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Local figure

William Joseph Martin

William Joseph Martin (1830–1896) joined the University of North Carolina faculty in 1857 as professor of chemistry, mineralogy and geology, succeeding Elisha Mitchell. In 1859 he built his house at the northeast corner of Franklin and Boundary streets. In 1861 he drilled students in military tactics before joining the Confederate army, where he rose to colonel. He resigned from the university in 1867 and moved to Tennessee.

Source: NCpedia: Martin, William Joseph

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Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, earliest first. See these 3 dated events in the chronology →

  1. 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: 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
  2. 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
  3. 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

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  • NC LIVE: prepared search for William Joseph Martin Library card An advanced search of the state’s shared databases already scoped to Orange County’s places and this subject; edit it freely, and sign in through your North Carolina library to read
  • Ancestry Library Edition In the libraryOrange County Public Library Census, birth, death and marriage records, and more, free on the public computers at OCPL libraries

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