MARTIN, JOHN (1822-92) was born at Maghera, county Down, Ireland, the son of a retired clergyman who had taken to farming. When John was 19 years old both his parents died of typhus, and the problem of providing for the family fell to an uncle, Dr Espie, late R.N. On his advice the whole family sailed by the Lady Nugent for New Zealand (Oct 1840). When they reached Port Nicholson John, with his knowledge of horses, found little difficulty in getting employment as a carter and with pick and shovel. On one occasion when prospects were not good he travelled on foot to Wanganui, through country not too friendly; and when hostilities broke out in the Hutt valley he did duty as a member of the Wellington militia, spending nights on sentry at Polhill gully, an approach to the town which it was feared that the hostile natives might make use of. Carting supplies and munitions to the troops, Martin made several profitable journeys to the Hutt.

Two of his brothers, Edward and Robert, went to Otago on the staff of Kettle (1846), and John established in Manners street a prosperous business as a merchant, woolbuyer, and auctioneer. He made, also, investments in town lands, chiefly on the Te Aro flat. In 1847 he married Miss Baird (of Edinburgh) and they lived in Ghuznee street, Martin square being formed on portion of his property. In 1859-61 Martin was interested with J. C. Smith (q.v.) in a run at Tuapeka, Otago. The goldfields gave them a good market for meat, but the run was resumed by the Government. By 1860 he was a substantial member of the community, and he took part in most of the commercial enterprises of early Wellington. He was a member of the town board (1863-76). Martin had a hot temper, and was plainly not the type of man for public life. With all his shrewd sense and undoubted ability, he lacked the faculty of working harmoniously with men of different temperament. When he stood for the Provincial Council in 1865 he was almost at the bottom of the poll. Nevertheless he was a good citizen; a staunch Presbyterian, and a member of the building committee of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (1866). Gradually divesting himself of retail interests, Martin devoted himself more fully to financial and pastoral matters. In 1868, with his co-surety, W. B. Rhodes, he ran Cobb's coaches for a time. In 1879 he purchased for £85,000 from G. M. Waterhouse the Waihenga property of 34,000 acres. He subdivided portion of it for the town of Martinborough and for adjoining small farms, and on the remainder of the estate raised stock in a systematic manner.

Another of his interests was shipping. He was associated with T. Henderson (q.v.) in the ownership of the Circular Saw Line of steamers (including the Wellington, Taranaki, Airedale and Phoebe), which was afterwards sold to the Union Steam Ship Co. At the end of the seventies, when the fleet of the New Zealand Steam Navigation Co. was put up at auction, Martin bought it for £15,000. In public life he was apt to be a silent member, rarely speaking but attending with great regularity the sessions of the Legislative Council (to which he was called by the Grey Government in 1878). Martin died on 17 May 1892, a few months after his wife. In 1875 he presented to the city Martin's Fountain, which for many years stood in the open space in front of the Union Bank of Australia, but is now at Oriental Bay. 'Within a mile of Martin's Fountain' in the early days meant something like 'Within sound of Bow bells'.

N.Z.P.D., 13 Sep 1872; Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Ward; J. A. Thomson; N.Z. Times, 18 May 1892; Evening Star, 28 Mar 1898; Evening Post, 29 Oct 1929 (p).

Reference: Volume 2, page 33

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