William Joseph Martin

Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 4 dated events in the chronology →

1. January 5, 1858 University trustees elect William J. Martin to Elisha Mitchell's chair Meeting in Raleigh with eleven members present, the university trustees elected Prof. W. J. Martin of Washington College, Pennsylvania, a native of Richmond, to succeed Elisha Mitchell as professor of chemistry, mineralogy and geology. He was chosen over several other candidates. People: Elisha MitchellSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, January 13, 1858, p. 2
2. 1859 Professor William J. Martin buys the Franklin and Boundary corner and builds a house Martin, who replaced Elisha Mitchell on the faculty and later served as a Confederate colonel, bought the northeast corner of Franklin and Boundary streets from Charles Phillips and built his home there soon after. He resigned his chair in the fall of 1867 and moved to Tennessee. People: Elisha Mitchell, Charles Phillips, William Joseph MartinSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 107
3. 1861 State gives Ebenezer Emmons's geological collection to the university Needing the space in the Capitol for war business, the state gave the university the rocks and minerals gathered by State Geologist Ebenezer Emmons. Professor William J. Martin spent two weeks sorting them and shipping them to Chapel Hill. People: William Joseph MartinSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. I (1907), p. 719
4. July 31, 1861 Faculty deny rumors of closing and add military drill Alarmed by reports that the university had suspended, the faculty issued a circular that there had been no suspension since 1795 and would be none, and that students were being taught military tactics. Drill was led first by a Mr. Lilly and Professor William J. Martin, and on March 18, 1862 tutor Frederick A. Fetter was made drill master. People: William Joseph MartinDocumenting the American South: Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. I (1907), p. 723