Thomas B. McMartin Biography


	This biography appears on pages 864-865 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	An engraving and the signature of T. B. McMartin faces page 864


	THOMAS B. McMARTIN has been a resident of South Dakota for more 
than a score of years and has risen to a place of distinction and honor 
as a member of the bar of the commonwealth, being actively engaged in 
the practice of his profession in the city of Sioux Falls.  

	Thomas Bell McMartin is a native of the state of Iowa, having 
been born in Fairfield, on the 30th of October, 1857, a son of Finlay 
and Martha McMartin. In 1865 the family removed to Dixon, Illinois, 
where the subject of this sketch was reared to maturity, completing the 
curriculum of the public schools and later pursuing studies under 
private tutors. In 1877 he began reading law under the direction of 
Eugene Pinckney, of Dixon, and was admitted to the bar of the state on 
the 18th of March, 1879. He served his novitiate as a practitioner in 
Dixon, where he remained about one year after his admission to the bar, 
and in May, 1880, he came to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he has 
ever since been actively engaged in the practice of his chosen 
profession, having rapidly forged forward to the front rank, by reason 
of his ability, devotion to his work and his well directed energy. 
After coming to Sioux Falls he was a clerk in the law office of the 
firm of Kershaw & Flagg about nine months, at the expiration of which 
he entered into a professional partnership with Eugene Coughran, under 
the firm name of Coughran & McMartin, and this alliance continued until 
October, 1889, when it was dissolved by mutual consent. Of Mr. 
McMartin's efforts during this period another writer has spoken as 
follows: "During this time he had a constantly growing practice and was 
employed in some very important cases, which he conducted with 
distinctive ability." In 1889 our subject entered into partnership with 
Judge John E. Carland, under the title of McMartin & Carland, and this 
association obtained until September 23, 1893, since which time Mr. 
McMartin has conducted an individual practice of general order. He is 
known as an able advocate and safe counsel, being well grounded in the 
learning of the law and sparing no pains in the preparation of his 
cases, so that he is ever able to present his causes with clearness and 
power. He has had a particularly wide and important experience as 
attorney for receivers of insolvent institutions, having thus been 
retained by the receivers of the First National Bank of Sioux Falls, 
the Chamberlain National Bank, the Madison National Bank, the Bank of 
South Dakota (at Madison), the Dakota National Bank and the Insurance 
Company of Dakota. Of him it has been said in the connection that "in 
the case of the Sioux Falls National Bank versus the First National 
Bank of Sioux Falls, which grew out of the attachment of the assets of 
the First National by the Sioux Falls National, he won the admiration 
of the bar by his persistent and successful prosecution of the case on 
the part of the defendant bank. He was defeated in the circuit and 
supreme courts of the state, but took the case to the United States 
supreme court and there prevailed. He took this final recourse against 
the advice of the comptroller of the currency and the opinions of 
distinguished lawyers, and his victory was thus the more gratifying and 
the more indicative of his tenacity of purpose and his professional 
ability." Mr. McMartin has served several years as United States 
commissioner since taking up his residence in the state, and while he 
is a stalwart supporter of the principles of the Republican party he 
has in no sense been ambitious for political preferment. He is a close 
observer of the ethics of his profession and stands high in the regard 
of his confreres and the general public, having a host of friends in 
the city in which he has so long maintained his home.  

	On the 28th of February, 1888, Mr. McMartin was united in 
marriage to Miss Jennie M. Bowen, of Broadhead, Wisconsin, and they 
have one child living, named Thomas Bowen.