Granduncle Mark's Genealogy Parlor
Nannie (Martin) Routh
(Born 22 January 1877
in Blair County, Pennsylvania.)
Submitted by her great-grandson, Mark Ellsworth Hickman, PhD
My great-grandmother, Nannie (Martin) Routh, was a very small woman,
standing 4 feet 10 inches tall and wearing size three shoes.
A talented woman, Nannie loved to play her pump organ and draw pictures.
Nannie's father, James Frederick Martin, was born to Irish parents.
Nannie's mother, Eliza Jane (Lowmiller) Plank Martin, was of Dutch ancestry.
This Martin family had also been influenced by Pennsylvania Dutch (german) culture.
Nannie Martin had six sisters including:
 Katherine "Kate" (Martin) Schoper (Born 14 December 1867
in Pennsylvania. She had two husbands, the first one being a Willard Schoper. She and Mr. Schoper
reared Kate's niece, Florena,
who was the biological daughter of Kate's sister, Emma Martin, and a Mr. Sherman.
Kate and Willard Schoper also had a son. We have two photographs of Kate's second husband,
but don't know his name yet.)
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.)
 Jesse (Martin) Thalbo (Born 31 August 1886
in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Married to Tony Thalbo, and the mother of Mary Thalbo.)
Nannie 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.)
Nannie attributed her talents, including her belief that she had an extrasensory
perception, to the fact that she was a 7th daughter and was born with 'a veil
over her face.' She was both an adherent of the Christian faith and a believer in
extrasensory phenomonon. An itching nose predicted the arrival of company. A
photograph falling off of her wall indicated a death. Her family insists that letters
reporting the death of a close relative typically arrived shortly after Nannie cried
because the picture of that relative had crashed to the floor in Nannie's bedroom.
Nannie 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. The town or village closest to the Martin farm was
Gallitzin, Pennsylvania. Gallitzin was 6 miles from the Martin home. Gallitzin
is in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, near the border with Blair County, Pennsylvania.
Nannie had many friends as a child as the Martin home was a popular place for
gatherings. Nevertheless, other children teased her about her different pronunciations
and phrasings that reflected her absorption of her mother's Dutch culture. The
other children called Nannie, 'Dutchie,' a nickname that persisted for years.
Nannie had typhoid fever as a child. This occured during a typhoid epidemic in
this country. She was very ill and became comatose. Some thought she had died,
but her mother used a mirror to detect Nannie's breath to ensure that she was breathing.
The family isolated Nannie on the third floor of their large farm house to quarantine
her and care for her. The physician from the village said that Nannie would not live,
but Eliza was determined that her daughter would be healed through prayer and loving
care from the family. As Nannie did recover, but was still quarantined, she began
to hang out the third floor window to watch her brother, sisters and visitors play
outside, eager to join them. Her misery was compounded on one occasion when a bee
stung her on the lip as she hung out the third floor window.
Nannie Martin was especially adored by an Uncle, William T. Cutler. She was his
favorite niece. Although he lived in Ohio, he visited the Martins in Pennsylvania
many times. He was financially prosperous because he, like James Frederick Martin,
had skills in building and construction. Having no children of their own, William
Cutler and his wife wanted to take Nannie, adopt her, and raise her as their own
child. They asked both Nannie and her parents if they would allow this. Nannie also
adored them, but said she could not leave her family, to whom she was also very close.
Although usually occupied with the business of farming, Nannie'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.
Education was very important in Nannie'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.
Holidays were especially festive times for Nannie'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.
Nannie often recalled her encounters with wild animals in the wooded mountains of
ninteenth century Pennsylvania. On one occasion, Nannie and John Martin were walking
with their mother to Gallitzin and encountered a bear. Eliza cautioned them to be
very still and quiet. John and Nannie were afraid, but followed their mother's
counsel. The bear was ambling quickly down the mountain toward them. Relying upon
her steadfast faith, Eliza began to pray as she stood in the path. Before the bear
reached the Martins, it slipped and fell into a chasm. Eliza walked to the edge of
the ravine and looked down several feel onto the rocky bottom. The bear lay motionless,
having died in the fall. Eliza, convinced they had been spared through prayer,
continued their journey toward Gallitzin. Both Nannie and John recounted this incident
several times, offering it as an example of their mother's unwavering religous faith.
