The Emerald isle has made valuable contribution to the citizenship of New Haven county. Those who have had their nativity in Ireland or trace their ancestry to that country have been active and prominent factors in developing the material, political and social progress of this section of the state.

  Among the number is John Edwin Martin, whose birth occurred in Farmington, Connecticut, August 12, 1866, and whose parents were born in Ireland. The father, Thomas Martin, was born at Mullingar, in County Westmeath, and about 1847 crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling in Brooklyn. He afterward removed to Farmington, Connecticut and in 1872 became a resident of Cheshire, where he was engaged in the nursery business and in farming, devoting the last ten or fifteen years of his life to agricultural pursuits. He passed away in 1898, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Cunningham, was born in Dyserth, in County Westmeath, Ireland, and came to America with her mother, brothers and sister in the year 1846. Her death occurred in 1904, when she had reached the seventy-first milestone on life’s journey. There were nine children in the family, five of whom reached adult age: Margaret, who is deceased; John E.; Edward, living in Wallingford; Thomas, who died in December, 1909, in Waterbury, where he was foreman of the Waterbury Clock Company; and Mary E., who is living in Wallingford.

  John E. Martin acquired a common school education at Farmington and at Cheshire and after putting aside his textbooks began learning the trade of machinist and tool maker with the firm of Pratt & Whitney in Hartford. Later he was with the Waterbury Clock Company for two years and subsequently spent a similar period with the Benedict & Burnham Company. In November, 1896, he removed to Wallingford and entered the employ of the H. L. Judd Company as a tool maker and after five years was advanced to the position of foreman of one of the departments, in which capacity he is still serving, being one of the most trusted employes of the company and occupying a position of responsibility. He is also interested to some extent in real estate in Wallingford.

  Mr. Martin gives his political endorsement to the democratic party and has been an active worker in its ranks. His fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth and public spirit, have chosen him to serve in several positions of honor and trust. He was a member of the court of burgesses from 1906 until 1912 and in November of the latter year was elected warden, to which position he was reelected in 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917, so that he now occupies the position for the fifth term. He has given to the town a businesslike and progressive administration, working for the welfare and upbuilding of Wallingford and instituting various measures which have been of great public benefit. At one time he also filled the position of member of the board of education of the town of Cheshire for three years. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Holy Trinity Catholic church, while fraternally he is connected with the Eagles. A lifelong resident of Connecticut, he is regarded as a man of substantial worth who has rendered to his community valuable public service, while in business circles he has won the advancement that comes as the legitimate reward of unfaltering industry and thorough reliability