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John R. Martin, better
known as Little Dick, president and founder
of the Little Dick Clothing
Company, which gets its title from Mr. Mar-
tin's nickname, is one of
Moberly's enterprising and successful business
men and a descendant of
one of Randolph County's honored pioneer
families.
Mr. Martin has had a
varied and successful career in the mercantile
business. After obtaining a
good education in the public schools of Ran-
dolph County, he began as
a clerk in the employ of Mitchell and Moppin,
of Renick, Mo. Later he
clerked for Clack and Parrish, Nevada Mo. He
was next employed by
Donihue Brothers, Kirksville, Mo. He was then in
the employ of 0. J.
Townsend, Unionville, Mo., for a time when he re-
turned to Kirksville and
took charge of the clothing department of the
Sam Fickler Store. From
there he came to Moberly and engaged in busi-
ness, becoming the junior
member of the firm of Burkholder and Sol
Martin. Shortly afterwards
he sold his interest in that firm and entered
the employ of Frank B.
Forney and later was employed by Henry Levy
and Company. In 1897 he
engaged in the clothing business under the
firm name of the Little
Dick Clothing Company and was the sole owner
and proprietor of that
business until 1911 when he sold a half interest
to his brother, Forrest
Martin, and since that time they have conducted
the business under the
original firm name and have met with success,
and rank as one of the
leading mercantile establishments of Moberly and
Randolph County. They
carry a full line of men's and boy's clothing and
furnishings and in the
range of quality and price they rank with the
leading retailers of the
country. They carry a large stock and in the
matter of style they are
ready to meet the demands of their customers
from the conservative to
the most fastidious.
Mr. Martin was married
November 9, 1893, to Miss Josie Jamison
of Kirksville, Mo. She is a
daughter of Joseph G. Jamison, who is now deceased
John R. Martin is a
member of the Benevolent and Protective Order
Elks and the Loyal Order
of Moose.
The Martin family is one
of the pioneer families of Randolph County
John H., the subject of this
sketch was born in Prairie township and is
the son of Bailey and
Martha Ellen (Davis) Martin, both natives of Ran
dolph County the former
of whom is now deceased and the latter resides
on the old Martin
homestead in Prairie township. A more extensive his
tory of this pioneer
Randolph County family and it's various members
appears in connection with
the sketch of Forrest Martin in this volume.
John R. Martin has in his
possession an interesting volume which
is devoted to the history
of the Martin family which was written by his
brother, Prof. W H.
Martin, on the occasion of the golden wedding anni-
versary of their parents.
This event took place Feb. 18, 1902. Professor
Martin presents the story
of the Martin family and pays tribute to the
worthy parents of this
large family of thirteen children in a most able -
manner, which was read at
the wedding anniversary. In this article he
narrates the various
characteristics of the thirteen children of Bailey
Martin and in which he
evinces unusually keen observation and a clear
understanding of the
individual traits of each member of the family.
The Martin family is one
of the interesting pioneer families of Ran
dolph County and every
member is a worthy descendant of worthy an-
cestors.
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