The Martin Homestead – circa 1900 – Pictured are John Martin, wife Kate, children, other relatives and two hired hands. Photograph provided by Dennis RoachThe slightly-less-than two miles long Martin Road in the north-central portion of the rural Town of Hamlin is similar to most other roads in the town. Modest ranch homes border the road amidst older farm houses and barns, some now crumbling, which were the homesteads of some of the earlier Hamlin settlers. The houses share their boundaries with the fertile farm lands that produce a bounty of cabbage, butternut squash, and grain crops, which are the staples of this agricultural area. What makes Martin Road unique is the fact that four of the town’s supervisors reside/have resided on it, three live/have lived on the same, original family homestead property and two have lived in the same house – although from different families and political parties.
John Martin, Hamlin Town Supervisor from 1906 through 1911, was a second generation Irish-American, who, in 1864, settled with his wife, Katharine (Kate), on the Hamlin homestead acquired in 1857 by his Ireland-born parents, Mike and Bridgette. It was on this homestead property that John became a successful farmer and businessman, buying, selling and shipping large quantities of fruit, cabbage and other vegetables. Supervisor Martin was both a highly respected businessman and, apparently, an energetic and successful politician as he became one of just a few elected Democrats in a predominantly Republican town. Historical notes indicate he readily beat out a two-term Republican incumbent. The Martin homestead sits along what is now called Martin Road, reportedly so named by Supervisor Martin.
In 1999, Martin Road resident Austin Warner III was elected Hamlin Supervisor succeeding Richard Kruger. Warner served three terms as supervisor before stepping down at the end of 2005. Warner and his wife, Billie, still reside on Martin Road, just four houses to the south of the Martin homestead. Coincidentally, although Supervisor Kruger doesn’t reside on Martin Road, he and his family own and actively farm land adjacent to Martin Road and directly across the road from the original Martin homestead.
In 1997, the Martin homestead was sold by John Martin’s grandson and his wife, Jim and Nancy, to recently retired naval officer, Denny Roach and his wife, Cindy. One hundred years after John Martin first assumed office as supervisor, Roach took office as the newly elected town supervisor in January 2006, becoming the third supervisor elected from Martin Road and the second to have lived in the Martin homestead.
Around 1900, an apple storage barn was constructed on the Martin Farm. In 1972, then owner Jim Martin converted the barn into a unique single family home, which was once featured by famed Rochester news reporter/sports writer Jean Giambrone in a series of “unusual real estate” themed articles. The home is now owned and occupied by Tom Breslawski and his wife, Ann, and infant daughter. On January 3, 2012, Tom took the oath of office as Hamlin’s newest Town Supervisor becoming the fourth Hamlin supervisor from Martin Road and the third to live/have lived on the original Martin homestead property.
In the Town of Hamlin, Martin Road proudly claims the title of “Home of Supervisors.”
