Martin, J. J. (James John), 1845-1938?

Biographical Information

James John Martin was born in 1845. The early years of his adulthood were spent in railroad endeavors and efforts related to labor unions. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Coast Seaman's Union of San Francisco in the 1880s.

These efforts were followed by his involvement in the founding of the Kaweah Co-Operative Colony. The Colony was begun with the filing of land claims in 1885 and the formal purchase of land in 1887. Martin served as the Secretary of the Kaweah Colony for five years during which time the Colony was constructed, occupied, investigated by Federal agents, prosecuted by the Federal government and eventually dismantled. After leaving Kaweah, Martin moved to Los Angeles where he continued to fight for compensation of the colonists by the government. During this time Martin and some colleagues began to explore the possibility of establishing a cooperative colony in Mexico, but exploration proved fruitless.

At the beginning of the 20th century Martin moved to Victoria, British Columbia where he worked for a short period as a salesman before becoming involved in a labor dispute on behalf of the Marine Engineer's Association. Following the resolution of that labor dispute, he was hired as the organizing Secretary and Treasurer of the Merchant Service Guild of Canada. Amidst a dispute within the organization, Martin resigned in 1909. For the next two years Martin was involved in the establishment of the entrepreneurial enterprise of the Hartly Bay Lumber, Trading and Fishing Company. This business collapsed in 1911 and Martin spent the next 4 years working as Special Representative for the Hotel Del Monte in Western Canada.

In 1914 Martin retired from his work with the Hotel Del Monte and spent the next two years working to establish a cooperative colony similar to the Kaweah Colony in Tasmania. Despite the backing of prominent governmental officials in Tasmania, the colony failed to secure parliamentary approval for their establishment and in 1915 efforts were abandoned.

Following the failure of the Tasmania Colony, Martin suffered a nervous breakdown and spent several weeks convalescing with friends in Tasmania. Upon his recuperation he returned to British Columbia and unsuccessfully sought employment again with the Hotel Del Monte. Martin spent the next 19 years in retirement spending time with his children and grandchildren. He died on May 10, 1938 in San Luis Obispo.

From the guide to the J.J. Martin papers, 1880-1972, bulk 1885-1936, (The Bancroft Library)