MARTIN

martin, william (1767-1810), english naturalist, the son of a hosier, was born at mansfield, nottinghamshire, in 1767. he studied drawing at an early age from james bolton at halifax, and gained from him a taste for the study of natural history. in 1805 he was appointed drawing master in the grammar school at macclesfield. meanwhile he cultivated his taste for natural history, and was in 1796 elected a fellow of the linnaean society. he is best known for his early works on british fossils, entitled _petrifacta derbiensia or figures and descriptions of petrifactions collected in derbyshire_ (1809); and _outlines of an attempt to establish a knowledge of extraneous fossils on scientific principles_ (1809). he died at macclesfield on the 31st of may 1810.