John Martin (Governor of Kansas) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John A. Martin
10th Governor of Kansas
In office January 12, 1885 – January 14, 1889
Lieutenant	Alexander Pancoast Riddle
Preceded by	George W. Glick
Succeeded by	Lyman U. Humphrey
Member of the Kansas Senate
In office 1859-1861
Personal details
Born	March 10, 1839 Brownsville, Pennsylvania
Died	October 2, 1889 (aged 50) Atchison, Kansas
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ida Challiss
Profession	newspaper editor, abolitionist, politician, soldier

John Alexander Martin (born March 10, 1839 – died October 2, 1889) was a key figure in Kansas history. He served as the 10th Governor of Kansas. Before becoming governor, he was a newspaper editor, a soldier in the Civil War, and a politician. He helped shape Kansas during its early years.

Early Life and Moving to Kansas

John Martin was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on March 10, 1839. His family had roots in Scotland and Ireland. His grandfather, Thomas Brown, actually founded Brownsville.

John went to public schools. When he was 15, he started learning how to be a printer. He worked for a short time in Pittsburgh before moving to Kansas.

A Young Newspaper Man

In 1857, at just 18 years old, John Martin moved to the Kansas Territory. He bought a newspaper called the Squatter Sovereign in Atchison. He quickly changed its name to Freedom's Champion. He continued to publish this paper for the rest of his life.

John was a strong supporter of the "free-state" movement. This meant he was against slavery in Kansas. He quickly became involved in the territory's politics.

Getting Involved in Politics

In 1858, he was asked to join the territorial legislature. However, he was too young at the time. In 1859, he helped create the Republican Party in Kansas. He remained a loyal supporter of this party.

His smart work in politics led him to many important roles. On July 5, 1859, he became the secretary of the Wyandotte constitutional convention. This convention helped write the rules for Kansas to become a state. He also served in the Kansas Senate starting in 1861.

Serving in the Civil War

The American Civil War began before his term as senator ended. In October 1861, John Martin joined the United States army. He became a lieutenant colonel in the 8th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry.

Fighting for the Union

In early 1862, he was made a provost marshal in Leavenworth. This job involved keeping order. Soon after, his regiment moved to Corinth, Mississippi. His unit became part of Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell's army. They stayed with the Army of the Cumberland until the war ended.

On November 1, 1862, Martin was promoted to colonel. He later served as provost marshal in Nashville, Tennessee.

Key Battles and Promotions

Colonel Martin and his troops fought in many important battles. These included the Battle of Perryville and the battle of Chickamauga. At Chickamauga, he was put in charge of a larger group of soldiers.

He was also present at the siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Missionary Ridge. In 1864, he marched with Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's army to Atlanta. They fought in battles like Rocky Face Ridge and Kennesaw Mountain.

After Atlanta fell, Martin's regiment chased Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood into Tennessee. John Martin finished his military service on November 17, 1864. He later received an honorary promotion to brigadier general for his brave service.

After the War: A Return to Public Service

After the Civil War, John Martin returned to Kansas. He went back to managing his newspaper. He also became very active in politics again.

He served as mayor of Atchison several times. He was also the Atchison postmaster for 12 years. For 25 years, he led the Republican Party in Atchison County. He was also a member of the Republican National Committee.

John Martin helped start the Kansas Historical Society. He was its president in 1878. He also cared deeply about veterans. He was the first leader of the Grand Army of the Republic in Kansas.

Governor of Kansas

John Martin had always wanted to be the governor of Kansas. He worked hard to prepare himself for the job. In 1884, he was nominated and elected.

Challenges and Progress

His time as governor started with many people asking for jobs. This was a challenge because the previous governor was from a different political party.

At first, Governor Martin was not a supporter of prohibition (banning alcohol). But he saw how it helped people. He then became a strong supporter of it.

During his time as governor, Kansas made great progress. Six new schools were started. In 1887 alone, 182 new school houses were built. A State Reformatory was also built in Hutchinson. This helped young people who had broken the law.

Dealing with Difficult Times

In March 1886, there was a large strike on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. This caused problems in Missouri and Kansas. Governor Martin had to send the Kansas Militia to help. The strike caused many difficulties but was settled in April.

The people of Kansas were happy with his first term. So, he was reelected in 1886.

In 1887, a new law was passed in Kansas. It gave women the right to vote in school, bond, and city elections. This was an important step towards women having full voting rights in the state.

Kansas also saw a period of rapid growth. Towns and farms grew in value. This led to a "boom" where many new towns were planned. However, this boom ended in 1888. This, along with bad crops, caused a difficult time for Kansas. But the state recovered quickly.

There were also some conflicts between towns over where the county seat should be. The worst was in Stevens County, where some people were killed. Governor Martin sent the militia to help calm things down. In 1888, Greeley County was formed. This completed the organization of all 105 counties in Kansas.

Family and Later Life

On June 7, 1871, John Martin married Ida Challiss. They had seven children together.

John Martin passed away from pneumonia on October 2, 1889. He was 50 years old. He was buried in Atchison's Mount Vernon Cemetery.