Edwin J. "E. J." Martin

Notes:

The following biography is courtesy of Melba Gene McLemore, from a book titled "Mississippi" by Dunbar Rowland, pages 537 through 539:

Martin, E. J., one of the representative citizens and influential business men of Meridian, is a member of one of the sterling pioneer families of Mississippi, with whose history the name has been identified for more than seventy years. he was born on the homestead plantation in Clarke County, Miss., on Sept. 16, 1854, being the only child of Norman and Eleanor (Chapman) Martin, both of whom were born in North Carolina. Norman Martin had previously married Anne Morrison, who bore seven children and who died in Georgia. Of the children of the first marriage three are living. Mr. Martin came from Georgia to Mississippi about 1830 and located in Clarke county, where he became a succesful planter and stock-grower, owning a large amount of land and about one hundred slaves prior to the Civil war. He was a man of distinctive honor and integrity and held the respect of all who knew him, while he was public spirited in his attitude and a man of influence in his community, though never active in the domain of practical politics. he died in Clarke county in 1883 and his widow passed away, in Lauderdale county in 1886, the former having been a member of the Methodist and the latter of the Baptist church. Mr. Martin was one of the board of commissioners of Lauderdale county at the time of its organization, having had landed interests here, since the same was originally a portion of Clarke county,

E. J. Martin, whose name initiaties this review, received his early training in the schools of Clarke county and later ws a student in Mississippi college, at Clinton. he assisted in the management of the home plantation until he had attained to the legal majority when he engaged in the same line of enterprise on his own responsibility, while he has ever since been identfied with the agricultural interests of this section, being the owner of well improved plantations in Lauderdale, Clarke and Kemper counties, ans also of other valuable realty, in Meridian and elsewhere. In 1880 he removed from his farm to Meridian, where he held the office of assistant postmaster until 1886, while he was appointed to the office of postmaster in the second adminstration of President Cleveland, serving from 1892 to 1896. In 1886 Mr.Martin was one of the organizers of the Progress Manufacturing Company, later the Martin Machine Works, which built up a large industry in the manufacturing of cotton and hay presses, engines, boilers and general lines of machinery and continued to serve as president of this company until 1902, when the business was sold to the present owners, the Wetherbee Brothers. Since retiring from the active administration of the affairs of this business, which was built up largely though his efforts, Mr. Martin has devoted his attention to the management of his farming interests, and in 1906 he organized the firm of E. J. Martin & Sons, engaged in general machinery and mill supply business giving special attention to the sale of portable saw mills. In politics, Mr. Martin is a conservative Democrat, and he has shown a loyal interest in public affairs in his State and county. For nine consecutive years he served as a member of the city council of Meridian and was president of the same. For four years he administered the fiscal affairs of Lauderdale county in the capacity of treasurer, and he has been given other testimonials of popular confidence and regard. He has served as delegate to county, congressional and State conventions of his party, and the interest of the party cause has been of close concern to him, while liberality and progressive ideas have ever characterized him as a citizen and business man.

Both he and his wife are valued members of the Baptist church, and in a fraternal way he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry, in which the honored fraternity he is an enthusiastic devotee and one prominent in the various departments of the York and Scottish Rite bodies. He is past master of his lodge, grand senior warden of Mississippi, past high priest of his chapter, thrice illustrious master of the council, passt eminent commander of the commandery of Knights Templars, past potentate in the temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, while he has held office in the various bodies of the Scottish Rite. He was a prominent delegate to the triennial conclave of Knights Templars held in the city of San Francisco in September, 1904, in which connection he had management of the excursion trains which transported the Mississippi delegation to the coast. He has been five times elected a member of the imperial council of the Mystic Shrine in North America.

