My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Sumner County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

Martin Barth, general agent for the L. & N. R. R. Co., at Gallatin, is a native of Bedford County, Penn., born in 1834, and the son of J. G. and Anna C. Barth. The father was a native of Darmstadt, Germany, born in 1802, and immigrated to the United States in 1830, locating at Baltimore, where he married. He soon moved to Bedford County, Penn. He was a musician by profession, being especially skillful on the violin and cornet. In 1866 he came to Gallatin, where he died in 1880. His wife was born in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1809; she came to America in the same year that her husband did, and is yet living. Our subject was educated in Pittsburg, Penn. In 1848 he entered a telegraph office in that city as messenger boy, and worked here for two years. The following six months he worked in Philadelphia. In 1851 he went to Louisville, Ky., and was assistant operator for four years, after which he went to Glasgow and took charge of the office. August 31, 1856, he married Mary F. Hawkins, a native of Kentucky, born in 1841, who bore him one child, still living: Harriett H. (Mrs. Benjamin F. Buckingham). Mr. Barth was in Glasgow four years, and from 1860 to 1864 was at Bowling Green, with the exception of about six months, was Sherman’s operator in the late Rebellion. He was the first operator ever in Bowling Green, the office being established in 1860. In 1865 Mr. Barth came to Gallatin and assumed charge of the office at this place; he was express agent, ticket agent, operator and railroad agent for nearly eight years, when over work forced him to give up part. For the past ten years he has had assistance in the office. During the reign of cholera in 1873 he remained at his post, while nearly all the inhabitants of Gallatin fled elsewhere. Mr. Barth lost his wife in 1860, and in 1866 he married Miss Sallie Mitchell, of Union Town, Penn. He is conservative in politics, voting for principle and not for party. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., is a K. of P., and is one of the best agents on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 115 biographies included in The History of Sumner County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of Sumner County was included within The History of Sumner, Smith, Macon & Trousdale Counties of Tennessee. View the complete description here: History of Sumner, Smith, Macon and Trousdale Counties of Tennessee

View additional Sumner County, Tennessee family biographies here: Sumner County, Tennessee

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.