Ella Dot Martin Blake Collection
Ella Dot Martin was born in Waterloo, Quebec, on Dec. 22, 1889, the daughter of Carmi Arad Martin and Candace Amelia (Beach). In about 1912, she married a local farmer, Sydney Thomas Blake, in an Anglican ceremony, and together they raised two sons. For several years after the turn of the twentieth century, Carmi Martin worked as a painter in Woonsocket, though he returned to Waterloo in about 1909, and Ella and Sydney followed in about 1927, settling in Blackstone, Worcester County, Mass., where Sydney worked at different points as a painter and farmer. Sydney died in 1955 and Ella in Milton Village, Mass., in 1987.
The collection consists of Blake’s diaries and two cookbooks along with dozens of recipe clippings. Related collection is the Ella Dot Martin Blake Sheet Music Collection.