Another encounter with a bear occurred when Nannie and Sarah Martin were carrying
milk to a neighboring farm whose cow was dry. Sarah told her younger sister that they
should remove the lids from the milk containers so that the bear would drink the milk
while they made a hasty retreat. Nannie recalls that she had difficulty removing
the lid from her milk container and by the time she was ready to run away, she 'couldn't
see Sarah for dust,' as the older sister had already commenced her flight.
In stark contrast to the hard work and discipline which typified the Martin family's
existence, Nannie grew up in a home where humor and pranks were part of life. The
mischievous humor sometimes approached outrageous expressions. Nannie Martin recalls
that a shocking event occurred when she was an adolescent travelling by train with her
father, James Frederick Martin. During that trip, James noticed a man sleeping on a
seat behind them. Seizing the opportunity for mischief, James removed a wad of
tobacco from his own mouth and threw it into the open mouth of the sleeping man.
He quickly coached Nannie to maintain a forward gaze so they would appear innocent
while the train's conductor attended to the ensuing commotion. The victim could not
immediately describe his distress to the conductor as he was choking on the foreign
matter in his throat, but he recovered without ever knowing that the incident was
caused by the quiet, suited gentleman travelling with his proper young daughter in
the seats ahead.
Nannie sometimes accompanied her father (a veteran of the Union Army) to patriotic
rallies and 'encampments of soldiers.' On a hot summer day during one of these trips,
Nannie fainted from the heat. Bystanders carried her into a store to tend to her.
James had to go to some trouble to locate her on this occasion.
Nannie spent part of her adult life in Pennsylvania, as she did not marry until she
was 29-years old. She remained close to her family. On her marriage application,
she listed, Duncansville, Blair County, Pennsylvania, as her current address.
As a single adult, Nannie adored her Niece, Florena, who was born to Nannie's sister,
Emma, but eventually raised by another of Nannie's sister's Kate. The family were
protective of Florena after Florena's father, Mr. Sherman, followed his family's
orders that he not marry Emma. After Emma married George Sweeny, Nannie used to
walk miles carrying Florena when Nannie's parents wanted a visit from their young
granddaughter. Florena may have lived her life believing that Kate was her mother
and Emma her aunt, rather than the reverse.
Before her marriage, Nannie also sometimes helped in the 'Notions' store of her
dear friend, Elda Houck.
As an adult in Pennsylvania, Nannie had some involvement in a Seventh Day Adventist
Church that her friends attended. She contributed her own art to the Church and
her srolls of Biblical scenes were hung in the Church. She may also have had an
earlier connection with the Quakers.
As a young woman, Nannie loved a man whose name was Reed Metza. Reed was a wealthy
professor whose hobby was mountain hunting. He returned Nannie's esteem and called
her, 'my Dutchie.' Reed asked Nannie to marry him. Nannie's father, James Frederick
Martin, however, refused to give his blessing to their marriage, believing that
Nannie should not marry a man from a higher social class than her own. Reed continued
his efforts to persuade Nannie to marry him, but eventually he married another woman
who worked at the college where Reed taught. Nannie grieved over this lost love.
Nannie Martin instead married Simon Elias
Routh. Simon was the son of Benjamin Hopkins Routh and Barbara Ann (Summers) Routh.
Nannie met Simon when Simon came to Pennsylvania with the intention of marrying
Nannie's sister, Jessie Martin. Probably upon returning from his enlistment in the
Spanish American War, Simon found an egg with the name and address of Jessie Martin.
It was not uncommon in those days for a young woman to write her name and address on
an egg before a crate of eggs was shipped to market, in hopes of meeting a suitor.
After Simon found the egg, he commenced a correspondence with Jessie. They determined
by mail that they would marry. When Simon visited the Martin home and they actually
met, however, they found that they were not compatible.
Instead, Simon was attracted to Jessie's younger sister, Nannie Martin. Simon pursued
Nannie's interest, promising her a year-long honeymoon if she would marry him.
Nannie Martin married Simon Elias Routh on 11 March 1907 in Hollidaysburg, the county
seat of Blair County, Pennsylvania. The marriage was performed by Pastor W. F. Schwartz.
Nannie was 29-years of age when she married the 35-year old Simon. It was the only
marriage for each of them. They embarked on a year-long honeymoon in which they
toured the continental United States. Nannie, however, immediately became pregnant
and wanted to establish a home. She urged Simon to get work and a house for them.
Simon occasionally took brief jobs during this year, such as landscaping work on
Texas ranches, but Nannie sometimes found him sleeping behind the hedges he was
supposed to be trimming.
Information about Nannie's children and grandchildren is included below.
