My Genealogy Hound

William A. Martin. Among the men of Webster County, Mo., who have attained prominence as tillers of the soil and stock men, may be mentioned Mr. Martin, who was born in Marion County, Tenn., March 19, 1841, but was reared to manhood in Webster County, Mo., whither he came with his parents, James D. and Catherine (Thompson) Martin, in 1852. The father was born in Virginia, and after attaining manhood went to Tennessee, where he was married, and after a few years’ residence in that State, moved to St. Louis County, Mo. In August, 1861, he joined Company B, Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry and served until his death, in May, 1864, at Pleasant Hill, La. William A. Martin enlisted at the same time, in the same company as his father, and was at the battle of Pleasant Hill, and in a great many skirmishes, and was severely wounded in the right shoulder by a gunshot at the former engagement, being in the hospital at New Orleans and Memphis for about five months. He received his discharge at St. Louis, January 11, 1865, homesteading the same year the farm of 200 acres where he now lives. He has about 150 acres under cultivation and well improved, and his farm is situated about eight miles from Marshfield. He has always supported the measures of the Republican party, and in the fall of 1884 was nominated and elected sheriff of Webster County, and ably filled the duties of that office for two years. Since then he has resided on his farm. February 19, 1865, he was married to Miss Mary L. Turner, who died in Webster County on the 16th of April, 1868, and he took for his second wife Miss Sarah L. Morton, a native of North Carolina, and daughter of George Morton, who died during the war. Two children were born to his first marriage, Laura M. and Charles F. The following are the children of his last marriage: Mary S., and James P. and Matilda C. (twins). Mrs. Martin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he belongs to the A. O. U. W. and G. A. R.