The tree on ancestry that I made for the Martin family is called Tangled Roots and Twisted Trees. It is a story filled with hope, secrets and family strength. Research has brought me into contact with many connections to my husband and children. Family help one another and with other researchers the facts have been untangled just a little.
Alexander Martin lived in Danbury. Danbury was a plantation and before visions of Tara pop into our minds, we need to understand the word plantation referred to land size much like we use the term acre. Plantation was a term used for over 1000 acres. Crawford was the community in which Alexander Martin resided. It is rural today and I can only imagine what it would have been in his lifetime. His land would be in the area of Shepherds Mill Road in Stokes County, NC. Much of this land is owned and farmed by the Hare Krishnars.
Alexander Martin was buried on this land in a vault. Locals thought he was buried standing up but in truth it was a burial vault for family members. This vault was placed on the bluffs looking over the Dan River and long has disappeared. Research show that he chose this vault as George Washington had one.
Alexander Martin (1740 – November 2, 1807) was the fourth and seventh governor of North Carolina from 1782 to 1784 and from 1789 to 1792. Moravian records list him as friendly person. His attendance is at services is noted in church diaries. He knew George Washington and research show Alexander Martin had a silver cup that was passed down in his will. Family lore says this was a gift from Washington.
Gov. Martin never married. He did have a long term relationship with Elizabeth Lewis Strong. He husband was a long hunter and went missing. He and Elizabeth had a son, Alexander Strong Martin, born 1787.
Researching has not shown a early local connection between this set of Martins and the "Rock House" Martin line. I did find a land transaction but no early kinship ties. The other Martin line is Joseph Martin in which Martinsville, VA. is named after.
Again, I have not found a connection in my research at this time. There is another Martinsville, a forgotten place in Guilford County that is named for Alexander Martin. This focus is on one tangled branch of a very large tree. By the way, next time you are in Raleigh on Martin Street, think of Alexander Martin from "Crawford" as it is named for him and his brother.
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