John Martin (1883 - 1937)

John Martin was Tetlit Gwich’in, born at Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories (NWT). He was an early guide for the Royal North-west Mounted Police on their patrols between Dawson and Fort McPherson. He and Bella Kunizzi, of Fort McPherson, were married. He was ordained as an Anglican Deacon in 1925 at Aklavik, NWT. He went to Moosehide in 1929 where his brother Reverend Richard Martin was living. John worked at Ross River from 1930 to 1934. He moved to Mayo in 1935, in charge of St. Mark's church at the “Old Village.”¹⁾ Rev. John Martin died in the Mayo hospital after contracting pneumonia. The Whitehorse Star called him a uniquely outstanding First Nation leader.²⁾

In 1988, the Mayo people held a special service and feast to mark fifty years since the death of John Martin who served at Ross River and Mayo.³⁾ A new alter frontal sewn by Violet and Bella Alexi, Kathleen Peter, Helen Buyck, Fannie Dupont, Marlene Drapeau, and Martha Buyck was dedicated at Reverend Martin’s remembrance service.⁴⁾