Muscogee-Talbot County GaArchives News.....J.H. Martin New Judge of Chattahoochee Circuit October 3 1907 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles cmhistory@mchsi.com August 27, 2003, 10:04 pm The Talbotton New Era The Talbotton New Era Thursday, October 3, 1907 Page 3 Judge J.H. Martin The Ledger feels that the Chattahoochee circuit is to be congratulated upon the appointment by Governor Smith of Judge J.H. Martin to succeed Judge W.A. Little, resigned, to take effect on the 5th of October. Judge Martin is one of the ablest lawyers in the state, and is a man of fine judicial capacity. He is one who likes to work, and a man who is in love with his work is bound to be a success. Judge Martin, upon the death of Governor James M. Smith, in 1890, the latter being judge of the Chattahoochee circuit at the time of his death, was named by the state legislature to succeed him, and he filled the unexpired term with signal ability and satisfaction to all and with great credit to himself. Judge Martin makes quite a personal sacrifice in order to become judge of the superior court of this circuit. He is a lawyer of a large practice, and his annual income from his practice is several times greater than the salary he will receive as judge of the superior court. But in this instance it may be truthfully said that the Judge’s loss is the people’s gain. The Ledger believes that with Judge Martin on the bench, the position will be filled with entire satisfaction to all, and with great credit to the judge. – Columbus Ledger The Talbotton New Era Thursday, October 3, 1907 Page 7 J.H. Martin New Judge Chattahoochee Circuit Columbus, Ga., Oct. 1. – The appointment of a judge to succeed Judge W.A. Little, of the Chattahoochee circuit, has been made by Governor Hoke Smith, and, as generally anticipated, Judge J.H. Martin of this city, is the man who has been named. Judge Martin’s commission has not been issued yet, but he has been notified that he has been named by the governor. Judge Martin’s appointment will be effective October 6th, the time set by Judge Little for his resignation to take effect. Judge Little mailed his resignation to the governor last Monday, and it was anticipated that the appointment of his successor would be made as soon as Governor Smith returned to the capital from Sylvester, where he delivered a speech last Tuesday. It appears that the appointment was made soon after that time, but it was not made known to the public. Today it became known that the appointment has been made, and Judge Martin was asked if he had received notification, and he said that he has. The appointment of Judge Martin will give very general satisfaction to the people of the circuit. He is a lawyer of fine ability and of a distinctly judicial mind. He has had a good deal of experience on the bench, having served as judge of the Chattahoochee circuit for quite a while and he will again make an excellent judge. Judge Martin was born and reared in Talbot County, Ga., and lived on a farm in that county until he was 17 years of age. He moved to Talbotton, where he clerked in a store for several years, later engaging in the business of merchandising on his own hook, which he pursued for several years. Mr. Martin read law and was admitted to the bar in 1874. He practiced his profession with much success in Talbotton until 1890. In 1880 and 1881 he was elected representative in the legislature from Talbot County. He declined to stand for re-election and never afterwards sought a political office. Upon the death of Governor James M. Smith, in the year 1890, who was at the time of his death judge of the superior court of the Chattahoochee circuit, Mr. Martin was elected by the general assembly of Georgia to fill the unexpired term of Judge Smith. Upon the expiration of his term, January 1893, Judge Martin resumed the practice of law in Columbus, having moved from Talbotton to Columbus in 1891. Since that time Judge Martin has devoted his entire time to the practice of law, and he has enjoyed a very large practice in the counties of the Chattahoochee circuit, and has frequently been retained in the courts, both state and federal, in the other counties of this state, and in Alabama. It is true to say of Judge Martin that during this period he has been on either on one side or the other in nearly every big case that has been tried in any of the counties of the Chattahoochee circuit. Judge Martin is a very able lawyer, and a man of very fine judicial ability. As an evidence of the opinion of the lawyers of the bar in Columbus as to Judge Martin’s judicial qualifications, more than two-thirds of them signed the petition to Governor Smith asking his appointment to the judgeship to succeed Judge Little. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb