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John Smith was appointed Mayor of the City of Martin in 1874.
John Smith was appointed Mayor of the City of Martin in 1874. Baldwin Crawford, one of Martin’s first citizens, was the first elected Mayor in 1875 and served until 1877.
L.A. Blake served a one-year term as Mayor from 1877-1878. He and his wife died in the Yellow Fever epidemic.
J.P. Beach, Mayor from 1878-1880, was a tailor per the 1880 Cenus.
J.M. Ridgeway worked in the shoe repair business. Ridgeway served as Mayor from 1880 to 1886. He was a magistrate for Weakley County for fifty-nine years, longer than any other person.
Records are limited, but the 1880 census lists John L. Brooks was a grocery store owner who served as Mayor from 1886-1894.
Ruffan R. Aycock, mayor from 1894 to 1896, was a merchant.
James E. Kennedy, Mayor from 1896-1900, served as Mayor during the smallpox epidemic. He was in the flour and feed business with his father in what was later the Stafford Milling Co.
George E. Bowden, Mayor from 1900-1902, owned and operated the Bowden Hotel for several years. Bowden was president of the Martin Bank from 1900 to 1925. Bowden’s home is the current location of Murphy Funeral Home. Thomas Bowden, brother of George Bowden, was elected Mayor in 1902; however, he could not be sworn in due to severe illness and death two months later.
Wiley Blakemore, Mayor from 1902-1908, owned a livery business with many fine horses and buggies. Mr. Blakemore got Martin “out of the mud” with the addition of the first concrete sidewalks and gravel streets. Mr. Blakemore built the house at 219 Poplar Street.
The city built a new school during his term as Mayor. J.T. Perkins, Mayor from 1908-1914, worked with the railway for over fifty years. The city installed the first sewer system in Martin during his term as Mayor. He took an interest in the beautification of the town by overseeing the addition of several small parks and floral areas.
A.B. Adam, Mayor from 1914 to 1918, graduated from Hall-Moody and received a law degree from Lebanon Law School. Adam was elected Mayor at the age of twenty-four. During Adam’s term as Mayor, Martin passed the first ordinance requiring indoor plumbing and purchased the first motor fire engine.
J.D. Jones, Mayor from 1918-1920, was in the dry goods business with his brother. During his term as Mayor, he and the aldermen voluntarily reduced their salaries by 40-50% for a “gravel fund” to patch the streets. George P. Hurt, Mayor from 1920-1922, spent fifty years in banking and served in the Tennessee State Legislature in 1910 and 1911. His home was the former Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity house on Oakland Street. During Mr. Hurt’s term as Mayor, the city built a new electric power plant.
List of Martin, TN Mayors
- 1874 – 1875 John Smith, appointed
- 1875 – 1877 Baldwin Crawford, elected
- 1877 – 1878 L.A. Blake, died in the Yellow Fever epidemic
- 1878 – 1880 J.P. Beach
- 1880 – 1886 J.M. Ridgeway
- 1886 – 1894 John L. Brooks
- 1894 – 1896 Ruffan R. Aycock
- 1896 – 1900 James E. Kennedy1900 – 1902 George E. Bowden
- 1902 – Thomas A. Bowden, elected but died two months later
- 1902 – 1908 Wiley B. Blakemore
- 1908 – 1914 J.T. Perkins
- 1914 – 1918 A.B. Adam
- 1918 – 1920 J.D. Jones
- 1920 – 1922 George P. Hurt
- 1922 – 1928 D. Walter Harper
- 1928 – 1930 George M. Brooks
- 1930 – 1931 L.G. McMillion, resigned in 1931 due to health
- 1931 – 1932 George M. Brooks
- 1931 – 1932 George M. Brooks
- 1932 – 1934 L.A. Elliott
- 1934 – 1939 George M. Brooks
- 1939 – 1940 Frank Smith
- 1940 – 1950 George M. Brooks
- 1950 – 1954 Jack Vincent
- 1954 – 1957 Milburn Gardner, died in 1957
- 1957 – 1958 Max Burchard (Acting)
- 1958 – 1962 Jack Vincent
- 1962 – 1966 Doug Murphy
- 1966 – 1974 Cliff Weldon
- 1974 – 1976 Tom Copeland
- 1976 – 1982 H.C. (Ham) Brundige
- 1982 – 1984 Tom Copeland
- 1984 – 1988 Virginia Weldon
- 1988 – 1990 Bob Peeler
- 1990 – 1992 Carl Savage
- 1992 – 2002 Larry Taylor
- 2002 – current Randy Brundige
