John Clark Martin

Bio on John Clark Martin taken from "Mississippi Baptist Preachers" pp.474-476:

"John Clark Martin was born in Baron county, Kentucky, November 14 1797; his grandfather was a native of the principality of Wales, his father was a native of New Jersey; when he was a young man he emigrated to Virginia, and from thence to Kentucky, where he was married to Miss Ruth Clark; he bore arms under Washington, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis; he died in Alabama when over eighty years old. John C. Martin was born of poor but respectable parents, His father was not a professor of religion, but his mother was a pious and devoted member of the Baptist church; his parents moved from Kentucky to Georgia when he was only three years old, where he was raised to manhood. When he was nineteen years old, he apprenticed himself to a Mr. Smith, to learn the gunsmith trade, which he followed for a livelihood through life. He was married to Miss Jane S. Owens, of Maury County, Tenn., March 22, 1821, and from thence he moved to Henderson county. In September 1825 he professed religion and was baptized by Rev. Elijah Cross and untied with the Hopewell Baptist church; he was licensed to preach by the same church, November 7, 1829. He was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry in this church October 10, 1832, by Revs. Lemuel Harris, James H. Hall and Jacob Browning. The following is a recommendation from the Hopewell church, when he left Tennessee for Mississippi, and speaks for itself; State of Tennessee, Henderson county, June 8, 1848:-- We, the Untied Baptist church at Hopewell; to whom it may concern; This is to certify that Elder John Clark Martin, is a member of the Baptist church of Christ at this place, where he was baptized twenty-two years ago. He has sustained as a citizen, a Christian and a minister of the gospel, an untarnished character; and we may further say, that his labors have been wonderfully blessed. As a minister of the gospel we do much regret his removal from this part of the Lord’s vineyard. Done in conference and signed by order of the church. Wm. Morgan, Moderator, pro tem. Nicholas Darnell, Church Clerk, pro tem. He was instrumental in building up many churches and baptized hundreds of newly converted souls. From 1843 up to his death he labored much in the ministry of Yalobusha, Tallahatchie, Carroll, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Calhoun counties, Mississippi. Very many precious revivals of religion attended his earnest ministrations of the Word of life. He was a man of strong intellectual powers, wholly a self-made man; went into the ministry almost without education but closed his ministerial career a theological giant. Rev. J. C. Martin was full of life and hope; had a fine conversational powers; was venerable in his appearance; possessed a fine masculine voice; and was by nature more fitted to command than to obey. The only objection ever urged against him was his severity in reproving transgressors in or out of the church.

One of the brightest stars in the ministerial galaxy in Mississippi was his son, Granville H. Martin, who died at Macon, Miss., in 1862. Full of years and usefulness, our venerable father has gone to his reward in heaven, where father and son are uniting their voices in giving glory to God in the highest. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The officers that invested him with the mysteries of Masonry, many years ago, presided at his funeral and performed his burial ceremonies. Suffice to say, that he died as he lived, full of love to the Savior and in full view of is heavenly home. John C. Martin died September 11, 1867; was pastor of New Hope church, and former moderator of the Yalobusha Association. His height was five feet, seven inches, black hair, eyes black and piercing, and weight one hundred and forty-five pounds.- Borum’s Sketches."