Governor Alexander Martin: Biography of a North Carolina Revolutionary War Statesman [Hardcover]

Charles D. Rodenbough (Author), Lindley S. Butler (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

Governor Alexander Martin of North Carolina was one of the most important figures in the colonial and early state history of North Carolina. A 1756 graduate of Princeton, he was the first president of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina. He served longer as governor of the state than any other person until the election of Luther Hodges in the 20th century. He was conferred an honorary doctorate by Princeton and elected to membership in the American Philosophical Society while he was a U.S. senator. While in the Senate, he fought successfully to open the Senate to the public. He was one of five North Carolina delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He was a friend and protector of the Moravians and other non-conformists. He was the most powerful and effective leader from the frontier region of North Carolina for a quarter of a century.

The first chapters of this biography discuss Martin’s parents and their high regard for education, his time at Princeton, and his arrival in North Carolina in 1760. The next chapters explore Martin’s and Rev. David Caldwell’s effort to prevent bloodshed during Governor Tryon’s confrontation with the Regulators that led up to the Battle of Alamance, Martin’s experiences in the war as second in command of the North Carolina Regiment, his election as senator from Guilford County to the General Assembly in 1777, and his much-celebrated election as governor in 1781. The final three chapters of the book include information about his years in the U.S. Senate, his retirement at his home "Danbury" in Rockingham, North Carolina, his relationship with his family and his very detailed last will and testament. His home, "Danbury," later gave its name to Danbury, North Carolina, in Stokes County, which his nephews helped found about 1848, long after his death.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles D. Rodenbough has written articles for such publications as Russian Life, Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy & History, Religion in Eastern Europe and Rockingham County Journal of History and Genealogy. He lives in Madison, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 242 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078641684X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786416844
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,357,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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3.0 out of 5 stars Important History for the Nation and State of North Carolina, May 12, 2011

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This review is from: Governor Alexander Martin: Biography of a North Carolina Revolutionary War Statesman (Hardcover)

[I use the Netflix definition for the number of stars: 1=hated it, 2=didn't like it, 3=liked it, 4=liked it a lot, 5=loved it]

Alexander Martin was Governor of North Carolina, a Speaker within the NC Congress and later a U.S. Senator. Biographies of his life are few, indeed my recent search on Amazon reveals only this book. Governor Martin's principal interest to me is as a Delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, representing North Carolina. As a delegate, Mr. Martin attended 69 of the 88 days of the Convention, there is no record of his ever addressing the Delegation and he left in late August before signing the draft Constitution. Even so, the chapter on this topic was a most interesting description of events in Philadelphia from May through August of 1787.

The book is 242 pages in its hardcover format - about 200 biography - the rest notes, bibliography, index, etc. For those looking to learn more about Governor Martin the book is a gold mine of information. The Author, Mr. Rodenbough, has reconstructed Alexander Martin's life in thorough detail. This is a book that "Tar Heels" should put on their "must read" list. Alexander Martin's service as a Delegate to the Constitutional Convention and his term as U.S. Senator certainly qualify him for the national stage. That said, most of his life's service was within the State of North Carolina and that is the context for most of the content of the book. The book however also provides an interesting reflection of a number of other important men of the period - seen through the eyes of Governor Martin (and his biographer) to include: George Washington, James Madison Jr., fellow NC Constitutional Convention Delegates RIchard Dobbs Spaight, William Davie (Martin's nemesis?), Hugh Williamson and William Blount, eg., Governor Martin's brother was tutor to James Madison Jr., William Blount was the first Senator ever impeached by the U.S. Congress.

There are hints that the author "fell in love" with his subject. Governor Martin travels to Philadelphia with his "manservant" rather than his slave. Critical elements in Mr. Martin life seem to slide past at a too rapid a pace when they reflect poorly on his reputation. The charge of cowardice at the Battle of Germantown is dismissed as the byproduct of jealous colleagues, exasperated soldiers, or a mechanism for promotion to the vacated post by those who may make the charge. Martin does receive vindication from his courts marshall, but the reader is left feeling as though there is more to the story. Is there historical record sufficient to provide more? - Perhaps not but the weight of argument is never as effective as the weight of evidence. The frequency of the biographer's rush to explain away Mr. Alexander's "warts" only arouses the reader's suspicion. Shakespeare, indulge me but... The [gentleman] doth protest too much...

The book can be at times a bit hard to follow in its construction and editing. Major topics can change abruptly without the indicator of a chapter change or even segue. The language and logic occasionally become hazy or confused such as this sentence, " Martin was to prove consistent in his advocacy of open government in his latter actions as a senator, but he never saw instruction as the removal from the elected senator of the right to independent. informed judgement." I still don't know what that means!

There are occasionally terms used without first being defined. The "Regulators" are an important part of North Carolina history yet the reader is left to construct from context his or her own definition. "Rack-renting", a term that is admitedly uncritical to the narrative, is nonetheless left undefined, apparently exorbitant rent. The reader confronts "Tremontine" for the first time on page 146 yet it is never explained. (Subsequent Google searches lead... everywhere.)

My negatives I completely admit are the product of my own perception and response to nuance. Mr. Rodenbough has done a great service to North Carolina history with this book. I recommend it to anyone interested in the person of Governor Alexander Martin or in the the period in which he lived 1740-1807.