Martha Ann Hayes Safford was born in Farmington, NH on August 8, 1850. Her father was Isreal Hayes; her mother was Anna Edgerly.

On August 6, 1868 she married James F. Safford, just two days before her 18th birthday. James Safford was a jeweler with a shop in Farmington. They moved to Rochester, NH, where they remained during their lifetimes. Martha maintained a studio in her home. She traveled to North Conway and Boston where she took lessons from Benjamin Champney.

Although she was not a member of the Boston Art Club, nor did she exhibit there, she was known to attend meetings as Champney’s guest.

She painted oil still-lifes, primarily of flowers, and landscapes of the White Mountains. Champney maintained impressionism was a fad, but later in life she did loosen her style.

She died at age 62 at her home in Rochester, NH on October 7, 1912.

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References
Samuel M. Robbins