WILLIAM EVERETT MARTIN
HOUSE
636 East Avenue
Oak Park Illinois
Frank Lloyd Wright 1903
Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust
Wright Plus 2012
Original Text
& Research by
Jack Lesniak
2000
Appended by
Rick McNees
2012
INTRODUCTION
This is the third time I have gathered research on the Martin House. I started in
1991, embellished it in 1995 and dressed it up a little for this year's Wright Plus
2000. This version has been formatted more towards the Wright Plus volunteer.
If you’re serious in wanting to see more information regarding the William
Martin House, I would suggest reviewing the previous editions of this material.
It can be viewed at the Research Center of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation
Trust (previously known as the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio Foundation)
in Oak Park, Illinois.
Many hours went into the gathering of this information. I would ask that you
refrain from copying any portions of it without permission of the author/editor
and, in the case of some of the photos, members of the Martin family.
Thank you to the many people who helped gather this information, especially
the three granddaughters – Carolyn Mann Brackett, Donna Mann Duncan, and
Susan Mann Penner. Also, Jack Quinan whose body of knowledge and a lecture
in 1990 on the Martin Family got me started in the right direction. Finally, it is
always a pleasure to work with homeowners that appreciate the historic value
of their house and it’s heritage – thank you Rick & Laura for allowing us to do
this again.
Jack Lesniak
May 2000
I researched many sources for new material to append this document,
including purchasing original historic books on the internet. I had little
success in adding new meaningful information, such was the depth and
breadth of original research by Jack Lesniak from his previous work. I was
however, able to photograph the current state of the house with the
permission of the homeowners. These photos are included throughout this
volume where applicable as noted. I hope their addition add to the
enjoyment and value of this record.
Rick McNees
March 2012
William Everett Martin
William Everett Martin, President of the E-Z Polish
Company and partner of Martin & Martin Co., met
Frank Lloyd Wright in late 1902 when he was searching
for an architect to build his home in Oak Park, Illinois.
In a letter to his brother Darwin, William writes the
following describing his first meeting with Mr. Wright:
"I have been – seen - talked to, admired, one of
1
nature’s noblemen -------- Frank Lloyd Wright."
William Martin's response to Wright as a person and a
gifted architect kindled a friendship between the two
that proved to be mutually beneficial. Their
relationship developed eight more commissions for
Wright, a life-long friendship for both and a home for Martin that was both unusual
and unique for its time.
THE MARTIN FAMILY
The Martin family lineage can be traced back to the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620
and one John Billington, a passenger and signer of the Mayflower Compact. Later
descendants were active patriots and Minutemen in the Revolutionary war as well
2
as early settlers of Massachusetts and Connecticut. (See Family Tree p.18)
William Everett Martin was born in Bouckville, New York on October 1, 1863, the
fourth child of five. William's mother, Ann Eliza McMannis Martin, died on
September 4, 1871 and in the summer of 1872, his father, Hiram, left the three
oldest children, Frank, Alpheus and sister Delta, in Bouckville, N.Y. and traveled
with William and the youngest brother Darwin to Nebraska City, Nebraska. There
Hiram met and married Ann Winyard, a widow with whom he had corresponded.
Ann had four daughters by her previous marriage: Amelia, Hettie, Grace, and May.
Hiram and Ann had one child, Maude L. Martin, who was born sometime in 1873 or
1874.
3
William, brother Darwin, and their father, Hiram, left the Nebraska City farm at
least three times between 1872 and 1878 to live in Iowa towns where Hiram set up
shop as a cobbler. The last location was Mount Ayr, Iowa, where in 1878 William
was left working in a clothing store and they returned to the farm. Hiram left Ann
seven more times and finally gave up on the marriage in 1884.
4
Brother Darwin never got along with his stepmother and by age 12, in August of
1878, he was on his way to Buffalo, New York to work with his older brother Frank
for the Larkin Soap Company.
5
Darwin was to advance from salesman at 13 in 1878 to bookkeeper and on to
secretary of the corporation in 1893. His rise coincided with the growth of the
Larkin Co. from a soap manufacturer in 1875 to a multi-million dollar mail order
business by the 1890's.
6
William Martin, who had stayed in Mount Ayr, eventually became a traveling
salesman and for a time also worked and traveled with his older brother Frank
selling soap for the Larkin Soap Company.
7
William came to Chicago, Illinois about 1882 and by 1884 was a partner with Frank
H. Gano (Gano & Martin) with offices at 270 West Randolph. This partnership
appears to have lasted until 1888 when William was listed with the Common Sense
Stove Polish Company. From 1889 until 1893 he was a partner with his
brother-in-law (sister Delta) George F. Barton. The company, Martin & Barton, a
manufacturer of stove polish, was at first located at 270 West Randolph in 1889 and
eventually settled into quarters at the southwest corner of Carroll and Sacramento
8
Avenues in 1891.
In 1890, William married Winifred Kirby, from Mount Ayr, Iowa, the same town that
William had worked in as a young man. They purchased a house at 233 North
Ridgeway in Chicago, where they lived until moving to Oak Park in 1904. Winifred
9
Martin's parents, John and Naoma Kirby, lived next door at 223 North Ridgeway.
William and Winifred had three children while living in their home on Ridgeway:
Bernice Winifred (Nov. 16, 1893), Eunice Naoma (Sept. 21, 1897), and Everett
Kirby Martin (January 23, 1900). Another daughter, Lois Althea (March 10, 1905)
was born in their new home in Oak Park.
10
In 1895, at the age of 32, William Martin entered into a partnership with his brother
Darwin (Martin & Martin). The business was located at the same Carroll and
Sacramento Avenue corner property where Martin & Barton was located. This is
also the corner where William and Darwin commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to
design the Martin & Martin E-Z Polish Factory in 1905. (see p.34). Apparently
Darwin Martin was essentially a financial backer in the Martin & Martin Company, as
11
he was concurrently an executive with the Larkin Company of Buffalo, New York.
The years between 1902 and 1906 were very busy for Wright, producing over 100
projects, of which more than 75 were constructed. These included not only projects
germane to the Martin family, such as the Martin Houses (Oak Park & Buffalo), the
Larkin Building or the E-Z Polish Company, but also projects of immense historical
importance for Wright such as Unity Temple (1904), the Rookery remodeling
(1905) and the Robie House (1906).
12
Stretched to the limit, it was exceedingly difficult to obtain detailed answers from
Wright during the construction of his projects. It is apparent from the Martin Letters
that William in Oak Park had become the go-between to obtain needed information
on the Buffalo projects: Larkin, Darwin Martin, and Barton. But this also created a
similar problem for his own projects, his home in Oak Park (1903) and the factory
in Chicago (1905). In fact, during the E-Z Polish project, the William Martin and
Wright relationship was strained to the limit and only saved due to Darwin Martins
mediation. It seems that in the summer of 1905, when Paul Mueller (Wright’s
colleague from Sullivan’s office, engineer and construction contractor) started to
excavate the foundations for the E-Z Polish Factory building, no blueprints or final
specifications were yet completed by Wright’s office. William wanted a factory
basement with a clearance of eight feet and apparently the excavation, as it was
proceeding, would only allow seven feet six inches. William questioned Wright and
was told if he wanted eight feet, it would cost him an extra $465.00. This led to a
quarrel that escalated even further when Wright insinuated that William could not
be trusted to pay the extra amount. William then corresponded with his brother
Darwin who became the mediator and eventually smoothed-over their ruffled
13
feathers.
