The following article appeared in the book, Dalton's Heritage Edited by Linda Morgan © 2002:

THE HERMAN AND MARY MARTIN FAMILY

Herman and Mary Martin moved from Bancroft, Nebraska to Dalton March, 1908. They were married in 1894 and lived in Bancroft for fourteen years where Herman was a blacksmith. Herman Albert Martin was born to John and Julia (Hirsch) Martin in 1870. His parents emigrated from Germany. His father, a veteran of the Mexican War and the Union Army, had settled on a farm near Bancroft. Jubilea Maria (Mary) Christensen was born in 1877 to Hans and Margaret Christensen, immigrants from Denmark. Both Julia Martin and Hans Christensen lived in Dalton after their spouses died.
Herman established Dalton's blacksmith shop soon after arriving in Dalton in 1908. Within a year of his arrival, he was selected one of five citizens to travel to Sidney to petition the county commissioners to grant a charter to formally establish the Village of Dalton. The request was granted and Herman was selected as one of five Village Trustees.
When Herman and Mary arrived they had seven children: Mabel, Jesse McKinley (Kink), Harry (Dude), Margaret, Mary (Teenie), Elmer (Bud), and Chester (Chet). In 1909, Clara (Alice) was born and is considered to be the first child born inside the limits of Dalton. Four additional children were born in Dalton: Clarence, John Clifford (Cliff). George (who died at birth), and Glenwood. Herman's younger brother, Ervin and family, followed Herman to Dalton 1918, and worked in the blacksmith shop for some time.
The Herman Martin family, with the seven "wild Martin boys" had a reputation as a good-natured and fun-loving bunch. The Martin family showed movies and played live music for dancing on the weekends in a room over the drug store. The boys were industrious and involved in a number of local business activities, and they loved to show off their cars around town. The Martin's son Glenwood served in the Army during World War II.
Herman lived in Dalton for 26 years operating the blacksmith shop. He was active in community affairs and a respected tradesman and individual. Herman died at age 64 in 1934. A front page article in the Dalton Delegate of November 9, 1934, described his funeral as the best attended in years. With friends coming to honor the memory of one they admired and respected. The article continued with the tribute that, "Mr. Martin built up a fine business through honorable dealing and pleasing personality. Herman seldom complained and he was remarkably free from the common faults of mankind. His customers always felt that his charges for smith work were hardly enough, but Herman Martin was a man's man and he believed in a live and let live policy. He never had a criticism for anyone, he was devoted to his family, and they to him. He will be missed not only as the village smithy, but as a high-type citizen."
Mary Martin lived in the Martin home, just north of the Lutheran Church, until her death in 1942. Following Herman's death in 1934, his son, Cliff operated the Martin blacksmith shop until 1945, when he moved from Dalton. Bud Martin operated Martin's Mercantile in Dalton until he sold it to John and Bonnie Ewing. Herman and Mary's children grew to adulthood in Dalton, but only Margaret (married to Harold "Pete" Worth), and Alice (married to Raymond (Graff), remained in Dalton.

Submitted by Larry Martin, grandson of Herman and Mary Martin; son of Cliff Martin.

We now have the Herman and Mary Martin family history on the web!!

At the 2006 Reunion it was decided to put the family historical information on the web site. We gathered all the information that was available from the attendees and now have the first edition. Check it out!

Click here

REUNIONS

The first reunion was held at the YMCA camp near Estes Park, Colorado October10 - 12, 2000. We currently do not have anything on this site regarding the 2000 Reunion.

The second biannual reunion was held in Lincoln City, Oregon October 2 - 4, 2002 at the Seahorse Motel. For details and pictures, click the "Reunion 2002" link to the left.

The third reunion was held in Sidney, Nebraska September 16 through 19, 2004. to coincide with Dalton's annual Fall Festival. For details and pictures, click the "Reunion 2004" link to the left.

The fourth reunion was held in the Hidden Mountain River Lodge of Sevierville TN October 5 through 7 2006. For a summary of the reunion, click the "Reunion 2006 Overview" link on the left.

The fifth Reunion was held October 2 through October 5 2008 at the Seacliff Inn in Aptos, California.