Elijah Martindale (November 10, 1793 – July 21, 1874) was an American

pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...

and a leader of the Restoration Movement in

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. He was often called "Elder Elijah Martindale".

Biography

Martindale was born in Laurens County, South Carolina. He moved with his family to

Warren County, Ohio Warren County is a County (United States), county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 242,337. Its county seat is Lebanon, Ohio, Lebanon. The county is ...

in 1801 where they established a farm outside Waynesville, Ohio. The family lived there self-sufficiently, making their own clothes and raising their own food. In 1811, Martindale's father was determined to move again, and he resettled the family to Whitewater Valley, Indiana Territory, on a brook now called Martindale Creek. The family constructed a cabin in October and cleared by the following spring. During the aftermath of the Battle of Tippecanoe and the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

, the neighboring settlers decided to erect a small fort around the Martindale cabin. Uncomfortable with the rough lifestyle, Martindale's parents decided to move back to

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and to wait out the war there before returning to

. In October, 1815, Martindale married a

Wayne County, Indiana Wayne County is a county located in east central Indiana, United States, on the border with Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,917. The county seat is Richmond. Wayne County comprises the Richmond, IN Micropolitan Statistica ...

, pioneer named Elizabeth Boyd. In the spring of 1832, Martindale moved with his wife to

Flat Rock, Indiana Flat Rock is an unincorporated community in Washington Township, Shelby County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. History Flat Rock was platted in 1855. It took its name from the Flatrock River The Flatrock River, also known as Flatrock Creek an ...

, in Henry County. In 1865, they moved to

New Castle, Indiana New Castle is a city in Henry County, Indiana, east-northeast of Indianapolis, on the Big Blue River. The city is the county seat of Henry County. New Castle is home to New Castle Fieldhouse, the largest high school gymnasium in the world. Th ...

. Martindale died in

, at the age of 80.

Ministry

In 1820, Martindale preached his first sermon. From then until his death, he preached throughout Henry County, Wayne County,

Fayette County, Indiana Fayette County is one of 92 counties in U.S. state of Indiana located in the east central portion of the state. As of 2020, the population was 23,398. Most of the county is rural; land use is farms, pasture and unincorporated woodland. The coun ...

;

Rush County, Indiana Rush County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In the 2010 United States Census, the population was 17,392. The county seat (and only city) is Rushville. History When the Indiana Territory was granted statehood (20 December 1816), there ...

Delaware County, Indiana Delaware County is a County (United States), county in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 111,903. The county seat is Muncie, Indiana, Muncie. Delaware County is part of the Muncie, IN metropoli ...

, Madison County, Indiana,

Hancock County, Indiana Hancock County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. The 2020 United States Census recorded a population of 79,840. The county seat is Greenfield. Hancock County is included in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metropolitan Statistical ...

, and Ohio. He organized

Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...

churches throughout eastern Indiana and Ohio, including Hillsboro, Henry County, Indiana; New Lisbon, Indiana,

Middletown, Indiana Middletown is a town in northwest Henry County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,322 at the 2010 census. History Middletown was platted in 1829. The town's name is locational, for it lies halfway between New Castle and Anderson. A ...

, Prairie Township, Indiana,

Bentonville, Indiana Bentonville is an unincorporated community in central Posey Township, Fayette County, Indiana, United States. History Bentonville was platted in 1838. It was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a senator from Missouri. Bentonville was once a boom ...

, Plum Creek, Indiana, and Fairview, Indiana. He is interred at South Mound Cemetery,

Personal life

Elijah Martindale was the father of lawyer and businessman James B. Martindale, a founder of the noted legal reference and catalog of lawyers, the '' Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martindale, Elija 1793 births 1874 deaths American Christian religious leaders People from Waynesville, Ohio Members of Restoration Movement denominations People from Laurens County, South Carolina People from Henry County, Indiana