George Washington Martin II (1876-1948)

George Washington Martin, Jr. (b. June 25, 1876 - d. November 21, 1948) was a prominent lawyer, jurist, and member of the Democratic Party in Kings County, Brooklyn, New York. As a lawyer he defended many criminals at trial, and then later as a judge presided over a number of famous trials involving underworld figures associated with the notorious Murder Inc gang of criminal assassins. He was a controversial figure in the history of New York City law in the 1930s when the judiciary and police force of Brooklyn were investigated for corrupt activities. In 1939 he was the subject of criminal charges of bribery and judicial corruption that Martin successfully defended at trial. In late 1939 impeachment proceedings were taken against Martin through the New York state senate but the charges were dismissed.

Ancestry
Martin's great-great-grandfather, Ephraim Story Martin, Sr. (1745-1833) was born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts on February 2, 1745. He served as a sergeant in the Revolutionary War. He married Mary Burnham. He died in Vermont on August 8, 1833. Martin's great-grandfather, Ephraim Story Martin, Jr. (1777-1842), was born on June 10, 1777, and grew up in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and he married Nancy Haywood (1788-1862), who was born on February 25, 1788, and after marriage raised several children, and died in Springfield, Vermont. One of those children was Ephraim Dexter Martin (1809-?) who was born on May 13, 1809. He married Charlotte Lee in Springfield, Vermont. Another one of those children, Jonas Martin (1821-1862), grew up in Vermont, married Marion Betts (1829-1913), and worked as a ship's carpenter in Brooklyn. Jonas and Marion raised a son, George Washington Martin, Sr. (1847-1910), who was trained in engineering, rose to prominence in the commercial enterprise known as the Produce Exchange and served as Brooklyn's Superintendent of Street Repairs in the Department of City Works. In October 1869 he married Emma Frances de Revere (1853-1910). George and Emma lived for many years in her parents' home in Macdonough Street, Brooklyn. At that time Macdonough Street was designated as belonging to that exclusive part of Brooklyn known as Stuyvesant Heights, that featured brownstone townhouses. They raised a daughter, Emma Frances Martin (1874-1921), and their son George Washington Martin, Jr. (1876-1948).

Parents

 * George Washington Martin, Sr. (1847-1910)

Siblings

 * Emma Frances Martin (1874-1921)

Education, early life and marriages
Martin was educated at the Mohegan Lake School in Peekskill, New York. He then studied the law at Yale University and graduated with the LLB degree in 1897. He entered the legal profession and served for five and a half years in Kings County as an assistant District attorney with John F. Clark. When that political appointment ended, he then became a partner in the law firm of Martin and Kesselman which was situated at 215 Montague Street, Brooklyn. Here he developed a high profile reputation throughout Kings County as a criminal trial lawyer.

Martin was married around 1900 to Susie L. Phillips and together they had a daughter Audrey Martin born around 1904. However Martin's wife appears to have died prematurely. According to the 1910 US Federal Census, Martin and his daughter Audrey were living with his mother Emma, his sister Emma Rice (nee Martin) and his brother-in-law John De Revere.

In the middle part of 1910 Martin remarried. His second wife was Maud Ainsworth (14 June 1892 - 28 February, 1966). She was born in Chicago as the fourth child of Joseph Charles Ainsworth and Annie Young. However, she was adopted by her aunt Emma McIntyre (nee Young) and James McIntyre (1857 - 1937). Her adoptive parents were both theatrical stars. Emma McIntyre was known on stage in the late Nineteenth century as "Maude Clifford" the dancer and balladeer. James McIntyre was one member of the famous Vaudevillian duo of Heath and McIntyre. The duo were the first stars of the stage to act as "black and white" minstrels, "black-face comedy", and were credited with introducing tap-dancing to Broadway.

There were six children born to the second marriage: James (born around 1912), Peggy (1 August 1915 - 25 March 1986), Jean (born around 1916), Betsy - also known as Betty - (1919 - 2001), George Washington Martin III (1921-1985), and Walter Ralston Martin (1928-1989). His youngest son Walter Martin rose to prominence as a major figure in the Christian countercult movement.

Audrey, the daughter of his first marriage, grew up with her half-siblings and around 1928 married John Francis Oberry (12 May 1904 - 24 September 1979). However she died in 1929 in childbirth. The child, Audrey Martin Oberry (1929 - 1939), was then adopted by her grandparents George and Maud Martin because her father was financially incapable of supporting her. His granddaughter suffered from heart disease owing to a streptococcus infection at birth.

The family lived from around 1910 until early 1930 in Macdonough Street, and then during 1930 relocated to Bainbridge Street, Brooklyn. Martin, his wife and younger children resided in Bainbridge Street for many years. Toward the end of his life Martin and his wife resided in Clinton Street, Brooklyn.

On 12 September, 1918 Martin was conscripted for military service in the US Army. However he never saw active duty in World War I as the Armistice was reached two months after his enlistment.

Articles in the New York Times

 * "A Day's Weddings. Rice - Martin" New York Times, April 25, 1895, page 8. "Martin is the daughter of George W. Martin, Superintendent of Street Repairs in the Department of City Works, and is also organist of the Simpson Church. ..."


 * "Bigots Denounced As Foes. Judge Martin Assails Religious Intolerance Before K. of C." New York Times, April 10, 1922, page 20.


 * "Judge Says Movies Teach Youths Crime," New York Times, January 22, 1925, page 8.


 * "Federal Grand Jurors Clear Judge Martin; Give No Opinion on Ethics of Business Deals," New York Times, November 14, 1930, page 1.


 * "Martin Must Pay $24,000." New York Times, May 2, 1931, page 2.


 * George W. Martin, "Letters to the Editor: Concerning Patriotism," New York Times, January 5, 1932, page 24.


 * "James M'Intyre, Stage Star, Dies," New York Times, August 19, 1937, page 19.


 * "Cleared in 3 Hours. Brooklyn Jurist Was Accused of Fixing An Abortion Case," New York Times, June 4, 1939, pages 1 and 4.


 * "Martin Will Rest, Then Resume Job," New York Times, June 5, 1939, page 18.


 * "Audrey O'Berry. Granddaughter of Judge Martin Dies at 10 Afterlong Illness," New York Times, July 1, 1939, page 17.


 * "Governor Orders Hearing on Martin," New York Times, July 22, 1939, pages 1 and 13.


 * " 'Preface' to the Charges Judge Martin Faces," New York Times, September 7, 1939, page 20.


 * "Martin Is Linked to 'Phony' Concern," New York Times, October 10, 1939, page 15.


 * "Martin Depicted As Debt Dodger," New York Times, October 19, 1939, page 48.


 * "Attack on Amen By Martin Read," New York Times, October 20, 1939, page 13.


 * "Byk Paints Himself As Martin's Friend," New York Times, October 25, 1939, page 21.


 * "Martin's Affairs Kept on Cash Basis," New York Times, October 26, 1939, page 23.


 * "Old Bank Records Contradict Martin," New York Times, October 27, 1939, page 21.


 * "Martin Is Cleared By Senate, 28 to 19, In Removal Vote," New York Times, November 17, 1939, pages 1 and 2.


 * "Martin Back on Bench," New York Times, April 2, 1940, page 28.


 * "Kings Democrats Abandon Martin," New York Times, August 2, 1941, page 16.