Martin Family History

According to the Martin Papers in the British Library (Additional Manuscripts 41474-5) the earliest known member of the family was JOSIAH MARTIN, who came from Scotland and accompanied Sir Arthur Chichester, later Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Ireland in 1599. His son JOSIAH MARTIN was elected a Freeman of Belfast and had a son GEORGE MARTIN of Whitehouse, near Belfast, who was elected a Burgess of Belfast on 30 Sep 1645 and appointed Sovereign of Belfast (the term then applied to Mayor) in Jun 1647. When George Martin refused to billet Ireton’s soldiers in 1649 he was evicted from his house with his wife, seven sons and one daughter. There was a lengthy correspondence lasting from 1762 to 1800 in the Martin Papers between Samuel Martin of Whitehaven (see below) and his cousins Sir Henry Martin, Bt and Samuel Martin, Junior, of Greencastle, Antigua. See MARTIN of LOCKYNGE, Baronet – Burke’s Peerage. It appears that the Baronet’s family descended from the eldest son of George Martin of Whitehouse while the youngest son:

SAMUEL MARTIN, Junior, merchant, of the parish of St. Michan, Dublin (according to the baptismal entry for his daughter Lettice), m. (marriage licence dated 14 Jul 1679), MARY, dau of Sir RICHARD CARNEY, Kt, Ulster King of Arms, and his wife LETTICE, dau of THOMAS TALLIS, Muster-Master-General of Ireland. In his will he names his brothers Robert, James, merchant, of Dublin, who d.s.p. (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 4 Apr 1726 and proved 9 May 1727) and William. He was buried at St. Michan, Dublin on 14 Jun 1720 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 2 Feb 1718/19 and proved 24 Jun 1721) having had issue:

  1. George, M.D., of Dublin and Milltown, Co. Meath, d. unmarried Jan 1755 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 29 Jul 1746 and proved 3 Feb 1755).
  2. JAMES, gentleman, of Dublin, m. (marriage licence dated 29 Oct 1709), AGNES, dau of WILLIAM PETERS of Petersville, Moynalty, Co. Meath and was buried at St. Michan, Dublin on 21 Dec 1717 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will proved 20 Feb 1717/18) having had issue:
    1. John, attorney-at-law, Burgess for King William County, Virginia 1752-56, qualified as an attorney on 10 Nov 1738, d. 1756 in Virginia having had issue:
      1. George.
      2. William Peters, Clerk of the Committee, Pittsylvania County, Virginia from 26 Jan 1775, officer of the Pittsylvania County Militia from 27 Sep 1775, supplied arms to the Revolutionary Forces in 1776.
      3. James.
      4. Alice.
    2. AGNES, m. 6 May 1733 at St. Michan, Dublin, FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM, merchant, of Rayhor, Co. Donegal, who d. before 1746 having had issue:
      1. ANN, m. Oct 1762 in Dublin, LEWIS BURWELL MARTIN, youngest son of Colonel JOHN MARTIN, J.P. (see below) and had issue. She was the niece and co-heiress with her sister of James Cunningham of Jamaica.
      2. Letitia, b. circa 1738, m. James Laird of Chesterfield in the parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, d. 7 Nov 1824, aged 85, at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey and was buried at St. Paul’s, Bristol having had issue:
        1. James, b. 19 Jul 1763, bapt 8 Oct 1763 at St. Elizabeth.
        2. Hugh Martin, b. 9 Jun 1764, bapt 8 Jan 1765 at St. Elizabeth.
    3. Letitia, m. John Thomas of Waterford and d. 1808 having had issue: 2 sons and 1 dau.
  3. JOHN, of whom presently.
  4. Samuel, killed in Spain.
  5. Eliza, m. circa 1685, John Galt, merchant, of Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, son of John Galt, Mayor of Coleraine, and his wife Mary (née Hazlett). See GALT of BALLYSALLY – Burke’s Landed Gentry of Ireland 1912 Edition. She d. 13 Oct 1696 and he d. 1733 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 17 Jun 1715 and proved 31 Dec 1733) having had issue: 1 son.
  6. Lettice, bapt 29 Sep 1682 at St. Michan, Dublin, m. 4 Mar 1700/01 at St. Michan, Dublin, Colonel Josias Campbell of Aunnaluce, Co. Monaghan. He d. 1722 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 17 Mar 1720/21 and proved 2 Nov 1722) and she d. 1757 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 24 Feb 1744/45 and proved 27 Jul 1757) having had issue:
    1. Samuel, of Mount Campbell, Drumsna, Co. Leitrim and Bath, m. Mary, dau of John Upton of Castle Upton, M.P. for Antrim, and sister of Clotworthy, 1st Baron Templemore. See TEMPLEMORE – Burke’s Peerage. He d. 19 Jan 1792 at the house of his daughter Sophia in Stanhope Street, Mayfair (P.C.C. will dated 18 Jun 1791 and proved 29 March 1792) having had issue:
      1. Letitia, m. 1766 at Ravenswell, near Dublin, Clotworthy Rowley, M.P. for Downpatrick, barrister-at-law, son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Rowley, K.B., and his wife Arabella, dau of Captain George Dawson. See ROWLEY of MOUNT CAMPBELL – Landed Gentry of Ireland 1912 Edition. She d. 1776 and he d. 1805 having had issue: 4 sons and 1 dau. The second son was Admiral Sir Josias Rowley, 1st Bt, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean 1833-37.
      2. Sophia, m. 29 Aug 1765 at St. George’s, Hanover Square, Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford, only son of Edward Southwell of King’s Weston, Gloucestershire and his wife Catherine, dau of Lewis Watson, Viscount Sondes. See DE CLIFFORD – Burke’s Peerage. He d. 1 Nov 1777 and she d. 3 Aug 1828 and they were both buried at Henbury, Gloucestershire having had issue: 1 son and 4 daus.
    2. George, Captain, Grenadier Guards, killed at the Battle of Dettingen on 16 Jun 1743.
    3. Letitia, m. 10 Feb 1738/39 at St. Michan, Dublin, John Wilson of Tully, Co. Longford and had issue: 2 sons and 4 daus.
    4. Margery, m. 1728, John Frend of Dunkerrin, King’s Co., son of Benjamin Frend and his wife Bridget (née Kynaston).
    5. Catharine, m. 2 Mar 1735/36 at St. Michan, Dublin, Thomas Bunbury of Co. Carlow and d. 1755 having had issue: 4 sons and 2 daus.
    6. Jane, m. 14 Jul 1745 at St. Michan, Dublin, William Deane, LL.D., member of the Royal Irish Academy, of Granby Row, Dublin, who d. Nov 1793 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 11 Nov 1793 and proved 20 Dec 1793).
    7. Alice, m. 1747, George Martin (see below).

