Note regarding: John Hammack-Mary Polly Martin

Here’s a brief reminder of the Hammack line from my grandmother:

Sylvia (1916-1985)—Ray Martin (1893-1968) & Hazel (Graham) (1896-1918) Hammack—Benjamin Van (1872-1949) & Georgia Samantha (Baughman) 1873-1940) Hammack—Martin A. (1841-1890) & Anna Elizabeth (Givens) (1841-1890)Hammack –Andrew Jackson (1817-1855) & Mary Susan (Green) (1828-1867) Hammack-Martin (1760-1836) & Susanna (Ellison) (1769-1838) Hammack-John (1722-1770) & Mary Polly (Martin) (1746-1788) Hammack...

This is where I want to begin today. Mary Polly Martin Hammack’s family:

Joseph Martin Sr. was thought to be the youngest child of William & Mary Martin of Bristol, England. He was planning to marry a lady of which his father did not approve. In order to prevent this marriage, sometime in the first part of the 1700s, William sent young Joseph on a ship named “Brice” to Virginia in charge of a load of goods for a trading expedition. While in America he met and married Susannah Chiles, the daughter of John Chiles, a wealthy planter and never returned to live in England. He settled in an area comprising the counties King William, Louisa, and Albemarle, VA.

Joseph and Susannah (Chiles) Martin had five sons and six daughters. He named his first son Brice and this name was used extensively for several generations. The name, Brice, was given to sons of almost every family and generation of this Martin line and almost certainly identifies a Martin family with descendents of Joseph Martin, Sr. I do not have birth and death info for each of the 11 children but they are all listed below in Joseph’s Will.

Here is the transcript of Joseph Martin's Will:

In name of God Amen I Joseph Martin of the parish of Fredrickville in the county of Louisa first being in good health of body and sound and disposing mind memory and understanding praised be God. therefore confisering with myself the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time there of and being desirous as to settle and dispose of such personal and worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased almighty God to bless me with as that no variance or controversy may arise touching or concerning the same after my decease do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner following first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it hoping through the merits of my blessed savior to have a free pardon of all my sins and inherit eternal life and my body I commit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Esecutors in trust herein after named and as to my personal estate I dispose there of as followeth to Impremiss.

I give to my present wife Ann Martin one negro man named Ben and one negro woman named Sue and one negro girl named Temp during her natural life and no longer the said negro girl Temp to be at her disposing for ever.

Item I give and bequeath all the tract of land I now live on to my wife Ann during her natural and no longer and after my wife’s decease I give and bequeath to my son Brice Martin he and his heirs forever part of the said tract of land to be divided beginning at the mouth of the Stony Branch and keeping up the stony Branch to the back line my son Brice to have the manner plantation from the mouth of the Stoney to the back line and so to the River.

Item the remainder of the said tract of land all on the north side of the Stony Branch I give and bequeath to my son William Martin he and his heirs for Ever.

Item I give to my son Joseph Martin three hundred acres of land lying and being on Rocky Creek near Buck Mountain to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give and bequeath to my son John Martin three hundred acres of same lying and being on Piney Run near Buck Mountain to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give to my son Joseph Martin my right and title of all my land lying on Goose Creek a branch of Potomac that I being in partnership with Col. Francis Warin living in Essex Co. to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give to my daughter Susannah Martin Five hundred acres of land lying and being on R/Bocey Creek her choice out of the whole tract in case she should died without heirs I give the two hundred acres to Susannah Chiles Hammock daughter of John Hammock to her and her heirs lawfully begotten forever. I give to my daughter Susannah Martin one Negro woman named Dianah to her and her heirs forever.

Item I give to my daughter Mary Hammock a negro girl named Pearthenia she and her increase to her and her heirs forever. I also give to my daughter Mary Hammock the second choice of my best ?. (not sure what that was)

Item I give to my daughter Sarah Burros a negro man named Nepton to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Martin one negro boy named Brister to her and her heirs forever.

Item I give to my daughter Olive Martin a Negro fellow named Ben and on Negro Wench named Sue after my wife’s decease to her and her heirs forever. And after my decease and my wife’s all the rest of my personal estate goods and chattels to be equally divided among my six daughters Sarah Burros, Mary Hammock, Susannah Martin, Martha Martin, Ann Martin, Olive Martin.

Item I give and bequeath to my son George Martin eight pounds current money of Virginia to be paid out of my estate to him and his heirs forever.

I do hereby ordain and appoint Isaac Davis and Thomas Burros whole and sole executors of this my last Will and testament and do revoke and make said all other wills by me at any time heretofore and as publish and declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and affirmed my seal this third day of December one thousand seven hundred and sixty. Joseph Martin. Twst John Henssee, John Jones. County of Albemarle in Virginia 14 Jan 1762 came John Heslee & John Jones to prove the will of Joseph Martin Deceased.

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It seems that Martinsville, VA was named after Mary Polly Martin’s brother, Brigadier General Joseph L. Martin, Jr. (1740-1808). Joseph, Jr. was an early Fur Trader and Planter. In 1777, he was appointed as the Virginia Commissioner to the Cherokee. On 11 Dec.1793, he became Brigadier General in the Virginia Militia.

He was a hero of the Raid at Martin's Station who secured the Cumberland Gap from the Cherokee, allowing for safe passage. He kept the Cherokee from fighting for the British. I have found several reports that Joseph Martin Jr. married an Indian woman Betsy Ward, which is likely since his first wife, Sarah Lucas, born 1740 died in 1782.

Inscription on gravestone: DIED ON THE 18 OF DECEMBER 1808 BRIGADIER GENERAL JOSEPH MARTIN IN THE 69 YEAR OF HIS AGE.