Martin, Aaron H. (1885-1945)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1945 Aug 30 p. 3

Birth date: 1885

text of obituary:

Sought New Home and Greater Freedom In Foreign Land

FORMER LANCASTER COUNTY FARMER DIES OF MALARIA IN MEXICO

Lancaster, Pa. — Aaron H. Martin, sixty, who became so indignant over rationing rules and regulations that he sold his Lancaster county farm and took his family to Mexico, died July 5 from typhoid fever at Rascon, San Luis Potosi, according to word received here by relatives.

He was buried the following day, July 6, in the San Cristobal cemetery, near his home.

Martin detested rationing so much that he sold his 80-acre farm in Caernarvon township, his implements, household goods and personal possessions at one time and accompanied by his wife and five of his children of a previous marriage, left Lancaster Feb. 21, 1944, to begin life anew in Mexico.

The broad shouldered farmer, married three times, waged a one-man war on rationing from its inception. He never registered for any ration books — "didn't believe in it" — and provided his own "points."

When he, his wife and five children left Lancaster they were wearing shoes he had made. meat and butter the family used came from his Narvon farm. He grew sugar cane, pressed out the juice and boiled it to make syrup when sugar was placed on the rationing list.

Martin is survived by his wife, the former Salone Brubacker, and these children: Barbara, wife of John Hoover, New Holland; Jacob, Ephrata, Mariah, wife of Noah Newswanger, Navon, Sarah, wife of Norman Redcay, Ephrata; Daniel, Bareville, l; Martin, New Holland, Levi, Narvon, and Susanna, Abram, Isaac, John and Hettie, all residing in Mexico.

These brothers and sisters also survive: Henry martin, Ephrata; Mary wife of Graybill Zimmerman, Lititz; Ada, wife of Titus Bauman, Wallenstein, Ontario; Manuel Martin, Lebanon county, and Lea Martin, Litiz. — Lancaster Journal.