HE tenth Governor of Kansas was born March 10, 1839, at Brownsville, Pa., and in his early days, after an ordinary education, learned the printer's trade. In 1857 he went to Pittsburgh, and was employed in the office of the Commercial Journal, and early in October of that year he emigrated to Kansas and located in Atchison. He purchased the office of the Squatter Sovereign in February, 1858, and changed its name to the Freeman's Champion, and on the 20th of the month commenced his editorial career in this State, by the issue of the first number of the paper which he has since been identified with. He was always a stanch free-State man, and an earnest and ardent Republican, being among the organizers of that grand old party in his native State. He was Secretary of the Wyandotte Constitutional Convention, and was elected State Senator before he was of age. During the summer of 1861 Mr. Martin assisted in organizing the 8th Kansas Infantry, of which he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel. The regiment served on the Missouri border during the fall and

winter of 1861. Early in 1862 he was appointed Provost Marshal of Leavenworth, and in March of the same year his regiment was ordered to Corinth, Miss., Lieut. Col. Martin in command. A few weeks after, when at Corinth, the regiment with the division to which it was attached, was ordered to join Gen. Buell in Tennessee, and thereafter during the whole war it served in the Army of the Cumberland. Lieut. Col. Martin was promoted to be Colonel on the 1st of November, 1862, and was Provost Marshal of Nashville, Tenn., from December, 1862, to June, 1863. The regiment, under his command, took part in the battles of Perryville and Lancaster, Ky., the campaign against Tullahoma and Chattanooga, the battle of Chickamauga, the siege of Chattanooga, the storming of Mission Ridge, the campaign of East Tennessee, in the winter of 1863-64, the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and the subsequent pursuit of Hood northward. Col. Martin commanded the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Army Corps, on the second day of the battle of Chickamauga, and during the siege of Chattanooga, and commanded the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 4th Army Corps, from August, 1864, until his muster out at Pulaski, Tenn., Nov. 17, 1864.

In a lengthy description of the battle of Mission Ridge, published in the New York Times of July

18, 1876, Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Wood, who commanded the 3d Division, 4th Corps, Army of the Cumberland, says:

"Willich's brigade, in the center, had with it the heroic, accomplished Martin, Colonel of the 8th Kansas. What that regiment could not take it was not worth while to send any other regiment to look for. Martin was among the foremost to set the example of the upward movement, and among the first to reach the crest."

In a letter published in the Cincinnati Commercial of Jan. 24, 1876, the late Brig. Gen. August Willich, commander of the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 4th Army Corps, after stating that the orders he received at Orchard Knob, concerning the advance to Mission Ridge, were to "take the rifle pit at the foot of Mission Ridge, and to keep that position," and describing the advance to the base of the ridge and the capture of the rifle pits there, says:

"Herein the work assigned by Gen. Grant was accomplished. But now the fire of the enemy became very severe; the shells rent the ground in every direction; our lines were infiladed from the different spars of the ridge, where the enemy was protected against our fire by his works and his dominant position. There appeared at first thought to Gen. Willich, holding position about 100 yards behind the rifle pits, to be only three chances, viz: To obey orders and to be shot without effective resistance; to fall back, or to charge. The second chance being out of the question, I galloped with Lieut. Green, of my staff, up to the 8th Kansas, lying in line behind the rifle pits. Col. Martin, commanding the regiment, seeing me, jumped on the breastworks and shouted: 'Here we are, General, what more?' 'Forward, storm! We have to take the works on the ridge,' was the answer. The Colonel: 'Altogether, boys, forward! Hip, hip, hurrah! Like one man, the whole line, with one leap, cleared the breast works; forward they moved and the air was soon filled with the sound, 'Forward! Forward!' extending more and more, right and left." Returning home, Col. Martin resumed control of the Atchison Champion early in January, 1865, and on the 22d of March issued the first number of the Daily Champion. He has been commander of the department, a delegate to the National Republican

Conventions of 1860, 1868, 1872 and 1880; was a United States Centennial Commissioner, and one of the Vice Presidents of that body; was one of the incorporators of the State Historical Society, of which he was President for one term; was elected by the two Houses of Congress one of the Board of Managers of the National Soldiers' Home, in 1878, and re-elected in 1882, being now Second Vice President of that body. He was married, June 1, 1871, to Miss Ida Challiss, eldest daughter of Dr. William L. Challiss, of Atchison, and has seven children.

At the Republican State Convention, held in Topeka July 17, 1884, the rules were suspended and John A. Martin was nominated for Governor by acclamation. At the November election following he was elected Governor by a plurality of 38,495 votes. At the Republican State Convention, held in Topeka July 7, 1886, he was again unanimously nominated for a second term, and at the November election following was elected Governor by a plurality vote of 33,918. He was the first and only Governor of Kansas who was twice unanimously nominated by his party for that office, and has served with distinction, filling the honored position occupied by his able predecessors with equal ability, and giving to the people as the Chief Executive of the populous and growing State, satisfaction. He is a man of honest, upright character, and abhors trickery and deceit, and in looking over his long and useful life he may well feel a just pride at the position he has won in the esteem and confidence of honest men, and the respect of all good citizens. There are but few men of the stirring State of Kansas who have been more closely identified with all public movements for the general welfare and prosperity of the State than John A. Martin. His name may be found on almost every page of the memorable history of Kansas, from the holding of the first Republican Convention, held at Osawatomie in 1859, until to-day, when he is the leading spirit among the enterprising men of the most progressive State of the Nation. A man of excellent judgment, moved by honest purpose and love for the general welfare of the whole State, he is always found identified with the right, and, as might be expected, popular with the people.