Martin, William W.
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Martin, William W.
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Captain W.W. Martin was a Confederate officer who later became a prominent businessman, philanthropist, and political leader in Conway, Arkansas.
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Captain William W. Martin was born in 1835 in Bunker Hill, Tennessee. During his military service in the Confederacy, he reached the rank of Captain under the “Quitman Rifles,” Company A of the 10th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Captain Martin was captured by Union forces twice before the fall of the Confederacy. For the remainder of his life, Martin maintained his title as "Captain" and his involvement in Confederate veteran associations.
Martin was a significant donor and member of the Board of Trustees. His involvement in the Conway prohibition movement helped to facilitate the College’s relocation from Altus to Conway. His local leadership roles included founding a general store, the city's first bank, and the First United Methodist Church, as well as serving as Mayor of Conway for four terms and as president of the local Chamber of Commerce. In the last year of his life, he was elected to the state House of Representatives. A residential building on campus, “Martin Hall," was named after him, and his grave was later moved to campus, where both monuments stand today.
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February 20, 1835
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December 13, 1911
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James E. Lester, Jr., Hendrix College: A Centennial History (Conway, Ar.: River Road Press, 1984), 33-34 and 37-39.
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