Katherine "Kate" Martin was one of the daughters of James Frederick Martin and Eliza Jane (Lowmiller) Plank Martin. Kate was born 14 December 1867 in Pennsylvania.

Kate Martin had six sisters including:




Carry Martin (I'm confused about Carry. We have a birthdate of 05 November 1869 in Pennsylvania for her, which would make her younger than Kate. But, my grandmother told me that Carry was the daughter of Eliza Jane (Lowmiller) and her first husband, Mr. Plank. Similarly, my great-grandmother, Nannie Martin Routh, described herself as the 7th daughter, so it is likely that this 05 November 1869 birthdate was for another daughter that we have not yet identified, with Carry actually being older than Kate. We do know that Carry had poor health and became obese and bedfast, so that her caretakers had to use sheets to turn her in bed.)

Elizabeth "Lizzy" (Martin) Shaffer Eckerd (Born 01 March 1871 in Pennsylvania. Lizzy first married Peter Dorman Shaffer and they had children including Leo D. Shaffer, Violet Shaffer, and Olive Shaffer. After Peter Dorman Shaffer's death, Lizzy next married William H. Eckerd.)



Emma (Martin) Sweeny (Born 19 September 1873 in Pennsylvania. Emma and a Mr. Sherman were biological parents of Florena who was raised as the daughter of Emma's sister, Kate. Emma later married George Sweeny and was the mother of their three children, including, Mable Sweeny. Mable Sweeny married a Mr. Hackin.)

Sarah Jane "Sadie" (Martin) Shuey (Born 31 October 1875 in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Married to Oscar Clyde Shuey in Pennsylvania. Mother of Sara Elizabeth (Shuey) Mabry, Grace Shuey, Oscar Clyde Shuey Jr., Margaret "Peggy" (Shuey) Denman, Frederick James Shuey, Edith Catherine (Shuey) Polson Moll, and John Shuey. Sarah died 23 April 1956 in California.)

Nannie (Martin) Routh (Born 22 January 1877 in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Married 11 March 1907 to Simon Elias Routh in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Mother of Velva Delilah "Jean" (Routh) Houghton, Elda Elizabeth (Routh) Eddleman, and Lawrence Routh. Nannie died 19 August 1955 in Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana. Nannie is buried at Greene County Chapel Cemetery, Greene County, Indiana, just across the county line from Stanford, Monroe County, Indiana.)

Jesse (Martin) Thalbo (Born 31 August 1886 in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Married to Tony Thalbo, and the mother of Mary Thalbo.)




Kate Martin had one younger brother:


John Henry Martin (Born 18 October 1883 in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Married to Lewetta M. Gibbs and Sadie Striker. John was father of Grace Pauline Martin, Violet Mary Martin, and James LeRoy Martin. John Henry MARTIN married his second wife, Sadie STRIKER, on 18 October 1928 in Los Angeles County, California.)




This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper with young Florena, Kate's biological niece and adopted daughter.

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Florena (Schoper) Vaught

born in the 1880's or 1890's
in Pennsylvania

Niece and adopted daughter of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper

(Click on photo to see larger photo!)






Kate Martin grew up in the Martin home in Carson Valley, in south central Pennsylvania. This valley is at the foot of the Allegheny Mountains, which are a section of the Appalachian mountain system. Gallitzin, Pennsylvania was 6 miles from the Martin home. Gallitzin is in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, near the border with Blair County, Pennsylvania. The Martin farm was, however, in Allegheny Township, near Duncansville, in Blair County, Pennsylvania. (Click on map to see larger map, with "X" showing location of the Martin farm.)

The Martin home in Carson Valley was called a 2-story home, but it also had an attic on the 3rd floor, which was used as additional living space by the large family. It was a well-built and large log home. The property was marked with a fence and gate. A path from the house led to the "john," or outhouse. At night, an oil lamp was used to find one's way to the outhouse.

The Martin family had a covered bridge down hill from their home. The family loved this covered bridge. Cold preservation of foods was accomplished by natural means. The family had a spring house built over the mountain stream, affectionately calling it, "Old Nabby." The reason for this name is not now known. They set containers of milk, cheese and butter in the stream, using stones to secure the food in the stream of cold water that flowed down from the Allegheny Mountains.

Wasting food was intolerable because of the laborious efforts required to secure enough food for the large Mountain family. On one occasion, the Martin children entered into a conspiracy of secrecy so that their parents, James & Eliza, would not know that a large barrel of molasses had been contaminated. James and Eliza had been gone for a few days to a soldiers' encampment meeting. The Martin children had friends staying with them during their parents' absence, having a "high old time." Inadvertently, someone left the lid off of the mollasses and a dead mouse was later discovered in the syrup by the Martin children. The Martin children removed the mouse, but subsequently "lost their taste" for the molasses so enjoyed by James, Eliza and their guests.

