Knox Martin

1965	2004

After graduation from Overton I went to Ole Miss on a band scholarship.  After my freshman year I transferred to Memphis State where I graduated in 1969 with a degree in history and political science.  I was in the retail liquor business for several years, and for the past 20 years I have been a zookeeper at the Memphis Zoo & Aquarium.  It was at the zoo that I began a lifelong love of birds of prey.  I was coordinator for the Raptor Rehabilitation Program at the Memphis Zoo for 17 years, during which time I was responsible for the rehabilitation of over 200 hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, kestrels, and vultures each year.  The program was one of the top rehabilitation programs in the country.  All this came to an end in 2003 when the zoo eliminated the program.  It was time for me to begin a new chapter in my life as a rehabilitator.  I began work on my new center, called the Mid-South Raptor Center, located on donated land at the Agricenter in east Memphis.  Currently under construction, the new facility will fill the empty space left when the zoo program was ended.  At age 57 when most of us are at least beginning to think about retirement I am starting on a new career!

Another love of mine is my Confederate heritage.  I am a life member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a group I originally joined while a student at Overton in 1964, and I was recently elected the 2004/2006 Commander of my SCV Camp, the N.B. Forrest Camp in Memphis.  I am also the SCV Tennessee Division Genealogist, helping other men find their Confederate ancestors.  I recently completed my application for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution, and am a member of the Isaac Shelby Chapter in Memphis.