Martin, George W., secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society, was born at Hollidaysburg, Blair county, Pa., June 30, 1841, a son of David and Mary (Howell) Martin, the former born near Belfast, Ireland, Dec. 1, 1814, and the latter a native of Pittsburgh, Pa. He received a good common school education, after which he served a five-years' apprenticeship at the printer's trade, beginning in the office of the Hollidaysburg Register and completing his trade in a printing office in Philadelphia. His father first came to Kansas in 1855, but returned to Pennsylvania in the fall of 1856 and the following April brought his family to the territory. Young Martin worked in printing offices at Lecompton until the fall of 1859, and in Aug. 1, 1861, he became connected with the Junction City Union, which paper he edited for several years. From Jan. 1 to Oct. 1, 1865, he was postmaster at Junction City, and from April 1, 1865, to Dec. 1, 1866, he was register of the United States land office, when he was removed by President Johnson—the first removal of an official in Kansas for political reasons. In 1867-68 he was assessor of internal revenue and was then reappointed register of the land office by President Grant, where he served until in 1871. In 1873 he was elected state printer and was three times reëlected, serving four terms of two years each. In 1872-73 he was grand master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Kansas. For ten years he led the fight to change the name of Davis county to Geary, and in 1883 he represented the county in the state legislature. The same year he was elected mayor of Junction City, which office he held for two years. On July 1, 1888, he removed to Kansas City, Kan., where he published the Gazette until Dec., 1899, when he was elected secretary of the State Historical Society, which position he still holds. Mr. Martin's long residence in Kansas and the intense interest he takes in historical matters eminently qualify him for the duties of secretary of this society, and notwithstanding his "three score years and ten" he is active and energetic in the discharge of those duties. Mr. Martin has been twice married. His first wife, with whom he was united on Dec. 20, 1863, was Miss Lydia Coulson. She died on June 7, 1900, and on Oct. 10, 1901, he married Mrs. Josephine Blakely.