Darwin Martin died in 1935 and after William's death on September 23, 1938, the
Martin & Martin Co.'s management was passed on to his son Everett.
14
William Martin was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Oak Park School Board.
He pioneered as an early automobile owner, purchasing one of the first cars in Oak
Park. For many years he was a familiar figure as a driver of Stanley Steamers. His
hobbies were growing exotic plants and puttering in a basement workshop. He was
15
a Christian Scientist and a Republican.
William was credited with developing a
color lithograph machine that allowed for three-color packaging of his polish
products, coaster brakes for bicycles and an early traffic light control system. He
was also a prolific letter writer, but was marked with poor penmanship. This was
16
due to his having lost three fingers on each hand in an 1894 industrial accident.
George Barton, William's brother-in-law, was operating the controls of a large
automatic cardboard paper cutter while William Martin was adjusting the paper.
William was to tell George each time the paper was to be cut and George would hit
the switch. George erroneously heard William say cut when William still was
17
positioning the paper.
Winifred Kirby Martin born September 24, 1866 – died December 14, 1938, was an
early suffragette, a Democrat, and an active member of the First Church of Christ,
Scientist. She was a member of the Oak Park Chapter of the Eastern Star, and
helped to found kindergartens in Oak Park Public Schools, serving in 1908 as the
president of the Oak Park Kindergarten Association. Winifred also served on the
Board of the Chicago Junior School, a boy's school in Elgin.
18
THE HOUSE
On September 11, 1902, Darwin Martin visited his brother William in Chicago and
together they toured Oak Park where William intended to build a new house. Frank
Lloyd Wright's distinctive houses caught their attention and led them to seek out
Wright's Oak Park Studio. Frank Lloyd Wright was not in his studio that day, but
19
the Martins spoke with Walter Burley Griffin and discussed plans for a house.
Later, when William Martin eventually met FLLW, he sent a letter in October of
1902 to his brother Darwin in which he wrote: "Dear Dar, I have been - seen talked to, admired, one of nature's noblemen ... Frank Lloyd Wright...". This letter
resulted in an invitation for FLLW to visit Buffalo, New York and the commissions for
the Larkin Office Building and seven other structures.
W.E. Martin House - Oak Park, IL.
Larkin Office Bldg.- Buffalo, N.Y.
George Barton House - Buffalo, N.Y.
Darwin D. Martin House - Buffalo, N.Y.
E-Z Polish Factory - Chicago, IL.
Darwin D. Martin Gardeners Cottage
- Buffalo, N.Y.
W.R. Heath House - Buffalo, N.Y.
Alexander Davidson House - Buffalo, N.Y.
Darwin D. Martin Summer Residence
- Derby, N.Y.
20
(1903)
(1903)
(1903)
(1904)
(1905)
(1905)
(1905)
(1908)
(1927)
It is evident by William's letter that he was completely taken by Frank Lloyd Wright
and he subsequently commissioned Wright to design his house at 636 North East
Avenue. Its Oak Park building permit no. 179 is dated August 13, 1903 with a
building cost of $10,000 and the property listed as Lots 141 and 142 of Block 7, Fair
Oaks Subdivision. The house is described as a “2 frame” in the blank for “Stories
21
high”. This is curious because it is unmistakably a three-story structure. In the text
of a letter dated February 07, 1903, Winifred Martin had found Mr. Wright’s plans
lacking in some of her needs and wrote to her husband with her complaints. He, in
turn, made an attempt to revise the plans and sent them to his wife for review while
she and the children were in Alabama visiting relatives. Her letter intimates that the
playroom was originally in the basement and there is no indication that there was
to be a third floor. She wrote:
“Don’t forget the lockers in the playroom --- to keep playthings in. I don’t believe I
could keep my extra bed covers down there? So a closet similar to the linen closet
upstairs must be provided upstairs also”
22
Similarly in a letter from Darwin Martin to brother William, dated January 23, 1903,
Darwin reviews William’s revisions to Wright’s early design sketches. He comments
about the orientation of the house on the site:
“This house cannot be built as you originally intended on 50’ of your lot so that the
other 50’ would be marketable separate from the house and lot. You might find this
a disadvantage if you ever wanted to sell.”
23
And also there is no mention of three stories. In fact Darwin states:
“There is no veranda. There ought to be one somewhere… The plan as modified by
your letter provides no maid’s bedroom. This is quite important. Winnie cannot
keep house alone – she never has long at a time –it will be some time before the
girls are old enough”.
24
Perhaps William’s revisions of Wright’s plans were made to reduce the layout to one
lot or customize the house to their own needs, but it appears that Wright’s
completed design, which is dated February 24, 1903, did provide a maids bedroom
and a playroom on the third floor and a veranda that takes up most of the south lot.
Wright’s completed design is a three-story stucco plaster dwelling that does not
have the long, low silhouette of the typical prairie house, for it was done when
Wright was experimenting with three-story plans. Each story of the house is
expressed on the exterior by the string planes of the stucco walls accented by the
horizontal wood trim and deep shadows of the overhanging eaves of the hipped
roofs. These are interwoven with vertical piers on the west elevation, which tie the
whole composition together and to the site.
Volume 2 - 1902 to 1906, of the Monograph Series of Wright's works provides
copies of the original plans and elevations of this house. (see pp.39-43). It is
interesting to compare these original plans, which are dated February 24, 1903,
with the 1910 Wasmuth Publication of Wright's early work. (see pp. 31 & 32).
The Wasmuth drawings vary greatly with those of the original as-built conditions.
They show kitchen and dining room layouts that have been rearranged, and first
floor hipped roof additions of the porch to the west and the kitchen to the east.
These roof extensions produced a first floor pin-wheel plan that project horizontal
site anchoring fingers and elevations that are now classical “Prairie Style”.
It is unfortunate that the Wasmuth design was never realized. Mr. Wright had a
habit of modifying his drawings after the fact, sometimes many years later. Perhaps
in the intervening seven years from completion of the house to publication of the
Wasmuth, Wright had a chance to take a second look at the original design. In any
event, the Wasmuth drawing is of significant value as it does depict fairly accurately
the design of the gardens of 1909.
THE GARDEN
The property, which originally had a 100-foot frontage, was extended an additional
fifty feet to the south when William Martin purchased lot number 140 in September
of 1908. This extension was made to accommodate the addition of a formal garden
25
to the south linked to the house by an arbored pergola. The driveway was
relocated from alongside the south side of the house to the new south property
line.
The current owners have copies of the original drawings. They are titled:
"PERGOLA FOR W.E. MARTIN RESIDENCE"
"OAK PARK MAY 11, 1909 ILLINOIS"
"FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT ARCHITECT"
It is thought that Walter Burley Griffin had a hand in the design of the garden as he
had supervised the original house construction (1903) and the gardens for Darwin
26
Martin's Buffalo home (1904) but, Griffin left Wright's studio in late 1905.
