James Willey (Gilbert) Martin.

   The following is an obituary printed in The Lubbock, Texas Avalanche Journal on May 26, 1952, Section I, Page 9.  The man was my great grandfather.  He was the son of William H. Gilbert and Frances Martin Gilbert. 

 William H. Gilbert disappeared when Willey was a very young boy.  His mother and siblings moved back to his mother's parents home.  The story goes that when James Willey went to school, the teachers called him James Willey Martin because he now lived in the Martin household.  He kept the name.  His mother was a Martin so he came by it honestly. James Willey (pronounced Wiley) was born November 25, 1878 in Van Buren County, Tennessee and was married June 1, 1901 in Van Buren County, Tennessee to Hannah George.  Attached is a picture of James Willey and Hannah George Martin holding  two of their children.  Fannie Maude Martin is setting in her father's lap and Jim G. Martin is setting in his mother's lap.

Services Set Today for Ropes Resident
Ropesville, May 25 (Special)
    Funeral services for Willey Martin (James Willey (Gilbert) Martin), 80, Ropesville, who died in a Lubbock hospital about 3:00 p.m., Saturday, will be held at 2:00 p.m. today in the First Methodist Church here with Rev. J. R. Ferguson and Rev. R.I. Hart officiating.
    Burial will be in the Ropesville, Cemetery under the direction of Rix Funeral Home, Lubbock.
    Martin was a retired farmer.
    Survivors include six sons, J. G.(Jim Glady Martin), Placentia, Calif.; A. R.(Arzie Raymond Martin), Ropesville; A. B.,(Andrew Bert Martin) Seagraves; George (Melvin George Martin), Brownfield; Butler (Butler Smith Martin), Ropesville; Tyree (Tyree Nathan Martin, Sr.), Ropesville; a daughter, Mrs. B. G. Littlefield (Lucy Ethel Martin Littlefield), Ropesville; a brother Henry Martin, Delphi, Ind.; 27 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
    (Also, one sister, Fannie Maude Martin Gann, sho preceded him in death, June 14, 1937.)
    Pallbearers will be Russell McSwain, E. M. Snider, Floyd Wartes, Frank Brown, R. L. Northam, Jr., and Sam Gossett.

Submitted by:
Carolyn Bethany Sosebee
sosebee@esc14.net