OR OR – Martin Family Ken 54, Barbara 48, Barbie 15, Columbia River Gorge, Dec 7 1958

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[Warwick1991]

This is from yesterday...

 

[arielilane]

TIMELINE: What we know about the 1958 Martin family disappearance​

The Martin Family of Northeast Portland disappeared December 7, 1958

December 7, 1958​

Ken Martin and his wife Barbara tell family members and their Northeast Portland neighbors the family was going to spend the afternoon in the Columbia River Gorge collecting Christmas greenery. The two Martin parents and their daughters, 14 year-old Barbara, 12 year-old Virginia and 10 year-old Sue, take a drive up the Columbia River Gorge in their 1954 Ford Station Wagon.

Timeline continues at link...

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/timeline-what-we-know-about-the-1958-martin-family-disappearance/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_KOINNews

3/7/2025

 

[Gemmie]

Thought I'd post a picture that some might not have been seen before.

The spot near The Dalles where tire tracks led to the Columbia River. In 1999, searchers returned to the spot where they believed the Martin family may have disappeared and compared the scene with a photo of it from 1959.

The Martin family’s 1958 disappearance shocked Oregon; 67 years later, authorities announce break in case

Officials are attempting to recover from the Columbia River a Ford station wagon that could be linked to the Martin family.

www.oregonlive.com

 

[rleigh123]

TIMELINE: What we know about the 1958 Martin family disappearance​

The Martin Family of Northeast Portland disappeared December 7, 1958

December 7, 1958​

Ken Martin and his wife Barbara tell family members and their Northeast Portland neighbors the family was going to spend the afternoon in the Columbia River Gorge collecting Christmas greenery. The two Martin parents and their daughters, 14 year-old Barbara, 12 year-old Virginia and 10 year-old Sue, take a drive up the Columbia River Gorge in their 1954 Ford Station Wagon.

Timeline continues at link...

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/timeline-what-we-know-about-the-1958-martin-family-disappearance/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_KOINNews

3/7/2025

From the link:

"January 1959​

A gun is found near Cascade Locks. The Hood River Sheriff lets the man who found the gun keep it. In 1986, the man’s widow told KOIN 6 News the gun looked like it had been used to beat something. It was damaged and had dried blood on it.

[.....]

Months later​

The recovered gun had been among $2,000 worth of items that the Martins’ son Donald had been accused of stealing while working at a Meier and Frank two years before. Twenty-eight-year-old Donald was in the Navy and living back east and estranged from the rest of his family."






The gun apparently stolen by the son was found near the location the family was last seen? I don't even know what to make of that. But WOW.



MOO IMO

 

[Bree1950]

This is an excellent book with a lot of Detective and Police records surrounding this case. I agree with the Author on a probable reason and how this may have happened. Much information based on facts. A black cab pulled up to the house the morning after the disappearance and was there for around one hour. When the surviving son went through the house with a Detective he noticed that his Dad’s checkbooks, ledgers and all bank statements were missing! I think there is more to this disappearance but unfortunately we may never know! I was hoping they would have Doug Bishop assist with the car removal. He recently pulled a car, totally instant, out of a River that had been submerged over 40 years with a body inside. This removal appeared to me to use outdated techniques!!

 

[Bree1950]

This is an excellent book with a lot of Detective and Police records surrounding this case. I agree with the Author on a probable reason and how this may have happened. Much information based on facts. A black cab pulled up to the house the morning after the disappearance and was there for around one hour. When the surviving son went through the house with a Detective he noticed that his Dad’s checkbooks, ledgers and all bank statements were missing! I think there is more to this disappearance but unfortunately we may never know! I was hoping they would have Doug Bishop assist with the car removal. He recently pulled a car, totally instant, out of a River that had been submerged over 40 years with a body inside. This removal appeared to me to use outdated techniques!!

Sorry! Instant = intact!

 

[Oregonmama]

This is an excellent book with a lot of Detective and Police records surrounding this case. I agree with the Author on a probable reason and how this may have happened. Much information based on facts. A black cab pulled up to the house the morning after the disappearance and was there for around one hour. When the surviving son went through the house with a Detective he noticed that his Dad’s checkbooks, ledgers and all bank statements were missing! I think there is more to this disappearance but unfortunately we may never know! I was hoping they would have Doug Bishop assist with the car removal. He recently pulled a car, totally instant, out of a River that had been submerged over 40 years with a body inside. This removal appeared to me to use outdated techniques!!

