CHAPTER LVI

JOHN A. MARTIN

B Y MRS. EDITH CONNELLEY ROSS

John A. Martin, tenth Governor of Kansas, was born at Brownsville,

Payette County, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1839. He received a fair
education in the common branches, and in his youth perfected himself
in the printer's art. In 1857 he was in the office of the Commercial
Journal at Pittsburgh. During the fall of that year he came to Kansas,
a boy of only 19 years. But his experiences in the early days tended to
make him a man in courage and intelligence—in everything but years.
Martin worked a few months in the office of the Squatter Sovereign
at Atchison, and then entered the service of James Redpath as a com-
positor on the Crusader of Freedom. In the fall of 1858, he purchased
the Squatter Sovereign and changed its name to the Freedom's Cham-
pion. This newspaper he conducted till the day of his death, and its
columns were always devoted to the cause of the oppressed. Later, the
name of the paper was again changed, this time to the Atchison
Champion.
Martin was a fervent Pree-State man, and an enthusiastic Republican.
Kansas was quick to see the value of such a man, and in 1859 Martin
was elected Secretary of the Wyandotte Constitutional Convention—
an honor and responsibility coveted by much older men. This was before
lie was twenty-one years old. He served as a delegate to the Territorial
Convention of 1860, at Lawrence, and later in that year was sent to the
Chicago National Convention. In 1859 he was elected State Senator
from Atchison and Brown counties. Thus he was a member of the First
State Legislature.
In the summer of 18C1 Martin helped organize the Eighth Kansas
Infantry, of which he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel. He served
on the Missouri border during the fall and winter of 1861. In 1862 he
was made Provost-Marshal of Leavenworth, and he went in command of
his regiment to Corinth in March of that year.
Colonel Martin fought gallantly all through the Civil War. He was
with four great armies during that time—the Army of the Frontier,
the Army of the Mississippi, the Army of the Ohio, and the Army of the
Cumberland. He was present at the battle of Missionary Ridge, where
his heroic fighting was as gallant as in his numerous other battles. Soon
after being mustered out, at the close of the war, he was brevetted
Brigadier-General, for gallant and meritorious service.
832
 KANSAS AND KANSANS 833

Colonel Martin always retained his love for his old comrades and was
always certain of their unfaltering loyalty. He was the first Depart-
ment Commander of the G. A. R, in Kansas, and was always active in
any service for the veterans. The Soldiers Orphans Home at Atchison
was in a great measure due to his labors. In 1878 he was appointed on
the Board of Managers of the National Soldiers' Homes.
On June 1, 1871, lie married Miss Ida Challis. Seven children were
born to them.

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Gov. J O H N A. MARTIN

[Copy by AVillard of Portrait in Library of Kansas State Historical

Society]

In 1884 Colonel Martin was elected Governor of Kansas, and in 1886

he was re-elected. The beginning of his administration was very difficult,
and he was besieged by hordes of office-seekers. This, on account of the
previous Democratic administration.
At first, Governor Martin was not a prohibitionist, but in time, as he
saw the beneficial effects of prohibition, he became converted to be one
of its most ardent champions. During Governor Martin's administra-
tion six educational institutions were established in Kansas, and 182
school houses were built in 1887. Also, the State Reformatory was
located at Hutchinson, and opportunities for reform were provided for
vol. n—m
834 KANSAS AND KANSANS

young law-breakers. During this administration, The Annals of Kansas,

a compilation of Kansas history extremely valuable, was written and
published by D. W, "Wilder.
In March of 188G, a strike and serious disturbances on the Missouri-
Pacific Railroad, in Missouri and Kansas, demanded the attention of
Governor Martin. Rioting caused the Governor to send the First Kansas
Militia to the scene of action. After being the cause of great incon-
veniences and suffering, the strike was settled in April.
A bill was passed by the Legislature of 1887, conferring on women
of Kansas the right to vote at school, bond, and municipal elections.
This was one of the first steps toward the complete suffrage the State
enjoys today.
Kansas had steadily progressed in prosperity and her towns and
broad farming lands had increased immensely in value. This led to a
" B o o m " during which magnificent cities were erected—on paper—real
towns increased in size. Many syndicates were organized to deal in
Kansas real estate. Long blocks of buildings were erected in unneces-
sary towns, and the prairie was long after dotted with rusting pipes
and hydrants—the only tangible evidences of these useless towns. The
end of 1888 saw the great Kansas "boom" collapse, and, as this year
had also had a failure of crops, Kansas experienced a panic. But this
cheek in prosperity was comparatively brief.
There was a contest for the county seat between towns in several
counties. Bitter rivalries and feuds resulted, the worst being the
Stephens County, where several people were killed. On an appeal made
to the Governor for help, a regiment of militia was sent to this county.
In 1888 Greeley County was organized, thus completing the organization
of the 105 Kansas counties.
At the expiration of his term as Governor, Colonel Martin returned
to Atchison and resumed his work on the Champion. But in less than
a year he was stricken by a fatal sickness. He died at Atchison
October 2, 1889. He was buried, at his request, in the uniform he had
so nobly worn in life.