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Martin
Origen Martin appears to have arrived in Maple Ridge by 1890 or so, as he is included as a household of one in the 1891 census at the age of 31. According to his obituary, published in the Gazette on October 2nd, 1924, Mr Origen S. Seneca Martin was born in Michigan, son of a Baptist Minister, but left his home quite early. After living for some time in Texas and other Southwestern States, he came to B.C. One of his first jobs was the clearing of the Port Moody Townsite, and after this, he purchased some land and settled down in Webster’s Corners.
We don’t know what brought a man like Origen to a quiet life in Webster’s Corners. Living alone, he had a barn and some 10 or 12 acres cleared at the north end of 256th Street which was then called Martin’s Road. He grew ginseng and had a work horse named Bill.
According to records of his death in 1924, his real name was Samuel Seneca Martin and it appears that “Origen”, the name of an early writer and philosopher of the Christian Church, was adopted by his own choice.
Despite his apparent religious connections, to the philosopher Origen, and being the son of a Baptist Minister, Martin identified himself as “atheist” in the 1891 census both under “Religion” and under “Occupation”. Later, in the 1901 census, he is the only person in Maple Ridge with “Infidel” as his religion. If nothing else, this somewhat mysterious man possessed a cheeky sense of humour.
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