John Strickler Martin
(2023)

Martin attempted to indulge in his passion by bringing eggs and hens to the backyard of the school on two separate occasions, which resulted in both a coop overturned and a jokester hiding his hens in a bedroom closet, respectively. It was incidents like these that influenced Martin to retire from teaching in 1906 at the age of 31 in pursuit of breeding chickens, specifically his beloved White Wyandottes.

By 1914, Martin had found success in his breeding of White Wyandotte and was herald as “the Wyandotte King” of America. His chicken farm on Prospect Drive was seen as one of the finest and most extensive poultry farms in the world, extending over 15 acres along the lake.

Martin’s Wyandottes were considered too valuable for their eggs or meat and instead coveted by breeders around the world with his birds being sold to almost every part of Europe as well as breeders in India and South Africa. At the New York State Fair, Martin won an outstanding 36 first places prizes out of 42 for his Wyandottes. 

Aside from being one of Canada’s most exceptional chicken breeders, Martin was chair of the local Board of Trade and served as Reeve for Port Dover from 1922 to 1923. Also, Martin represented Norfolk South and Norfolk in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a conservative member from 1923 to 1931, as well as the Minister of Agriculture for the Province in those same years.

John Strickler Martin sadly died at 56 years of age in 1931, while in office. Canadian Poultry Magazine wrote “John S Martin was one of those men who give of their best in any work, which they undertake.  What he did for the farmers of Ontario in his position as minister of agriculture only those whom he worked with and for can tell.  At Guelph College he was beloved by the staff and pupils, among the farming community, even as among the Fancy, his friends were legion, drawn to him by his sincerity, his thoroughness, his generosity and his kindness of manner.  He was indeed full of the milk of human kindness.”