Biography of William H. Martin, Franklin Co, AR

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        Date: 16 Aug 1998
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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed
Publishing Co., 1889.

Prof. William H. Martin, a prominent educator of Franklin County,
Ark., was born in Floyd County, Ga., September 2, 1836, being a son of
Hiram and Katie (Mackey) Martin, who were of Scotch-Irish and Irish
descent, respectively. They were born in Surrey County, N. C., and the
father died in Houston County, Ga., in 1872, at the age of sixty-three
years. The mother was born in 1810, and died in Floyd County, Ga., in
1876. They were married in their native State, removing soon after to
Floyd County, Ga., where they resided from 1835 to 1858, and at the
latter date took up their abode in Houston County, Ga., where they
spent most of the remainder of their days. They were members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was a Democrat and a successful
farmer. He assisted in removing the Indians from their reservations in
Tennessee and Georgia to the Indian Territory, and throughout his
entire career was noted for his benevolence, kindness and integrity.
Prof. William H. Martin is the third born of eight children, five of
whom are now living: John C., who is a farmer of Floyd County, Ga.;
Elizabeth, wife of John O. Henderson, a farmer of Franklin County,
Ark.; Nancy J., widow of Robert N. Leazer; Anna, wife of John Wells, a
farmer of Yell County, Ark., and Prof. William H. The latter received
a very liberal education at the Cedartown Academy, in his native
State, and after graduating from that institution taught his first
term of school in Floyd County, Ga., in 1857. Here he remained several
years [p.1258] engaged in teaching, then went to Alabama, thence to
Mississippi, and then to Texas. In 1870 he came to Franklin County,
Ark., locating at Ozark, where he was engaged in teaching for twelve
years, acting as principal of the Ozark schools for some time. The two
following years he taught in the rural districts, and then engaged in
farming as a recreation. This work became so congenial to his tastes
that he adopted it as a calling, and has become one of the thrifty
farmers of the county. In 1873 he was appointed superintendent of
public instruction by Gov. Baxter, and the following December was
elected county superintendent of public instruction, which position he
filled two years, Martha E. Pierce, a daughter of Benjamin Pierce,
became his wife November 29, 1866. She was born in Alabama September
30, 1850, and has borne a family of eight children, the following of
whom are living: Ira B., Nellie G., Mary Maud, Nora May, Willie G.,
Grover J., George R., and Mattie A., who died when an infant. Mr.
Martin is a member of the Democratic party, and as an educator and
officer has gained an enviable reputation.