A VISIT TO THE PAST

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Wylie and Clara Martin

1900's

← Main Street Garage
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The Announcement for the
Opening of the
Main Street Garage →
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↑

The Wylie and Clara Martin Family

Back row - Harry Martin, Ed Herman holding Carl Herman,

Wylie & Clara Martin, Donald Herman

Middle row - Thelma Martin, Ivy Grace, Martin Herman, Peggy Herman
Front row - Gary Martin, Maxine Herman, Sheila Martin

← Clara and Wylie Martin ↓

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.Wylie and Clara Martin were married in 1905.

In 1909, they moved to Paradise.

Wylie was to work there as a Foreman in building the railroad that was coming to Paradise.

Many of the men building the railroad were Chinese and it was felt that Wylie could manage them well.

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Wylie was a real go-getter. He worked as a carpenter, then operated an automobile service station and Ford agency which he built himself in Paradise with the help of his son. He then returned to carpentry.

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By reading the Paradise Farmer, Wylie is recorded as doing most any job from setting up windmills to making cement forms to masonry. He was also involved with the WPA building of the Paradise water tower that stands on a corner of his land.

He also served in the Kansas State Guard 1917-1919.

I'm not sure of the time line of these, but according the the Paradise Farmer, Wiley started clerking at the Harrell Hardware Store in 1920.

He was mayor of Paradise for a number of years.

(In one of my books about Paradise, I have a list of all the mayors. Do you think I could find it now? No! But, I will add the years at a later date, hopefully.)

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Clara was always busy with quilting, embroidering and crocheting. She crochet the dress that she was buried in. (Shown in the last picture above.)

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She was also a sharpshooter who would go on the jackrabbit kills with the men.

He was a milker of cows - using a one-legged stool that he would pivot all around on in order to accomplish his task.

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Clara and Wylie are buried in Mt Hermon cemetery - just to the right of the entrance to it.

Wylie apparently bought some of the first lots. Their graves were dug by friends and neighbors as a mark of respect. Wylie never seemed to get over the idea of having to pay someone to dig a grave.

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