Springfield-Greene
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HARRY E. MARTIN. In all ages of the world industry, perseverance and energy, where intelligently applied, have achieved results which could only have been gained by having one end in view, and by improving every opportunity of ultimately attaining that object. Harry E. Martin, chief engineer of the Springfield Furniture Company, is an example of what can be accomplished when the spirit of determination is exercised in connection with the every day affairs of life.
Mr. Martin was born on March 17, 1879, at Richland, Missouri. He is a son of John H. and Mary (Young) Martin, the latter a daughter of Preston Young, and she is now about fifty-four years of age, the former being a year older, and they now make their home near Richland, Pulaski county, this state, where Mr. Martin is a machinist by trade. He formerly lived in Springfield, where he was chief engineer and master mechanic for the Davis planing mill for a period of twenty-five years, and for ten years he worked as a machinist at the Springfield Wagon Works. He is at this writing building a corn-mill at Brumley, Miller county. He owns and operates a large farm in Pulaski county. His family consists of three children, namely: Harry F., of this sketch; Icy is the wife of Arthur Bryant, a farmer of near Richland, Missouri; William lives in St. Louis, where he is working as electrician for the street railway company.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Charles Martin; he was a wagon manufacturer by trade, an early settler of Miller county, this state, and died there many years ago.
Harry E. Martin received his education in the public schools of Richland and Springfield. He worked for some time in the Davis planing mill, where he finally became fireman, but his principal work there was as an apprentice machinist under his father. Later he worked on a farm which his father owned. When only eighteen years old he was filling the position of engineer for the Culver Lumber Manufacturing Company at Kansas City. In 1903 he returned to Springfield and became engineer for the Springfield Furniture Company, and in a short time was promoted to chief engineer, which position he still holds, discharging his duties with his usual fidelity and ability. He is also master mechanic at this plant, and has many hands under his direction. He is an expert machinist and does all the machine work for this large factory. He has kept well up-to-date both as a machinist and engineer, and has no superiors in either line in Greene county. He has also found time to make himself an expert electrician, and was instrumental in obtaining the new electric plant for the concern with which he is now connected. He is a self-made man, and learned to be an electrician through extensive home study, taking the course of the American Correspondence School.
Mr. Martin was married in December, 1906, to Lillian Bergstresser, a daughter of Charles and Ellen (East) Bergstresser, of Harlan, Iowa. This union has been without issue. Mr. and Mrs. Martin own a pleasant home on the National Boulevard, where they operate a chicken hatchery, composed of thirty-eight incubators.
Politically, Mr. Martin is a Democrat. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World, and to the National Association of Stationary Engineers. He is now serving his second term as treasurer of the local order of the latter. Religiously, he is a member of the First Christian church.
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