Edward Jacob Martin (1895-1966)
my
maternal grandfather
The middle child! According to child psychologist, Dr. Kevin Lehman, the middle child tends to be the family peacekeeper often developing the trait of agreeableness and compassion and because middle children are stuck in the middle, they tend to be great negotiators and compromisers.[1] My grandfather, Edward Jacob Martin was the middle child and seemed to understand and empathize with children that were middle children.
Nancy Simmons to Josephine Martin
to Edward Jacob Martin
 |
| Edward Jacob MARTIN 1895-1966 |
The middle child! According to child psychologist, Dr. Kevin Lehman, the middle child tends to be the family peacekeeper often developing the trait of agreeableness and compassion and because middle children are stuck in the middle, they tend to be great negotiators and compromisers.[1] My grandfather, Edward Jacob Martin was the middle child and seemed to understand and empathize with children that were middle children.
 |
| Edward Jacob MARTIN about 1898 Victorian Era - Little boys in long curls & ruffles |
Edward was born in Jan 7, 1895[2]
in Detroit on Southern Avenue to Francis and Nina (Wilcox) Martin. He was the
second child of Frank and Nina, their first child, Hubbard Walter, born September
7, 1893[3]
was 16 months old when Edward was born. Nina certainly had her hands full with
two baby boys 16 months apart. Edward was the baby for five years when his
youngest brother, Orville Ellis, was born on February 10, 1900[4]
in their home on Welch Street in Detroit and firmly established Edward as the
middle child of three boys.
 |
| MARTIN Brothers Edward on the left, Orville in center and Hubbard on the right Picture taken about 1903 |
I do not know much about my
grandfather's childhood other than the family moved several times within the
same area of Detroit. His father, Frank, was an engineer for the Michigan
Central Railroad and they always lived close enough for him to walk to work
every day.
 |
| Edward J MARTIN about 1908 when he would have finished 8th grade |
As I studied the 1940 federal census it stated the highest grade of
school completed for Edward was 8th grade as well as his father and mother.[5]
 |
| 1940 Federal Census The column that is titled Grade is highest grade level attended H4 is 4 years of high school and C1 is one year of college |
He married Mary Catherine Cronin
June 28, 1917 by Rev Andrew Browne, a Catholic priest at the Most Holy Redeemer
Catholic Church[6] on
Junction and Vernor Avenue.
 |
| 1917 Wedding picture Seated Mary Cronin & Edward J. MARTIN Standing - Mary Ellen (O'Rourke) and Hubbard MARTIN |
The witnesses for the marriage were his older
brother Hubbard and his wife Mary Ellen, best friend of Mary Catherine.
 |
| Edward J Martin & Mary Cronin Marriage Certificate June 28, 1917 in Detroit, Michigan Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church |
Edward and Mary lived with his
parents after their marriage and were listed in the 1920 federal census living
at 312 Vinewood Avenue with their first child, Edward William who was born
September 16, 1918 probably in that home.[7]
They are living with Edward's parents, Frank and Nina, and his youngest brother
Orville who is 19. Edward is listed in the census as a laborer working for the
auto industry.[8] According
to my family he worked for Ford.
 |
| 1920 US Federal Census Detroit, Michigan Frank Martin Family in downstairs flat and George Miller in upstairs flat |
What is amazing at this time is how
many family members lived in the house on Vinewood. Edward and Mary with their young son, Frank
and Nina and Ellis and a 28-year-old boarder lived on the first floor with only
two bedrooms. Living in the upstairs flat with only two bedrooms were Nina's
sister, Blanche, her husband George, their ten-year-old son, Osborne, Nina's
sister Thressa and a boarder. Multigenerational living has been a practice for
centuries.
Edward and Mary eventually moved
into their own home on 6767 Bostwick street where my aunt Nina and my mother
were born. My mother being the third child or middle child of three girls. My
mother and her siblings attended All Saints Catholic Church Parochial School.
My grandmother, Mary Catherine, came from a strong Irish Catholic family and
raised her four children Catholic while my grandfather was a proud Irish
protestant. So, when my mother married a
Methodist boy in 1946 my grandfather and according to my mother even her Irish
Catholic mother were very compassionate and accepting of my mother's marriage.
