Martin, T. S. Family

Thomas Samuel Martin was born in Galena, IL to James and Margaret Leary Martin. He came to Sioux City in 1868 and started working at George W. Felt’s grocery store, located near Pearl and 4th Street. By 1875, he had saved up $450 and went to Akron, IA. There he purchased and operated a dry goods store called Kennedy & Reed. He soon came back to Sioux City and worked at H. D. Booge & Company, first as a clerk and later as a traveling salesman. During the gold rush, he traveled to Deadwood, South Dakota and opened the T. S. Martin’s Grocery Store there from 1877 to 1879. In 1880, he came back to Sioux City permanently and opened the T.S. Martin & Company dry goods store. In this latest venture, he was joined by George Westcott, and later by his brother, James P. Martin.

The business proved a success. During the 1890s the location of T. S. Martin’s store moved to various locations on Fourth Street to meet the needs of the growing business. By 1902, sales were close to a million dollars over two stores: one in Sioux City and one in Cedar Rapids. In 1908, Martin purchased the Peirce Mansion (2901 Jackson Street) and resided there until his death. T. S. Martin died in 1915, as the store’s final location on Fourth and Nebraska was being built. He left a wife, Agnes, whom he had married in 1883, and three sons, all of whom would manage the business until their deaths.

 Joseph Earle Martin (27 August 1884-24 September 1943): J. Earle Martin was the eldest son of T.S. Martin. Like all the Martin children, he was born and raised in Sioux City. He attended Christian Brother’s College in St. Louis, Missouri. As part of his training, he also worked on the sales floor of at a department store in New York. He became president of the T. S. Martin Company after his father’s death in 1915. In 1925, he also became head of the T. S. Martin Realty Company, started by T. S. Martin’s brothers, James P. and Louis B. Martin. J. Earle died in 1943 and his wife, Helen Ross, died the following year. The couple left behind four children.

Jules Thomas Martin (20 July 1889-29 December 1944): JulesT. was the second son of T. S. and Agnes Martin. He studied the School of Commerce at the University of Wisconsin. He also worked at a packing house in Sioux City, and later worked in packing and unloading at the Moore-Shenkberg Company, as part of his training experience to enter the family business. After his father’s death, he became vice-president of the T. S. Martin Company.

Jules had an active civic life. He served on the Board of Directors of the Associated Retailers, in the Bureau of Social Agencies of the Sioux City Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of the Elks Club and Sioux City Country Club. In 1926, Iowa Governor John Hammill chose him a member of his Committee of Fifty, which acted as an advisory committee on agricultural affairs. After his brother J. Earle’s death in 1943, he came out of retirement to take over as president of the business, only to die one year later. His wife, Jessie Margaret Reid, died 1956, and they had a daughter, Margaret Anne (Martin) Seamster (later Everist). After Jules T.’s death, R. H. Dee became president and general manager of the T. S. Martin Company.

Howard Vincent Martin (6 June 1893-13 December 1941): Howard was the youngest son of T. S. and Agnes Martin. He attended the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, and worked in the adjustment and accounting section of Wanamaker’s as part of his business training. After his father’s death, he became secretary-treasurer of T. S. Martin Company. He also worked as the director of Security National Bank. He died in 1941, following his wife Leone Weston, who had died the year before. The couple left behind a daughter, Mildred.