John Martin

John Martin (December 11, 1827 – February 28, 1893) was a Scottish-American pioneer who arrived to Monterey County, California in 1856. He purchased near the mouth of Carmel Valley, close to today's Carmel Mission, predating the development of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Martin built a farmhouse on the property in the early 1870s for his wife and children near Carmel Point, known today as Mission Ranch, owned by Clint Eastwood since 1986.

The original house on the John Martin Ranch, with Stewart/Martin family members, (standing l-r) Joseph, Will, Carmel, Isabel, Elizabeth is seated, Roy, Robert, James, and Andrew. (1870s)

Martin married Elizabeth Hislop Stewart (1840-1916) on February 10, 1871, in Middlesex, Ontario, Canada, while he was visiting Canada. She was a widow with three sons. Martin and Elizabeth had six children together in 12 years.

His wife, Elizabeth stayed on the ranch for the rest of her life. She died on November 25, 1916, in Carmel, having lived a long life of 76 years. Her funeral took place at the family ranch. Her remains were buried at the Martin Plot, at the Monterey City Cemetery.