Willis P. Martin was born in New Harbour, his mother’s home, but spent his early years in several Newfoundland communities where his father taught school. Willis completed high school in Dildo, where his father ended his teaching career.After working in the telecommunications industry for eight years, Willis studied engineering at Memorial University, and obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the Technical University of Nova Scotia in 1965. After obtaining a Masters of Applied Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and working for a short time in Toronto, Willis and his family returned to Newfoundland where he continued his career in telecommunications. After his retirement in 1993, Willis’s research on the family tree and discussions with former local historian Lloyd George brought to light the need for a record of the rich history of the Dildo–New Harbour area, and this work is the result.Willis lives in St. John’s with his wife, Linda (née Wentzell). Their daughter Lisa is a training consultant in Montreal, and daughter Vickie is a medical doctor in Kingston, Ontario.