Morgan Lewis Martin (March 31, 1805December 10, 1887) was an American lawyer, land speculator, Democratic politician, and one of

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

's founding fathers. He was one of the first lawyers in what is now Wisconsin. He represented the

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized and incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belm ...

as a delegate to the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

during the 29th Congress (1845–1847). He was also president of the constitutional convention that crafted the

Constitution of Wisconsin The Constitution of the State of Wisconsin is the governing document of the U.S. State of Wisconsin. It establishes the structure and function of state government, describes the state boundaries, and declares the rights of state citizens. The ...

in the winter of 1847–1848, and served in the Council (upper legislative chamber) of the Wisconsin Territory from 1838 to 1844, representing Brown County. Martin arrived in the area that is now Wisconsin before the Wisconsin Territory was created, when it was still part of the

Michigan Territory The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan. Detroit ...

; he also served in the Michigan Territory legislature in the 1830s. During those early years, he was also instrumental in the development of the city of

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

; he was a financial partner to

Solomon Juneau Burials at Calvary Cemetery (Milwaukee) Solomon Laurent Juneau, or Laurent-Salomon Juneau (August 9, 1793 – November 14, 1856) was a French Canadian fur trader, land speculator, and politician who helped found the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

in his original land claims in what is now Milwaukee, he sketched one of the first maps of the area, assisted Juneau in platting the original Milwaukee village, and assisted in constructing several of the first buildings. After Wisconsin achieved statehood, he served two years each in the

Wisconsin Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after those ...

(

1858 Events January–March * January 9 ** Revolt of Rajab Ali: British forces finally defeat Rajab Ali Khan of Chittagong. ** Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas, commits suicide. * January 14 – Orsini affair: Pi ...

1859 Events January–March * January 21 – José Mariano Salas (1797–1867) becomes Conservative interim President of Mexico. * January 24 ( O. S.) – Under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia are uni ...

) and State Assembly (

1855 Events January–March * January 1 – Ottawa, Ontario, is incorporated as a city.' * January 5 – Ramón Castilla begins his third term as President of Peru. * January 23 ** The first bridge over the Mississippi River o ...

1874 Events January * January 1 – New York City annexes The Bronx. * January 2 – Ignacio María González becomes head of state of the Dominican Republic for the first time. * January 3 – Third Carlist War: Battle of Caspe &n ...

). He also served as a Union Army paymaster and U.S.

Indian Agent In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the U.S. government. Agents established in Nonintercourse Act of 1793 The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the Un ...

during the 1860s, and served as vice president of the

Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society (officially the State Historical Society of Wisconsin) is simultaneously a state agency and a private membership organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of ...

and probate judge for Brown County in the last decade of his life.

Early life and career

He was born in

Martinsburg, New York Martinsburg is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Lewis County, New York, Lewis County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 1,433 at the 2010 census. The town is named after its founding father, General ...

, and graduated from

Hamilton College Hamilton College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, Clinton, New York. It was established as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and received its c ...

in 1824. Martin then moved to

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, in 1826, and studied law, and became an attorney. In May 1827, Martin moved to what is now

Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the head of Green Bay (Lake Michigan), Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the F ...

, on the advice of his cousin,

James Duane Doty James Duane Doty (November 5, 1799 – June 13, 1865) was an American land speculator, politician, and pioneer. He served as the 2nd Governor of Wisconsin, governor (1841–1844) of the Wisconsin Territory and 5th Governor of Utah, governor ...

, to practice law. He formed a partnership with

and owned much of the land that later became Milwaukee, but sold his share in 1836.

Wisconsin political career

Martin served in the

Michigan Territorial Council The Michigan Territorial Council, known formally as the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, was the legislative body of the Territory of Michigan from 1824 to 1835, when it was succeeded by the Michigan Legislature in anticipation o ...

from 1831 to 1835. At the time, the land that would become Wisconsin was a part of the

. He served in the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature from 1838 to 1844, and served as President of the Territorial Council in 1843. He also served as President at the second Wisconsin Constitutional Convention. Martin was elected on the Democratic Party ticket as a non-voting member to represent the Wisconsin Territory in the Twenty-ninth Congress, with 6,803 votes to 5,787 for Whig James Collins and 790 for Edward D. Holton of the Liberty Party. He would serve from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1847. Martin was a candidate for Governor at the 1848 Wisconsin Democratic Party Convention prior to the state's first gubernatorial election. At the time, the party was split between a faction representing the lead-mining regions of the state, supporting Hiram Barber, and a faction of the eastern counties, supporting Martin. The deadlock between the two factions resulted in a compromise pick— Nelson Dewey. Martin served in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...

in 1855 and 1872, and served in the

Wisconsin State Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after those o ...

from 1858 to 1859.

Later years

During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

he served as an army paymaster, with the rank of major. In 1875, he became county judge (probate judge) of Brown County, serving until his death. Martin was also involved in the banking and railroad business. He died in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he had lived and practiced law, and was buried there.

Legacy

Martin has a school named after him in Green Bay, Morgan L. Martin Elementary School.Origin of Name of Martin Elementary School
/ref> His home, known as Hazelwood, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. A Westside neighborhood in Milwaukee is also named after him.

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Morgan Lewis 1805 births 1887 deaths 19th-century Wisconsin state court judges Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin Territory Hamilton College (New York) alumni Lawyers from Detroit Members of the Michigan Territorial Legislature Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Members of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature People from Martinsburg, New York People of New York (state) in the American Civil War People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Politicians from Green Bay, Wisconsin Wisconsin state court judges Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Green Bay, Wisconsin) 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives