Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 551.

HARVEY U. MARTIN

     is a young, industrious and energetic farmer, living four miles east of
Kent, Sherman county, Oregon. He was born May 15, 1867 in Los Angeles county,
California, the son of John R. and Jane (Brown) Martin, the father a native of
Ohio ; his parents of Scottish ancestry. John R. Martin, the father, was
kidnapped, or rather, "shanghaied" as the sea term is, and taken aboard a vessel
and brought to the United States and here, held in bondage. From his captors he
managed to escape and for awhile worked in a mill. He was one of the early
pioneers of Ohio, in a sparsely settled portion of the state. At present he is a
successful farmer in Sherman county, three miles east of Moro.
     Our subject lived at Los Angeles until 1879, when he came to Oregon with
his parents. The family located at Athena, Umatilla county, where they remained
one year, thence coming to Sherman county. Here our subject's parents secured
land. On attaining his majority Harvey U. Martin filed on a preemption claim,
which he afterward sold, having proved up on the same. During the four years
following he was engaged in; the cattle business, with gratifying success. This
business enterprise he disposed of and purchasing horses, shipped them to
California. The horse market broke and our subject lost the entire amount of his
investment. He then went to Palouse City, Washington, where he was engaged two
years working in a machine shop. Returning to Sherman county he located a
homestead, purchased more land, a quarter section, later, all of which is
tillable.
     December 27, 1894, at Palouse City the marriage contract was solemnized
between himself and Lilah Rowe, a native of Nebraska, born August 31, 1876. Her
father, James P. Rowe, a native of Pennsylvania, was a blacksmith and farmer. He
died July 4, 1902, in Jackson county, Oregon. The mother was a native of Ohio,
and now resides in Jackson county, Oregon. Mrs. Martin's parents, James P. and
Margaret (Caldwell) Lowe, were married in Iowa and then journey to the southwest
part of Nebraska.  In 1890 they went to Idaho, and five years later removed to
Jackson county, Oregon.
     Our subject has five brothers who are mentioned in sketches of the parents
to be found in another portion of this volume, and one sister. Mrs. Martin has
one brother, Burt, a resident of Redding, Shasta county, California, and four
sisters ; May, and Ina ; Blanche, wife of George Robertson, a farmer of
Josephine county, Oregon, a cattleman ; Edith, wife of Ralph Moon, a cattleman
of Klamath county, Oregon. To Mr. and Mrs. Martin two children have been born,
Netah Okel, on November 19, 1895, and Telra May, on February 15, 1900. Both are
natives of Sherman county.
     The fraternal affiliations of Mr. Martin are with Moro Lodge, No. 31, I. O.
O. F. Although a patriotic Republican he is not especially active in political
affairs, although he has served four terms as clerk of his school district, and
one year as road supervisor. Personally he is a liberal-minded, progressive man,
a good citizen and highly esteemed in his home community.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2010 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.