John Andrew Martin (April 10, 1868 – December 23, 1939) was an American journalist, attorney, soldier, and politician, who represented Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms from 1909 to 1913, then three more terms from 1933 to 1939.[1]

John A. Martin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913
Preceded byWarren A. Haggott
Succeeded byHarry H. Seldomridge
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1933 – December 23, 1939
Preceded byGuy U. Hardy
Succeeded byWilliam E. Burney
Personal details
BornApril 10, 1868
Cincinnati, Ohio
DiedDecember 23, 1939 (aged 71)
Washington, D.C.
Resting placeMountain View Cemetery, Pueblo, Colorado
Political partyDemocratic

He recruited troops and commanded the 115th Supply Train, Fortieth Division during World War I.

Early life and education

edit

He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio,[1] a son of Hugh and Ann (Bohan) Martin.[2] He acquired a public school education in the towns of Mexico and Fulton, Missouri, until he was twelve years old and began working in a tobacco factory.[3] He moved with his parents to Kansas in 1884[1] and worked on a farm in Turon.[2]

Career

edit

He came to Colorado in 1887. He was employed on railroad construction work and as a locomotive fireman from 1887 to 1894;[1] He worked on the construction of the Colorado Midland Railroad and then as a locomotive engineer on the Santa Fe.[2] He became publisher of the La Junta Times and was member of the city council of La Junta in 1895 and 1896.[1] He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1896.[1] In 1897, he began practicing law in Pueblo.[1]

First stint in Congress

edit

He was a member of the State house of representatives in 1901 and 1902. He was the city attorney in 1905 and 1906. He was elected as a Democrat to the 61st and 62nd Congresses (March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913). He declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1912 and resumed the practice of law.[1] In 1914, he challenged incumbent U.S. Senator Charles S. Thomas for the Democratic nomination, but dropped out of the race before the primary election. He was again the city attorney in 1916 and 1917.[1]

World War I

edit

At the outbreak of the First World War, he was attempted to enlist, but was denied due to his age and he was the head of a family.[2] Undeterred, he recruited a volunteer battalion of National Guardsmen in Pueblo and was commissioned a major over the group of men that he recruited.[1] He commanded the 115th Supply Train, Fortieth Division.[3] After the war, he was a member of the San Isabel Chapter Number 2 of the Disabled American Veterans of the World War. He was also post commander of the Pueblo Post Number 2 of the American Legion.[3]

Return to Congress

edit

He resumed the practice of law in Pueblo, Colorado.[1] Twenty years after his first service in the House of Representatives,[3] he was elected to the 73rd Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1933, until his death.[1] During that time, he worked on the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. Among his other efforts, he framed holding company legislation while on the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee.[3]

Step by step, this self-made, self-educated man, rising from humble beginnings, attained honor upon honor until he reached the distinction of become a Member of the House of Representatives.

— Representative Edward T. Taylor, Memorial for John Andrew Martin, House of Representatives[3]

Personal life

edit

On September 6, 1892[3] or 1902, he married Rose May Chitwood at Wellington, Kansas. They had a daughter, Stella.[2] He wrote a novel based on the lives of his wife's parents who were pioneer settlers in Kansas. Published in 1908, it depicted the "dawn life of the prairie West and its people."[3]

Death and burial

edit

He contacted a case of ptomaine poisoning and died in Washington, D.C., on December 23, 1939.[4] He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Pueblo, Colorado.[1]

Electoral history

edit
1932 United States House of Representatives elections[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Andrew Martin 59,882 51%
Republican Guy U. Hardy (Incumbent) 57,793 49%
Total votes 117,675 100%
Democratic gain from Republican
1934 United States House of Representatives elections[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Andrew Martin (Incumbent) 73,281 64%
Republican W.O. Peterson 39,753 35%
Socialist Joseph T. Landis 1,199 1%
Total votes 114,233 100%
Democratic hold
1936 United States House of Representatives elections[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Andrew Martin (Incumbent) 74,013 60%
Republican J. Arthur Phelps 48,871 40%
Total votes 122,884 100%
Democratic hold
1938 United States House of Representatives elections[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Andrew Martin (Incumbent) 72,736 57%
Republican Henry Leonard 54,007 43%
Total votes 126,743 100%
Democratic hold

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m
    • United States Congress. "John Andrew Martin (id: M000186)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
  2. ^ a b c d e Congress, United States (1940). Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 4039–4040.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Washington, U. S. Govt Print Off; United States. Congress (76th, 3rd session : 1940-1941) House (1941). Memorial services held in the House of Representatives of the United States, together with remarks presented in eulogy of John Andrew Martin, late a representative from Colorado. Seventy-sixth Congress, third session. Washington, DC : United States Government Printing Office. pp. 29–36.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Obituary for John Andrew Martin (Aged 71)". The Spokesman-Review. December 24, 1939. p. 5. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  5. ^ "1932 Election Results" (PDF).
  6. ^ "1934 Election Results" (PDF).
  7. ^ "1936 Election Results" (PDF).
  8. ^ "1938 Election Results" (PDF).
edit
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 2nd congressional district

1909 – 1913
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 3rd congressional district

1933 – 1939
Succeeded by