My Genealogy Hound

William T. Martin has been a resident of this State since 1856, and was born July 16, 1851, in Leake County, Miss., a son of J. Saddler and Jane (Mann) Martin, natives of South Carolina and Alabama, respectively. James S. Martin was born in 1822, a son of James and Melinda (Wallace) Martin, both of Scotch-Irish descent. James Martin was a son of a soldier in the Revolutionary War. James Martin, Sr., died when the father of our subject was a boy. James S. Martin (known as Saddler Martin), was a farmer by occupation, and moved to Alabama with his father when he was fourteen years of age. In 1843 he came to Mississippi, where he married the mother of our subject, and was engaged in farming until 1856, when he came to this State, locating in Bradley County, where he resided until his death, which occurred in June, 1884. In 1862 he enlisted in Dockery’s regiment of Cavalry, Confederate army, and served until the close of the war. He was in Price’s raid through Missouri, and in the battles of Pilot Knob. Mr. Martin was twice married: First, to the mother of our subject, who was a daughter of James and Bettie (Manning) Mann, natives of Georgia. She was a member of the Baptist Church, and died in 1853, after having borne her husband two children: William T. (the subject of this sketch), and an infant (who died before named). In 1855 Mr. Martin married Miss Penina Mann, a sister of his deceased wife, by whom he had ten children, four of whom are still living: Duff (a farmer of Valley Township), Loraine (now Mrs. Snead, of Texas), James and Ollie (twins, living at home in Bradley County). Mrs. Martin died in 1879. Both she and husband were members of the Baptist Church. The immediate subject of this sketch was reared in Bradley County, on his father’s farm, receiving his education at the common schools of that county. When he was twenty years of age he went to Texas, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He remained at this place only one year, and then went to Jackson, Miss., where he was employed as a traveling salesman for the leading agricultural machinery company of that place for two years. In 1879 he came to this county and purchased an improved farm of 240 acres, with 125 acres under cultivation, which he still owns and makes his home. In 1883 he commenced to study law in connection with farming, under Col. Benjamin Johnson, of Camden, and in 1886 was admitted to the bar, and immediately commenced the practice of law at Camden. He continued to practice until September, 1888, when he was offered the position of general agent and correspondent for the Memphis Avalanche, for the States of Arkansas, Texas, Southern Missouri, Northern Louisiana, and part of New Mexico and Colorado, which position he accepted and still holds, traveling over all of that country. In 1876 Mr. Martin married Miss Emma Broughton, a native of Georgia, born in 1855, a daughter of Jacob L. and Mary (Broughton) Broughton, natives of Georgia, and the fruits of this union have been seven children, viz.: Henry, Maggie, Annie, Charles, Lucy, Lillie and Willie, all at home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Martin are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In his political views Mr. Martin affiliates with the Democratic party, and is well known throughout the county.