Melville H. Martin 1839-1916

Melville H. Martin

died in the almshouse, but he was buried with his relatives in the Fluvanna Cemetery, not in the cemetery attached to the Almshouse.

He was my second great-uncle. Who says you have to start your genealogy story with your closest or oldest known relative?

 He was a photographer, as was at least one of his brothers. Somewhere in some ancient family album, are pictures taken by him, but I have not found them.

He had three children, Earl, Harry and Anna Louise. I have not heard from Harry since 1880, but I know he was dead by 1919, when Anna Louise made up a chart of her many cousins. Earl was also dead by then.

His daughter, Anna Louise Ward, nee Martin, was one of the conspirators who drew me into the study of genealogy. She was not alone.

Here is what the local folks were thinking about the old almshouse in 1972.

The following information is extracted from an article entitled “Over the bridge of Sighs: Like Former Residents the Old Poor House is Abandoned and Run Down,” by Jim Fox, Mayville Bureau, Evening Observer, Dunkirk-Fredonia, NY, Wednesday, December 6, 1972.