Frank Lloyd Wright left for Germany on Thursday, Sept. 23, 1909 and it is not
documented at this time who supervised the garden construction.
Christopher Vernon, professor of landscape architecture at the University of Illinois,
believes that Walter Burley Griffin did have a hand in the design. Maybe not so
much the actual design of the structures, but more likely the selection and
arrangement of the plantings. There is no building permit of record as the Village of
Oak Park did not require it. Carolyn Mann Brackett, daughter of Lois Martin Mann,
wrote to me that her mother “remembered seeing Mr. Griffin around house &
gardens supervising & consulting w/her father on different occasions. (CMB1995)
Therefore it is a good assumption he was involved.”
27
The garden (see pp.34-36) included a 34 foot square pool that was divided by a ´T’
shaped bridge. A sculpture of a child and a water-spouting frog, by Richard Bock,
stood at the terminus of the “T”. The pool depth was separated into two depths, the
deepest being over six feet deep. According to William’s grandchildren, goldfish
were kept in the pool all year round because of its depth. But, at some point in time,
the pool was filled in and made shallower to prevent any unwarranted accidents.
The goldfish were then transferred to the basement of the house every fall where
28
they were kept in metal tubs until the spring.
There was a pergola, or covered walkway, that ran along the east side of the
veranda, from the veranda steps to the driveway that ran along the south property
line of lot 140. this was, in effect, an extended port-cochere. This walkway included
a trellis covered seating area and the structure was built with heavy timbers and
stucco plaster. (see photo p.36) After William’s death in September of 1938, the
house and garden was deeded to William’s son Everett. Everett sold the house lots
– 141 & 142 – to Arthur Schrum in February of 1942 and retained ownership of lot
number 140, the garden lot. Eighteen months later, Arthur Schrum sold the house
lots to Albert Barton. Mr. Barton took care of the garden during the war years and
beyond and was quite surprised when Everett Martin sold the garden lot to Wendell
Hegg in 1951. A short time later a small house was erected on the site.
29
According to Mr. Barton, during the demolition of the garden structures, it was
thought that there had been a previous house on the lot due to the extensive mass
of concrete uncovered. What Mr. Barton and the builders did not know was the
extensive depth of the original pool construction. When the Barton’s purchased the
property, the garden pool depth had already been filled in and appeared to be only
30
a foot deep. Originally it had been over six feet deep.
In 1994, not having access to the original garden lot, the current owners and
restoration architect, John Thorpe, recreated the formal garden at a much-reduced
scale. The pool area is 11 feet square and on the same north-south axis as the
original pool. The wall that shielded the veranda and the entry walk has been
reinstalled with a small bench area similar to the original. The foundations for the
pergola were installed and the structure, although it would be shorter in length, is
planned for the future.
THE HOME
The Martins' youngest daughter, Lois Althea Martin, a.k.a. Daisy, married Edwin
Judson Mann. They purchased the William Drummond House (Drummond,1910) at
559 Edgewood Place, River Forest, Illinois in 1929. In 1931 or 1932, during the
Depression, they leased their home to a family and moved into the Martin House
31
with Lois' parents.
During the next several years, the Martins shared their home with their two
daughters, Bernice and Lois, and their families. The William Martin’s (mother and
father), the Edwin Mann’s (daughter Lois), and the Easton Davis’s (daughter
32
Bernice).
Everyone used the first floor rooms. The grandchildren remember taking piano and
dance lessons in the living room. This is also where grand-mother Winifred
33
provided kindergarten classes for the grandchildren and neighborhood children.
The Martins shared a kitchen with the Mann family and usually dined together. A
bathroom was added in the 1930’s at the northeast corner of what was the original
dining room. The dining room then became a bedroom, thus making the first floor
a complete apartment. The bathroom was was constructed of two seven foot
partitions with a door. Many years later, a new homeowner made the installation
permanent. In 1994, the present owners had the construction removed and
returned the space back to its original proportions.
34
The Mann’s had rooms in various areas of the house. The second floor master
bedroom was utilized as a private sitting/dining room and its walk-in closet was
converted to a small kitchen.
35
William’s children whenever needed used the third floor as a separate apartment.
Their daughter, Bernice and her husband Easton Davis resided after Easton
returned from WWI and later during the Depression. The thirty foot square
playroom became their living room, the maid's bedroom was their sleeping room,
and a kitchen/dining and bath area was installed in an east side dormer that was
36
added in 1923. (This dormer was removed in 1994 by the current owners to
restore the house to its original condition.)
Because of the spaciousness of this home and grounds, no one felt encumbered,
and all cherished these days of togetherness. The Martins in their 60’s at this time,
usually spent most of their winters in Fairhope, Alabama where they had planned to
build a winter home. The grandchildren (see p.20), Carolyn, Donna, Everett, and
Judith, remember having wonderful times playing and pretending in all areas of the
37
house and yard.
The grandchildren remember their grandfather with great fondness. He took them
for long walks in the village, on visits to Richard Bock's studio on Chicago Avenue
and to the Winslow Home in River Forest .
38
John Clarence Bodine, Artist
William Martin’s granddaughters remembered the murals of J.C. Bodine, a graphic
artist who was responsible for the entry foyer mural, the kitchen door and dining
room wall artwork of the Martin’s Oak Park Home. According to photographs from
the Mann daughters, there was many more of Bodine’s works in the house, but
these have since been painted over. The ceiling of the third floor playroom was
painted in various colors from one side of the room to the other to represent the
four seasons of the year - Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. There was three-panel
mural over the living room fireplace, designs and decorations on the walls above
the wall trim around the perimeter of many of the rooms, and another mural above
39
the second floor bedroom fireplace.
Actually this mural is still in place and was recently uncovered by the current
owners by the removal of a large mirror. (see p.22). This mural, like the one in the
entry hall, had been "renewed" by a previous owner by over painting the original.
These murals and decorations are not thought to be part of the original
construction of the house (1903) but were added around 1910-1911.
40
There is little known about John Bodine. His artwork remains in the pieces still
intact in the Martin house and a few works still owned by the members of the Martin
family. John was successful enough to be part of an exhibition at the Chicago Art
Institute – The Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition by Artists of Chicago & Vicinity –
th
th
from February 13 to March 30 , 1919. His address is listed as 4028 Clarendon
Ave., Chicago (see p. 24). It’s interesting that J. Clarence may have been a late
entry into this exhibition. The exhibition catalog lists all the artist names
alphabetically, except for Mr. Bodine. J. Clarence is listed last in the catalog, right
after an Emil Zettler. Many artists had more than one entry on display and a few,
like J. Clarence only one. John’s entry was a painting titled “A Spot of Orange”. A
possible link back to Oak Park is Richard Bock, a sculptor that worked on several of
Frank Lloyd Wright’s commissions and according to the Martin’s grandchildren, a
41
man well known to William Martin, also exhibited and was a juror of the exhibition.
