Fillmore County, Nebraska
	Obituaries

Abstract from "The Late Mrs. Lucinda Martin" by Lynn Ayers from

The Nebraska Signal - no date cited

The angel of death came again into our midst Tuesday, March 17, 1936 at 6:30 p.m. and took home one of our pioneer mothers, Mrs. Lucinda Martin, bringing to her rest in peace from her labors at the age of 83 years and 12 days.

Death came very suddenly and quietly after she had been sick in bed for two weeks.  She was able to sit up some in that time and did no seem to suffer much pain.  A complication of diseases had left her in a weakened condition.  She had a very serious illness two years ago and since then had not regained her strength.  Her children and grandchildren were all with her when the end came, although she did not realize it.  She was sitting in her rocking chair and in fifteen minutes was gone.  Her son, Jesse drove twelve miles in fifteen minutes after he got the word.  It was a terrible shock to her children.  Lucinda Kissinger, youngest daughter of Samuel and Mary Kissinger, was born at Marklesburg, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1853.  She grew to womanhood in that neighborhood on a farm in a Christian home.

Very early in life she joined the Methodist Reform Church and was an active worker, especially in the singing, always attending the camp meetings, and walking four miles back and fort to church twice a day and thinking nothing of it, except her duty as a real Christian.  February 24, 1884, she was united in marriage to Franklin Martin of Broadtop, Pennsylvania and a month later they arrived at their own prairie home, which Mr. Martin had previously built for his bride in Belle Prairie township, Fillmore County, Nebraska near Bruning.  Belvidere and Carleton were their only close towns.  Here they lived and endured the hardships of pioneer life in a new country, along with their few neighbors.

Mrs. Martin having never been away from home before felt at times very homesick, but she soon made many warm friends and learned to love the west.  Her parents felt at that time she had gone away out where the Indians lived, having never been away from their own state.  Mr. and Mrs. Martin spent thirty-seven years of active life on their farm, improving and changing their little shack to a comfortable home and making it an ideal one which they had dreamed of having when settling first on their homestead.  In 1921 they retired to their home in Geneva, Nebraska turning the farm over to their son, Jesse.  They enjoyed seven years of quiet and rest.  On July 31, 1928, Mr. Martin was called to the Great Beyond.

 Mrs. Martin and her daughter, Ethel Little of Lincoln, made a trip east to Pennsylvania in 1930, back to her old home, which still stands.  To say how much she enjoyed that trip, and being again with her loved ones and visiting at her old home and seeing many friends and relatives can never be expressed on paper.  They held a family reunion at her old home and 125 relatives and friends attended and enjoyed the day with her.  She visited there from June till November.  On returning home and since in her failing health, she had lived over those pleasant memories.

When coming to Nebraska, there not being a church of her denomination near her home, she united with the Congregational Church at Strang.  Later, moving to Geneva she put her letter in the Congregational Church, but owing to her poor health most of the time of late she did not get to attend but the members were so good to send her flowers which she surely appreciated.

Mrs. Martin was also a member of the Degree of Honor for over thirty-five years, having joined at Strang.  She transferred to Geneva.

Mrs. Martin is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Edna Wolcott of Geneva and Mrs. Ethel Little of Lincoln, one son, Samuel Jesse Martin of Bruning, and two grandchildren, Jeanne Wolcott and Dean Franklin Martin and two nephews, Bert Black of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania and Fred Lamp of Altoona, Pennsylvania; one niece Mrs. Lizzie Miller of Altoona, Pennsylvania, as well as a host of other relatives and friends both in Nebraska and Pennsylvania.

The funeral service was conducted by Rev. W.H. Shoaf of the Methodist Church at her home at 2 p.m. Friday,March 20, 1936.  Her favorite songs were sung, "Faith of Our Fathers," "Old Rugged Cross", and "Some Time We'll Understand" by a mixed quartet from Bruning composed of Joe Jackson, Victor Goodman, Mrs. John Goodman and Mrs. Thomas Hawks.  At the grave, they sang "Near the Cross."   The casket bearers were Ralph Hitch, Harold Barney, Thurman Appley, Henry Brower, Royal Jackson and Henry Hopken.  The floral offerings were many and beautiful and expressed love and sympathy.  Interment was in the Harmony Cemetery, thirteen miles from Geneva.  A short service was held at the grave.  She's gone but not forgotten.

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