What happened
While hunting, Martin watched a dark object high in the southern sky. When it was directly overhead it was "about the size of a large saucer" and at a great height. He thought it resembled a balloon. The Denison Daily News ran the story on January 25, 1878, credited to the Dallas Herald. It is often called the first "flying saucer," but "saucer" described apparent size, not shape. Census records list several farmers named John Martin in Grayson and Collin counties, so the witness cannot be pinned down.