Although usually occupied with the business of farming, young Kate's family participated in the social events in their mountain community during Nannie's childhood. Social gatherings often included festive activities like cake walks. The Martins were introduced to Spring-time mushroom (morel) hunting by their neighbors. In colder weather, the Martin's joined their mountain neighbors for ice skating on frozen ponds, sleigh rides in the snow, bonfires and winter feasts.

The Martin family took "the second pass of the mountains" to visit friends on other farms, so that rigorous travel by wagon and on foot was required for the Martins to maintain the social contacts so important in their lives.

Education was very important in Kate's family of origin. Both public and school spelling bees were social events for the entire family. Children sometimes learned the spelling of words rhythmically, swaying as they sang the spelling of words. Church was also an important part of the Martin family social life. Kate and her siblings were musical and between them played many musical instruments.

Holidays were especially festive times for Kate's family. In warm weather, the family joined with neighboring farmfamilies in cooperative harvesting with shared dinners and picnics. Picnics and rallies were especially common on holidays, such as the fourth of July. Christmas was celebrated with gifts and special foods. The very atmosphere of Carson Valley prompted thoughts of traditional Christmas in the winter. The Martins rode in horse-drawn sleighs to the literal sound of 'jingle bells' across the mountain snow. Their visits were warmly received by neighbors who wrapped heated bricks for the sleigh voyagers to warm their feet.

Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper had two husbands, the first one being a Willard Schoper. Kate married a second time after Willard died.

Kate and Willard Schoper adopted and reared Kate's niece, Florena, who was the biological daughter of Kate's sister, Emma Martin, and a Mr. Sherman. Mr. Sherman and Emma wanted to get married, but Mr. Sherman's father objected to the marriage. The elder Mr. Sherman was an unusual man who hid in tobacco cans money that he earned from selling grain, even though his wife discretely watched him hide the cans and later retrieved the money for herself. Although Mr. Sherman was never able to retrieve the money for himself, he continued to use this method of hiding it.

It was socially stimatized to have a child out-of-wedlock in those days, so Kate told Emma, "we'll be able to send Florena to college and give her everything she needs." Emma, with no other viable options in those conservative times, accepted Kate's offer. So, Florena was able to stay within the care of the Martin family.

Elda Elizabeth (Routh) Eddleman, niece of this Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper, gave the following account of a 1913 Christmas season visit to her Aunt Kate's home:



Aunt Kate and Uncle Willard were very happy to see us, and since it was about noon, she had prepared a delicious meal for us. Kate was the oldest of the sisters, and she and Uncle Willard had one son, but he was married and lived in another state. Uncle Willard had had quite a damaging stroke on his left side, and it took quite a time for him to improve enough to get about. Though he had to drag his left leg, he was able to help Aunt Kate with some chores. Before we came, he had been taking threads out of the back seam of his trousers as since his bout with the stroke he had lost weight, and Kate was going to alter them so he could wear them, as she had altered his other trousers.

Later in the afternoon, Uncle Willard went back to the sewing room to finish pulling out the seam threads, and Sis and I followed him as it was interesting watching him cut threads with a razor blade, and then he would pull the threads out, which was very tedious. I guess we made him nervous watching him, and, of course, talking to him for he became a little grouchy, and we left. Aunt Kate told us not to let that bother us for he really loved us. She said he had been through so much, and life still wasn't easy for him; we felt sorry we had followed him to the sewing room.

Aunt Kate was a very talented Lady, and one of her many talents was being a beautiful seamstress. While we were there, she made Sis and me each a beautiful dress, and we loved them. She still taught students to play the piano, but she had told them she needed two weeks free to enjoy every minute of our visit, and we were glad she had kept the two weeks just for us as Aunt Kate was so motherly - even with Mama! She, being the oldest of the children, helped her mother take care of those younger than she. She also did much of the cooking at home, and every meal she prepared for us was mouth-watering delicious. She surely had been a good teacher as all of our other aunts were excellent cooks, too. Leaving Aunt Kate and Uncle Willard was not easy, either. It had been a wonderfully happy two weeks, and Uncle Willard proved his love for us in many ways. We admired him so much and loved him dearly.


Elda also remembered that her Aunt Kate was a wonderful cook. When Kate visited her sister, Nannie (Martin) Routh (Elda's mother) in Indiana, while Elda was a girl, Kate made delicious roasted chicken, dressing and baked cakes.


This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper with her first husband, Willard Schoper.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper with her first husband, Willard Schoper.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper with her second husband, whose name we don't know yet.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper with her second husband, whose name we don't know yet.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper with family members.

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This is photo of Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper as an older woman.

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SOURCES


• Many of these charming accounts, and the wonderful photographs, were provided by Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper's niece, Elda Elizabeth (Routh) Eddleman, who lived 1910-1999. (My grandmother)
  
  
• Many of these remarkable photographs and family facts were kindly provided by Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper's nephew, James "Jim" Leroy Martin, who was born 23 February 1926 in California. -- Thanks, Jim!