According to the 1920 Census, John Clarence Bodine lived at the same address
listed in the 1919 exhibition catalog, 4028 N. Clarendon, with his wife Lenore and
daughter Margaret. He was born in 1879 in Iowa, the same state as his mother. His
father was born in Ohio. This could be another connection to the Martin family as
Winifred Martin was from Mount Ayr, Iowa where she met William Martin who had
lived there for a time as a young man. His occupation was listed as a “Designer” of
42
“Background for show windows”. There is an unconfirmed report that he worked
for Marshal Fields as a store window designer.
Additional information regarding Mr. Bodine was discovered through a listing in the
Chicago Telephone Directories. Mr. Bodine had a graphic art partnership, Bodine &
Spanier, and in1930 he had an office at 111 West Jackson Blvd, room 1304, and a
residence in Evanston, IL.
43
Carolyn Brackett, William Martin’s granddaughter was contacted again for Wright
Plus 2000. I requested more information regarding Mr. Bodine and Carolyn sent
illustrations of Bodine & Spanjer’s work. (see pp. 25-28) The following is the text of
an e-mail Carolyn sent with regard to Bodine & Spanjer.
“Mr. Bodine spent a lot of time at 636. My mother, Lois, told me that he also mixed
all the paint for the house whenever it was painted. He mixed it in large drums, free
hand. He was such an excellent colorist, he would just pour in the paint, mix it by
hand, and ad more of a color if it was needed. My mother watched him for hours.
My mother told me that her parents felt it was too dark inside the house and asked
Mr. Bodine to brighten up the interior. This led to the murals and the painting over
the upper trim on the walls. He also painted the desk-table and the six chairs of the
second breakfast set a French blue-green. (We began to remove the paint in the
50's) (Page 59 of the 1995 Monograph) I have the oak desk which my mother
separated from the table in the 30's. The table and chairs have been sold, as you
know. That was the only furniture Bodine painted.
Mr. Bodine probably appeared from time to time from 1910, or earlier, and into
future years as my mother was growing up. He was in charge of mixing the warm
beige color used on the outside of the house whenever it was repainted. He must
have enjoyed having the opportunity to decorate the various rooms and being able
to use his artistic talents in so many ways. I remember the area above the trim on
the living room walls were decorated with geometric designs and beautiful warm
colors. He painted a picture of the Pergola which Donna copied for the owners in
1995. That was a wedding gift to Bernice about 1914 (she married before the World
War) so Bodine was close enough to the family to make that gesture. There is a
2nd painting of a scene with a tree and mountain which I have. It might have been
a gift to my mother when she was married in 1925. She displayed it in her
bedroom on the fireplace mantle for as long as I can remember. It was painted on
thick poster board Bodine called "reinforced wall board." in his brochure. My
mother always referred to J.C. as Mr. Bodine.
I hope you can use the Bodine examples I have mailed to you to create an interest
in his work.
Keep in touch. Sorry to miss the tour in May.
Regards,
Carolyn
44
“
Carolyn followed up with copies of The Bodine Spanjer Co. Catalog, which I’ve
attached to this text. In her letter she wrote the following –
“Yes, Bodine must have been a good friend of the Martins – He spent a lot of time
at the house. It’s interesting that his work – painting on the walls over the lintel line on the fireplace wall of living room was of geometric shapes along with the
wavy creative lines in all the murals. These repetitive contour lines were used
frequently if not always in his paintings – I really enjoy his work.
Carolyn
45
“
OWNERSHIP
William and Winifred Martin died in 1938 within three months of each other. William
th
on September 28 after a short illness and Winifred, who had been ill for a year,
passed on December 14, 1938. The house was quick claim deeded to Everett
Martin on December 1, 1938. Everett retained ownership until 1942 when he sold
the house to Arthur Schrum. (see p. 37).
According to a 1943 letter from the Oak Park Building Commission to Mr. Schrum,
the Martin house was occupied as a combination two-family dwelling and rooming
house. The first and third floors had complete apartments and the second floor had
four rooms, each occupied by one person and each one equipped with "culinary"
46
facilities. This letter goes on to require the owner to restore the house to a three
apartment dwelling unit as this was its use prior to the adoption of the Oak Park
zoning ordinance in 1921. Subsequent letters from the Oak Park Building
Commission indicate that the change from a single family dwelling to three
47
apartments took place in 1918 when William Martin was the owner. There is no
other documentation to confirm these dates and Donna Duncan, William Martin’s
granddaughter, said the apartments were always for family use, not boarders,
when William owned the house.
When Albert and Gladys Barton purchased the house in 1943, there were roomers
on the second floor and a tenant living in the third floor apartment. As this was
during the housing shortage after World War II, the Barton’s could not evict the
occupants. They returned the house to a single family dwelling through attrition. It
took until 1948.
48
The Martin House Owners
William E. Martin
Everett K. Martin
Arthur M. Schrum
49
1903-1938
1938-1942
1942-1943
Albert S. Barton
Michael S. Kegley
Current Owners
1943-1987
1987-1990
1990-
A TOUR
The following is a narrative about the Martin house as it stands today. (See the tour
route and floor plan enclosed page 48.)
EXTERIOR FRONT
There was a stone driveway that led from East Avenue, east just past the "prow" of
the porch to the garage at the back of the lot. This driveway bordered the south
property line until 1909 when the adjacent lot was purchased for the gardens, at
50
which time the drive was similarly placed at the south property line of the new lot.
The major mass of the three-story tower, taken a story at a time, provides for some
interesting observations:
The first level, the anchor, ties the building to the site through the thrust of the
porch to the south and the garden wall paralleling it to form the base for the next
two levels. The front living room window, a picture window flanked by art glass
casements, is reminiscent of the "Chicago Style" window. This window is a terminus
of the continuous horizontal trim that surrounds the first floor, which provides the
typical “Prairie” horizontal line.
The second level is a transition or stepping stone to the third level. The roof
projection to the south draws the eye up and provides a horizontal continuity. Note
the small corner balconies, more romantic than practical, but they did provide an
excellent view of the street and gardens.
The third level, if removed from the whole and set on the site, is a perfect example
of the Prairie Style. The banded windows shaded by the broad overhanging eaves,
the front projecting balcony that provides the indoor/outdoor transition of the play
room, the broad chimney structure and the low hipped roof--absolutely prairie in
the sky.
The whole three-story mass is drawn together by the front vertical piers and the
chimney structure, which draws the eye down to the anchorage of the first level.
As we approach the house, the front stair is positioned so that the front entry door
is protected from direct access (typical Wright design). This indirect access was
previously enhanced by a wall that stretched from the entry deck to the south
where in 1909 the gardens were created on the adjoining south lot. The top of the
wall matched in height the top of the wall surrounding the entry deck. The
Monograph drawings indicate that there was a break in this wall (4'-8") that led to
the entry stairs. (This wall was recreated by the current owners in 1994.)
It is important to note that there were some changes that are evident through
photographs that can only be dated, at this time, as before or after the 1909 garden
design. These changes can be listed as:
-The extension of the third floor playroom balcony to the face of the exterior
vertical piers (after 1909, perhaps 1923 when the rear dormer was added). -The
south living room windows at the exterior entry deck were changed to plain glazed
doors (after 1909, pre-1930, see p.20). -South elevation, third floor, east corner,
three windows were added (post 1909 garden, pre 1923 dormer, see p.30).
