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Guy Thomas Martin |
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Guy Thomas Martin |
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Guy Martin was born 3 January 1898 in Courtois, Washington County, Missouri & was the son of Margie Frances Dicus & James Marion Martin. Guy was a member of the Army of the United States, WWI, from July 25, 1917 to March 3, 1919. Declaration of Applicant: Given at: Joplin, Mo. 23 July 1917. Signed: Guy T. Martin - Recruiting Officer: Capt. ?Goust? , Artillery Corp. Enlistment Paper: Guy T. Martin - 25 July 1917 - Leadwood, Mo.- by Capt. F.N. ?Chilton?- Infantry, white. Places he served during his tour of duty:
Service was terminated by Honorable Discharge. Last grade, rank or rating - Corporal. Physical Description: Blue eyes, light brown hair, ruddy complexion, 5 feet 9 inches in height. Indelible or permanent marks and physical defects: S 2/8 L Chest; S 1/4 R Knee; S 1/4 L Back; size of uniform shoe 81/2D; Vaccinated: August 8, 1917, Typhoid immunization completed August 15. Character given on discharge certificate: Excellent. He married Berdie Henderson 24 July 1921 & they eventually became the parents of 11 children. I never knew my grandfather. I only met him briefly one time when I was maybe 14 years old. And as far as I know there are no adult pictures of him in existence. I've done a lot of searching & so far haven't been able to find anyone who has a picture of him as an adult. I even contacted the Personell Records Center in St. Louis to see if the Army might have a picture but they could not find one. They recommended that I contact the National Archives so that will be my next step. These are the things I was told about Guy: I was told that Guy used to carry a billy club with him all the time & used to say something to the affect of, "Anybody gives me any trouble I'll coldcock the son of a bitch." He was a heavy drinker & always getting into fights. He often made his own "home brew" which he referred to as "panther piss". And sometimes when he was really bad drunk he swore he could see the devil standing over in the corner of the room. He was also a heavy smoker & always rolled his own cigarettes. He would hold the cigarette paper in his right hand & fill it with Bull Durham tobacco from a pouch in his left hand. Then roll the cigarette with only his right hand, lick the paper to hold it shut, pop it in his mouth & light it. He liked having his friends over to play poker & when there was a game going on none of his children were allowed in the room. Guy was very good at playing the harmonica. Grandma told me one time that shortly after her & Guy were married he came home all cut up & bleeding from being in a fight. One time back in the 60's or early 70's mom & I were on our way back from somewhere & stopped off at an auction house near Farmington area. There we met a man (think his name was Cicero Cauley or Crawley) who had got in a fight with Guy many years before. He pulled up his shirt & showed me a large scar that grandpa gave him when they were in knife fight & chuckled about it. I wish I would have written down what all he told me about grandpa as I can't remember it now. Mom told me one time that Guy Martin was strongly suspected of killing a man that he worked with on a logging crew back in the 1930's. The way the story goes that I was told was that my grandfather & this man, Jim Abel, were bitter enemies but happened to get assigned to work together out in the woods. Two men went into the woods but only my grandfather came out alive. He claimed that a branch fell on Mr. Abel & killed him. No one could prove otherwise but everyone just "knew" that Guy killed the man. I was told by yet another family member that while living in St. Louis he & Guy were walking down the sidewalk & encountered a colored man with whom grandpa promptly picked a fight. Somehow grandpa managed to get a 2x4 & hit that colored man in the head. I asked this family member (who was a teenager at the time of the incident) if the blow killed the man & he said he didn't know as he & grandpa took off running. It's likely that a blow like that could have killed this colored man so it is possible that grandpa may have killed two people. When any of the kids would get into a fight Guy would egg them on & encourage them to fight. Cousin Tom told me that he was told that some other man was trying to date grandma before she & Guy were married. Guy got jealous & attacked the man. Guy came up behind him & reached around & cut the man from armpit to armpit. Tom Spradling also told me that he only met grandpa one time. Grandpa came to visit Tom's mother, Glenda, when they all lived in St. Louis. Tom was little at the time & didn't know who grandpa was at first. Tom said he had trouble understanding what grandpa was saying when he talked as he would use terms Tom had never heard before. "My doggies hurt" which meant his feet hurt. He also said, "I sure wish I had a cup of joe" meaning he wanted a cup of coffee. Tom also said that grandpa had a bunny rabbit with him that he had caught in the park & he gave the bunny to Tom during this visit. Guy Martin died of a heart attack at City Hospital in St. Louis 5 September 1969 at the age of 71. He is buried in the New Masonic Cemetery, Potosi, Washington County, Missouri. Children of Berdie Henderson & Guy Martin:
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