This was not common in the mid-1940s. And for a side note Mary Catherine was also
a middle child.
 |
| Edward J. Martin and his wife, Mary Catherine (Cronin) |
Back to the 1930s when my mother
and her siblings were attending All Saints her grandparents, Frank and Nina
started having serious health issues. So, my grandfather packed up his wife and
four children, sold the house on Bostwick, and moved into the upper flat above
his parents on 1118 Vinewood. Avenue. By this time Detroit had adjusted the
house numbers of homes to a new numbering system, 312 Vinewood was the same
home as 1118 Vinewood. About the same time Edward’s parents were failing in
health my grandmother Mary was starting to have health issues. As a child she
had rheumatic fever and as she aged her heart started to weaken. My compassionate
grandfather was taking care of his parents and helping his wife, Mary as much
as he could. Edward was a US postal carrier and only worked 40 hours a week
which was quite unusual for men at that time. This allowed him time to care for
his family.
 |
| A recent picture of the 1116 & 1118 Vinewood Avenue house Captured from Google Earth |
In 1940 Edward and his family suffered
their first family crisis. His younger brother, Orville Ellis, died at age 40
leaving a young wife and three children. Four years later, his mother Nina who had been
suffering from dementia died leaving Edward to taking care of his father. On March
7, 1947 his father Frank suffered a stroke and died[9]
and the very next year June 1, 1948 Edward's oldest brother, Hubbard died.[10] Four deaths in seven years and my grandfather
had lost his entire immediate family. I cannot imagine his grief. Then if that
was not enough, four years later my grandmother died on October 13, 1952.[11] At the age of 57 my grandfather had lost both
of his parents and his two brothers.
 |
| Edward's Family 1945 Back Row - Josephine, Mary, Edward, Beatrice & Nina Front- son Edward, his son, Edward Timothy & Julie |
As a child I never saw my
grandfather melancholy or sad. He was so compassionate and endearing as I
believe all the men in our family with Martin blood seem to be. My grandfather
loved to square dance and met a divorcee while square dancing and remarried
Leda Shaw Fast in 1953. I have a cousin who told me my grandfather planted a
garden out behind her house in the 1950s and would call square dances at their
home on the weekends.
 |
| Leda (Shaw) Martin & Edward about 1957 |
My grandfather kept busy visiting
his children and his grandchildren. He traveled to New York City to visit his
youngest daughter Beatrice whose husband was doing his medical residence practice
there. She lived on the ninth floor of an apartment building with two young
children and another one on the way. In Detroit, my grandfather would come to
visit us and always slipped a dime into our hand as we hugged him and then we
would take off for Frankie's Sweet Shop to buy a bag of penny candy. I think it
was a tactic to get us out of the house so he could visit with my mother.
 |
| Edward walking with his grandson William pushing Mary Ellen in the stroller AUnt Nina & Ted also traveled with Edward to New York City summer 1958 |
After our family moved 40 miles
south of Detroit in 1960, he would drive out to visit and as we played in the
yard my mother and grandfather would play cribbage. One of my favorite memories
of my grandfather’s visits was the August of 1960 when my grandfather came to
Monroe to take us to the county fair. It was my first ever trip to a county
fair and we were so thrilled to see all the animals and exhibits. But my best
memory of the fair was he paid for all of us to ride the bumper cars and we had
a blast as he stood there and watch us.
 |
| Edward J. MARTIN about 1955 |
I recall my mother talking about
the trials of being the middle sibling and that her father also showed concerned
about his grandchildren who were middle children. I guess he could relate since
he was a middle child. But what a wonderful gracious man he was and maybe what
the world needs is many more middle children with the trait of agreeableness
and compassion. Since middle children are stuck in the middle, they tend to be
great negotiators and compromisers, just what we need to make this world a
better place.
My grandfather died unexpectedly on
September 21, 1966[12]
at the age of 71 from a heart attack.
 |
| Edward J. MARTIN - Death Certificate Died September 21, 1966 |
[1]
Gregoire, Carolyn, "How Being an Oldest,
Middle or Youngest Child Shapes Your Personality", HuffPost blog, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/birth-order-personality_n_7206252; Lehman, Dr Kevin, The Birth Order Book.
[2]
Ancestry, World War I Draft Registration
Cards, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/12129622/person/-329815627/facts
[3] Ancestry, World War I Draft
Registration Cards, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/12129622/person/-329815629/facts
[4] Ancestry, Michigan, Death Records,
1867-1952, Wayne, Certificates, 1921-1944, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60872/images/44471_354750-01347?pId=990179&backurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ancestry.com%2Ffamily-tree%2Fperson%2Ftree%2F12129622%2Fperson%2F-329815628%2Ffacts
[5] Ancestry, 1940 United States
Federal Census, Detroit Ward 14, Wayne, ED 84-758,
[6] Ancestry, Michigan, Marriage
Records, Wayne, 1867-1952, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9093/images/41326_342329-00213?pId=462462&backurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ancestry.com%2Ffamily-tree%2Fperson%2Ftree%2F12129622%2Fperson%2F-329815627%2Ffacts%2Fcitation%2F122824169040%2Fedit%2Frecord
[7] Ancestry, 1920 United States
Federal Census, Detroit Ward 14, Wayne, ED 410, page 5B, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4311651-00090?pId=25911345&backurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ancestry.com%2Ffamily-tree%2Fperson%2Ftree%2F12129622%2Fperson%2F-329815630%2Ffacts%2Fcitation%2F24624299554%2Fedit%2Frecord
[8] Ibid 1920 US Federal Census
[12] Death
Certificate, State of Michigan, Dept of Health, Lansing, MI Certificate #13500
