The Martin family presents the Barry Martin '59 Collection to Jay Gaidmore (far right), director of Special Collections. Photo by Sara Belmont.
Carolyn Martin and Shawn Martin flew from California to Williamsburg to deliver the materials to the library. Photo by Sara Belmont.
The Martin family presents the Barry Martin '59 Collection to Jay Gaidmore (far right), director of Special Collections. Photo by Sara Belmont.
By Tami Back, W&M Libraries
For Barry Martin ‘59, a love of history began early in his childhood. As a young teen, he started collecting historic artifacts related to the American Revolutionary War. From letters handwritten by soldiers to signatures of the Virginia signers of the Declaration of Independence, he sought out first-hand recollections of early America.
Martin’s lifelong interest in American Revolutionary history recently culminated in the donation of his extensive collection to William & Mary Libraries. His family traveled to Williamsburg from the west coast to deliver the materials to the Special Collections Research Center.
“We decided many years ago that William & Mary was the place for his collection,” said his wife, Carolyn Martin. “Barry really loved William & Mary with all his heart, so it makes sense for his collection to live here.”
While at William & Mary, Martin studied Colonial American history. He continued his studies at the University of Washington where he earned his master’s degree and met Carolyn. They married in 1961 and enjoyed 63 years together. Martin passed away last year at the age of 88.
Over his lifetime, Martin built an impressive collection of materials related to the American Revolutionary War.
“Dad loved to pull the materials out on 4th of July and talk about them and the history of the nation,” said Shawn Martin, Barry and Carolyn’s son.
Martin was meticulous at documenting his collecting activities and kept receipts related to his purchases. A receipt from 1952 shows he paid $35 for a letter written by Benjamin Bourne in December 1776 recording the crossing of the Delaware by General George Washington.
“This is a special one,” said Carolyn. “This is a first-hand account written just six days after Washington’s crossing of the Delaware.”
Other items in the collection include a legal complaint written by W&M law professor, George Wythe in 1748; a letter written by Nathanael Greene in 1784 regarding payment of bills for his Georgia plantation; and a receipt signed by Philemon Dickinson in 1781 recording payment of 108 pounds for 408 bushels of corn.
Prior to his death, Martin and Carolyn discussed the future of his collection and settled on William & Mary as the destination for the collection.
“My dad would have been over the moon to see his materials here, and to have a collection in his name, he would have been very pleased,” said Shawn.
Outside of collecting, Barry served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He later earned a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley and led a distinguished legal career in private practice and as a staff attorney at the Californian Air Resources Board. In 1993, he was appointed an administrative law judge for the U.S. Social Security Administration and retired in 2003.
The Barry Martin Collection will be preserved and made openly accessible in the Special Collections Research Center for generations to come.