2015 Heritage Award Recipient: CHUCK MARTIN

Chuck Martin, born in Troy to Roy and Ruth Martin, moved to the family farm in Pleasant Hill in 1956. He attended Newton Local Schools where he graduated with honors in 1972.

He went to John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, was listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.

He taught at Miami East Schools and in 1981 he received his Masters of Education from the University of Dayton. In 2011 he retired after 35 years of teaching.

He has made outstanding contributions to the preservation and restoration of historical and genealogical matters in Miami County. Among his contributions are:

• Assistance with the Miami East Schools historical display at the Bicentennial celebration in 2003
• Chuck assisted in the creation of a mural of historical pictures for the new Newton High School
• He was responsible for the creation of a book on Newton School which included class composites for every year as well as a comprehensive list of the graduates
• In 2013 he was inducted into the Newton Hall of Fame
• Chuck has aided many individuals with their family genealogies as well as tracing his own family tree
• Chuck has helped with the Elizabeth Township Museum and has donated many items for their displays
• In 2010, he was given a lifetime membership by the Elizabeth Township Historical Society Board. He also helps with editing their newsletters
• He created a data base of individuals buried in the Sugar Grove Cemetery in Newton Township for the Newton Township Trustees
• He is also working on a data base for the Joint-Union Cemetery in Newton Township
• Chuck researched and identified the military men and women buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. With the help of VFW #6557, the graves of veterans were identified and military flag holders were placed on the graves. He worked to create “The Cemetery Walk” for that cemetery
• He has volunteered at the Pleasant Hill History Center and is the current Archivist, working to organize and catalog the artifacts there. In 2012, he was given a lifetime membership by the History Center Executive Board. He has also produced quarterly newsletters for the members of the group. Chuck has developed the web page for the History Center and continues to maintain and update it
• He has helped many local historians in developing their PowerPoint presentations for their programs on local history
• Chuck has accomplished extensive historical research about Newton Township & Pleasant Hill and has complied presentations on the one room school houses of Newton Township; the History of the Settlement of the Randolph Slaves in Marshalltown in Newton Township, and histories of various individuals in Pleasant Hill
• He has been of invaluable assistance to the Piqua and Troy History Libraries and many others
• He volunteered to digitize over 400 glass plate negatives in the Piqua Local History Department Collection

Chuck’s willingness to assist with any type of historical research is without a doubt a valuable personal characteristic enjoyed by many throughout Miami County and beyond!