Joshua Lanier Martin (December 5, 1799November 2, 1856) was an American politician who served as the 12th Governor of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

from 1845 to 1847 as an

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, and is the only Independent Governor in the state's history. He had also served as a representative to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

for Alabama's 2nd district from 1835 to 1839 as a

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. He was born on December 5, 1799, in

Blount County, Tennessee Blount County is a County (United States), county located in the East Tennessee Grand Divisions of Tennessee, Grand Division of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 135,280. The count ...

. He taught school during his youth years and studied law in

Maryville, Tennessee Maryville is a city in and the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee. Its population was 31,907 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History The Great Indian Warpath (which was used to build the route U.S. Route 411, US-411) was long ...

; then, he moved to Alabama in 1819 to continue his studies. He passed the bar and began legal practice in

Athens, Alabama Athens is a city in and the county seat of Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama; it is included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 25,406. Hist ...

. He was known as an ardent Democrat. Before serving the state of Alabama as its governor, he served as a legislator, solicitor, circuit judge, and congressman. He was first elected to Congress as part of the

24th Congress The 24th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1835, ...

and a member of the

Jacksonian Party Jacksonian democracy, also known as Jacksonianism, was a 19th-century political ideology in the United States that restructured a number of federal institutions. Originating with the seventh U.S. president, Andrew Jackson and his supporters, i ...

. However, he changed parties to the Democratic Party when elected to the

25th Congress The 25th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 183 ...

. In 1845, he opposed other Democratic leaders and ran as an independent for governor, defeating the mainstream Democratic candidate, and Democrats never forgave him for his action. However, he denied the Whig Party any chance it might have had to win office that year. During his term of office, the state capitol was moved from

Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal Plain, Gulf Coastal and Piedmont (United States), Piedm ...

to its current location in Montgomery, Alabama. His tenure also saw the United States declare war on the Republic of Mexico. As governor, Martin saw the state bank's dissolution, which he had perceived as crooked. Although he initially ran for reelection in 1847, he later withdrew his name from consideration. After his term as governor, he returned to law practice in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but did serve one more term in the state legislature in 1853. He never lost an election for public office. Martin died in 1856 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at 56.

References

External links

National Governors Foundation
* Bailey, Hugh C. "Joshua L. Martin (1845-47)", Encyclopedia of Alabama (online). http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2005#sthash.v3yR0otQ.dpuf. {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Joshua L. 1799 births 1856 deaths People from Blount County, Tennessee Governors of Alabama Democratic Party members of the Alabama House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama Alabama Jacksonians Independent state governors of the United States Alabama independents 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives