"Col. Joseph Martin, born in Henry County in 1785, who served in theWa r of 1812.
===
Joseph built his home he called "Greenwood", a two-story Flemish-bondb rick house built in 1808–1810 at Axton, Henry County, Virginia.The hou se is based on a symmetrical three-bay Early Republic styleand has a c entered single-leaf wood door with a full surround.
The houses portico is supported by paired Ionic columns. The windowsar e 9/9 sash windows with splayed brick lintels. The home featurestwo ex terior-end chimneys with disengaged stacks. It has sevenfireplaces.
Around 1940, a basement excavation caused a cave-in, and the house wasd isassembled and moved from its location at Axton in Henry County tonea rby Martinsville, named for Col. Joseph Martins' father.
===
Joseph was born in 1785 and served in the War of 1812. Col. Martinserv ed in both the Virginia House of Delegates and for eight years inthe V irginia Senate.
He also served as a member of the constitutional convention of1829–183 0, and three times as a presidential elector.
He was lifelong friends with Archibald Stuart of Patrick County,Virgin ia, father of Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart, as well aswith United S tates President and Virginia native John Tyler.
During the War of 1812, Col. Martin commanded a regiment of militia.
Col. Joseph Martin married Sally (Hughes) Martin, daughter of Col.Arch elaus Hughes of Hughesville, Patrick County, Virginia, and anoted Revo lutionary War soldier and patriot. Col. Martin and SallyHughes Martin h ad eight daughters and four sons.
Of the 12 children, two married members of the Hairston family; twomar ried members of the Pannill family; and another two marriedmembers of t he Dillard family.
An oil-on-canvas portrait of Col. Joseph Martin, painted by theAmerica n artist Rembrandt Peale, survives and is in the collection ofthe Bass ett Historical Center, Bassett, Virginia. Also surviving isthe porcela in dinnerware service from Col. Martins' home "Greenwood,"manufactured b y John Ridgway & Co., Staffordshire.
===
General Joseph Martin died at his Leatherwood plantation in 1808, andw as buried in the family cemetery there. Buried alongside him at thegra veyard at Belmont are three other Joseph Martins... Colonel JosephMart in, son of the general, and his son Joseph and grandson Joseph,who liv ed at Greenwood plantation.
===
Col. Joseph Martin, member of the Virginia House of Delegates, theVirg inia State Senate and the Virginia Constitutional Convention1829–1830. H e had a daughter, Martha Martin, who married her cousinWilliam Clevela nd, son of Benjamin Cleveland, hero of the Battle ofKings' Mountain; s on Major Brice Martin, Tennessee pioneer, andsurveyor in 1801 of the d isputed boundary between Virginia andTennessee; Dr. Jesse Martin Shack elford, founder of Martinsvilles'Shackelford Hospital, later Martinsvi lle Memorial, among others."
His headstone bears a large Masonic symbol and a long unreadableinscri ption.