In November, 1874, Mr. Martin was united in marriage to Miss Jennie McLemore, a daughter of Capt. Caleb H. McLemore and Louise (Smith) McLemore, well known citizens of Lauderdale county. Captain McLemore was a valiant defender of the Confederate cause in the Civil war, having been captain of his company in the Thirty-seventh Mississippi infantry and serving during the entire course of the war, while he took part in every battle in which his command was engaged, including the battles around Cornith and in the Georgia campaign from Dalton as well as battles of Franklin, Nashville and Shiloh. He was enlisted as a lietenant of the company, and when its captain was killed in the first battle in which it was engaged, Captain McLemore assumed command and remained at the head of his company until the close of the war.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin have five children; Percy L. , Louisiana agent for E. J. Martin & Sons, resides in Monroe, LA,; Edwin M., and traveling salesman resides in Meridian; Mary is the wife of John R. Moore, who is engaged in the commission business in Meridian; Robert E. is associated with his father in the machinery business, and Hugh S. is attending school.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, April 2010)

(Research):

Census Information:

1880 Federal Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian
FHL Film #1254653, NA Film #T9-063
Page 43C
Edwin J. Martin Self M M W 28 Ms Farmer
M. Jennie Martin Wife M F W 25 MS Keeping House
Lou Ella Martin Dau S F W 7 MS MS MS
Percy Martin Son S M W 5 MS MS MS
Edwin M. Martin Son S M 3 MS MS MS
Caleb N. Martin Son S M W 9 months MS MS MS

1900 Federal Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1
Enumerated 6 June 1900
SD 5 ED 14 Sheet 9A
195-197
16th Steet
McLemore, Theodore J Head W M Aug 1858 41 M Miss Miss Miss Salesman
McLemore, Emma C Wife W F Apr 1860 40 M Miss Miss Tex
McLemore, Lorene E Dtr Apr? 1887 13 S Miss Miss Miss At School
14th Avenue
1520-197-199
Martin, Edward J Head W M Sept 1851 48 m28 Miss Scotland Ala Prop Machine Works
Martin, Mary V Wf W F Nov 1854 45 m 28 8/6 Miss Miss Miss
Martin, Percy L Son MW Jan 1875 25 S Miss Miss Miss Drummer
Martin, Mary V Dtr W F May 1883 17 S Miss Miss Miss At School
Martin, Robert E Son W M July 1885 14 S Miss Miss Miss At School
Martin, Hugh S Son W M Dec 1891 8 S Miss Miss Miss At School

Edwin married Mary Virginia "Jennie" McLemore in Nov 1874. Mary (daughter of Capt. Caleb Hill McLemore and Louisa C. Smith) was born on 2 Nov 1854 in Marion, Lauderdale County, Mississippi; died on 7 May 1923; was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Meridan, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her headstone is inscribed "Wife of J.S. Foretich."

Notes:

According to his father's biography, he was the "Louisiana agent for E. J. Martin & Sons, resides in Monroe, LA."


Name Percy Lewis Martin
Event Type Draft Registration
Event Date 1917-1918
Event Place Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States
Gender Male
Birth Date 10 Jan 1875
Birthplace United States
Nationality United States
Affiliate Publication Title World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards
Affiliate Publication Number M1509
GS Film number 1684928
Digital Folder Number 005152065
Image Number 04020

Citing this Record:
"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZ8V-K5Z : accessed 27 Sep 2013), Percy Lewis Martin, 1917-1918.

Notes:

His headstone is inscribed "Son of E.J. & M.V. Martin"

Notes:

Her headstone is inscribed "Infant Daughter of E.J. & M.V. Martin."

Notes:

She was said to have married John MOORE.

Notes:

Name Hugh Martin
Gender Male
Burial Date 21 Feb 1931
Burial Place Va.
Death Date 19 Feb 1931
Death Place Washington D. C.
Age 39
Birth Date 28 Dec 1891
Birthplace Meridian Mississippi
Occupation State Dept. Employee
Race White
Marital Status Married
Spouse's Name Mrs. Mary Martin
Father's Name Edwin Martin
Father's Birthplace Clark County Miss.
Mother's Name Mary Virginia Mclemore
Mother's Birthplace Marion Miss.
Indexing Project (Batch) Number B03166-5
System Origin District of Columbia-EASy
GS Film number 2116110
Reference ID 333667

Citing this Record:
"District of Columbia Deaths and Burials, 1840-1964," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7YQ-WXG : accessed 21 Aug 2013), Hugh Martin, 19 Feb 1931.