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Forrest Martin, secretary
and treasurer of the Little Dick Clothing
Company of Moberly, is a
native son of Randolph County and a descendant
of one of the very early
pioneer families of this county. He was born in
Prairie township May 8,
1877 and is the son of Bailey Martin and Martha
Ellen (Davis) Martin.
Bailey Martin was born in Prairie township,
Randolph County, Aug. 8,
1827. He was reared to manhood in this
county and followed
farming and stock raising here all his life, and had a
successful career. He died
Dec. 24, 1908 and his remains are buried in
the Davis Cemetery. He
was the son of Henry Martin, a native of Ken-
tucky who was a pioneer
settler of Prairie township, when that town-
ship included what is now
Sugar Creek, Silver Creek and Salt Spring
township. When he came
here he entered government land, taking up
about a section and this
property is now owned by the Bailey Martin
heirs. Henry Martin spent
his entire life in Randolph County, after
coming here and died
about the age of 84 years. He was prominent in
early day affairs of this
county and served as justice of the peace
of Prairie township for a
number of years.
Bailey Martin was united in
marriage in Prairie township, Feb. 18,
1852 with Miss Martha
Ellen Davis. She was a daughter of Joseph and
Permelia (Kirkpatrick)
Davis who were also very early pioneer settlers
in Prairie township. They
were Kentuckians and drove through from
that state to Randolph
County on horseback. They both spent their lives
in this county and their
remains are buried in Davis Cemetery. Mrs.
Martha Ellen (Davis)
Martin is now 82 years of age and resides on the
home place in Prairie
township.
To Bailey and Martha
Ellen (Davis) Martin were born 13 children,
all of whom are living as
follow: Mollie, married Lee Shirley, now de-
ceased and she resides in
Colorado; Ida, married T. S. Hines who is now
deceased and she resides
in Texas; Ella, widow of the late T. T. Patton,
Moberly; Laura, married
Noah Burkhead and lives in Prairie township;
Prof. W. H. Kansas City,
Mo.; J. R., president of the Little Dick Cloth-
ing Company, Moberly;
Hannah, married J. J. Christian, Moberly; Mattie,
resides at home with her
mother; J. D., with the Little Dick Clothing
Company; Luther, agent
for the Wabash Railroad Company at DeWitt,
Mo.; Florence resides at
home with her mother; Omar, manager of the
Wolff-Berger Company,
Moberly and Forrest, the subject of this sketch.
Forrest Martin was reared
on the home farm and received his edu-
cation in the public
schools. He began his career as a clerk in Moberly'
and in 1907 he was elected
county clerk of Randolph County and served
in that capacity in a
capable and efficient manner until 1911 when he
bought a half interest in the
Little Dick Clothing Company which had
been established by his
brother J. R., in 1897 and since that time he has
devoted himself to this
business,
Mr. Martin was married
July 1, 1900 to Miss Sallie G. Perkins, of
Moberly, Mo., the
marriage ceremony being performed at the home of
the bride's grandmother,
Mrs. Sallie Peeler at Rocheport, Mo. Mrs. Mar-
tin is a daughter of Rev.
G. A. Perkins, a minister of the Christian denom-
ination. To Mr. and Mrs.
Martin have been born two children: Martha
Maurine a student in
Linwood College, and Doris Margaret, at home with
her parents.
Mr. Martin is a member of
the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, the Loyal Order of
Moose and Modern Woodmen of America. He
is a substantial citizen and
one of Moberly's most progressive business
men.
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