Colonel JOHN MARTIN, J.P., Burgess for Caroline County, Virginia 1730-34 and 1738-40, where he had an estate of 2,700 acres, m. MARTHA, youngest dau of Colonel LEWIS BURWELL, member of the Council, of Fairfield, Gloucester County, Virginia and his second wife MARTHA, dau of COLONEL JOHN LEAR, member of the Council, of Nansemond County, Virginia. See Burwell Family History. She d. 27 May 1738, aged 35, and was buried at Clifton, Caroline County and he lived later in Bristol and Dublin and d. 26 Jun 1760 (Prerogative Court of Ireland will dated 30 Apr 1760 and proved 6 Jul 1761) having had issue:

  1. George, merchant, of Bristol and Dublin, b. 3 Sep 1722, bapt 2 Oct 1722 at Abingdon, m. 1747, his first cousin, Alice, youngest dau of Colonel Josias Campbell of Dublin (see above) and his wife Lettice (née Martin). He was living in 1784 and may have d. 1811 in Dublin having had issue:
    1. John, who d. 1755.
    2. Jane.
  2. Samuel, a merchant who shipped tobacco from Virginia to Whitehaven, Cumberland, of Lowther Street, Whitehaven, Drumcondra, Co. Dublin and Virginia, b. circa 1729, m. 1stly 29 Aug 1754 at St. James’s, Whitehaven, Bridget, dau of Peter Gale of Whitehaven and had issue:
    1. George, barrister-at-law, of London and Dublin, b. Dec 1756, admitted to Lincoln’s Inn on 23 Apr 1776, spent a great deal of time administering the Virginia estates, m. 26 May 1787 at Marylebone Parish Church, his first cousin, Mary, only dau of Michael Harvey Breton of Norton Hall, Northampton (see below) and his wife Agnes, third dau of Colonel John Martin, J.P., and d.s.p. 1818 in Dublin.
    2. Peter, b. Jan 1759, m. a woman from Tortola, British Virgin Islands, may have gone to the Cape and was living without issue in 1799.
    3. Bridget, of Liverpool, b. May 1755, m. 10 Apr 1774 at St. James’s, Whitehaven, John Colquitt, attorney-at-law, of Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, eldest son of Scrope Colquitt, Common Councillor and Bailiff of Liverpool in 1753, and his wife Elizabeth, dau of John Goodwin of Biddulph, Staffordshire. See COLQUITT-CRAVEN formerly of BROCKHAMPTON PARK – Burke’s Landed Gentry 1972 Edition. Colquitt Street in Liverpool is named after John Colquitt, who was bapt 21 Sep 1746 at St. George’s, Castle Street, Liverpool, was Common Councillor and Bailiff of Liverpool in 1774 and Town Clerk in 1781 and d. 27 Apr 1807 in Liverpool having had issue:
      1. John Scrope, Lieutenant Colonel, Grenadier Guards, b. 1775, educ Macclesfield, Rugby, m. Jane Ann, eldest dau of Thomas Lewin of Cloghans, High Sheriff of Co. Mayo, and his wife Elizabeth, dau of Harrison Ross-Lewin. See LEWIN formerly of CLOGHANS – Burke’s Landed Gentry of Ireland 1958 Edition and the monumental inscription in the British Embassy Chapel, Madrid (until its destruction on 18 Jun 1944, there was also a memorial in the Guards’ Chapel in London). He was badly wounded at Barossa on 5 Mar 1811 and d. 5 Sep 1812 in Seville of fever after ‘great exertions and gallantry’ on 27 Aug 1812 at the capture of the bridge at Triana during the battle for Seville and she d. 22 Jul 1848 having had issue:
        1. Ernest Augustus, of Irvine Street, Liverpool, bapt 20 Jul 1810 at St. Mary, Marylebone, d. 16 Oct 1881.
        2. Georgina Mary, of 4 Lansdowne Terrace and later of 3 Suffolk Place, Cheltenham, b. in Derby, bapt 26 Sep 1800 at St. George’s, Castle Street, Liverpool, d. unmarried 31 Aug 1879 at 3 Suffolk Place.
