ORLO MARTIN
Orlo Haynes Martin was dedicated to his family and the community in which he lived. His wife and children cherished his memory and accomplishments throughout their lives. They were shocked by his untimely death at the age of 51. His parents, Mary Key and Jacob Martin, had strong ties in Kentucky and Virginia. Many of his ancestors were involved in the early history of America from the Siege of Valley Forge, The Battle of Blue Licks with Daniel Boone, to the Civil War. Orlo was the grandfather I never knew. My only way of knowing of him was through his wife Bird, and his children. If we were lucky enough to talk to some of the old timers about him, it was a real treat. Their comments were that he doctored sick horses and had one of the first automobiles in the area. He liked to drive good horses and was active in community affairs.
It seems to me that Orlo's life was very uncommon. He was formally educated, and by the time he was 21 was left with a debt-free farming operation which his father had worked a lifetime to build. As a direct result of this good fortune, he was able to worry less about putting bread on the table, and spend more of his energy on humanitarian efforts.
Orlo was born on February 4, 1865, the only son of Jacob Martin and Mary Key Martin, and the first Martin in his family to be born in Wisconsin. Orlo was born while Abraham Lincoln was still President of the United States. The Civil War had just come to a close. Federal paper money had been issued for the first time. His father, Jacob, and the family of his grandfather, Augustus, had lived through many difficult years in Virginia, Illinois, and Wisconsin before finally putting down roots on the farm. Orlo would reap many of the benefits of their toil.
Orlo received his elementary education at the one room Red School House on Blake's Prairie, and was further educated in Valparaiso Indiana. There he received training in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. There was no Bloomington High School at this time__the first graduating class from Bloomington High School was in 1886.
After returning from Indiana, Orlo H. Martin took over the family farm from his father, Jacob, who made the original purchase in 1853.
His father, Jacob, died in 1886 when Orlo was 21 years old. Orlo and his mother, Mary Key Martin, operated the farm with the aid of hired men. At the age of 25 he married Bird Woodhouse, a popular and attractive petite young woman, but with little experience as a farm wife. Her entire life had been spent in the village of Bloomington as a banker's daughter and clerk in a dry goods store.
After Orlo and Bird were married, he chose to operate a hardware store in Bloomington for two years while his mother managed the family farm assisted by hired men. While the young couple lived in the village of Bloomington, their oldest son, Jacob Peter (Uncle Jay) was born.
In 1892, Orlo returned to the farm that his mother had been operating in his absence. On June 4, 1908 Orlo purchased from his sister Alta Martin Stevens her share of the 360 acre farm, originally owned by their father Jacob, for the sum of $5000.
Orlo had a great love for livestock, and prided himself with good horses and shorthorn cattle. He helped form the Grant County Shorthorn Breeders' Assn., and was elected its secretary and treasurer. In 1910, Orlo held a nationally advertised pure bred shorthorn cattle sale on the family farm. He mailed a catalog to prospective customers, listing pictures and pedigrees of all cattle to be sold. Special auctioneers were brought in, and many of the bidders came by train to Glen Haven and Bagley.
Orlo was a believer in education and saw to it that his children Jay, Milt, Roy, and Frances attended high school and continued on for college training. Since Orlo had received more formal training in agriculture than many of the local farmers, he gave lectures on the latest methods of farming, including crop rotations, and the use of legumes. Following this plan, soil erosion would be held to a minimum, and the fertility of the land would increase. With his training in veterinary medicine, he was often called at all hours of the day or night to give treatment to a sick animal. The greatest demand for veterinary help was for horses. The horse was very valuable and was used not only for work, but as a means of transportation. Most other farm animals were not considered to have enough worth to warrant the cost of a veterinarian.
Orlo was active in community affairs, and was repeatedly elected chairman of Bloomington Township. This job entailed chairing the town meetings, supervising road construction and repair, obtaining aid for the poor, and oftentimes settling disagreements between farmers as to the location of their property line.
Orlo had a desire for the "finer things in life", and was the first in the community to have an automobile; a 1914 Buick. This caused some trouble with his wife Bird as she thought it to be too extravagant. On one occasion he offered some children a ride home from the Red School, but they were afraid to ride in such an unusual machine.
In the fall of 1915 Orlo, experienced some shortness of breath, and visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. There they informed him that he had leakage of the heart and advised him to return home and take care of himself, avoiding all work or excitement. This was less difficult for Orlo than it might have been had he not had three grown sons. Jay was now 24 and had graduated from the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture, Milt was 21, Roy was 20, and Frances was 13. Jay was farming on shares with his father and could assume a good part of the management.
These were uneasy times not only for the Martins, but for the world as well. World War I was in progress, and it was not known what the status of the United States might be. Orlo's illness intensified the uncertainty of the future for the family. As the winter wore on, "Orlo became more short of breath, and had great difficulty breathing." (Quotation from Orlo's obituary) A special nurse was brought in from Dubuque to live with them and to help with his care. His sister Alta from Aurora, Il. also came to be with him and help where she could.
His mother Mary, who had been living with them, had been placed in the Grant County Home (for the mentally ill) at Lancaster about a year earlier. Senility had clouded her mind to the point where she could no longer be kept at home.
