The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-10-11
EX-GOVERNOR MARTIN DEAD.
Death OF the Late Governor OF Kansas al
His Home i'm AtchiaoIi--Sketch of His

Death OF the Late Governor OF Kansas at
His Home i'm AtchisoI,-Sketch of His
Life.
ArcHIsoN, Kan, Oct. S.-Ex.Governor
Martin died at $3.50 O'Clock yesterday
morning. Mayor Wagner has called a
meeting of the people for this evening to
make arrangements for the funeral on
Friday.
Ex-Governor Martins death followed
an illness of more than two months. His
disease wis a mysterious one. and at no
time were the physicians able to intelli-
gently diagnose it. His death had been
expected for some DAYS.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Ex-Governor John A Martin was born March
~. 1899. at Brownsville, Fayette County. Pa.
When a mere lad he learned the art OF printing
in the office of the Brownsville Clipper. He
emigrated to Kansas in 1857 and located at
Atchison. In 1858 he purchased what was then
known as the Squatter Sovereign and changed
its name to the Freedoms Champion. Later
the name of the paper was changed to the Atch-
ison Oh mpion With the exception of the Troy
Chief it is the oldest paper in Kansas. Cover
nor Martin was early and late staunch
Free State man, and was first and last an ar
dent Republican. He entered early into pub
lie life, and he was elected to the State Senate
from the district composed OF Atchison and
Brown Counties before he was twenty-one years
old. He was secretary of the Wyandotts Con-
stitutional convention. and served as a dele
gate to the Territorial convention at Lawrence
in 1861. He was also a delegate to the Ma
tional convention at Chicago which nom-
mated Lincoln for his first term. He was
seer tary of the Stae Railroad convention,
which met a Topeka in 1850 to devise rail-
way system for the State. During the summer
of 1861 he assisted in organizing the Eighth
Kansas infantry, of which he was appointed
Leutenant-C Colonel The regiment served on
the Missouri border during the fall and winter
OF 1861. Early in 1862 he was appointed Pro-
vost-Marshal of Leavenworth, and in March OF
the same year his regiment was ordered to
Corinth, Miss, with Lieutenant-Colone Martin
in command A few weeks after arriving at
Corinth the regiment, with the division to
which it was attached, was ordered to join
General Buell. in Tennessee and thereafter,
during the whole war, it served in the army OF
the Cumberland. Lieutenant Colonel Martin
was promoted TO Colonel on November l.,
1852 and was provost marshal of Nashville,
Tenn, from December. 1862, to June, 1863
The regiment which he commanded took
part in the battles at Perryville and Lam
caster, in Kentucky; in the campaign
aga nst Tullihoma and CHATTANOOGA; the
storming of Mission Ridge; the campaign from
Chattanooga to Atlanta and the subsequent
pursuit of Hood northward. Colonel Martin
commanded the Third brigade. First division
of the Twentieth army corps, on the second
day of the battle of Chickamauga and during
the siege f Chattanooga. At the close of the
war he returned to Atchison and resumed con-
troll OF the Champion. The first number OF the
Daily Champion was issued March 22, 1855.
He represented Kansas as delegate
to the National Republican conventions
of 1860, 1868 1872, and 1880. He
was member for many years of the Republican
National Committee. was elected Commander
in, Chief of the State encampment, G. A. R;
was member of the United States Centennial
Commission: was one Of the incorporates of
the Kansas Magazine and of the State Historic
al Society. lie was elected mayor of Atchison
in 1865, and was elected by the two houses Of
Congress one of the board OF managers of the Ma
tional Soldiers HOIne in 1878. In 1884 he was
elected Governor of the State of Kansas and
reelected in 1885, His wife, who survives him
was the daughter of DR.. William L. Challis, o.
AtchiSon, and the result of this union was four
children. Elk. Governor Martin leaves hand
some estate. the value of which is estimated at
from S15,OO0 to Sl00,o01