Pueblo-Otero County CO Archives Biographies.....Martin, John A. 1858 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 1, 2009, 4:43 pm

Author: Wilbur Fiske Stone (1918)

MAJOR JOHN A. MARTIN.

    Major John A. Martin, who raised and for ten months was in command of the
First Battalion, Second Colorado Regiment, that enlisted for service in the
present war, is now engaged in the practice of law in Pueblo, and at the same
time is doing in every possible way his full share to aid in the prosecution of
the war and the support of the government. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on
the 10th of April, 1858, and is a son of Hugh and Ann (Bowen) Martin. His father
was a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting for active duty with the Union army,
and was assigned to service on a gunboat on the Mississippi river. He is now
following the occupation of farming in Kansas but his wife has passed away.

    Major John A. Martin was the eldest in a family of five sons and one
daughter. He acquired a public school education in Mexico and in Fulton,
Missouri, and afterward took up the study of law in Colorado under private
instruction. He had come to this state in 1887, and having determined upon law
practice as a life work, he spent some time in the office of Fred A. Sabin, of
La Junta, while later his preceptor was Dan B. Carey, now of Denver. He was
admitted to the bar in 1896 and opened an office in Pueblo, where he has since
remained in active practice, and although advancement at the bar is proverbially
slow, he has steadily progressed and is today recognized as one of the strongest
and ablest practitioners in the courts of his district. He has ever been most
thorough and painstaking in the preparation of his cases and his presentation of
a cause is always clear and logical.

    On the 6th of September, 1892, Major Martin was united in marriage to Miss
Rose M. Chitwood, and to them was born a daughter. Stella, who is now the wife
of Gordon W. Spencer.

    In his political views Major Martin is a democrat and has been very active
in party ranks, his opinions carrying weight in its local councils and to a
considerable extent shaping the policy of the party in the state. He has served
as a member of the general assembly of Colorado and for two terms has
represented his district in congress. He has also been city attorney and in all
matters of public concern he is ever found on the side of progress and
improvement. His entire career has been characterized by the wise utilization of
his time and opportunities. He had no special advantages at the outset of his
career and no financial assistance came to him. While he was studying law he
devoted two years to the publishing of the La Junta Times and in 1887 he worked
on the construction of the Colorado Midland Railroad, which was the first
standard railroad across the plains. He recognized the value of such a line and
set about to secure the fulfillment of his plans. The same spirit of
determination has characterized him at every point in his career. While serving
as city attorney he resigned his position to raise the First Battalion, Second
Colorado Infantry, and was commissioned a major by General Baldwin. The company
was recruited along the Arkansas valley and sent to San Diego, California, but
because of his age Major Martin was honorably discharged and returned to Pueblo.
While he did not find it possible to go across the water and aid on the battle
line in holding in check German militarism and stamp out German atrocities, he
is nevertheless doing his full part in every possible way and is often heard on
the public platform, where his enthusiasm inspires others with much of his own
patriotism and loyalty. He is a man of high principles, greatly respected and
loved by those with whom he has come in contact, and he is widely honored
throughout the state.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF COLORADO

ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME II
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1918


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/pueblo/bios/martin201nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cofiles/

File size: 4.4 Kb