Alexander Laurent Alexis Martell (1853–1921) was a miner in Little Bay from 1883 until 1892. He’d come from  L’Ardoise, Cape Breton. Little Bay court reports mention him in several minor disturbances during his time there, including an assault case and charges related to fighting and drunken disorderly. In 1888 he married Ellen Lannon and in 1892 their daughter Catherine Frances Martell was born in Little Bay. That’s my last record of them there. The Martells were living in Nova Scotia by 1894, likely moving to Glace Bay for the mining work. He’d died there by 1921.

Sources

1882 – Absent from the 1882 voter’s list

1883, Aug 8 – “Thomas Walsh for an assault on Alexander Martelle, and one on Patrick Curran as witness” (Wells, P.2)

1884, March 2 – Alexander Martelle and some boys got liquor from a sheeban (Wells)

1884, March 9 – Alexander Martelle and Thomas Noseworthy fighting. Not Martelle’s first fight (Wells)

1884, April 9 – Alexander Martelle appeared in court (Wells)

1884, April 14 – Alexander Martelle among those arrested for drunk & disorderly at the Skittle Alley (Wells)

1889 – Martell, Alexander – Indian Bight, Little Bay (Voter’s list)

1890 – Signed petition for public wharf

1892, April 26 – Catherine Frances Martelle born to Alexander and Ellen (Longan) Martelle. He was a miner

1894 – Birth of son in NS

1901 – NS census

1911 – Catholic and a miner (Census)