Glenn Luther Martin (1886 - 1955)

Born 17 Jan 1886 in Macksburg, Iowa

Ancestors

Died 5 Dec 1955 at age 69 in Baltimore, Maryland

Biography

Glenn Martin is Notable.

American aviation pioneer Glenn Martin founded his own aircraft company in 1912 which today through several mergers is amalgamated into the Lockheed Martin company.

Glenn L. Martin was born in Macksburg, Iowa, on January 17, 1886^[1] to Clarence and Arminta (DeLong) Martin. About 1888, the family moved to the new town of Liberal, Kansas where his father Clarence operated a hardware store on South Kansas Avenue.^[2]

From around the age of six, Glenn made kites in his mother's kitchen selling them to neighborhood boys. One of Glenn's childhood playmates was Henry Tucker who lived on the same block as the Martin family, the 100 block of South Grant Avenue, Liberal, Kansas. The Martin family left Liberal about 1894^[2] and in 1900 and 1905 was living in Salina, Saline County, Kansas^[3][4] where his father's occupation is listed as traveling salesman. In 1910, the family was living in Santa Ana, California.^[5]

Glenn was very interested in the experiments of the Wright Brothers and in 1909 constructed an engine powered biplane which he exhibited throughout the western United States and Canada. By 1912 he established the the Glenn L Martin Company in Los Angeles which built army training planes during World War One. In 1916 he merged his company with the original Wright Company, forming the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company. He soon left and founded a second Glenn L. Martin Company in 1917.^[2]

In 1918 the company moved to Cleveland, Ohio^[6] and developed a twin-engine bomber later adapted for forest and coastal patrol. He is also credited with the development of the first purpose built mail service airplane in 1919, the first American metal monoplane in 1922, the first all metal seaplane in 1923, and the first bomber with a steel alloy fuselage in 1926.^[2]

In 1929, the Martin company moved to Middle River, Maryland^[7][8] to facilitate seaplane testing. In 1932 he won the Collier Trophy for his B-10 bomber design and later designed the B-26 "Mars" bomber as well as commercial aircraft.^[2]

Glenn passed away 5 Dec 1955 at Baltimore, Maryland and was returned to California for interment at Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, California.^[9] Glenn never married.

Following Glenn's death, the Martin company first merged with the American-Marietta Corporation becoming Martin Marietta in 1961 and in 1995 merged with Lockheed Corporation becoming Lockheed Martin.

The air terminal at Liberal, Kansas (LBL) is named the Glenn L Martin Terminal in his honor.

Sources

1. ↑ The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) for the State of Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Series Number: M1939
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Seward County Historical Society, compiler, "Seward County Kansas", K C Printers, Liberal, Kansas, 1979, p 350 citing the Kansas State Historical Society.
3. ↑ US Census, Year: 1900; Census Place: Salina Ward 3, Saline, Kansas; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0122; FHL microfilm: 1240498
4. ↑ Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; 1905 Kansas Territory Census; Roll: ks1905_142; Line: 1
5. ↑ US Census, Year: 1910; Census Place: Santa Ana Ward 4, Orange, California; Roll: T624_90; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0058; FHL microfilm: 1374103
6. ↑ US Census, Year: 1920; Census Place: Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio; Roll: T625_1374; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 527
7. ↑ US Census, Year: 1930; Census Place: Baltimore, Maryland; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0570; FHL microfilm: 2340590
8. ↑ US Census, Year: 1940; Census Place: Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland; Roll: m-t0627-01519; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 4-283
9. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #9738

See Also:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Martin