Alexander E. Martin

Alexander E. Martin (October 9, 1867 – after 1830)^[1] was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate.

Career[]

Martin was born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin and represented the 8th district of the Senate from 1913 to 1916. Additionally, he was a member of the Milwaukee School Board and a Milwaukee supervisor. In 1906, Martin was an unsuccessful candidate for Treasurer of Milwaukee. He was a Republican.

A 1922 biography stated:

Mr. Martin is a native of Wisconsin, his birth having occurred in Two Rivers, October 9, 1867, his parents being John and Lavina (Legett) Martin, who were natives of Scotland. The father came to the United States at an early day, settling in New Hampshire, and it was there that he met and married Lavina Legett. In the year 1849 they removed to Two Rivers and in 1868 became residents of Milwaukee, where Mr. Martin entered the employ of the Illinois Steel Company, formerly known as the Milwaukee Rolling Mill. He was there employed as an engineer to the time of his death, which occurred in 1891, his widow surviving him for a decade and passing away in 1901. They reared a large family of eight sons and two daughters.

Alexander E. Martin, who was the third in order of birth, obtained a public school education in Milwaukee, for he was only a year old at the time the family home was established in this city. When his school days were over he began learning telegraphy with the Lake Shore & Western Railroad, now a part of the Chicago & Northwestern system and afterward held various positions at different places and also acted as agent for the company at St. Paul, Minnesota. He likewise spent two years in Montana with the Great Northern Railroad and while in the service of that corporation was the first night operator at Havre, Montana, then only a railroad camp which was situated at the end of the line that was being extended to Seattle, Washington. In 1895 he returned to Milwaukee, where he entered the grocery business, conducting his store for ten years. He then sold out and organized the Central Foundry Company, which name was changed in 1917 to the A. E. Martin Foundry & Machine Company, of which he is the president. The company specializes in air cooled cylinders for automobiles and motorcycles and has developed a business of substantial proportions in this connection. In 1922 Mr. Martin organized the Mar Tan Motor Company, which manufactures motors for railroad speeders, agricultural implements and light cycle cars. Mr. Martin is also president of this company and is a director of the Mitchell Street Bank and vice president of the Wisconsin Liability Insurance Company. During the World war his factories were kept busy in the manufacture of plugs for gas tanks, which requires a special make of iron. This order was the highest issued by the government and was classed as AA 1. The company, also manufactures cylinders for the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company, whose machine was used by the government. Mr. Martin has long since reached a point of efficiency and superior skill in connection with particular lines of machinery and this, combined with his executive power, has enabled him to most wisely and profitably direct the business interests of which he is now the head.

In La Crosse, Wisconsin, in September, 1894, Mr. Martin was united in marriage to Miss Annie J. Williams, who died in November, 1916. Mr. Martin's interest always centered in his home, so that the loss of his wife was a great blow.

In politics Mr. Martin has always been a republican and is an active worker in party ranks. In 1898 and again in 1900 he was elected county supervisor from the twelfth ward, and from 1914 until 1918 he was a member of the state senate. He took active part in promoting constructive legislation, carefully considering all the questions which came up for settlement and lending the weight of his aid and influence to every measure which he believed would be of benefit to the commonwealth. In the Independent Order of Odd Fellows he is a past grand. He is also a member of the Association of Commerce, interested in the efforts of that organization toward local progress and improvement, and at all times he manifests a helpful attitude toward everything that has to do with the material, social, political and moral progress of the community.^[2]

In 1930, Martin sued a local physician with whom he had a car accident; Martin asserted that "he probably never will be able to walk again as the result of injuries to his right leg".^[3]

References[]