-Typical FLLW planters on the third floor playroom deck were moved to the west
garden walls (1909 garden, see p. 29). -A dormer and screened "turret" were
added to the rear elevation third floor (building permit 1923, see p.38). -The
driveway along the south property line was moved to the south property line of the
new garden lot (post 1909, see p.33).
ENTRANCE HALL
Entering the front door, the built-in sideboard on the east wall conceals a radiator
to warm the room. The mural above the sideboard is by J.C. Bodine, a graphic
artist also responsible for the kitchen door and breakfast room wall murals. Gladys
Barton, an artist and previous owner, renewed the entry hall mural. The leaded
glass "skylight" extends from this entry into the central hall tying these spaces
together and drawing the visitor into the hall beyond.
HALL
This is the main circulation space of the first floor. From this area one could catch
glimpses of the breakfast, dining and living room areas and allowed access to
these, the kitchen, upstairs and downstairs areas.
It is interesting in that most of Wright's previous residential designs incorporate the
fireplace as the pivotal core of the floor plan. Here, Wright uses a space -one that
merges with other areas and yet defines itself by way of ceiling heights, grills and
wood trim, to be the link and focus of the plan.
The art glass ceiling "skylight" acts as a strip of art and light to lead you from the
entry into the central circulation space of the first floor. (Photo 1)
Note the built-in desk and the openings that allow glimpses of the living room, the
fireplace alcove and the stairway to the upper floor. The opening over the desk that
looks into the fireplace alcove had a half-height row of balusters across the
opening. As you look to the southeast, try to envision the first floor as it was
without the infill walls of the closet and bathroom but with the desk/table in the
breakfast room (see DINING ROOM (BREAKFAST ROOM) for a full description) with
a Winged Victory on top of the desk section.
LIVING ROOM
The long seat near the fireplace with storage space beneath is an expanded version
of the Inglenook at FLLW's own home and similar in layout to the Winslow, Heurtley
& Thomas houses.
The fireplace uses the usual roman brick popular with Wright with a simple oak
mantel originally supported on side brackets. Photographs taken during the 1930's
show a three-panel mural above the mantel attributed to J.C. Bodine. This same
photo shows a decorated frieze at the ceiling around the perimeter of the room.
The room's casement windows illustrate one of Wright's distinctive innovations in
leaded glass design: the use of caming of different widths in the same panel. This
technique allowed for creation of designs of subtle complexity and ever-varying
composition with relatively few elements. The Martin House windows illustrate this
device by at once fixing the light grille firmly in place while allowing light to enter
and a person to look out to the view beyond.
The ceiling moldings follow the perimeter of the room but are changed from the
original floor plans, in that they die abruptly into the wall above the opening to the
central hall - suggesting that the space really continues beyond. The continuation
of space would probably have been repeated on the floors by the use of area rugs
and runners.
The art glass doors on the south wall lead to the entrance terrace and down the
stairs to what was the formal garden area south of the house. Photographs indicate
that these doors were not original and were probably added after 1910.
The exterior built-in flower box on the west side of the room has a built-in water
supply and typically the casework in the room's interior hides the radiators.
KITCHEN
The kitchen originally had a full height storage cabinet on the south wall, sink and
countertop on the east wall, and counter with cupboards above on the north wall.
The northwest corner also had a window, which was probably removed when the
north entry door area was enclosed.
The southwest corner of the room was taken up with a walk-in pantry that also
housed an icebox. The door from the dining room actually entered the pantry and
there was another door, on the right as you entered that accessed the kitchen. The
designs on the existing door from the dining room are decorated by the artist J.C.
Bodine. His signature is at the bottom of the door.
The pantry has been removed and the kitchen has been modernized by the addition
of new fixtures and appliances although the basic scheme has been retained.
A drop-shelf worktable was also centrally located opposite the door to the rear
entry hall. This table was fastened to the pantry wall and would have been folded
away when not in use.
DINING ROOM (BREAKFAST ROOM)
The triangular bay of the east wall repeats a motif found in the porch plan. The
strong horizontal moldings below the ceiling level runs through the central hall,
around the living area and the original dining room area, tying the spaces together
and lowering the apparent ceiling height in typical FLLW fashion.
The drop ceiling area at the north and south sides of the room has indirect lighting
added by a previous owner. Note the leaded glass door china cabinets, these were
used for storage or the display of favorite art objects.
This breakfast room is where a combination desk/table unit was placed. This piece
of furniture is detailed in the Frank Lloyd Wright Monograph 1902-1906 V0l.2. ( see
p.43) The unit was placed in the center of the room with its long axis parallel to the
room's length. The desk and drawer elevation faced west towards the entry hall.
The table stretched out behind the cabinet portion towards the triangular window
bay. This unit was topped off by a 39" high Winged Victory, positioned on the top
of the cabinet end, about 48" above the floor. This same Winged Victory was
donated by the Mann family to the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation
51
and is currently on exhibit in the playroom of Mr. Wright's 1889 Oak Park home.
DEN/LIBRARY (DINING ROOM)
This room, originally the dining room for thirty years, was altered to accommodate
a half bath and closet during the Depression years. The temporary seven foot
partitions enclosing the bath were erected without damaging the finished walls.
52
However the Barton family installed a more permanent enclosure in the 1940’s.
The current owners removed the bath and closet area in 1994 to restore the space
to its original dimensions.
Looking to the south, the window and door were originally glazed with art glass,
now gone, and like the living room the radiators are screened from view and a
planter is situated outside the window. The current owners have uncovered areas
of painted decoration in the style of J. C. Bodine around the south windows.
This room allows direct access to the south porch as well as the central hall, which is the
main circulation space of the first floor. It was a long trip from the kitchen, but this
53
space was probably used for formal dinners in which case, Carrie Thorsen , the
Martins' Norwegian servant, would make the trek. Darwin Martin remarked in a letter
regarding this distance:
“Wright’s plan of having the dining room where you propose to have the library is
positively inhuman to a maid who would have to travel 30 feet or more from range
to dining room table; nobody but a wife would keep such a job. You remember the
waiter in the Tower restaurant at the Pan-American, who assured me the milk was
54
sweet when he left the kitchen.” Evidently Wright’s power of persuasion won out
and not the practicality of the owner or his brother.
PORCH
The porch projected into the formal 1909 garden development and served as a
transition space from the outdoors into the interior. Similar spaces are typical of
Wright's designs, i.e. Beachy, Heurtley and Thomas houses, etc. This was a nice
area from which to view the formal gardens and take maximum advantage of the
east-west breezes. Free falling rainspouts in the gutter along the south roof edge
allowed rainwater to fall to open yard drains. Wright used this in many of his
houses. The Heurtley and Cheney houses are good examples.
In the '30s, there was a Wright-designed swing suspended by chains from the
porch ceiling. It was approximately six feet long with vertical slats and placed such
that its normal swing was from the east to the west. The resident children and their
friends liked to climb on at either end, hang onto the chains, and pump the swing
in the north and south direction. The object, of course, was to see how high they
could go.
