John Martin: Expert Observer

In the book he labeled "Scrap & Sketch Book," John Martin veered from the format he used in his Journal, which he also called his "history." Martin began compiling, illustrating, and writing in the Scrap & Sketch Book on June 14, 1864, when he also was writing his Journal.

The Scrap & Sketch Book includes some history, but it focuses primarily on events that were taking place between June 1864 and August 1866.

Understandably, one of his primary interests is the Civil War and its conclusion. Another interest is the changes taking place in Bangor during and after the war. Martin deplores the social and economic changes, which, in part, led to the failure of his shop.

An ardent Republican, he supported the war, deplored the "secesh" element in Bangor, Democratic politics, the Irish residents who voted with the Democrats, and the politicians -- locally and nationally -- who undid what Lincoln and the Republicans tried to do to improve the lot of former slaves and others.

Like his other volumes, the Scrap & Sketch Book is illustrated, often with watercolors, and covers a myriad of topics, often jumping from one to another: the circus, the Cornet Band, newspaper articles about politics, a tribute to a friend who died in the Civil War, a drawing of his ideal homestead, a discussion of slavery based on a conversation with a former slave who lived in Bangor, the 1865 July 4th celebration, the first hot air balloon in Bangor, dance, criminals and criminal activity in Bangor, his children's activities, and much more.

The volume shows his broad interests and reveals the deep divisions in Civil War Bangor and environs.

To make the Scrap & Sketch Book more easily accessible, it is broken into eight sections, accessible by the links below, or the links at left, where a slightly more detailed account of the contents of each section can be found.