In the winter, Nannie would warm herself by putting a knitted throw over her
shoulders, buttoned at the neck, and by sitting on newspapers spread over the
open oven door of her black nickel-plated wood-burning stove. she sat there
as she told her children stories of her Pennsylvania childhood. Nannie's daughter,
Elda, remembers these times as happy ones, saying that Nannie would commence
laughing and shaking so hard that the children worried that the stove pipe would
break lose and cause a fire.
Elda also remembers that Nannie put much creative effort into insuring that her
children could enjoy some of the delights she knew herself as a child. While the
family did not have a sled, Nannie fastened a rope to the end of a table leaf, using
that board as a sled. On moonlight nights Nannie took all three of her children
simultaneously on such sled rides over hills on the family's farm in Stanford,
Indiana. While Nannie's purpose on the sled was to guide it and protect her children,
Elda remembers that Nannie always yelled, 'Wheeee....' as they glided down hills.
Similarly, Nannie made up for the absence of swings by cutting grape vines for her
children to swing on. Nannie always tested the vines by swinging first 'to ensure
her children's safety.' Nevertheless, Elda remembers that Nannie's 'Wheeeee....'
always accompanied her test rides on the grape vines.
Nannie filled picnic baskets for outings on the farm with her children and took them
fishing. She made homemade candies for the children, hiding them under a washtub
on the pantry so that Simon would not complain about the impracticality of candy
for the children.
In warm months Nannie took her children to area 'shows' where a tent was set up and
western movies were shown. She taught her children the delights of hunting for
morels, fishing and berry picking. she often filled a picnic basket and took her
children up the hill for a 'change of pace' lunch. Still a 'child-at-heart' herself,
Nannie once took a visiting friend for a ride down a hill in a broken buggy pulled
by her children, Lawrence and Elda. The startled friend calmed soon after their
near-crash.
Nannie learned to share the world with sundry animals when she was a young girl in
the Pennsylvania mountain country. Elda recalls that she and her siblings became
frightened when they encountered a snake on the vines during berry-picking activities.
Nannie, however, was matter-of-fact. She urged her children to calm, telling them,
'Hush! Hush! I'm not going to let any snake keep me from my berries!'
Nannie maintained an independent spirit, describing herself as being 'as independent
as a hog on ice.' Like her staunchly Republican father, Nannie retained her
allegiance to the Grand Old Party. Her husband, Simon, however, was equally
committed to the Democratic Party, writing political articles for the National
Tribune. At election time, Nannie quietly snickered as she caught a ride to the
polls with a group of women who insisted that they wouldn't give a ride to any
Republicans. Upon returning home from the polls, Nannie often taunted her husband,
saying, 'Ha. Ha. I killed your vote.' At such times, Simon coolly responded, 'I'm not
surprised.'
Nannie (Martin) Routh died 17 August 1955 in Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana,
at the home of her daughter, Elda Elizabeth (Routh) Eddleman. She was 78-years
old at the time of her death. Oh her Monroe County Record of Death, George C.
Poolitsan, M.D. specified arteriosclerosis as the cause of her death, and the
family remembers that a massive cerebral hemorrhage immediately preceded her death.
Nannie (Martin) Routh
(Click on Photo to see larger version)
The oldest two of Nannie's three children:
Elda Elizabeth Routh (the baby)
with her sister,
Velva Delilah 'Jean' Routh.
(Click on Photo to see larger version)
The youngest two of Nannie's three children:
Elda Elizabeth (Routh) Eddleman
with her brother,
Lawrence 'Joe' Routh.
(Click on Photo to see larger version)
Nannie's parents were:
- James Frederick MARTIN
and Eliza Jane (LOWMILLER, PLANK or FLANK) MARTIN
Nannie (Martin) Routh had three children and four pregnancies:
-
Velva Delilah Routh was born nine months after Simon and Nannie's marriage.
Velva was born 17 December 1907 in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, which is
near the Ozark Mountains in southwestern Missouri. Velva was named in honor of
a close childhood friend of Nannie. Simon selected 'Delilah' as Velva's middle name.
However, Velva did not like either of her given names, so elected to call herself,
'Jean,' a name that she retained throughout life. This self-selected name was so
accepted that when Velva's niece was named in her honor, the name given was
'Winifred Jean.' Jean married Warren
HOUGHTON.
-
Elda Elizabeth Routh was born 26 August 1910 in Danville, Vermillion County,
Illinois. Elda's name was given in honor of Nannie's childhood friend, Elda Houck.