There was also a trap door in the floor of the porch and the children pretended that
the porch was a ship and the trap door led to its hold. They also delighted in walking
and climbing around the entire perimeter of the porch and house on the various sills
and ledges, as this could be done without ever having to touch the ground.
55
REAR YARD
Although the original block plan does not indicate a garage, drawing no. 13 of the
Monograph plans (see p.43) illustrates a garage sympathetic to the main house
design and more than a utilitarian or functional box for auto storage. There were
unique corner storage closets that projected out beyond the perimeter walls of the
garage itself. Hipped roof, corner windows, and a wall along the east property line
with "saloon style" gates at each of the rear property corners make for an
interesting design. Photographs provided by Susan Penner verify that this design
was built, including a prairie style "Martin" birdhouse. (see p.30) The garage has
been remodeled, relocating some windows and deleting the corner storage areas.
56
A third floor rear dormer and screened "turret" were added in 1923. The building
57
permit number was 13941, dated 10-15-23 and valued at $500.00. This dormer
does not fit into the original context of the house and I'm sure we can safely
assume that Wright did not have a hand in its creation. The current owners
removed the dormer in 1994.
The small house directly to the south sits on the site of the formal garden. The
Martins purchased the property in 1908, the drawings were created in 1909, and
the gardens installed soon after, probably late 1909 or early 1910.
The gardens (see pp.34-36) consisted of a pergola/walkway that led from the
porch stair, south, and terminated in an arbor with a small benched sitting area.
Directly to the west of the pergola and south of the porch was a pool bridged by
walkways with strategically placed sculpture by Richard Bock and all surrounded by
a variety of exotic plants. The current owners recreated this garden area, on a
much smaller scale, in 1994.
NORTH SIDE ENTRANCE
Originally, this entrance was sheltered only by its north wall. The roof and east and
west doors were added and a kitchen window was removed, possibly in 1923 when
the rear dormer was added. Note the “milk delivery door at the east elevation with
the fresh air louver above.
END
Edited December 2000, March 2012
NOTES
1
Letter, William E. Martin to Darwin D. Martin, ca. October 20,1902. Martin
papers, State University of New York, Buffalo.
2
Telephone conversation with Carolyn Lois Mann Brackett, April 18,1991.
3
U.S. Census records for 1920
4
Information from Donna Duncan/Susan Penner
5
Jack Quinan, Associate of Art History S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo.
Correspondence 06/11/90.
6
E-mail from Carolyn Brackett to Jack Lesniak. April 28, 2000
7
IBID
8
IBID
9
Letter, William E. Martin to Darwin D. Martin, ca. October 20,1902. Martin
Papers, State University of New York, Buffalo.
10.
Letter – Carolyn Brackett to Jack Lesniak, April 26, 2000
11.
Chicago City Directory 1895
12
Frank Lloyd Wright, Volume 2 Monograph 1902-1906" by the Frank Lloyd
Wright Foundation. 1987.
13
“Many Masks” by Brendan Gill, Chapter 10; and letter WEM to DDM,
9/19/1905, Martin Letters (SUNY Buffalo)
14.
W.E. Martin Obit, O.L. 10-06-38 p.66 . IBID
16.
17.
Jack Quinan, Associate of Art History, S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo. Correspondence
with Jack Lesniak 06/11/90
Donna Mann Duncan correspondence
18.
19.
Winifred K. Martin, obit, O.L. 12/22/38 p.62
Frank Lloyd Wright's Larkin Building by Jack Quinan pp. 4-5 . IBID
20.
21.
IBID
Oak Park Library and Oak Park Village Hall
22
Letter from Winifred K. Martin to husband, William E. Martin dated
2/07/1903 – from Daphne, Alabama. Text of this letter was provided to this
author by Carolyn Mann Brackett granddaughter of William E. Martin) and
portions reproduced with her permission.
23
Letter Darwin Martin to William Martin, dated 01/23/03. Copy to author
courtesy of Carolyn M. Brackett, 4/17/1995. 24 IBID . Cook County Property
Records
26.
27
28
29
31.
Prairie School Architecture by H. Allen Brooks, p.xiv.
Notes to garden photos from Carolyn Mann Brackett. April 17, 1995.
Telephone conversation with Carolyn Lois Mann Brackett, April 18, 1991.
Cook County Property Records (see page 37)
Conversations and correspondence with Donna Mann Duncan and Carolyn
Mann Brackett
IBID
32.
33.
34.
35.
36
37.
38.
39
40.
41
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48
49.
50.
51.
52
53.
54
55.
56.
57.
IBID
IBID
IBID
IBID
IBID
IBID
See attached exhibit.
Telephone conversation with Carolyn Lois Mann Brackett, April 18, 1991.
“The Catalogue of the Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition By Artists of Chicago
& Vicinity, February 13th to March 30th, 1919” from The Art Institute of
Chicago.
U.S. Census records for 1920
Chicago Telephone Directory 1930 & 1931
E-mail from Carolyn Brackett to Jack Lesniak. April 28, 2000
Letter – Carolyn Brackett to Jack Lesniak, April 26, 2000
Oak Park Village Hall - Building Permits
IBID
Telephone conversation with Albert & Gladys Barton, May 8, 1995.
Cook County Property Records . Telephone conversation with Carolyn Lois
Mann Brackett, April 18,1991 and family photos.
Telephone conversation with Carolyn Lois Mann Brackett, April 18, 1991
and family photos.
IBID
Telephone conversation with Albert & Gladys Barton, May 8, 1995.
1910 U.S. Census
From a letter dated 01/23/1903 to William E. Martin from Darwin D. Martin
in response to William’s comments and suggested changes to FLLW’s plans
for William’s Oak Park Home. Courtesy of Carolyn Mann Brackett, April 17,
1995.
Telephone conversation with Carolyn Lois Mann Brackett, April 18, 1991.
See photo courtesy of Donna Mann Duncan
Oak Park Village Hall - Building Permits
THE WILLIAM EVERETT MARTIN FAMILY
Hiram Martin b.10/25/1822, d.01/29/1893 married Ann Eliza
McMannis b. 03/30/1832, d. 09/04/1871 children -Louis
Franklin Martin 07/19/1852-1927
-Alpheus Erwin Martin 03/27/1855- ?
married Mary children-Edgar Martin
Jesse Martin
Anna Martin
-Delta Louise Martin 11/04/1859- ?
married George F. Barton
children-Laura Field Barton
-Darwin Denice Martin 10/25/1865-12-17-1935
married Isabelle Reidpath children-Dorothy
Reidpath Martin
-Darwin R. Martin married 1872-? Ann
Winyard children-Maude L. Martin
1873-?
married Jacob Huffer children
-Mildred Huffer -Raymond
Huffer
-William Everett Martin b.10/01/1863, d.09/28/1938 married
08/1891-Winifred Kirby b.09/24/1866, d.12/14/1938 children
-Bernice W. Martin, b.11/16/1893, d.11/18/1986
married -Easton L.M. Davis, b.11/22/1894, d.09/?/1964
-Eunice N. Martin, b.09/21/1897, d.12/15/1904 -Everett
K. Martin b.01/23/1900, d.07/19/1984
married-Muriel Gray, b.01/28/1900, d.1989
children -Everett Gray Martin, b.12/14/1925
married-June Morgan children -Jennifer Gray Martin,
b.08/05/1959
-Bradley Adams Martin, b.08/01/1962
-Judith Ann Martin, b.07/14/1930
married-Robert Larsen children -Peter Kirby
Larsen, b.03/14/1959
-Theodore Robert Larsen, b.05/01/1963
married-Wilfred Mehring
-Janna Martin, b.07/23/1936 married-Eric
Oddleifson children -Katrin Oddleifson, b.
