Charles I. Martin
Kansas' 23rd Adjutant General
April 01, 1909 - October 01, 1917

General Charles I. Martin, born on January 25, 1871 in Ogle County, Illinois, moved to Kansas as a youth and resided on a farm in Allen County. Martin's family moved to the Fort Scott Area, and at the age of 19, he enlisted in F Company, 1st Kansas Infantry Regiment, Kansas National Guard.
 

Promoted to Sergeant on March 30, 1892, he was eventually commissioned as a second lieutenant on April 6, 1893, and reached the rank of Captain on February 1, 1896. Martin was discharged from the Kansas National Guard on April 30, 1898, to accept a federal commission with the 20th Kansas Volunteers during the outbreak of hostilities with Spain. He and his unit were shipped to the Philippines and participated in the Pacification Campaign to bring order to the islands. While in that capacity, Martin reached the rank of major, which he held until his discharge on October 20, 1899.
 

Upon his return, Martin resumed his civilian occupation of teaching in Emporia. In 1901, he was elected as clerk of Bourbon County District Court and developed an interest in law. Both he and his wife enrolled at the University of Kansas Law School. He practiced law for a number of years, until he was again called to service. He rejoined the Kansas National Guard and rapidly advanced to the rank of colonel, serving as Inspector General. In 1909, Martin, then a practicing lawyer in Fort Scott, was selected to be Adjutant General of Kansas, with the rank of brigadier general.
 

Martin served as Adjutant General until June 21, 1917, when with the approach of World War I, he was appointed Brigader General of the Line. By August 5, 1917, the Kansas National Guard was called into federal service, and Martin was assigned to the 70th Brigade as the Commanding General of the 35th Division element where he remained until his relief on September 21, 1918. At the end of the war, Martin was promoted to major general and became the Commanding General of the 35th Division, a post he held until his retirement on January 31, 1935.
 

Martin died on May 8, 1953 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at the age of 82. He is buried in the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery - Section 43A, Rox 3, Grave 1.