CHARLES RICHARDSON MARTENS.  Of the Franklin county citizens who have achieved prominence in commercial life in the Capital City, a well-known merchant is found in Charles Richardson Martens, of the firm of Powland, Morehouse & Martens, of the Home Dry Goods House, located at Nos. 134-136 South High Street.
     Mr. Martens was born on Apr. 4, 1860, son of Alice Richardson and David Miller Martens, the latter a well-known clergyman, to which profession he added the vocation of proofreader.  Their family was comprised of four children, three sons and one daughter, all of whom are living.
     Charles R. Martens attended the village and his district schools of his township up to his fourteenth year, when he came to Columbus and secured employment in the music establishment of C. H. Walker & Co., on North High street.  After remaining there some years he moved to Fredonia, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where he obtained a position in a general merchandise store and continued there up to which time he has made this his permanent abiding place.  Shortly after his arrival here he became employed with Weisman & Martens, an older brother being a member of the firm, and he remained with them until 1883, when the firm was dissolved.  For a year or so following this Mr. Martens was a traveling salesman for the Miller Oil Company of Columbus.  He next engaged with the house of Moler & Boland, with whom he was connected until 1888, when he purchased a partnership interest in the firm of J. P. Weisman & Co.  This he retained until 1892, when, with his two colleagues, he organized the present firm of Bowland, Morehouse & Martens.  This, today is one of hte largest and most prominent of hte representatives dry goods establishments of the representative dry goods establishments of Columbus, and it controls a large and influential trade.
     On June 3, 18_4, Mr. Martens was married to Emma Charlotte Wirth and two children have been born to them, both living and beams of sunshine in the happy home of htis popularly known couple.
     Mr. Martens is a member of the Arion Club, and both in business and social life his standing is of the highest, most creditable character.
Source:  Franklin County at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century - Compiled and Published by the Historical Publishing Co., Columbus, Ohio - Page 300