      2. Samuel Martin, Rear Admiral, R.N., b. 31 Mar 1775, bapt 30 Apr 1775 at St. George’s, Castle Street, Liverpool, educ Macclesfield, Rugby, appointed Lieutenant on 15 Feb 1796, Commander from 29 Apr 1802, Captain from 21 Oct 1810, served in H.M.S. Arethusa at the capture of the Spanish frigate La Pomone off Havana Harbour, Cuba on 23 Aug 1806. His first wife d. 3 Nov 1823 and he m. 2ndly 27 Dec 1843 at Cheltenham, Frances Rachael, dau of Rev James Wiggett, Vicar of Crudwell, Wiltshire and his wife Frances (née Mackerell). See CHUTE, Baronet of THE VYNE – Burke’s Peerage 1956 Edition. He d. 10 Jul 1847 at Bishopstoke, Hampshire.
      3. Bridget, bapt 1779 at St. George’s, Castle Street, Liverpool, m. 22 Oct 1804 in Liverpool, Thomas John Parke, bapt 29 Dec 1767 at St. Nicholas, Liverpool, eldest son of Thomas Parke, merchant, of Highfield House, Lancashire and his wife Anne, dau of William Preston and brother of James Parke, 1st Baron Wensleydale, and d.s.p. 23 Oct 1860 at 4 Lansdowne Terrace, Cheltenham.
    He m. 2ndly 12 Dec 1791 at St. James’s, Whitehaven, Frances, bapt 21 Oct 1748 at Holy Trinity, Whitehaven, dau of Rev Thomas Spedding, M.A., Rector of St. James’s, Whitehaven 1753-83, and his wife Isabella, dau of Isaac Langton of Cockermouth. See SPEDDING of WINDEBROWE and MIREHOUSE – Burke’s Landed Gentry 1969 Edition. He d. 3 Mar 1800 (Lancashire will dated 17 Nov 1799 and proved 8 Apr 1800), aged 71, and was buried at St. James’s, Whitehaven on 7 Mar 1800 and she d.s.p. Aug 1803.
  3. LEWIS BURWELL, of whom presently.
  4. Elizabeth, b. 16 Jul 1721, bapt 23 Jul 1721 at Abingdon, m. (marriage contract dated 12 Aug 1742) Patrick Barclay, merchant, of Louisa County, Virginia and Glasgow, Scotland. He d. 1749 having had issue:
    1. George, m. 7 Aug 1766 in Goochland County, Virginia, Mary, eldest dau of Captain James Cole and his wife Mary (née Willis) and had issue: 1 son and 2 daus.
  5. Lucy, b. circa 1732, m. 1stly The Hon. Henry Boyle Walsingham, second son of Henry, 1st Earl of Shannon and his wife Harriet, youngest dau of Charles, 3rd Earl of Cork. He d. 27 Mar 1756 at Bath having had issue: 1 son. See EARL of SHANNON – Burke’s Peerage. She m. 2ndly 20 Mar 1760, James Agar of Gowran Castle, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, son of Henry Agar, M.P., and his wife Anne, only dau of Rt Rev Welbore Ellis, Bishop of Meath. James Agar was created Baron Clifden on 27 Jul 1776 and Viscount Clifden on 9 Oct 1781. See VISCOUNT CLIFDEN – Burke’s Peerage. He d. 1 Jan 1789 and she d. 26 Jul 1802, aged 70, at Lady Mendip’s house, Twickenham having had further issue: 3 sons and 1 dau.
  6. Agnes, b. circa 1734, m. 1769, Michael Harvey Breton of Norton Hall, Northampton, eldest son of Eliab Breton of Forty Hall, Enfield, Middlesex and his wife Elizabeth, dau of Sir William Wolstenholme, Bt. He d. 18 Jun 1798, aged 55, at Epping Green, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire and she d. 25 Aug 1802, aged 68, at the house of her son-in-law in Bryanston Street, Portman Square, London having had issue (with a son):
    1. Mary, m. 26 May 1787 at Marylebone Parish Church, her first cousin, George Martin, barrister-at-law (see above).
  7. Martha, m. 13 Jun 1756 at St. Michan, Dublin, Edmond Sexten Pery, Speaker of the House of Commons of Ireland 1771-85, created Viscount Pery on 30 Dec 1785, eldest son of Rev Stackpole Pery, M.A., of Stackpole Court, Co. Clare and his wife Jane, dau of Ven William Twigge, M.A., Archdeacon of Limerick, and d.s.p. 1757 in London. See EARL of LIMERICK – Burke’s Peerage.