Orlo died in his sleep on Sunday morning at 2:00 AM April 2, 1916 in the house where he had been born 51 years earlier on Feb. 4, 1865. According to his obituary, written by his brother_in_law, Milt Woodhouse, "prior to his heart condition, he had seemed well and strong." The funeral was held at his home, and he was buried in the Lumpkin Cemetery. His mother was brought home for the funeral, but it appeared that she knew little of what was happening. A few days later on April 17, 1916 she passed away at the County Home at the age of 75. Orlo had been their only son, and was adored by his mother. She had held the farm together during almost unbelievably difficult circumstances, but one would guess that the death of her son Orlo was more than she could take.
Orlo executed a will on Feb. 19, 1916, and in it left all of his property to his wife, Bird. (This was an interesting contrast to his father, Jacob, who left the farm to Mary as long as she never remarried.) At the time of his death the personal property was listed as follows :
Cattle:
6 _ 2 year old steers @ $50_ $300, 20 cows @ $55 _$1100,
3 bull calves @ $60 _ $180, 6 calves @ $40 _ $240,
1 yearling @ $35,
9 yearling heifers @ $40 _ $360,
3 _ 2 year old heifers @ $40_$120, 1 bull _ 10 years old _ $100,
Sheep:
26 sheep @ $10 _ $260,
Horses:
1 yellow pony $ 25.,
2 year old gelding horse $120,
l sorrel gelding horse $175.,
1 stud colt $ 75,
2 black geldings 4 years old
@ $125 _ $250, Hogs:
17 brood sows @ $15 _ $285,
1 boar $15,
16 fall shoats @ $9 _ $144,
Machinery:
1 manure spreader - $5,
3 wagons - $75,
2 corn cultivators - $25,
1 mower _ $25,
2 binders - $50,
2 sets of harness - $50,
1 harrow - $15,
1 drill - $5,
1 corn planter - $5.
All of the forgoing belonged to O. H. Martin and J. P. Martin for a total of $4,019. One half to Orlo in the amount of $2,009. In addition: 1 Buick automobile $600, 1 purebred mare $150, 1 - 10 year old mare.
Bird and her family now had to try to hold the farm together. It was a very difficult time for my Grandmother Bird who often said that she went around for months with a big lump in her throat. The children were conservative under her influence, and helped to pay off the existing indebtedness. Without her children and their willingness to work hard and sacrifice for the family's well_being, this would never have been possible.
Foreground - JAY MARTIN with the blind pig raised as a pet. When it was time for it to be sold, they couldn't find it and thought Harry Orr had stolen it. Harry had some problems in this respect. After some time they found that it had fallen into a freshly dug toilet hole, and was still in good health.
Orlo H. Martin appears to have been dearly loved by his community and the members of his family__his mother, sister, wife, and children. He had unusually progressive ideas for a farmer in that part of the country during those years. As a direct result of his ancestor's struggles and hard work, he was afforded the uncommon luxury of a formal education. This instruction no doubt contributed to his scientific approach to agriculture. He also had the good fortune of assuming ownership of an established enterprise - the Martin Farm. These unusually fortunate circumstances laid the foundation for a life and life style very different from the one earlier Martins had known. Orlo took advantage of his situation, and then attempted to share what he had learned for the betterment of his family and community. He left the Bloomington area with farmers using strikingly different methods of farming, and a family educated beyond the standards of the time. His untimely death appears to have been a loss to all who knew him.
Obituary of ORLO H. MARTIN
DEATH OF ORLO H. MARTIN Prominent West Grant Citizen Passes Away
Was the Town Chairman Mr. Martin died Sunday, April 2 after long illness. Death is
big loss to the entire community. Orlo H. Martin, chairman of the Town of Bloomington, died early Sunday morning, April 2, at the Martin farm four miles west of this village after an
extended illness, aged fifty-one years.
Funeral services were held at his late home on Tuesday morning, conducted by Rev. Irish and the Woodmen Lodge of Bloomington, and interment was made in the Lumpkin cemetery. Due to the wide esteem in which deceased was held, a very large floral offerings were especially profuse and beautiful and included a large floral wheel presented by the Town of Bloomington.
The following sketch of Mr. Martin's life is a true expression of the feelings of
all his wide circle of friends: Orlo Haines Martin, son of Jacob Martin and Mary Key Martin, was born February 4th, 1865, in the house and on the farm where he died on April 2nd, 1916 with the exception of about two years in business in the village of Bloomington, his life was spent on the Martin farm. He received his primary education in the old "Red Schoolhouse", later attending the public school at Valparaiso, Ind. His father died 30 years ago and since that time, Orlo has had the management of the farm. For a few years he had the assistance of his mother, but the unfortunate woman, after years of labor, which should have earned her happy old age, became mentally incapacitated and in addition to the arduous labor on the farm, Orlo and his wife cheerfully and uncomplainingly undertook the care of the mother, and did care for her as long as it was safe to do so. She is still alive, utterly helpless, while her stalwart son, a useful member of society, has passed into the world of shadows. Our souls rebel against such a miscarriage of the laws of justice, but we are powerless to resist them. We feel that some terrible mistake has been made, but the dark veil of futurity cannot be tilted and we can only wonder and mourn and lament.
