Benjamin D. Martin
Greenville, Hunt County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(Feb. 21, 1823 - Mar. 28, 1891) Came to Texas from Virginia and settled in Hunt County in 1850s. In Confederate army, organized Texas Sharpshooters, called "Ben Martin's Company." First mayor of Greenville (present regime), 1873; helped draft Texas Constitution, 1875; state senator, 1876-1878; and Greenville mayor again, 1884. He rendered outstanding public service in a long career. Married Elizabeth Caroline Dickenson in 1845. They had six children.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Benjamin D. Martin came to Hunt County from Virginia in the 1850s and, during the Civil War, organized the Texas Sharpshooters known as "Ben Martin's Company." After the war he became Greenville's first mayor in 1873, helped draft the Texas Constitution of 1875, and served in the state senate. His public life spanned the wrenching passage from Confederacy to Reconstruction-era Texas.
Why it matters
Martin's career illustrates how former Confederate officers helped rebuild civic and constitutional order in Texas after the Civil War.
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Related people
- · Benjamin D. Martin
- · Elizabeth Caroline Dickenson
Related events
- · Texas Constitution of 1875
Themes & tags
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