Robert Martin (1833–1897), a Republican lawyer and native of Pennsylvania who moved to Oklahoma Territory in 1889 and served as Secretary (1890–1893) and acting governor of Oklahoma Territory (1891 to 1892).

Biography

Robert Martin was born in Frankfort Springs, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Westminster College in

New Wilmington, Pennsylvania New Wilmington is a borough in northern Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, first platted in 1824 and established as a borough on April 9, 1863. The population was 2,097 at the 2020 census. It is home to Westminster College and serves ...

. While reading law, he taught high school in

Steubenville, Ohio Steubenville ( ) is a city in Jefferson County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Ohio River west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Weirton–Steubenville m ...

. In 1861, he married Ada Gilmore of

Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Appalachian Ohio, southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum River, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia ...

. The couple had two daughters. In 1862, he began a law practice in Steubenville. Later that year, he enlisted in the 126th Ohio Volunteer Infantry as an officer. Because of illness, Martin was discharged from the U.S. Army in November 1863. He returned to his law practice and became involved in Republican party politics.Everett, Dianna. "Martin, Robert (1833–1897)." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.''
Accessed December 3, 2016. Moving from

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...

, he settled in Harrison, Oklahoma Territory, in 1889. He worked for the adoption of the

Organic Act In United States law, an organic act is an act of the United States Congress that establishes an administrative agency or local government, for example, the laws that established territory of the United States and specified how they are to ...

, and was part of the convention of July, 1899 that created

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as ...

. He then moved to El Reno. When the territorial government was established, he was named as its secretary.

Oklahoma politics

After a move to El Reno, Martin was appointed Secretary of Oklahoma Territory in 1890. at the same time

US President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...

appointed

George Washington Steele George Washington Steele (December 13, 1839July 12, 1922) was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician who twice served as a Representative for Indiana, from 1881 to 1889 and again from 1895 to 1903. Steele was also the first governor of O ...

's first Governor. Serving as Governor Steele's second-in-command of the Territory, Martin assumed the governorship when Steele resigned on October 18, 1891. Martin would serve as

acting governor An acting governor is a person who acts in the role of governor. In Commonwealth jurisdictions where the governor is a vice-regal position, the role of "acting governor" may be filled by a lieutenant governor (as in most Australian states) or a ...

until President Harrison appointed Abraham Jefferson Seay on February 1, 1892. Then Martin returned to his position as secretary, where he continued to serve until

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

was elected president. Cleveland replaced the Seay administration with a Democratic regime in May, 1893. He moved to Guthrie where he was elected Mayor, serving until 1896. His chief accomplishment was retiring the city's debt and putting its financial house in order.

Death

Martin died of a heart attack on March 2, 1897, in Guthrie and is buried in Summit View Cemetery, Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Robert Governors of Oklahoma Territory 1833 births 1897 deaths Republican Party governors of Oklahoma Territory 19th-century American politicians People from Guthrie, Oklahoma Politicians from Beaver County, Pennsylvania Ohio Republicans Kansas Republicans