From the land of the bagpipe have come several citizens who have made their home in O'Brien county. Iowa. These Highlanders, with their accoutrements, are among the most picturesque people of Europe. From the earliest period of English history they have struggled against the English and it was not until 1702 that they were finally united to England. Those sturdy characteristics which they now possess have come about as a result of centuries of bloody fighting and today they still exhibit those qualities which kept them independent for so many centuries.
Alexander L. Martin, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of Waterman township. O'Brien county. Iowa, was born in Scotland in 1850. He came with his parents. William and Mary (Lumsden) martin, to this country in 1852. His father was born in Scotland in 1807 and lived the life of a farmer in his native land. Upon coming to this country he engaged in farming in Wisconsin until his death in 1893.
Alexander L. Martin was one of a family of twelve children, five of whom are still living.At the early age of ten, he left home and worked out by day's labor. Before he reached his majority he had come to Iowa and homesteaded in Clay county. In 1881 he moved to O'Brien county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land, put up buildings, erected fences and otherwise improved the farm, so that when he sold it he realized a handsome profit upon his investment. He then bought one hundred and sixty acres in Waterman townshipand has added to that from time to time until he now owns four hundred acres of excellent farming land in this county. Mr. Martin has gone through some very trying experieces since living in this county. During the terrible blizzard of 1882 he drove a distance of sixteen miles in one of the worst days in the history of the county. During this terrible winter he found frozen bodies in Clay and O'Brien counties. In addition to farming his ow^n land he has done a great deal of threshing in his time. At one time he owned a machine, threshing by horse power and since this machine was the only one in this part of the country he found plenty of work to do. Like many of his neighbors, he owns a share in the Farmers Elevator Company at Sutherland. He has always been interested in the raising of live stock and has exhibited cattle and poultry at the various fairs in this section of the state. He is one of the organizersof the O'Brien County Fair Association and is one of the directors of that organization at the present time.
Mr. Martin was married in 1875 to Kate Huxley, who was born in Massachusetts in 1854. Mr. and Mrs.Martin are the parents of ten children, all living, Lewis, Nellie. Lawrence. Charles, Albert, Rose, Jane, Ethel, Jasper and Alta. Nellie and three sons are married. All of them are living in this county. Jane and Ethel are teaching school. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are justly proud of their children and have given them every educational advantage, in order that they may be better prepared to fight the battles of life.
Politically, Mr. Martin belongs to the class of men who are known as independents in politics, that is. men who vote for people rather than for an emblem at the top of a ticket. He has always been especially interested in the educational affairs of his township and has the honor of being the man to locate the first school house in his township. Religiously, he and his familv attend the Methodist Episcopal church and contribute liberally of their means to its support. Fraternally, he is a member of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. He is a man of clean character and genial impulses, so that he unconsciously makes friends of all with whom he comes in contact. From Past and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties Iowa 1914