Orlo Martin was the fortunate possessor of a sane mind and a kind disposition. These qualities brought him the universal respect and love of his acquaintances. The man who can maintain his good humor under circumstances calculated to provoke and upset him, is apt to find his fellow citizens honoring him with public office and we find Orlo was repeatedly elected chairman of the Town Board of the Town of Bloomingtown. He took a very active interest in the affairs of his town and was highly respected by the co-adjutors of the Board for his good judgement and his sensible and reasonable direction of the business affairs of the town. Those who went to him found him always courteous and always kind always willing to do what he could consistently with the duty to the taxpayers. No one was ever turned away with a harsh word.
In his chosen vocation, farming and stock breeding, he took great pleasure. He was an authority on Shorthorn cattle and only last fall assisted in forming the Grant County Shorthorn Breeders' Associations and was elected its secretary and treasurer. He developed some fine specimens of the breed and had achieved a more than local reputation. He believed in the aristocracy of agriculture and to his everlasting credit be it said he brought up his boys in the same belief. Dr. Francis Clark once said: No nation was ever overthrown by its farmers. Chaldea and Egypt, Greece and Rome, grew rotten and ripe for destruction, not in the fields, but in the narrow lanes and crowded city streets and in the palaces of the nobility." All honor to the farmer who honors his vocation--the most important, independent and useful of all business.
Of late years, he developed considerable skill as a veterinary surgeon and kindliness and unselfishness was constantly manifested in the practice of the art of healing. None of his neighbors ever called on him to relieve the sufferings of some poor dumb animal that he didn't respond to the call--night or day. It is possible that some of this work may have contributed to his death as he was very conscientious in the performance of it and exhausted every known means to effect a cure and ofttimes the physical strain was great. He looked so strong and well, however, that no one ever thought he would wear out.
Only a few months ago, he became a little alarmed about his shortness of breath and visited the Mayo Bros. Sanitarium. They informed him that his trouble was leakage of the heart and advised him to return home and take good care of himself--avoiding all work or excitement. This command seemed easy to obey--as his boys were competent to handle the farm--and Orlo obeyed it to the letter, but about six weeks ago he took to his bed, and despite the utmost care and attention of his family and a trained nurse and the best medical advice that he had, he gradually lost ground--battling every inch of the way whenever--and putting up a fight for his life that was pitiful to see. He bore every stroke that fate administered him with unflinching courage and patiently, oh, so patiently, awaited the final summons which was to bring the only rest he could know. It came at 2 o'clock a.m., April 2nd, and peacefully--without a struggle or murmur--he passed from sleep unto death.
Orlo never connected himself with any church, though he contributed financially to the support of several. He respected the religious beliefs of others and never wounded their feelings by scoffing or abuse and he asked only the same liberality and tolerance that he accorded. He belonged to the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. He was a life long democrat--always loyal and dependable and was high in the councils of his party, and had he aspired to political honors, his proved honesty and good judgement would have been helpful factors in bringing him success. He interested himself, mostly however, in local affairs--his farm; neighborhood; his township.
"Along the cool, sequestered vale of life
He kept the even tenor of way."
He will sorely be missed--at the lodge room; at the Town meetings; at the social board; but nowhere with such keenness of grief as at the home fireside. His affections were tied there: his wife and children were the constant objects of his love and pride and while we know that any words of consolation must be weak and fruitless, yet there is one thought which may alleviate the pain of parting--that is, that those who survive to mourn his loss; his widow, Bird; his sons, Jay, Milton and Roy; his daughter Frances, and his sister, Alta--have always been most kind to him; have never caused him any trouble or uneasiness and always accorded honor, respect and love. This he did not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and tenderness sealed until your loved one was dead. You had filled his life with sweetness and had said approving, cheering words while his ears could hear them and while his heart could be thrilled by them. In the silent watches of the night, when you waken with the sickening consciousness that he is gone forever, the thought that you loved him and had made your love manifest to him will be your happiest, sweetest memory.
"None return from those quiet shores,
Who cross with the boatman cold and pale;
We hear the dip of the golden oars
And catch a glimpse of the snowy sail;
And lo! they have passed from our yearning hearts--
They cross the stream and are gone for aye.
We may not sunder the veil apart
That hides from our vision the gates of day.
We only know that their barks no more
Sail with us o'er life's stormy sea;
Yet somewhere, I know, on the unseen shore,
They watch and beckon and wait for me.
And I sit and think, when the sunset's gold
Is flashing on river, and hill, and shore,
I shall one day stand by the waters cold
And list to the sound of the boatman's oar.
I shall watch for the gleam of the flapping sail;
I shall hear the boat as it gains the strand;
I shall pass from sight with the boatman pale
To the better shore of the spirit land.
I shall know the loved who have gone before;
And joyfully sweet will the meeting be,
When over the river, the peaceful river,
The angel of death shall carry me."
M.F.W.
Written by Orlo's brother-in-law Milton F. Woodhouse