Dade County History Book

MARTIN FAMILY

The Martin families in Dade County are descendants of Tavner Martin and Cynthia Martin who came to Hamilton County, Tennessee in 1839 from Warren County, Tennessee. Tavner Martin redeived a Land Grant from the State of Tennessee in the Ocoee District in Hamilton County. This Grant was given on December 11, 1839 and was Grant number 906. It was recorded on January 25, 1840 in the Ocoee District Office by the Register J. R. Edwards. This land was bounded on the east by Lookout Mountain and on the south by the Georgia State Line. The above grant certificate was recorded at the Hamilton County Courthouse on January 16,1886 in record book 3, page 317 and 318. An earlier Grant was one made on October 3, 1938 the entry being made by Tavner Martin. A. tract of land granted to Tavner Martin, signed by James K. Polk Governor of Tennessee. This was recorded in Book T., Volume 2, page 318 on January 16, 1886 in the Register’s office, Hamilton County Courthouse, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Grant number 1074.

Tavner Martin was born in North Carolina in 1785-90, and Cynthia Martin was born in Virginia in 1784. They came to Warren County Tennessee and settled these for awhile before coming to Hamilton County, Tennessee. They had a log house near Wauhatchie. It is not known whether Tavner Martin or the Indians built the original log cabin. This house stood on a knoll about 400 yards from the Georgia State line.

The first Grand Jury in Dade County was called in 1865 and Dabney Martin was one of the men who served on this, as well as John Tittle. Dabney Martin married Elizabeth (Bets) Tanner. He served as the administrator of Tavner Martin’s estate, who died intestate. Dabney and his family lived at Wildwood, Georgia. Dabney Martin was born 1822 in Tennessee.

The other children of Tavner and Cynthia Martin were a follows: Sarah (Sally) Martin married Peter Adams Tittle, and lived in Dade County; Mary Ann (Polly) Martin married John Tittle and lived in Dade County; Richard Martin married’ Surleatha Ann Martin married Benjamin Levi Morgan; Washington Canaan Martin married Matilda C. Hale; Jane Martin; Zachariah Martin; Edmund Martin married Brittania Smith; Eliza Martin married Joseph McCalley; John T. Martin married Mary Hale; Cynthia married Thompson Street, their children are Walter, Rufus, Martin, Raymond, Nellie, Pearl, Bernice, Leighton.

The first Land Grant Tavner Martin received was also signed by the Governor of Tennessee James K. Polk. Information given by Sarah Little Parker. (Used by permission HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY GEORGIA by Retired Senior Volunteer Program, 1981.)