Pueblo County Biographies

Pueblo County, Colorado
John A. Martin

Contributed by Maggie Stuart Zimmerman.

Major John A. Martin, who raised and for ten months was in command of the First Battalion, Second Colorado Regiment, that enlisted for service in the present war, is now engaged in the practice of law in Pueblo, and at the same time is doing in every possible way his full share to aid in the prosecution of the war and the support of the government. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 10th of April, 1858, and is a son of Hugh and Ann (Bowen) Martin. His father was a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting for active duty with the Union army, and was assigned to service on a gunboat on the Mississippi river. He is now following the occupation of farming in Kansas but his wife has passed away.

Major John A. Martin was the eldest in a family of five sons and one daughter. He acquired a public school education in Mexico and in Fulton, Missouri, and afterward took up the study of law in Colorado under private instruction. He had come to this state in 1887, and having determined upon law practice as a life work, he spent some time in the office of Fred A. Sabin, of La Junta, while later his preceptor was Dan B. Carey, now of Denver. He was admitted to the bar in 1896 and opened an office in Pueblo, where he has since remained in active practice, and although advancement at the bar is proverbially slow, he has steadily progressed and is today recognized as one of the strongest and ablest practitioners in the courts of his district. He has ever been most thorough and painstaking in the preparation of his cases and his presentation of a cause is always clear and logical.

On the 6th of September, 1892, Major Martin was united in marriage to Miss Rose M. Chitwood, and to them was born a daughter. Stella, who is now the wife of Gordon W. Spencer.

In his political views Major Martin is a democrat and has been very active in party ranks, his opinions carrying weight in its local councils and to a considerable extent shaping the policy of the party in the state. He has served as a member of the general assembly of Colorado and for two terms has represented his district in congress. He has also been city attorney and in all matters of public concern he is ever found on the side of progress and improvement. His entire career has been characterized by the wise utilization of his time and opportunities. He had no special advantages at the outset of his career and no financial assistance came to him. While he was studying law he devoted two years to the publishing of the La Junta Times and in 1887 he worked on the construction of the Colorado Midland Railroad, which was the first standard railroad across the plains. He recognized the value of such a line and set about to secure the fulfillment of his plans. The same spirit of determination has characterized him at every point in his career. While serving as city attorney he resigned his position to raise the First Battalion, Second Colorado Infantry, and was commissioned a major by General Baldwin. The company was recruited along the Arkansas valley and sent to San Diego, California, but because of his age Major Martin was honorably discharged and returned to Pueblo. While he did not find it possible to go across the water and aid on the battle line in holding in check German militarism and stamp out German atrocities, he is nevertheless doing his full part in every possible way and is often heard on the public platform, where his enthusiasm inspires others with much of his own patriotism and loyalty. He is a man of high principles, greatly respected and loved by those with whom he has come in contact, and he is widely honored throughout the state. Extracted from History of Colorado Illustrated Volume II 1918

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