10/15/1961
-Christina Oddleifson, b.04/18/1964
-Eric Martin Oddleifson, b.03/09/1968
-Lois Althea Martin, b.03/10/1905, d.12/27/1971
married-Edwin J. Mann, b.06/11/1891, d.11/24/1956
children-Carolyn Lois Mann, b.05/12/1929
married-Ronald Walter Hedlund
children-David Arnold Hedlund, b.08/23/1959
married-David E. Brackett
-(Donna) Althea Janet Mann, b.01/06/1931
married-Donald F. Duncan Jr. children -Janna
Althea Duncan, b.10/17/1954
-Linnea Lois Duncan, b.04/11/1958 -Donald Edward Duncan,
b.02/06/65, d.02/06/81 -Susan Winifred Mann, b.11/04/39
married-William A. Penner
The above information was provided by the grand children of William and Winifred Martin: Carolyn Mann Bracket, Donna
Mann 18 Duncan, Susan Mann Penner & Judith Ann Martin Mehring. (JRL 1991) MARTIN
Winifred Kirby Martin
B. 09/24/1866
D. 12/14/1938
Bernice Winifred
Martin Davis B.
11/16/1893 D.
11/18/1984
William E. Martin
B. 1863 D. 1938
&Bernice W.
Martin B. 1893 D.
1984
Revised 01/20/2001
MARTIN
William Everett Martin
B. 10/01/1863
D. 09/28/1938
Eunice
NaomaMartinB
. 09/21/1897
D. 12/15/1904
Lois Althea Martin
MannB.
03/10/1905 D.
12/27/1971
B. 10/01/1863
D. 09/28/1938
A younger William Everett Martin
William’s brother and business
partner. Darwin Denice Martin
B. 10/25/1865
D. 12/17/1935
Bernice Martin on her wedding day in 1918.
She married Easton L. M. Davis
Winifred Kirby Martin and her grandchildren (l. to r.)
Donna (A. J.) Mann, Judith Ann Martin, and Carolyn
Lois Mann.
MARTIN 20
The Obituaries of William Everett & Winifred Kirby Martin. Carolyn Brackett pointed out some
errors in these obits – Oak Leaves (above right) “Mr. Martin is survived by his wife, Winifred K.
Martin; two daughters, Bernice Davis and Lois Mann, son Everett K. Martin, and a half-sister,
Maude Huffer.” With regards to the OAK PARK REPORTER (above left) second paragraph “he
was a manufacturer of stove polish, HELP a water softener, and other miscellaneous products.”
(E-mail correspondence Carolyn Brackett to Jack Lesniak, May 12, 2000)
MARTIN
21
Painting by Bodine over mantel of second floor master bedroom painted directly
on wall surface. Ca.1930 (Photo courtesy of Donna Mann Duncan)
Three-part panel by Bodine over the Living Room fireplace. Note decorative
frieze at ceiling. (Photo courtesy of Donna Mann Duncan)
MARTIN
Bodine watercolor looking west down the Martin drive at the end of the garden pergola.
Original is in color and approximately 15 x22. Courtesy of Donna Mann Duncan ( Seam in
the middle of the picture is due to scanning equipment. Original is a single piece.)
Cover and the last page of the exhibition catalog from the Art Institute of Chicago that
included J.C. Bodine and his entry, “A SPOT OF ORANGE”
MARTIN 24
Title page of the Bodine-Spanjer Co. (Courtesy of Carolyn Mann Brackett)
MARTIN
25
Illustration from the Bodine-Spanjer Co., Catalog. (Courtesy of Carolyn Mann Brackett
26
Illustration from Bodine-Spanjer Co., catalog. (Courtesy of Carolyn Mann Brackett)
MARTIN
27
Illustration from Bodine-Spanjer Co., catalog. Original is in color. (Courtesy of Carolyn Mann Brackett)
This illustration is signed by J. C Bodine and dated 1917. Original is in color. (Courtesy of Carolyn Mann Brackett)
MARTIN
28
Looking northeast at the Martin house prior to construction of gardens in 1909.
(Photo courtesy of Donna Mann Duncan)
South elevation prior to construction of gardens in 1909. Note the driveway in the foreground
leading to the garage in the rear. Also note no down spouts on the roof gutters.
(Photo courtesy of Susan Mann Penner)
MARTIN 29
The Martin House garage. The garage is located at the east end of the lot at the end of
the driveway from East Avenue. Note the Prairie birdhouse on the west side of the
garage – a Martin birdhouse.
A winter scene looking north. Note windows added to the third floor and the depth of
the garden pond. Child in the garden is thought to be Lois Martin, William’s
youngest child. (Photos courtesy of Susan Mann Penner)
MARTIN 30
This is the “Dwelling and garden for W. E. Martin, Oak Park, Ill.” As published in the Dover publication
of Wright’s 1910 Wasmuth publication of the “Ausgefuhrte Bauten und Entwurfe von Frank Lloyd
Wright” Wright had a habit of embellishing on his designs after the fact and admits to it in the
introduction to the Wasmuth. If you look closely at the floor plan Wright has added another veranda
to the west side of the building and moved the kitchen to the east. Enlarging and improving on the
original. The garden layout is accurate to the original.
MARTIN
MARTIN
Sketch of the house site with gardens, post 1909. East Avenue is at the bottom and north is to
the left. (By Jack Lesniak)
MARTIN 33
MARTIN 34
Looking northeast from the side drive towards the pergola. Photo was taken in
the 1940’s by Gillman Lane. (from the Oak Park Library Gillman Lane photo
collection)
Looking northeast across the garden & pond.
(Photo courtesy of Susan Penner)
MARTIN 35
Looking north under the pergola, towards the house.
Ca. 1915 Photo courtesy of Carolyn Mann Bracket.
Photo was taken some time in the 1940’s by Gillman Lane. (From the
Oak Park Library Gillman Lane photo collection)
MARTIN 36
Willia
m E.
