PORT DOVER
Thursday, 6 May 1920, Matthew
Martin passed away at a ripe old age.
Deceased was working on
Tuesday.
On arising at an early hour on Wednesday, he fell against a dresser so
heavily that four of his ribs were broken. He succumbed to the effects
of his injuries at a late hour Thursday evening.
Mr. Martin was born in 1828,
near Glastonbury, Somersetshire, England. Three years later the father,
Jeremiah, brought his family to Canada. They landed at Montreal and made
their way to Niagara by lighter boat.
Leaving his family at Niagara,
the father made his way to Simcoe and after securing employment in a
sawmill there, sent for his family to rejoin him.
Later
they moved to a farm near Selkirk, where a family of three boys,
Matthew, James and John, and three girls, Jane, Mary and Elizabeth, were
brought up.
John was for many years a blacksmith in Brantford. James, the sole
surviving member of the family, resides at Selkirk.
At
a youthful age, the late Mr. Martin learned the carpentering trade and
followed it for several years. Later he kept tavern in Cheapside and
still later was proprietor of the Norfolk House in this village for a
period of five years.
He again returned to his trade
and followed it for many years, leaving behind him mute witnesses of his
skill in his chosen vocation.
In 1857 he married Anne Barns of
Walpole Township, who predeceased him in 1911. Their family of two girls
and six boys all lived to maturity. Eber, the eldest son, died in
Chicago in 1918. Annie, who became the wife of Samuel Waddle, died in
Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1907.
Deceased
is survived by William and Angus of Chicago, George of Philadelphia,
John of Toronto, and Omar and May at home.
Mr.
Martin was a staunch Conservative in politics and in religion an
Episcopalian. Quietly and unassumingly and rendering to every man his
due, deceased pursued the even tenor of his way till his summons came to
join the loved ones who had passed on before.
