Margaret Ann Martin was born in Greenfield, Nelson County, Virginia on January20th, 1834.
Her parents were Hudson Martin and Nancy Thorpe. Hudson Marton wasborn in Virginia in 1765. At the close of the Revolutionary War, Giddeon Martin, his aftermoved to Kentucky. Giddeon Martin had fought for seven years in the Revolution underGeneral George Washington. Hudsont Martin and Nancy Thorpe were married March 22nd, 1824.
Thefollowing children were born to this union John, their only son, and daughters Jane,Mahalley, Margaret Ann, Nancy and Jennie. They were raised in Virginia. Margaret Ann’s mother died in 1859 and her father in 1861. Margaret Ann wasmarried to Andrew Jackson on December 16th, 1858. They loved in Broxton County,West Virginia. Andrew Jackson, joined with the Confederate Army and was madeCaptain of Company B-19th Virginia Cavalry.
Mrs. Jackson was ordered north in the fall of 1863. All of her possessions andproperty were confiscated and she was allowed to take only her two saddle bags ofclothing, approximately sixty pounds of baggage. She was carried on horseback, under aflag of truce through the Confederate lines to her house in Virginia.
During his four years of service in the army, Captain Jackson came home to visithis wife three times. On one visit, he only had time for dinner with her and had been goneabout fifteen minutes when the house was surrounded by soldiers. Once he came for avisit overnight and at another time for nine days. At the close of war, Captain and Mrs. Jackson moved to South Carolina two yearsin the fall of 1865hey started West by ox teams, stopping in Bandera Couny, Texas, wherethey remained until 1873.
Mr. Jackson was running a sawmill there. They left Texas, May 1873 with three wagons and ox teams, driving five yoke ofoxen to one wagon and four yoke each to the other two wagons. They avaraved fromtwenty to twenty five miles per day. At night, when camped, two oxen were neckedtogether and belled.
They spent that winter in Trinadad, Colorado, where they could have good rangefor there cattle, remaining there until May 1874 when they started north on the third leg oftheir journey, going out by Larma City, Pueblo, Denver and down to the great Salt Lake,hence to Corrine into Idaho, down the Snake River to Munds Ferry, then out over thePowder Range into backer City, Oregon. From here they traveled into Grand RoundValley, crossed the Blued mountains into Walla-Walla and continued up the ColumbiaRiver, crossing in October 13, 1874, coming into Yakama County, Washington. Theyarrived at Kittitas Valley, November 2nd, 1874. Mr. Jackson was a stock and horse traderso in the spring he decided to go to Pudget Sound where he sold his oxen for $250.
00 ateam, realizing some $3,250. 00. He then bought two teams of horses, four head, and oneteam of mules with wagon. They lived in Washington for a few years, logging andworking in a sawmill but he soon became restless and wanted to go South, throughOregon, Klamath Lake, Tule Lake and out into California. They crossed the SacramentoRiver at Red Bluffs into Sacramento City, and continued on into San Joaquin Valley,coming through to San Bernardino, California.
After some short rest and many needed repairs, the wagon train started across the desert to Hardyville, hence on into Arizona. They arrived in Presscott, January 1st, 1876. Mrs. , Jackson was the first white woman tolive on Lower Oak Creek .
They drove out to Chino Valley and lived there for threemonths in a house owned by Mr. Hall. While speculating and trading around, Mr. Jackson made up his mind to move toOak Creek.
Here, they were the first white settlers or ranchers on the lower creek untillate in the fall of 1876. Mrs. Jackson was the first white woman to live on the Lower OakCreek. Living among the warring Apaches, she saw many fierce out breaks and raids.
Mr. Jackson was a stoic, care free and dominating man. He traded and handledstock, traveling about the country for many miles, leaving his wife alone in there cabin onthe creek, Mrs. Jackson tended to the stock and did all the ranch chores alone.
Sherelated that many a time she saw and heard yelling Indians ride by the place on thesurrounding hills, but she was molested and remained secluded in her small cabin. TheJackson’s only had one child and passed away in infancy. While living here on lower Oak Creek, Mrs. Jackson named House Mountain. Atthis time, there was a tall rock chimney at one end of the mountain formation which waslater destroyed by a bolt of lightning. Captain Jackson died on February 22nd, 1892, and was buried Middle VerdeCemetery, near Camp Verde.
Three years after the death of Captain Jackson, Mrs. Jackson became the wife of David E. Dumas, being married on October 13th, 1895. They continued to live on thelower Oak Creek ranch and it was here in 1896 that Mack Oliver Dumas, son of DavidDumas came west from Texas to make his home with his Dad and new Mother. MotherDumas lover her acquired son most dearly, just as if it were her own. She gave a verygood home to this wandering boy of sixteen years.
In 1905 the family moved to the Red Rock Country on a ranch at the foot of CourtHouse Rock, adjoining the old Schuerman Ranch. One of Mother Dumas’ closest and dearest friend was Mrs. James Tompson,mother of Charles and Albert Tompson. Their friendship was long and lasting, their visitsextended over three or four days at a time, as they were so far apart and it was on toconvenient to make many trips by wagon and team.
The Schuerman’s and Dumas’ were always close friends and raised much fruitwhich included peaches, apples, apricots, and plums in addition to large gardens. Dad and Mother Dumas were know throughout the valley for their warmhospitality and sincere welcome which they extended to everyone in the valley, also Jeroneand Camp Verde. Never was a person refused a meal or bed at the Dumas Ranch, Oftenthey would retire alone at night and would awaken the next morning with a house full ofhungry people, ready to eat hot biscuits, bacon and eggs with good strong coffee. MotherDumas would never allow a lone biscuit to be thrown out after a meal. She always said, “someone will come along before morning and just might need a bite to eat.
“Dad and Mother Dumas lived many happy long years at the old Dumas Ranch,now known as Crescent Moon Ranch. In the summer of 1920, Dad Dumas became ill andpassed away in Flagstaff where he was buried. Mother Dumas lived to enjoy here towngrandchildren here and was a very dear member of the step sons household. Her healthbegan to fail in 1924 and she passed away January 24th 1925 at the age of ninety oneyears.
She was buried beside Captain Jackson In Middle Verde Cemetery.Words/ Pages : 1,172 / 24
