Whitmell P. Martin

Who was Whitmell P. Martin?

Whitmell Pugh Martin was a U.S. Representative from Louisiana. Although he later served most of his congressional career as a Democrat, Martin was first elected as a "Bull Moose" Progressive in 1914. He is the only individual ever to represent Louisiana in Congress as a member of that party.

Born near Napoleonville, Assumption Parish, Louisiana, to Robert Campbell Martin and Margerite Chism Martin, Whitmell attended the public schools and was privately tutored. He was graduated from Louisiana State University in 1888. He was a professor of chemistry at Kentucky Military Institute in 1889 and 1890. He worked as a chemist for Imperial Sugar at Sugar Land, Texas, in 1890 and 1891.

Martin studied law at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1891 and 1892. He was admitted to the bar in 1892 and commenced practice in Napoleonville, Louisiana. He moved to Thibodaux, Louisiana, the same year and continued the practice of law. From 1894 to 1900, he was superintendent of schools for Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. On 1896 April 14 he married Amy Williamson. He served as district attorney for the 20th judicial district of Louisiana from 1900 to 1906 and judge of the same district from 1906 to 1914.