100-Year-Old Valentine

Nathan and Mary Merrill have been remodeling their house they bought from Roy Lackner. Mary who has always been interested in the history of the house asked him about how old the house was and he had no idea.

Recently while they were demolishing the upstairs bedroom they found a group picture, a couple of valentines, and a couple of postcards one of Great Falls in 1919.

They were in excellent condition. The handmade valentine was given to Richard Martin from Carita Smith – it is a hundred-year-old valentine. "I like to hear the birdies sing because it is the sign of spring; I like to hold your hand in mine because you are my valentine."

They now know some of the history of the house because they found the following picture and family history in A Gathering of Memories.

N. R. Martin and Inga M. Brox were newly married in 1911. He came from Page and she came from Dazey, N. D. They wanted a new start in life so they came to Montana to homestead. They located one mile northwest of Verona or five miles south and one mile west of Big Sandy.

After a few good crop years, there were some bad ones so they borrowed money to keep going. They finally lost their land and the family moved three miles northwest of Big Sandy to the former Dielman place. They lived there until Mr. Martin passed away in 1950, when Mrs. Martin moved the house to town.

In 1968 she moved to Polson, Montana to live near her sons. She passed away in 1987.

There were three sons born to the Martins: Richard B. Martin, Gordon W. Martin, and Robert W. Martin.