John Martin (businessman)


John Martin of Peacham, Vermont was an American steamboat captain and businessman in Minneapolis, Minnesota involved in lumber and flour milling. In 1891, Martin led a merger of six mills to create Northwestern Consolidated Milling Company, at the time the world's second largest flour milling company after Pillsbury-Washburn.
In 1855 he was standard-bearer and leader on horseback of the ceremonial opening of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge the first major, permanent bridge across the Mississippi River
He was also President of the First National Bank, owner of the largest lumber mill in the area until it burned in 1887 and founding officer of Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway and Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
Later in life he provided primary funding and major impetus for the founding of the Children's Home Society of Minnesota, then called the Jean Martin Brown Receiving Home.
Martin was married to Miss Jane B. Gilfillan sister of Representative John Bachop Gilfillan of Minnesota.
They had one child, Jean Brown. Jean Martin's son was Earle Brown, noted Hennepin County Sheriff, founder of the Minnesota State Patrol, and Republican gubernatorial candidate for Minnesota. He was also noted, like his grandfather, for his equestrian interests and special interest in Belgian Horse showing and breeding.
John Martin is buried in the Martin-Gilfillan family plot with his wife Jane, daughter Jean, and grandson Earle at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.
His funeral was held at 925 6th Street SE, Minneapolis , the home was designed by noted architect Earnest Kennedy and was built with the intention of sharing it with his nephew Earl Browne. After John Martin died, Earle Brown lived there until 1909, when the property was sold to noted geologist Horace V. Winchell and Brown moved permanently to Brooklyn Farm in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.