Historically controlled by Poland, the region was governed by Prussia during Martin's lifetime. (Today it is once again part of Poland.)

Martin's parents are unknown. But he reportedly had at least one sibling, a brother, Michael, who was born in Lipin, Posen.

Sometime early in his life, the exact date is unclear, Martin married Louise Weise

Only one child is known to have been born to this union, Theodore, who was born Nov. 11, 1855 in Prussia. It's unknown how Martin's marriage to Louise Weise ended, whether by death or divorce.

But on June 20, 1867, Martin married Augusta (Manthei) Otto. Augusta was previously married to a Gottlieb Otto (sometimes known as von Otto and had a daughter from this union, Betha Otto.)

A little more than a year after their wedding, the couple had a baby boy, Leo Emmett Sonnenberg. Several months later, the family departed from the port of Hamberg in what is now Germany for America. They arrived Jan. 29, 1869 in the port of New York on the ship, Holsatia.

Traveling overland from New York, the family stopped in Missouri where they purchased a team of oxen, which they used on their journey to Trippville, Ottawa Co., KS.

Eventually, Martin and his brother-in-law Samuel Manthei settled in Webster Township Kansas, where they were reportedly the fifth and sixth family of white settlers in the area.