John Martin (1823-1904), a native of Ellsworth, spent most of his life in the Bangor area. A bookkeeper and accountant for a number of businesses, Martin and his wife, Clara Cary, had six children.

Martin kept detailed records and drawings of his activities and the areas in which he lived. He was interested in much that surrounded him: architecture, politics, gardening and farming, business, boats, horses, trolleys, churches, and, especially dancing and music.

In 1855, Martin and 43 other Bangor area men started the "Dancing Fraternity," a group that studied and practiced the latest dances. Martin was the group's founding secretary and prepared a book about the group, with details about each member.

This photograph is part of page 4 of his book and accompanies the description he wrote about himself and his life.