An American Dream that Began in The Late 18th Century . . .

George Marker and his wife, Margaret Storm, journeyed to Montgomery County, Ohio, by covered wagon, 20 years after Ohio became only the 17th state to be admitted into the Union. German-Americans who were committed to family, faith, industriousness, and education, the young couple went in search of greater economic opportunities in the exciting new land. Their values became their legacy to the generations that followed.

The Marker Family . . follows those generations, starting with George and Margaret's son Martin Marker, who married Margaret Weaver. Martin became an auctioneer, real estate investor, and successful farmer. Their spirit for their country was strong; they named their first son after the then-President, Martin Van Buren. Martin Van Buren Marker married Martha Jane Hoover in Darke County, Ohio. They settled in Paton, Iowa, where he farmed and then worked as a stock buyer, and ran a creamery. Late in life they retired to Long Beach, California. Their daughter Harriet Viola Marker married Frank Oscar Ladd, and they spent most of their lives in Paton, Iowa, where Frank was a blacksmith. The legacy of the Marker family continues in their descendants today.

Carolyn Ladd holds a Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists(R). George and Margaret (Storm) Marker are her four times great-grandparents.