, and in 1874 came to Carpenteria Valley, purchasing fifty five acres of valley land, which was
covered with live oak timber, with the exception of five acres. He then began clearing and planting, and now has
a beautiful ranch, under a high state of cultivation. He has set out about seventy walnut trees, and has about
2,000 trees in nursery. He also plants about forty acres in beans.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin have five children, four sons and one daughter. Their present spacious residence was built
in 1888, under the assistance and direction of the sons, who are all at home. Mr. Martin located a homestead on
Mount Hoar in 1887, consisting of 120 acres, eighty acres of which is tillable land, and fifty acres are now under
cultivation.
From:
A Memorial and Biographical History
of the counties of
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
and Ventura, California
The Lewis Publishing Company
Chicago 1891
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