LEWIS BURWELL MARTIN, Assistant Judge of the Jamaica Supreme Court, dismissed by Governor Sir John Dalling and subsequently reinstated by Privy Council order dated 18 Jun 1781, Member of the Assembly for the parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica in 1781, b. circa 1736, possibly educated Glasgow University, m. 1762, his first cousin once removed, ANN, dau of FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM, merchant, of Rayhor, Co. Donegal and his wife AGNES, elder dau of JAMES MARTIN of Dublin (see above). He d. 20 Sep 1782, aged 46, and was buried at Flower Hill in the parish of St. Elizabeth on 22 Sep 1782 having had issue:

  1. John Ponsonby, Captain, Loyal Cheshire Fencibles, Member of the Cheshire Hunt, witnessed the marriage of his nephew Lewis Goodin Senior on 9 Jan 1809, d. unmarried 1835.
  2. LETITIA, of whom presently.
  3. Martha.

LETITIA MARTIN, b. circa 1768, m. 12 Sep 1785 at St. Elizabeth, JAMES GALE SENIOR of Prospect Hill in the parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica, elder son of BERNARD SENIOR of the parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica and his wife ELIZABETH, dau of JAMES GALE of the parish of Westmoreland. See Senior Family History. He d. 3 Feb 1797, aged 38, at the Hot Wells, Bristol (P.C.C. will dated 26 Sep 1796 and proved 4 Apr 1797) and she d. 4 Dec 1797, aged 29, at Clifton (P.C.C. will dated 13 Oct 1797 and proved 11 Jul 1798) and they were both buried at St. Paul’s, Bristol (see monumental inscriptions) having had issue. After the early death of their parents, the four children were brought up by their great-aunt, Mrs Letitia Laird (see above).