The Martin line functions as connective tissue across generations and geographies. While less defined by a single dramatic migration, it is marked by adaptation and integration into existing communities.
Edward Martin and his wife Flora appear in early twentieth-century Toronto. A 1923 photograph shows "Edward with Louis, Flora with Jean"—capturing the parents with their children. A 1912 photograph identifies "Arthur Edward Martin," and a 1917 image shows "Edward, Queens York Rangers," suggesting military service in the First World War.
Their son Louis Edward Martin was born on 13 September 1922 in Toronto. In December 1941, at age 19, Louis enlisted in the Canadian Army. A photograph dated December 1941 shows him in uniform, captioned "Louis Martin 19-years-old in Canadian Army." On 31 December 1941, he married Eleanor Jane Stainton—the marriage certificate survives—just as he prepared to ship overseas.
Flora with Rod & Peter Martin, 1943
Louis Martin, England, 1945
Louis served throughout the war, with photographs documenting his time in England (1942), his service as a gunner, and his presence at Luc-sur-Mer, Normandy in June 1944—part of Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion. A photograph captioned "pals at Luc-sur-Mer Normandy" confirms his participation in this pivotal moment of the war.
While Louis was overseas, his son Peter Louis Martin was born on 1 October 1942 in Toronto. A photograph from September 1943 shows "Irene with Peter Martin" as an infant. Louis did not meet his son until 29 September 1945, when he returned from the war. The photograph "L E Martin meets son Peter" captures this reunion—Louis meeting his two-year-old son for the first time.
Louis and Eleanor raised their family in Toronto. Eleanor died on 22 December 1975 in North York, aged 53—her death certificate confirms the date and location. Louis survived until 10 April 2007. Read the full story of Louis Edward Martin →
Peter Martin married Ingrid Mary Jørgensen on 16 October 1965, uniting the Stainton-Martin line with the Jørgensen-Kidd line. Their children—James Ian Martin (b. 1967), David Michael Martin, and Lisa Jeanette Martin (b. 16 October 1968)—inherit this complete history together. Read Peter's eulogy →
The Martin line does not dominate the narrative but supports it. Where other families moved, adapted, or fractured, the Martins tended to hold steady roles within communities, providing continuity rather than disruption. The legacy is quieter but essential: stability, presence, and the ability to absorb change without losing cohesion.