The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-07-08
COL. W. II. MARTIN
HAS PASSED AWAY
Died i'm Asheville Friday
Afternoon.
AFTER LONG ILLNESS.
Was Useful and PrOmi-
nent Citizen.
He was One of the Leading Civil Law
yers OF Upper Carolina-The
FuneraI Sunday.
AFTER LONG ILLNESS.

Col. Williamson III. Martin of this
city died in Asheville, N. c., Friday
afternoon. Col. Martin was one of the
leaders of the Laurens bar. He was In
his 52nd year. He had been in i'll health,
suffering from a complication of dis
eases for the past six months and in
February was desperately i'll with
pneumonia. He also suffered stroke
OF paralysis some months ago, but had
recovered sufficiently to return TO his
Office. With Mrs. Martin and the
youngest OF his two sons he went to
Asheville about week ago.
Col. Martin was q native OF Laurens
county; a member of an old and promi-
nent family. In early life he was
merchant, but about % years ago
studied law In the Office of the late
Col. r. p. Todd, with whom he later
formed a partnership, succeeding to
the whole practice upon Col. Todd's
death. His practice was for the most
part confined to the civil side of the
courts and he was eminently success
full. He thoroughly mastered his cases
and the justices of the supreme court
had high opinion OF his ability. He
was never active in politics, though
his alignment on the conservative side
of public issues was always we'll known.
He was member of Gov. McSweeney's
staff. Since its organization in 1887 he
has been director of the Peoples
Loan and Exchange Bank, one of the
largest of the financial institutions
here, and his sagacity as an advisor
was valuable to 1t. He was also one of
the largest local subscribers in the
building of the Laurens Cotton Mills,
but had sold his shares in that COM
pany some time before his death. He
was an active figure In other smaller
corporations that have aided in the de-
velopment OF the city and county.
Col. Martins home in Main street
was one of the handsomest in Laurens
and few months before his death he
ad greatly improved it. His imme-
diate family consists OF his wife and
two sons. While his friends had de-
SPARED of his recovery for some time,
his death comes as a great shock, for
he has been cut down in the fullness of
a successful career.
The body arrived from Asheville at
O'Clock Saturday and the funeral took
place Sunday afternoon, brief services
being conducted at the grave by Rev.
w. S. Holmes of the Episcopal Church,
assisted by R,v. ]. ID. Pitts of the Bap-
list Church.
The following were the pail bear
ers:
Active-W. w. Ball, w. d. Fergu-
son, j. @. Owens, r. p. MCGOWAN, Fl.
Y. Simpson, Aug. Huff, P. A. Simpson,
M. L. Roper.
Honorary
| J. o. O. Fleming. @. w. Tune, j. w.
Todd, T. e. Todd, w. l.. Gray, ]. j..
Pluss, w A. Watts, N. B. Dial, A. FL.
Martin, j. III. Traynham, @. B. Bobo,
G. d. Barksdale, w. g. Irby, j. w.
Ferguson, @. O. Featherstone, d. H..
Counts, w. l.. Boyd.
Col. Martin is also survived by one
brother. Mr.. f. B. Martin of Youngs
Township, and one sister, Mrs. E. Sit
greaves of Laurens.
Col. Martins death is profoundly
mourned by large number of friends.
He was useful citizen Of much force
of character and his death Is loss to
the county and state.
He was recently elected member OF
the vestry of the Episcopal Church.