Career
In 1891, Martin led a merger of six mills to create Northwestern Consolidated Milling Company, at the time the world"s second largest flour milling company after Pillsbury-Washburn. In 1855 he was standard-bearer and leader on horseback of the ceremonial opening of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge the first major, permanent bridge across the Mississippi River
He was also President of the First National Bank, owner of the largest lumber mill in the area until it burned in 1887 (by then recently under new owners) and founding officer of Minneapolis and Saint Louis Railway and Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
Martin was married to Mission Jane B. Gilfillan sister of Representative John Bachop Gilfillan of Minnesota.
They had one child, Jean (Martin) Brown.
After John Martin died, Earle Brown lived there until 1909, when the property was sold to noted geologist Horace V. Winchell and Brown moved permanently to Brooklyn Farm in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
