Charles Martin (politician, 1863)

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Charles Martin (1922)

Charles Henry Martin (born  October 1, 1863 in Edwards County , Illinois , †  September 26, 1946 in Portland , Oregon ) was an American politician and the 21st Governor of Oregon from 1935 to 1939.

Early years and military career

Charles Martin attended Ewing College in Illinois for two years . He then studied at the Military Academy at West Point . There he successfully graduated in 1887. In the following 40 years he completed an officer career in the US Army. He was in the Spanish-American War of 1898, the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900 and in the First World WarUsed 1917–1918. During the First World War he was division commander within the V Corps. Between 1922 and 1924 was Deputy Chief of Staff of the US Army. He then served as major general in command of the American troops on the Panama Canal for three years. On October 1, 1927, he resigned from active military service after 40 years. During this time he has received numerous military awards.

Political career

After his military career, Martin settled in Portland. As a member of the Democratic Party , he was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington in 1930 . He stayed there between March 4, 1931 and January 3, 1935.

In 1934 he was elected the new governor of Oregon. He held this office between January 14, 1935 and January 9, 1939. During this time, the economic situation relaxed again after the great economic crisis. The governor worked to improve the infrastructure. The Bonville Dam was built and the motorway network expanded. Although Martin was a Democrat, he was an opponent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies, from which Oregon also benefited. Martin bothered, among other things, that the federal government was active along the Columbia River . There were also conflicts between Martin and the federal government in other areas. This created difficulties within the Democratic Party. After a tough pre-election campaign for the nomination for the gubernatorial elections of 1938, Martin could no longer prevail. Therefore, he had to give up his office in January 1939.

After his defeat, Martin retired into private life. He lived in Portland until 1946. He died there in September 1946. Charles Martin was married to Louise J. Hughes, with whom he had four children.

literature

  • Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 4, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

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