Elda's middle name, 'Elizabeth,' was a tribute to Nannie's sister, although Simon
also had a sister named, Elizabeth Alice (Routh) Dobson. Simon's nickname for Elda
was 'Tom,' and he later named one of his twin mules 'Tom,' saying the mule had
been named for Elda. The Martin family called Elda, 'Betty.'
Elda was married on 11 July 1929 in Monroe County, Indiana
to
Clarence Noble EDDLEMAN.
-
Lawrence Routh, Nannie's third child, was born 14 March 1913 in Danville,
Vermillion County, Illinois. Lawrence had no official middle name, but has gone
by, Lawrence J. Routh, because his father always called him 'Joe,' as a nickname.
Lawrence was born 7 days after his parent's 6th wedding anniversary, when Simon
was 41-years old and Nannie was 36-years of age. 'Lawrence' is a name that
has occurred frequently in the Routh family over many generations.
- Nannie's fourth pregnancy was miscarried late in that pregnancy. This baby
was a boy, so he would have been Simon and Nanny's second son. Nannie was in her
late 30's, and Simon in his mid-40's, when this baby was lost. The loss of this
baby occurred when the family was moving from Danville, Illinois to Frankfort,
Indiana, but somehow Nannie ended up hospitalized in Dayton, Ohio. Nannie's doting
Uncle, William Cutler, who lived in Ohio, found out about her hospitalization
and visited her every day that she was in the hospital.
Nannie had five grandchildren:
-
Winifred Jean (EDDLEMAN)
HICKMAN
(Born 29 July 1930 in Stanford, Monroe County, Indiana.
Married 24 April 1948 in Johnson County, Indiana to Harold Ellsworth Hickman.
Winifred died 24 August 1996 at her home in Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana.)
-
Donald Welbourne
HOUGHTON
(Born 26 September 1930 in Detroit, Michigan.
Married to Grace Lorraine Wilson.
Died: 30
December 1994 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Retired USN as LCDR, worked at Flamingo
Hilton Hotel as an auditor until around 1992.
-
Janice Sue (EDDLEMAN)
WELLMAN
(Born 17 September 1932 in Monroe County, Indiana.
Married 15 August 1953 in Clear Creek, Monroe County, Indiana to
Samuel Eugene Wellman.)
-
Elizabeth Ann (EDDLEMAN)
HAZEL
(Born 16 February 1935 in Monroe County, Indiana.
Married 24 April 1954 in Clear Creek, Monroe County, Indiana to
Carl Morris Hazel.)
-
Allan W.
HOUGHTON
Nannie has sixteen great-grandchildren.
1) Mark Ellsworth Hickman --------------
(son of Winifred Jean (Eddleman Hickman.)
2) Susan Jean (Hickman) Sater --------------
(daughter of Winifred Jean (Eddleman Hickman.)
3) Cathy Jane Hickman --------------
(daughter of Winifred Jean (Eddleman Hickman.)
4) Debra Sue Wellman --------------
(daughter of Janice Sue (Eddleman Wellman.)
5) Brett Eugene Wellman --------------
(son of Janice Sue (Eddleman Wellman.)
6) Janna Lynn (Wellman) Shields --------------
(daughter of Janice Sue (Eddleman Wellman.)
7) Gloria Ann (Hazel) Calhoon --------------
(daughter of Elizabeth Ann (Eddleman Hazel.)
8) Bruce Anthony Hazel --------------
(son of Elizabeth Ann (Eddleman Hazel.)
9) Kevin Carl Hazel --------------
(son of Elizabeth Ann (Eddleman Hazel.)
10) Jeffrey Scott Hazel --------------
(son of Elizabeth Ann (Eddleman Hazel.)
11) Debra Lynn (Houghton) Edwards --------------
(adopted daughter of Donald Welbourne (Houghton.)
12) Dale Warren Houghton --------------
(son of Donald Welbourne (Houghton.)
13) Diane (Houghton) Wimberly --------------
(daughter of Donald Welbourne (Houghton.)
14) Eric W. Houghton --------------
(son of Allan W. Welbourne (Houghton.)
15) Doug Houghton --------------
(son of Allan W. Welbourne (Houghton.)
16) Lisa Houghton --------------
(daughter of Allan W. Welbourne (Houghton.)
Nannie has over 30 great-great-grandchildren, with most of these
already being adults themselves.
This winter Nannie had 2 great-great-great-grandsons born.
Given her focus on family, Nannie would be very proud of her 60 descendants!
Copyright 1996-2008, Mark Ellsworth Hickman, PhD
(Granduncle Mark)
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