Ada Martin, Bangor, 1865
Contributed by Maine Historical Society and Maine State Museum
Description
John Martin (1823-1904) of Bangor drew these illustrations of his daughter, Ada, in three positions on page 545 of a journal he began writing in 1864 to recount his life, work, and experiences.
Ada (1851-1923) was the eldest child of John and Clara Cary Martin. She and her brother John Jr. were the only two of the six Martin children to survive their parents.
At left is Ada as she was dressed from ages 4 to 6 at left, reading a book. Martin wrote, "reading picture books and primmers and giving the names of a 150 pictures before she could read a word as early as from 3 to 4 years old she made books her friend & has never yet departed from them.'
In the center, she is shown as she appeared in her dancing debut at age 5, in one position of the Highland Fling. At right, she is in "her ever favoured hobby sitting by a window all alone in a rocking chair her foot on another chair reading."
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