Brigadier General Joseph Martin 1740-1808

Joseph Martin was born on September 18, 1740, near Charlottesville in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was one of eleven children of Joseph Martin, Sr., and his first wife Susannah Chiles Martin. General Joseph Martin was married five times.  His first wife was Sarah Lucas and they were married in 1762 in Orange  County, Virginia.  Sarah died in 1782 at "Scuffle Hill", their estate on the Smith River in Henry County, Virginia, the site of present day Martinsville, Virginia.  In 1784, Joseph married Susannah Graves, the daughter of William Graves. While serving as Indian Agent to the Cherokees, General Martin married Elizabeth "Betsy" Ward, the daughter of the famous NANYE'HI (Nancy Ward) and Brian Ward.  NANYE'HI was the niece of Attakullakulla (The Little Carpenter) the Peace Chief of the Cherokee Nation.   There are many books available on Nancy Ward, the Beloved Woman of the Cherokees.  Most of these books give information on General Joseph Martin. General Joseph Martin also married two Cherokee sisters, Susannah and Mary Emory.

This picture given to us by Desmond Kendrick, Henry Courty Archivist, Martinsville, Virginia

To read a concise biography of General Joseph Martin by Gordon Aronhime CLICK HERE

To read an enlightening biography of Brigadier General Joseph Martin by Dr. William Allen Pusey as presented to the Filson Club   ---   click here

Thanks to William Preston Martin of Bridgeville, PA,  you may visit Leatherwood, Virginia, home of General Joseph Martin  CLICK HERE

In 1840 a chancery suit was brought by Martin & others against Martin & others before the superior court of Henry County Virginia.  Where John REDD Sr. testifyed that the hand wrighting on the document (not dated & unsigned) will was that of General Joseph MARTIN.  It says "In the name of God amen.  I Joseph MARTIN Sr. of Henry County, Tennessee ...  I contitute this my last will and testament revoking all others.  And as I have already given my 1st wifes children their protions of my estae I dispost of the residue of my estate both real & personal in the following mannor.  That is to say I give my loving wife Susanna MARTIN the whole of my estate to raise & educate my children on during her widowhood but if she should marry it is my will that my estate be equally dividied among my children namely Joseph, Jesse, Thomas, Sally, Patrick, Lewis, Molly, Susannah, Alexander, John C, & George and in order that these children may be dutiful to their mother I leave it at her ? to give them their part of my estate when they marry or come of age or not or any part they may choose and at the death of my wife my will is that my estate be equally divided among my said children I constitute & appoint my beloved wife ? my son Joseph MARTIN exeuctor of this my last will and testament. . ." THIS DOCUMENT COURTESY OF CAROL MITCHELL, A DESCENDANT OF ANGELINE MARTIN, DAUGHTER OF ALEXANDER MARTIN AND ELIZABETH CARR

MAP COURTESY OF CAROL MITCHELL, A DESCENDANT OF ANGELINE MARTIN DAUGHTER OF ALEXANDER MARTIN AND ELIZABETH CARR

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