Henry County AlArchives Biographies.....Martin, A. L. December 25 1824 - living in 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 27, 2004, 12:55 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    REV. DR. A. L. MARTIN, retired clergyman, physician, merchant and planter,
is one of the most honored and respected citizens of Henry county. He was born
in Oglethorpe county, Ga., near Athens, December 25, 1824, and is named in honor
of Gen. Lafayette, who was on a visit to this country at the time of his birth.
He is now the sole survivor of five children born to Williford and Melissa
(Dowden) Martin. Williford Martin was of Scotch extraction, grew up in
Oglethorpe county, and died in 1826. The mother of Dr. Martin was also a native
of Oglethorpe county, grew up under the parental roof, had the best of school
advantages, and died within three miles of where she was born. She was of an
excellent family, whose worth and integrity were recognized by all. Her death
occurred in 1880, at the advanced age of seventy-four years. She was a member of
the Missionary Baptist church, and she lived a good and consistent life, filled
with acts of charity and kindness. Dr. Martin being deprived of his father's
care in early life, and not being surrounded with the facilities for securing
the education that he desired, resolved to start out in life for himself and to
become a good and useful man. He therefore left home at the age of seventeen,
and began work as an over-seer on a plantation near Columbus, Ga., at a merely
nominal salary, which was increased as he became more competent. At the age of
twenty-one, he entered a select school of a literary character, which was well
equipped, and here his progress was rapid and his studies thoroughly mastered.
Here he remained two years, and then began the study of medicine. During the
years 1846 and 1847, he attended the medical college at Angusta, Ga., and in
1848, having passed a successful examination, he was admitted to practice, and
opened an office near where he had been employed as overseer, his former
employers becoming his patrons. In 1850, he removed to Alabama, settling in Dale
county. Subsequently, he removed to Henry county, and bought a small farm eight
miles south of Abbeville. This farm he operated in connection with his
profession. In 1856, giving up the practice of medicine, he entered the ministry
of the Missionary Baptist church, and has since continued in the ministry of
this denomination until the present day. In 1865, he established a small store
near his plantation, which he afterward enlarged and removed to Abbeville, and
there continued in the mercantile business on a large scale until 1883, when he
retired. He was married, in 1848, to Miss Elizabeth Mullin, daughter of John and
Parmelia (Biggers) Mullin. John Mullin was a native of Cork, Ireland, and came
to America with his parents at an early day They settled in South Carolina, but
subsequently removed to Georgia, in which state, their son, John Mullin, became
a famous planter. His death occurred in 1853, in his sixty-fifth year. He was a
member of the Missionary Baptist church. His wife grew to womanhood in her
native state, married there and still lives, at the age of eighty-nine. The wife
of Dr. Martin grew up near Columbus, Ga., and was educated there. She was
married in her twentieth year., and is the mother of eight children, viz.: James
M., deceased; Mary E., wife of Dr. W. J. Lee, who resides at Abbeville; Martha,
deceased; William J., a resident .of Abbeville; Elizabeth, wife of E. Saunders,
whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; H. L., attorney, at Ozark, Ala.;
Fula, wife of J. C. Simpson, of Fort Gaines, Ga., and Coda, deceased. Dr. Martin
now lives a life of comparative retirement in his beautiful suburban home,
surrounded by peace and plenty, enjoying the happy life resulting from a useful
past and an unclouded conscience. He is justly proud of his ancestry, and has
lived in such a way as to increase rather than to diminish their enviable
reputation. Few men so fully are granted and enjoy the esteem and affection of
the entire community as does Dr. Martin, and few have so well and so honestly
earned that affection and esteem as has Dr. Martin.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 1102-1104
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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