Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/106

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

the latter county situated in the southwest- ern part of the state, bordering North Caro- hna. There his father, William Martin, was born, son of Riley Martin, a native of east- ern Virginia. Riley Martin was born in 1795. moved to Elk Creek when young, and there died in 1875. He married (first) a Miss Vaught, (second) Patsy Wright, who bore him four children, one of whom, Joshua, is yet living at Rural Retreat, Vir- ginia. The Martins came to Virginia from Ireland, while Dr. Martin's maternal ances- tors, the Cornetts (originally Connaught), came from Scotland.

William Martin, son of Riley Martin, was born at Elk Creek, Virginia, and died in Kentucky. He was a carpenter and builder, removing to Kentucky several years after the war ended. He served in the Confed- erate army for four years and bore his full bhare of the danger and privation of that period. After the war he returned to Elk Creek, resumed his trade, and there resided until his removal to Kentucky. He mar- ried, in 1866, Sarah, born at Elk Creek, daughter of Alfred Cornett, also born there, on July I, 1818. Alfred Cornett married, in 1836, Elizabeth Russell, who died aged tighty-five years, he living to the age of eighty-seven years. They had children : Kyre, deceased : Sindy or Lucindy ; Sarah ; Rosa, deceased ; Adeline, Orleans, Martha. Rebecca, Armand, Fleming, Alice, and Reuben, deceased. Alfred Cornett was a farmer, and his sons all served in the Con- federate ami}'. William and Sarah (Corn- ett) Martin had two children, a son and a daughter : Betty, born April 29, 1867, mar- ried Jobr F. Parks, and resides at Flat Ridge, Grayson county, Virginia, and Alex- ander L.

Dr. Alexander L. Martin, only son of William and Sarah (Cornett) Martin, was born at Elk Creek, Grayson county, Vir- ginia, April 24, 1869. He obtained a good education in the Grayson county schools, and Elk Creek Academy, then, having de- cided upon medicine as a profession, entered the Medical College of Virginia, and was there graduated M. D., April 2, 1895. On May 10, 1895, lie passed the required ex- aminati'jn before the state board of medical examinei-s and soon afterward located at Elk Creek. He contintied in successful practice there for thirteen years, then re- moved to Richmond, where he began gen-

eral practice. May 10, 1907, at No. 815 Fourth avenue. Highland Park. He has gained a secure place in public esteem and IS rated an honorable, skillful and reliable physician. Dr. Martin is a member of the Masonic order, is an Odd Fellow, belong- ing to lodge and encampment, a Modern Woodman, a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and of ti.e Order of Owls. In political faith he i-^ a Democrrit, and in religious affiliation a Bap- tist.

Dr. Martin married, at Elk Creek, May 22, 1895, Nettie J. Rhudy, born there No- \ember 5, 1872, daughter of William F. and Gallic (Cornett) Rhudy, both of Elk Creek. William l''. Rhudy, a farmer and veteran oi the Confederacy, died in 1912, aged sixty- nine years. His wife survives him. Chil- dren of Dr. Alexander L. Martin and h's wife, Nettie J. (Rhudy) Martin: Alexander L. Jr., bcrn July 9, 1903 ; Birchie Fay, born November 24, 1906.

Miss Grace M. Martin, daughter of George W. Martin, was born November i, 1890, at Elk Creek, Virginia, and was adopted by Dr. A. L. Martin in 1896. Wor- ley S. Cornett, son of Fleming Cornett, was born at Elk Creek, Virginia, August lO; 1892, anl was adopted by Dr. A. L. Martin in 1900, and was educated at Richmond, \'irginia

John David Hamaker, D. D. The first record of the liamaker family in America as far as authentically known is of two brothers, John Hubert, aged twenty-seven years (1740) and David, aged twenty-three years, who arrived at the port of Philadel- phia^ Pennsylvania, on the good ship, "Sam- uel and Elizabeth," in 1740. These brothers settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, left a numerous posterity which is repre- sented at the present time (1915) in various states of the Union, engaged in the various trades and professions, and it is thought that all bearing the name are descended from these two brothers. Wherever the name is found the men and women bearing it have upheld the honor and dignity of the progenitors. Eighteen of the name are found on the revolutionary records at \\'ashington, D. C., one of whom was the great-grandfather of Rev. John D. Ham- aker, of this chronicle.

Rev. John David Hamaker was born in