Not all rivers are the same under water on the bottom. The car was upside down encased with mud and other stuff. Car retrievals can differ to environmental factors that are unique to certain areas. JMO

 

[Austin023]

This is an excellent book with a lot of Detective and Police records surrounding this case. I agree with the Author on a probable reason and how this may have happened. Much information based on facts. A black cab pulled up to the house the morning after the disappearance and was there for around one hour. When the surviving son went through the house with a Detective he noticed that his Dad’s checkbooks, ledgers and all bank statements were missing! I think there is more to this disappearance but unfortunately we may never know! I was hoping they would have Doug Bishop assist with the car removal. He recently pulled a car, totally instant, out of a River that had been submerged over 40 years with a body inside. This removal appeared to me to use outdated techniques!!

Yes! I read that book fairly recently; a believe a preview can be seen in Google Books too btw. In any case, I'd definitely recommend that book to anyone interested in true crime and obviously, this case in particular.

The part about the missing tax returns, checkbook, financial docs certainly stuck out. However, since Donald discovered these apparently missing from his father's desk, I'd be hesitant at least. The part about the black cab seen early the following morning after the family disappeared is just odd, though I guess it lends more credence to someone having been to the Martin house, and perhaps the missing financial documents. I'm not sure what to make of it.

The thing that really gets me, besides Donald's behavior during and after the disappearance, is the abandoned car found nearby to where Martin's were last seen: the bloody gun found just up the road from that stolen, abandoned car...a gun, which has a serial number of one among those Donald had stolen from his employer in 1956. An awfully big coincidence IMO

 

[mlhenn]

Kenneth R. Martin – The Charley Project

Barbara Jean Martin – The Charley Project

Barbara Martin – The Charley Project

Last updated March 11, 2025; details of disappearance updated.

 

[Warwick7]

TIMELINE: What we know about the 1958 Martin family disappearance​

The Martin Family of Northeast Portland disappeared December 7, 1958

December 7, 1958​

Ken Martin and his wife Barbara tell family members and their Northeast Portland neighbors the family was going to spend the afternoon in the Columbia River Gorge collecting Christmas greenery. The two Martin parents and their daughters, 14 year-old Barbara, 12 year-old Virginia and 10 year-old Sue, take a drive up the Columbia River Gorge in their 1954 Ford Station Wagon.

Timeline continues at link...

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/timeline-what-we-know-about-the-1958-martin-family-disappearance/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_KOINNews

3/7/2025

The Martin family disappearance – A True Crime Podcast

 

[Warwick7]

This is an excellent book with a lot of Detective and Police records surrounding this case. I agree with the Author on a probable reason and how this may have happened. Much information based on facts. A black cab pulled up to the house the morning after the disappearance and was there for around one hour. When the surviving son went through the house with a Detective he noticed that his Dad’s checkbooks, ledgers and all bank statements were missing! I think there is more to this disappearance but unfortunately we may never know! I was hoping they would have Doug Bishop assist with the car removal. He recently pulled a car, totally instant, out of a River that had been submerged over 40 years with a body inside. This removal appeared to me to use outdated techniques!!

Bummer I checked out Amazon and the book is out of stock.

 

[Warwick1991]

Bummer I checked out Amazon and the book is out of stock.

It is available to order online via Barnes and Noble

 

[Warwick7]

It is available to order online via Barnes and Noble

Thank you!

 

[Warwick7]

It is available to order online via Barnes and Noble

Thank you

The Martin family disappearance – A True Crime Podcast

This link is one of the most detailed I've read yet. Wow.

 

[FoxxTraxx]

It is available to order online via Barnes and Noble

My copy of Echo of Distant Water arrived from Barnes&Noble. I have not read much yet. But I learned that investigators received quite a few tips from people who thought they saw the Martin family somewhere. Having to check out all those possible sightings made the investigation difficult in the first few weeks.

 

[LittleSeaTree]

Thank you

This link is one of the most detailed I've read yet. Wow.

New to this mystery, looking forward to catching up with everyone’s input. How intriguing, for sure. And in this article, the pic of the car…swoon, how gorgeous. RIP, of course!

 

[Warwick7]

 

[chart75]

Interesting that he states that they are waiting to positively identify the car, but then states it's been in the river for 66 years.

 

[Warwick1991]

Interesting that he states that they are waiting to positively identify the car, but then states it's been in the river for 66 years.

Well, the engine block and other material indicate that it's a Ford station wagon from the era of the Martin car, and I think the Sheriff is assuming that it is the Martin car. I think he assumes that this is the Martin car, because there might not be any other missing Ford station wagons of this era expected in this area of the river. Positive identification can eventually be made from the markings on the engine. The need to proceed carefully due to the rust probably makes the process very slow. They will wait until the engine can be identified.