Royal governor; born in
Antigua,
West Indies, April 23, 1737; was appointed governor of
North Carolina in 1771, and became extremely obnoxious to the people by his attempts to thwart the patriotic movements.
He denounced the Provincial Congress, and announced his determination to use all the means in his power to counteract their influence.
Finding the Assembly firm in their stand against him, he dissolved them, April 8, 1775.
Soon after this a letter from the governor to
General Gage, asking for a supply of men and ammunition, was intercepted.
The people were greatly exasperated.
The committee of safety at
Newbern seized and carried off six cannon which he had placed in front of the “palace” there.
News of hostile preparations reached the governor's ears from every quarter.
Becoming alarmed for his personal safety, he fled to
Fort Johnson, June 14, on the
Cape Fear River, near
Wilmington, whence he sent forth, June 16, a menacing proclamation.
A plot for
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a servile insurrection was discovered in July.
It was supposed the governor had planned it, and the indignant people determined to demolish
Fort Johnson, and not allow
Martin to make it a stronghold.
Five hundred of them, led by
John Ashe, marched on the fort.
The governor fled to the sloop-of-war
Cruiser, lying in the river, and the people demolished the fort.
The patriots disarmed the Tories, and confined as prisoners on their plantations those who were most obnoxious, and the Continental Congress voted to sustain the
Whigs in
North Carolina with a force of 1,000 men. They prepared to hold a new convention, when
Martin, from on shipboard, issued a proclamation forbidding the meeting, and making accusations against the patriots.
The Whigs denounced it as “a malicious and scandalous libel, tending to disunite the good people of the province,” and it was burned by the common hangman.
They authorized the raising of three regiments.
Martin never returned, and thus ended royal rule in
North Carolina.
He died in
London,
England, in July, 1786.