Marti
n
Hous
e 636
North
East
Aven
ue
Oak
Park,
Illinoi
s
6030
2
Fran
k
Lloyd
Wrig
ht
1903
Cook
County
Recorde
r of
Deeds
Cook
County
Building
118 N.
Clark
Street
Chicago
Illinois
PIN:
16-06-4
16-003000
Vol:000
140 Sub
Division
Name:
Fair
Oaks
Sub Bk
7
11 11 12 12 12
1495398
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Jane
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WD May 01, 2 7 m uisnif as nif Ev Art25 31 72 49 91 Al Ke
1890 June 29,PeKaE M re W re er hu Ev W ChJa R be gl
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Marie McIntyre S ne in n M Jr M M ShK ll LS St art BaMi
WD May 01, mi C & & art W art art ru M HeCaatt er rto ch
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37
The original building permit for the Martin House. It’s dated August 13, 1903, the
contractor was W. B. Meyer and the estimated cost was $10,000.00 (Courtesy of the
Oak Park Library)
In 1972 a hand written copy of an “unclear document” was made of a building permit for
the construction of a dormer for the Martin House. The permit is dated October 15, 1923
and the cost of the dormer was estimated at $500. This dormer was located on the east
side of the third floor and was subsequently removed by the current owners in 1994.
(Courtesy of the Oak Park Library)
MARTIN 38
The BLOCK PLAN of Wright’s original drawings of the Martin House. This was also the title page of the set
of drawings. Note the title block date of February 24, 1903.
The basement and foundation plan. North is to the left.
Original drawings are from the FLLW Monograph Series, Volume 2.
MARTIN 39
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
MARTIN 40
Third Floor Plan & Fireplace elevations.
MARTIN 41
North&South Elevations
West Elevation
East Elevation
MARTIN
42
Plans Sections & Elevations of Breakfast Room Table
Garage Plan, Elevations & Details
MARTIN 43
MARTIN 44
Post Card of the E-Z Polish Plant above.
Martin & Martin business card below.
(Courtesy Carolyn Mann Brackett)
MARTIN 45
John Clarence Bodine
Artist at the William E. Martin House FLLW 1903
William Martin’s granddaughters remembered the murals of J.C. Bodine, a
graphic artist who was responsible for the entry foyer mural, the kitchen door
and dining room wall artwork of the Martin’s Oak Park Home. According to
photographs from the Mann daughters, there was many more of Bodine’s works
in the house, but these have since been painted over. The ceiling of the third
floor playroom was painted in various colors from one side of the room to the
other to represent the four seasons of the year - Spring, Summer, Fall, and
Winter. There was three-panel mural over the living room fireplace, designs
and decorations on the walls above the wall trim around the perimeter of many
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of the rooms, and another mural above the second floor bedroom fireplace.
Actually this mural is still in place and was recently uncovered by the current
owners by the removal of a large mirror. This mural, like the one in the entry hall,
had been "renewed" by a previous owner by over painting the original. These
murals and decorations are not thought to be part of the original construction of
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the house (1903) but were added around 1910-1911.
There is little known about John Bodine. His artwork remains in the pieces still
intact in the Martin house and a few works still owned by the members of the
Martin family. John was successful enough to be part of an exhibition at the
Chicago Art Institute – The Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition by Artists of Chicago
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& Vicinity – from February 13 to March 30 , 1919. His address is listed as 4028
Clarendon Ave., Chicago. It’s interesting that J. Clarence may have been a late
entry into this exhibition. The exhibition catalog lists all the artist names
alphabetically, except for Mr. Bodine. J. Clarence is listed last in the catalog, right
after an Emil Zettler. Many artists had more than one entry on display and a few,
like J. Clarence only one. John’s entry was a painting titled “A Spot of Orange”. A
possible link back to Oak Park is Richard Bock, a sculptor that worked on several
of Frank Lloyd Wright’s commissions and according to the Martin’s
grandchildren, a man well known to William Martin, also exhibited and was a
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juror of the exhibition.
According to the 1920 Census, John Clarence Bodine lived at the same address
listed in the 1919 exhibition catalog, 4028 N. Clarendon, with his wife Lenore and
daughter Margaret. He was born in 1879 in Iowa, the same state as his mother.
His father was born in Ohio. This could be another connection to the Martin
family as Winifred Martin was from Mount Ayr, Iowa where she met William
Martin who had lived there for a time as a young man. His occupation was listed
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as a “Designer” of “Background for show windows”. There is an unconfirmed
report that he worked for Marshal Fields as a store window designer.
Additional information regarding Mr. Bodine was discovered through a listing in
the Chicago Telephone Directories. Mr. Bodine had a graphic art partnership,
Bodine & Spanier, and in1930 he had an office at 111 West Jackson Blvd, room
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1304, and a residence in Evanston, IL.
Carolyn Brackett, William Martin’s granddaughter was contacted again for Wright
Plus 2000. I requested more information regarding Mr. Bodine and Carolyn sent
illustrations of Bodine & Spanjer’s work. The following is the text of an e-mail
Carolyn sent with regard to Bodine & Spanier and some examples of their work.
Additionally I’ve included additional examples of Mr. Bodine’s work for the Martin
House.
“Mr. Bodine spent a lot of time at 636. My mother, Lois, told me
that he also mixed all the paint for the house whenever it was
painted. He mixed it in large drums, free hand. He was such an
excellent colorist, he would just pour in the paint, mix it by hand,
and ad more of a color if it was needed. My mother watched him
for hours.
My mother told me that her parents felt it was too dark inside the
house and asked Mr. Bodine to brighten up the interior. This led to
the murals and the painting over the upper trim on the walls. He
also painted the desk-table and the six chairs of the second
breakfast set a French blue-green. (We began to remove the paint
in the 50's) (Page 59 of the 1995 Monograph) I have the oak
desk which my mother separated from the table in the 30's. The
table and chairs have been sold, as you know. That was the only
furniture Bodine painted.
Mr. Bodine probably appeared from time to time from 1910, or
earlier, and into future years as my mother was growing up. He
was in charge of mixing the warm beige color used on the outside
of the house whenever it was repainted. He must have enjoyed
having the opportunity to decorate the various rooms and being
able to use his artistic talents in so many ways. I remember the
area above the trim on the living room walls were decorated with
geometric designs and beautiful warm colors. He painted a picture
of the Pergola which Donna copied for the owners in 1995. That
was a wedding gift to Bernice about 1914 (she married before the
World War) so Bodine was close enough to the family to make that
gesture. There is a 2nd painting of a scene with a tree and
mountain which I have. It might have been a gift to my mother
when she was married in 1925. She displayed it in her bedroom
on the fireplace mantle for as long as I can remember. It was
painted on thick poster board Bodine called "reinforced wall
board." in his brochure. My mother always referred to J.C. as Mr.
Bodine.
I hope you can use the Bodine examples I have mailed to you to
create an interest in his work.
Keep in touch. Sorry to miss the tour in May.
Carolyn”
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Carolyn followed up with copies of The Bodine Spanjer Co. Catalog, which I’ve
attached to this text. In her letter she wrote the following –
“Yes, Bodine must have been a good friend of the Martins – He spent
a lot of time at the house. It’s interesting that his work – painting on
the walls over the lintel - line on the fireplace wall of living room was
of geometric shapes along with the wavy creative lines in all the
murals. These repetitive contour lines were used frequently if not
always in his paintings – I really enjoy his painting!
Regards, Carolyn”
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Photo 1 – Light glass extends over the transom connecting the entry hall and the main
hall. (Rick McNees photo)