But he was orphaned at 15 years of age, lived with an aunt (Kezia, sister of his mother Susannah Abernethy, and widow of Thomas Mower) who supported his desire to not proceed with military life and leave school to become a carpenter and draughtsman.

He had had a hobby of sketching and painting, for several years and now, took part-time instruction at the South Kensington Schools in London but was mostly self-taught in art.

Farming proved impossible because of the poor quality of the land and so the family moved and settled in Toronto, where Mower Martin soon became an established professional painter.

Martin produced landscapes, animals, still lifes and portraits in oils, watercolours and etchings.

Mower Martin exhibited widely as an artist during his lifetime and his works can be found in many public and private collections, including Windsor Castle in England.