Henry County AlArchives Biographies.....Martin, Henry H. 1860 - living in 1893
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 27, 2004, 12:59 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    HENRY H. MARTIN, merchant of Abbeville, is one of the promising young
business men of Henry county. He was born in Oglethorpe county, Ga., in 1860,
and was the second in a family of two children, born to Hope and Susan
(Harrison) Martin, the former of whom was a native of Georgia, born and reared
in Oglethorpe county, and who in 1862 removed with his family to Alabama,
settling in Henry county and buying a farm. This farm he immediately set about
to improve, but his labors were cut short by death in 1863. The widow was thus
left with a family of two children. She was also a native of Oglethorpe county,
was reared and educated there, and was married when in her sixteenth year. She
was married in 1867 to Mr. James Somerford; by whom she has had three children,
viz.: Martha, Charlie, and one which died in infancy. She died in 1872, in her
forty-fifth year. Henry H. Martin grew up on the farm, performing all the
various kinds of labor incident to farm life. He was necessarily so closely
engaged in this work that he had little or no time to attend school, and his
education was thus sadly neglected. Six months schooling comprised his entire
course, while he was in his minority. For two years he carried the mail from
Abbeville to Dothen, Fort Gaines and Eufaula for 25 cents a day, boarding
himself, and a year prior to this he had hired himself to a farmer, who agreed
to pay him $7 a month, but after working for him a year, all he ever got was an
old mule worth about $25. At the age of eighteen he entered the store of
Saunders & Martin in the capacity of a clerk, and operated his farm at the same
time. This course of life he pursued some four years, and then he left off
farming, and remained in the store as clerk two years more. He then formed a
parternership with Robert Newman, and opened up a large stock of general
merchandise. In this business he continued with success and an increasing trade
until May, 1891, when he sold his entire interest in the store, and bought the
large and commodious building he now occupies, together with the large and well
selected stock of general merchandise, which he now owns, and where he now is in
business for himself. In June, 1891, he went to Dothen, Ala., and there erected
a large brick store building, which he rents. Besides the above-mentioned
property, Mr. Martin owns considerable landed interests in and near Abbeville,
and he is also interested in the largest livery stable in Abbeville, the firm
name being Martin, Newman & Martin. In 1885, he was married to Miss Mary Newman,
sister of his former partner and fellow-townsman, Robert Newman. She was born in
Barbour county, Ala., and grew to womanhood under the paternal roof. She was
married in her twenty-second year, and is the mother of two children, viz..; Eva
and Robert. In 1888, Mr. Martin was elected to the office of justice of the
peace, and has held the office continuously since that time. Politically, he is
a democrat of the straightest sect, and religiously he is a member of the
Missionary Baptist church, his wife being a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, south. Mr. Martin was thrown upon his own resources early in life, and
has attained the high position he now occupies by his own efforts and industry.
He is to a sufficient degree a public-spirited man, and is in favor of all
enterprises calculated to benefit the general public.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 1104-1105
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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