Lydia Martin (1727 – 1771)

Lydia MARTIN was christened 03 February 1727 in St. Peter’s parish, Antigua. Her parents are named as Josiah MARTIN, Esq. and the widow Elizabeth CHESTER. She married 12 March 1747 at St. John’s parish, Antigua to Harry ALEXANDER, planter. Her husband would later become an influential individual on St. Vincent. Her children were: Lydia ALEXANDER, Jane ALEXANDER, Anne ALEXANDER, and Elizabeth ALEXANDER. She might also have had sons, Charles ALEXANDER and John ALEXANDER. Other children are also possible. The burial of Lydia (MARTIN) ALEXANDER is recorded on 08 July 1771 in the records of St. George’s Anglican Cathedral, Kingstown, St. Vincent.

Josiah Martin (1699 – 1778)

Josiah MARTIN was born in 1699 in Antigua. By 1735 he was made a member of the Council Antigua, replacing the late John MORRIS. He was president of the royal council from 1748 to 1750. He later left Antigua and settled in Long Island, New York, USA, where he lived on his estate, “Rock Hall” at Far Rockaway, Long Island. He was a member of the first board of trustees for King’s College (now Columbia University) in 1754 and a member of the royal council of New York in 1754-1755. He was on the council of the governor of the province of New York from 1759 to 1764. Proof of that comes in his death notice of 1778, where he is called “Hon.”, a title indicating membership in the council, and in the legislative journal the name is entered followed by “Esq.” He was also governor of North Carolina for a short time in 1770. He died, 21 November 1778, at “Rock Hall” and was buried in the chancel of St. George’s Church, where he had long been a member. A notice of his death was published in the Gaine’s Mercury of 23 November 1778. His will mentions six children, Samuel, Charles Yeamans, William, Elizabeth, Alice, and Rachel. There was another son, Josiah, who died in 1762, after graduating at the College of Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania), A.B. [272] 1757, A.M. 1760, and after he had been entered at the Inner Temple, London. Another daughter, Lydia, wife of Harry ALEXANDER of Antigua and St. Vincent, died in St. Vincent in 1771.

Samuel Martin (abt. 1660 – 1701)

Samuel MARTIN was born about 1660 in Antigua, but other birthdates of 1658 and 1640 have been seen in the LDS website’s IGI. He is listed as an Ensign in Antigua in 1678 and was later a Major in the Army. He was Speaker of the Assembly Antigua in 1689, and sworn in as a member of the Council Antigua in 1693. He married three times, first to Katherine RAVENSCROFT, second to Frances, widow of Christopher KAYNELL, and third to Lydia THOMAS. Samuel MARTIN had two children with his first wife, (Samuel MARTIN, who died as a child, and Rachel MARTIN), and the following children with his third wife: Samuel MARTIN, Josiah MARTIN, William Thomas MARTIN, and one daughter, name unknown. Samuel MARTIN was killed during an uprising involving slaves on his estate, and it is said that he was murdered by them. The incident is mentioned in the Calendar of State Papers, Colonial, 1701, pp. 720-721 and 1702, p. 167. Antigua’s Governor CODRINGTON wrote, “We have lost a very useful man in Major MARTIN…I am afraid he was guilty of some unusual act of severity or rather some indignity toward the Coromantes, the best and most faithful of our slaves.” The Calender of State Papers, Colonial, 1697 -1698, pp. 194, 195 – 197, and 338, mention that “Major Samuel MARTYN has engaged in illicit trade and is a great villain”, an apparent accusation made by an enemy of his. It is not stated if the accusations were ever proven or not. Samuel MARTIN was buried in St. John’s, Antigua on 27 December 1701.

George Martin (abt. 1607 – bef. 1667)

Col. George MARTIN of Whitehouse (near Belfast), was elected mayor or “the Sovereign of Belfast,” Ireland, in September, 1649. He was known to be a royalist, and his property was confiscated by Cromwell’s Roundheads, most likely in the 1650’s. He fled Cromwell’s wrath and settled in Surinam, where he died before 1667. He is said to have had eight sons, including Samuel MARTIN, Robert MARTIN and John MARTIN. No other information known.

Josiah Martin (abt. 1570 – aft. 1607)

Josiah MARTIN is said to have established the Anglo-Irish branch of the MARTIN family when he went to Ireland with Viscount Chichester in “a military capacity” during the reign of Elizabeth I (which ended in 1603). His place of origin in England isn’t known. No other information known.