John Martin (Governor of Kansas)
John A. Martin | |
---|---|
Alexander Pancoast Riddle | |
Preceded by | George W. Glick |
Succeeded by | Lyman U. Humphrey |
Member of the Kansas Senate | |
In office 1859-1861 | |
Personal details | |
Born | March 10, 1839 Brownsville, Pennsylvania |
Died | October 2, 1889 (aged 50) Atchison, Kansas |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Ida Challiss |
Profession | newspaper editor, abolitionist, politician, soldier |
Military service | |
Rank | Brevet Brigadier General USV |
John Alexander Martin (March 10, 1839 – October 2, 1889) was the
Origins
Martin was born in
Freedom's Champion
In 1857, at the age of 18, he came to the
Civil War service
Before the expiration of his term as senator the
After the war
Returning to Kansas, Martin resumed the editorial management of his paper, and again became a factor in political affairs. He served as a member of the Kansas Senate from 1859 to 1861, and was mayor of Atchison, serving in 1865 and 1878 to 1880. He served as the third Atchison postmaster for twelve years. For twenty-five consecutive years he was chairman of the Atchison County Republican Central Committee; was a member of the Republican National Committee from 1868 to 1884, and secretary of the committee during the last four years of that period; served as a delegate to the first Republican Convention in 1860, and was a member of the 1860, 1868, 1872, and 1880 Republican National Conventions; was a member of one of the vice-presidents of the
Governor Martin
For years before his election to the office of Governor, Martin had an ambition to be the chief executive of his adopted state, but knew he had to wait and prepare himself for the duties of the office in case he should be called to fill it. The call came in 1884, when he was nominated and 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 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 Martin's administration 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 young law-breakers.
In March 1886, a strike and serious disturbances on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, in Missouri and Kansas, demanded Martin's attentions. Rioting caused him to send the First Kansas Militia to the scene of action. After being the cause of great inconveniences and suffering, the strike was settled in April.
His first administration commended him to the people, and in 1886 he was reelected.
A bill was passed by the Kansas 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 "boom" during which cities were erected on paper and real towns increased in size. Many syndicates were organized to deal in Kansas real estate. Long blocks of buildings were erected in unnecessary 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 check 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 Stevens County, where several people were killed. On an appeal made to the Governor for help, and a militia regiment was sent to the county. In 1888 Greeley County was organized, thus completing the organization of Kansas' 105 present counties.
Marriage and death
On June 7, 1871, Martin married Ida Challiss, and together they had seven children.
Martin died from pneumonia on October 2, 1889, in Atchison at the age of 50, and was interred in Atchison's Mount Vernon Cemetery.
See also
References
- Frank W. Blackmar, ed. (1912). "Martin, John Alexander". Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc ... Vol. II. Chicago: Standard Pub Co. pp. 233–235. Archived from the original on August 20, 2004. Retrieved September 3, 2004.
- Sobel, Robert; John Raimo, eds. (1978). Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Vol. 2. Westport, Conn.: Meckler Books.
{{cite encyclopedia}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help)