The Bathlub of
Judge Martin
Anil ollior roool loot ions of si colorful
Tar lied who
<*«11110
homo to enjoy
life.
By ASIITON CHAPMAN
Although he has been dead for more
than 50 years, the memory of Judge
Spencer Andy Martin is kept green by
a number of Tar Heels. Some have
heard accounts of his boyhood in
Rockingham and Surry counties. Some
knew him during his residence in Ashe¬
ville after he retired from a variety of
activities in his adopted state of Arkan¬
sas. But he is best remembered in
Spruce Pine, where he spent his last
years and died in 1920 at the age of
74.
Although he was a cultured gentle¬
man of the old school, had acquired
considerable wealth, had been politi¬
cally prominent and a leader in civic
affairs in the Middle West and settled
naturally into a similar role in Spruce
Pine, the subject most often mentioned
in recollections of Judge Martin arc his
almost fanatical love of Nature and the
out-of-doors and particularly the out¬
door bathtub he built for himself in
Spruce Pine.
one of Grant’s medical and surgical
staff, who had taught my father when
he was in Fairfield College, came into
the hospital to treat him. much to
Papa's surprise. He later said. ‘There I
learned one of the greatest lessons of
my life. I used to make fun of him at
school. We used to shoot red haw ber¬
ries at that professor. He was so kind
and relieved my suffering so satisfac¬
torily that I made a resolution never
again to make fun of any one or irri¬
tate them.'
"After that he was sent to a Fed¬
eral prison in Chicago until he was ex¬
changed. After the war he came home
to North Carolina for a while, then
went to Missouri and on into Arkansas,
where he settled in the town of Earle."
There on Feb. 26, 1896, Spencer
Martin was married to Elizabeth Met¬
calf. In addition to their son Jules, they
Stated Well
The only known p Holograph ol Ihc lofe Judge
Spencer A Merlin who. oiler accumulating
о
fortune, becoming a judge, ond toning Arkansas
in the legislature, returned to hit noti»e North
Corolmo and spent hit lott ycort noor the to«n
of Spruce Pine where, he‘d rood, people lived
longer thon onywhere in the United Stotet. —
'С.
E. Weitveer made the picture from a Mid-
Wctlorn newspaper dipping,!
had one daughter. Ruth, who married
John P. Milam. The Milams had three
daughters. Pauline is living in Earle.
Ark.. April in Amarillo. Texas, and
Rachel Ruth (Mrs. Tom Corr) in
Oklahoma City. Jules Martin remained
a bachelor.
In Earle. Spencer Martin owned a
blacksmith shop, a cabinet shop, a
grist mill, saw mill and cotton gin. He
also bought and sold real estate, some¬
times acquiring, among other proper¬
ties. abandoned homesteads of 160
acres by paying the delinquent taxes
which in some cases amounted to only
about two cents an acre.
Mrs. Corr recently wrote: "1 under¬
stand that after the death of his wife
and daughter he made his home for a
while in Colorado and there lost half a
million dollars in a law suit over his
sheep ranch."
Prisoner of War
Return to North Carolina
According to letters written many
years ago by Judge Spencer Martin's
only son. Jules, who was then living in
San Francisco. "My father was pul in
college at Fairfield. S. C.. one of the
youngest ever to enter there. I lis people
were large slave owners. Fairfield was a
school for the wealthy. He left the
school and joined the Confederate
Army.
"He was wounded in the collarbone
and when hospitalized as a prisoner.
I won't take my religion from any
man who never works except with his
mouth and never cherishes any
memory except the face of the woman
on the American silver dollar. — Carl
Sandburg.
Justice is the insurance which we
have on our lives and property. Obedi¬
ence is the premium which we pay for
it. — William Penn.
An historical sketch written in 1968
by the Secretary of State of Arkansas
shows that Spencer A. Martin was
Crittenden County Surveyor 1878-86;
clerk of court 1888-90; county judge
1890-92. The title "Judge" stuck with
him for the remainder of his life.
The record shows, further, that he
was elected to the Arkansas House of
Representatives and served during its
32d, 33d and 36th bienniel sessions. It
was shortly after this last named scs-
20
THE STATE. February 1974
