Flossie Martin.pdfDavie County Public Library
Mocksville, North Carolina
FLOSSIE MARTIN: a biographical sketch
Flossie Martin, the first of three children born to
Wilson Columbus and Frances Cornelia Eaton
Martin, was born August 21, 1890, in the small
community of Cana, near Mocksville, Davie
County, North Carolina. Her father, a physician,
moved his family into Mocksville when Miss
Martin was small. There she attended Miss Mattie
Eaton’s private school, known as Sunnyside.
In 1910, she was graduated from Salem College,
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with a Batchelor
of Arts degree. In 1921, she earned a Batchelor of
Science degree from Columbia University, New
York. In 1944, Miss Martin earned a Master of
Science degree in education from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Flossie Martin became a science teacher of some
renown, teaching at R.J. Reynolds High School,
Winston-Salem, North Carolina until 1947, at which time she returned to Mocksville,
teaching science there until her retirement at age 70 – the North Carolina mandatory
retirement age for teachers. Many of Miss Martin’s science pupils were inspired through
her teaching to seek careers in science and related fields and became very successful.
During her years in Winston-Salem, Miss Martin resided in the home of Dr. Adelaide
Fries, noted genealogist and historian. From her Miss Martin learned the fine points of
genealogical and historical pursuits. In 1960, her career of teaching science ended at
Davie County High School, Mocksville, and at once a new career unfolded as she began
– as a volunteer – to collect local history and genealogy material. Two or three filing
cabinets evolved into a sizeable room. During Miss Martin’s tenure, the Davie County
Public Library’s history/genealogy room acquired books, periodicals, maps, pictures,
photographs, artifacts, original documents, and a microfilm collection. The biography
files lure researchers from all over the United States. Miss Martin was instrumental in the
collection of local church and cemetery records. Her vertical file collection included oral
history transcriptions, local government and election records, and the history of education
in Davie County. Miss Martin also collected the history of communities within the
county, cataloged the growth of types of businesses and industries in Davie County, and
indexed with volunteer help many old books and ledgers. She used all of this material to
assist local, state, and national researchers.
All the while, Miss Martin also found time for active participation in her church,
Mocksville’s First Baptist Church. In October 1951, she assumed the duties of church
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Davie County Public Library
Mocksville, North Carolina
clerk, a post she filled until 1971. From 1971 to March 1974, she acted as assistant
church clerk.
Flossie Martin died February 11, 1993 at the age of 102.
As a dedicated science teacher Miss Martin contributed significantly to society, but the
history/genealogy room at the Davie County Public Library represents her lasting gift to
all of Davie County and beyond, because it was her inspiration, labor, and dedication that
created a collection of local history that preserves Davie County’s past for the
enlightenment of the future.
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