George Bohun Martin

HONORABLE GEORGE BOHUN MARTIN

Gentleman Rancher and Politician: Sometime Employee of the Hudson's Bay Company at Kamloops in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District of British Columbia, Thereafter a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works

George Bohun Martin is the son of Captain George Bohun Martin, R.N., C.B., and his wife, Isabella Harriett Briggs. He was baptised at Shelford in Nottinghamshire, England, on 27 December 1841 England Births and Baptisms

Acordong to the Victoria Heritage Foundation, George Bohun Martin was born in Nottingham, England, into a naval family, and at the age of 14 joined the Royal Navy with his two brothers. After serving two years on the HMS Victory, George was stationed in the Baltic Sea during the Crimean War. He was then shipped to India with the East India Co. George became ill and returned to England, and after recuperating he made his way to the Pacific Coast, and arrived in Victoria in 1862 on the SS Jonathan. On his arrival, George joined the Hudson's Bay Company and was sent to Kamloops. He stayed with the Hudson's Bay Company for three years, then purchased a large ranch on the South Thompson River and pursued ranching. He also entered politics and represented Yale in the legislature for 12 years. He served four years as Minister of Lands and Works under Premiers Theodore Davie and J.H. Turner, and then retired. He lived at this house on St. Lawrence until he died in 1933. Catherine lived here as a widow until the late-1940s and died at Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital in 1955." Victoria Heritage Foundation

Armorial Ensigns

George Bohun Martin was a Gentleman of Coat Armour. His listing in Fox-Davies's Armorial Families reads as follows: "Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works 1894. Born Dec. 25, 1841 being the second son of the late Captain George Bohun Martin, Post-Captain R.N., Cross of St. Louis and second class of St. Ann of Russia, by his wife Isabella Harriet, dau. of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs, G.C.M.G. (who d. 1852 whilst Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth)." His Armorial Ensigns are described therin as follows: "Argent, two bars gules, a canton azure,thereon an anchor erect, the shank encircled by a naval crown or. Mantling gules and argent. Crest — On a wreath of the colours, upon the stump of a tree eradicated proper, surmounted by an anchor in bend sinister or, a martin cat sejant, supporting between the paws a mirror also proper, and gorged with a naval crown, therefrom a chain reflexed over the back gold. Motto — Sans tache. Residence: Martin's Ranch, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada [Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour (Volume 2), page 69 of 282]

Martin Ranch 1881

1881 Census of Canada

Martin Ranch 1891

1891 Census of Canada

Victoria 1901

1901 Census of Canada

Death

George Bohun Martin died of myocardial failure on 29 August 1933, at Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. His widow Catherine Hallinian reported his death to the district registrar. British Columbia Death Registrations

Burial

George Bohun Martin was buried on 31 August 1933 British Columbia Death Registrations He was buried at Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Find A Grave Memorial

First Marriage

George Bohun Martin married Ann Saint Paul, daughter of Jean Baptiste Lolo (Otherwise known as Chief Lolo or Saint Paul). When the 1881 census was enumerated Ann Saint Paul and five of her children are noticed in the household of George Bohun Martin but she was not identified as his wife, or as the mother of his children, and it would appear from this that she and her husband may have married according to the custom of the country in the first instance 1881 Census of Canada Ann Saint Paul is treated differently in the census of 1891 1891 Census of Canada

Second Marriage

George Bohun Martin married for a second time to Catherine Hallinian, formerly Mrs. William Chapman They were married at Victoria in British Columbia Canada, on 20 January 1914 British Columbia Marriages

Children

George Bohun Martin and his first wife Ann Saint Paul had six children whose names have been identified from their vital records. The names follow:

1. Frank Martin
2. Catherine Martin
3. Mary Elizabeth Martin
4. Henry Martin
5. Martin George Bohun Martin
6. Elizabeth Ann Campbell

Biographical Accounts

1. Our Roots
2. Wikipedia: George Bohun Martin
3. Victoria Heritage Foundation