My Genealogy Hound

Jefferson G. Martin, M. D., was born in Clark County, Mo., June 15, 1846, and is the son of Rev. John J. and Phoebe A. (Howard) Martin. The father is a native of Virginia, born February 22, 1807. He is now living, and is a resident of Kahoka, Clark County, Mo. He was a child when his parents moved to Lee County, Ky., where they lived until 1837. He then went to Hancock County, Ill., and shortly afterward to Lee County, Iowa, but only remained there a short time, when he moved to Clark County, Mo., and has remained there ever since with the exception of about nine years that he spent in California (1849 to 1853), and five years during the war. During the late war he had charge of 800 men, and of the arsenal at Columbus, Ky., where he was engaged in the manufacture of gun caps and all kinds of ammunition. He first went out as chaplain for Gen. Green’s regiment (Confederate army), and was in many battles and skirmishes. During youth he was a gunsmith and machinist, but later in life he abandoned this for the ministry, serving the Primitive Methodist Church, and has organized many churches of that kind in the State of Missouri. His wife was also a native of the State of Kentucky, born in 1808, and died when our subject was a child three years old. The father took for his second wife Mrs. Elizabeth E. (Wright) Howard, widow of Adrian Howard (deceased). Eleven children were the result of the first marriage, eight of whom are now living, and five children were born to the second marriage. Jefferson G. was the youngest child by the first marriage. He attended school in various parts of Missouri, but finished at St. Francois County, Mo., where he also read medicine. During 1870-71 he attended the School of Physicians and Surgeons, at Keokuk, Iowa, and afterward practiced his profession until, in the year 1872, he returned to the college and graduated in the year of 1883. From that time until 1882 he was engaged in the practice of his profession at Kahoka, Clark Co., Mo., and was also in the drug business. In 1882 he came to Union, Mo., where he now has an extensive practice. Previous to this, May 13, 1873, he married Alice J. Langford, a daughter of Judge John Langford, a prominent citizen of Clark County, Mo., and this marriage resulted in the birth of five children, two now living: Fannie L. and Minnie L. Those deceased are John Willie, Robert L. and Ora Bell. The Doctor and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is a Mason, and is present Master of the lodge at Union. In 1886 he was the representative of his lodge at the grand lodge, and there received commission as D. D. G. M. and D. D. L., to act as such in the counties of Franklin, Gasconade, Maries and Osage. When the A. O. U. W. was organized in Union he was made Master. He is now postmaster and medical examiner at that town. Dr. Martin is a stanch Democrat. In 1861-62 he served in Green’s regiment (Confederate army), and was present and voted for him for colonel of the regiment. His great grandfather lived to be one hundred and twelve years old, and his grandmother was ninety-seven years old when she died in 1885.