Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/312

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

1894 until 1897 he was rector of St. Paul's Church, of Norfolk, Virginia, then became rector of St. George's Church, of Fredericks- burg, Virginia. Since 1905 he has been rec- tor of Christ Church, in Winchester, Vir- ginia, the nine years that he has passed as •the head of that church having Ijeen years of rich benefit, both to pastor and to people. He is a believer in Democratic principles, supporting that party with his vote.

Rev. William D. Smith married (first) Lucy Harrison, daughter of William H. and Mary (Johnson ) Powers, of Richmond ; (second) in 1907, Elizabeth W., born in Winchester. Frederick county. Virginia, in 1868, daughter of Major Holmes and Georgia Bryan (Foreman) Conrad. Chil- dren of his first marriage : Agnes Pickett, a student at college ; Ann J. ; William Dick- inson, Jr. ; Mary Bryson, and Lucy Harri- son Powers. By his second marriage Rev. Smith is the father of one child, Holmes Conrad.

Jesse B. Martin. Of honored Virginia ancestry and in his own right a citizen of distinction, Mayor Martin, of Luray, is worthily upholding the honor of the family name. He is a son of John Van Buren Mar- tin, born in Farmington. IVlarion county, now West Virginia, in 1838, died September 1876. John Van Buren Martin read law in the office of his brother. Benjamin Franklin Martin, who attained distinction at the bar, served in the Congress of the United States from Virginia and was president of the Graf- ton & Greenbrier Railroad now a part of the Baltimore tS: Ohio system in West Virginia. During the war, 1861-1865, he was drafted for service in the Union army, but was re- lieved from service after furnishing a sub- stitute. He was a distinguished citizen of the commonwealth and retained his influen- tial position until death. He married Sarah Amanda Burdette. born in Culpeper county, Virginia, in 1838. died in October, 1909, daughter of Frederick and Susan (Broad- dus) Burdette. both of noted Virginia fami- lies. Sons of John Van Buren and Sarah A. (Burdette) Martin: i. Frederick Thorn- ton, born at Worthington, West Virginia, in 1862 ; an attorney ; now residing at Oak- land, Maryland; married Marv Sinnott, of Baltimore, Maryland. 2. John Franklin, born at Prunty Town, West Virginia, in 1866, died at the threshold of life, aged twenty-one years. 3. Jesse B.. of further

mention. 4. Bernard Leslie, born at Prunty Town, in 1873; now a printer of Fairmont, West Virginia; married Louise Stearns. 5. Arthur George, born in Prunty Town, in 1875, now residing in Fairmont, West Vir- ginia, an ex-mayor of that town. Daugh- ters, both born in Prunty Town; i. Marion, born in 1864; married Frank C. Fisher, of Fairmont, West Virginia, now deceased. 2. Elizabeth Broaddus, married Herndon V. Abbott, and resides in Fairmont, West Vir- ginia. A brother of John Van Buren Mar- tin, Jesse Thornton Martin, was a soldier in the Confederate army, while Captain John C. Burdette, a brother of Sarah Amanda (Burdette) Martin, was an officer in the Union army.

Jesse B. Martin, son of John Van Buren and Sarah Amanda (Burdette) Martin, was born in Prunty Town, West Virginia, March 11, 1868. He was educated in the public schools of Luray, Virginia, Locust Dale Academy, and the University of Virginia, completing his legal studies at the latter in- stitution in 1894, and the same year was ad- mitted to the Virginia bar. He began pro- fessional practice at Luray, as member of the law firm. Armstrong & IMartin, general practitioners, but since 1909 has been prac- ticing alone. A Democrat in politics he was elected mayor of Luray in June, 1913, and in all his activities is a leader. He is a man of untiring energy, his ambition being to do all things well, and to merit the approval of his own conscience. As is ever the case with the fearless honorable men, he found popu- larity and warm support from the best ele- ment of his community and from his posi- tion of trust and influence, has been able to accomplish much for the public good. He is a member of the fraternal order, Knights of Pythias, and is a communicant of the Alethodist Episcopal church. South, of Lu- ray.

Mayor Martin married, December 5, 1894, Nannie Mary, born in Rappahannock coun- ty, Virginia, daughter of Dr. Thomas Ben- jamin and Mary E. (Miller) Amiss. They have one child, Virginia Amiss, born in Luray, Virginia, April 12, 1904.

Virgil Hammer, M. D. Among the de- scendants of Henrv Hammer, who served as a drummer boy of the revolution and as a soldier of the war of 1812. Dr. Hammer is a worthv representative of the present genera- tion. He is a grandson of Henry (2) Ham-