Morgan L. Martin
Oil on canvas portrait bySamuel Marsden Brookes, c.1856
Member of theWisconsin Senate from the2nd district
In office January 4, 1858 – January 2, 1860
Preceded by	Perry H. Smith
Succeeded by	Edward Decker
Member of theWisconsin State Assembly
In office January 5, 1874 – January 4, 1875
Preceded by	Joseph S. Curtis
Succeeded by	Thomas R. Hudd
Constituency	Brown 1st district
In office January 1, 1855 – January 7, 1856
Preceded by	Francis X. Desnoyers
Succeeded by	John Day
Constituency	Brown–Door–Kewaunee district
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from theWisconsin Territory's at-large district
In office March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	Henry Dodge
Succeeded by	John H. Tweedy
President of the Council of theWisconsin Territory
In office March 18, 1843 – December 4, 1843
Preceded by	Moses M. Strong
Succeeded by	Marshall Strong
Personal details
Born	Morgan Lewis Martin (1805-03-31)March 31, 1805 Martinsburg, New York, U.S.
Died	December 10, 1887(1887-12-10) (aged 82) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Elizabeth Smith ​ ​ (m. 1837⁠–⁠1887)​
Children	6
Education	Hamilton College, New York (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Major, USA
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Morgan Lewis Martin (March 31, 1805 – December 10, 1887) was an American lawyer, land speculator,Democratic politician, and one ofWisconsin's founding fathers. He was one of the first lawyers in what is now Wisconsin. He represented theWisconsin Territory as a delegate to theU.S. House of Representatives during the29th Congress (1845–1847). He was also president of theconstitutional convention that crafted theConstitution of Wisconsin in the winter of 1847–1848, and served in the Council (upper legislative chamber) of the Wisconsin Territory from 1838 to 1844, representingBrown County.

Martin arrived in the area that is now Wisconsin before the Wisconsin Territory was created, when it was still part of theMichigan Territory; he also served in the Michigan Territory legislature in the 1830s. During those early years, he was also instrumental in the development of the city ofMilwaukee, Wisconsin; he was a financial partner toSolomon Juneau in his original land claims in what is now Milwaukee, he sketched one of the first maps of the area, assisted Juneau in platting the original Milwaukee village, and assisted in constructing several of the first buildings.

After Wisconsin achieved statehood, he served two years each in theWisconsin Senate (1858 &1859) andState Assembly (1855 &1874). He also served as aUnion Army paymaster and U.S.Indian Agent during the 1860s, and served as vice president of theWisconsin Historical Society and probate judge for Brown County in the last decade of his life.

He was born inMartinsburg, New York,^[1][2] and graduated fromHamilton College in 1824.^[1][2] Martin then moved toDetroit, Michigan, in 1826, and studied law, and became anattorney. In May 1827, Martin moved to what is nowGreen Bay, Wisconsin,^[1][2] on the advice of his cousin,James Duane Doty, to practice law. He formed a partnership withSolomon Juneau and owned much of the land that later became Milwaukee, but sold his share in 1836.^[2]

Martin served in theMichigan Territorial Council from 1831 to 1835. At the time, the land that would become Wisconsin was a part of theMichigan Territory. He served in the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature from 1838 to 1844, and served as President of the Territorial Council in 1843. He also served as President at the second Wisconsin Constitutional Convention.

Martin was elected on theDemocratic Party ticket as a non-voting member to represent the Wisconsin Territory in theTwenty-ninth Congress, with 6,803 votes to 5,787 forWhigJames Collins and 790 forEdward D. Holton of theLiberty Party.^[3] He would serve from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1847.

Martin was a candidate for Governor at the 1848 Wisconsin Democratic Party Convention prior to the state'sfirst gubernatorial election. At the time, the party was split between a faction representing the lead-mining regions of the state, supportingHiram Barber, and a faction of the eastern counties, supporting Martin. The deadlock between the two factions resulted in a compromise pick—Nelson Dewey.^[4]

Martin served in theWisconsin State Assembly in 1855 and 1872, and served in theWisconsin State Senate from 1858 to 1859.

During theCivil War he served as an army paymaster, with the rank of major.^[2] In 1875, he became county judge (probate judge) ofBrown County, serving until his death.^[1] Martin was also involved in the banking and railroad business. He died in Green Bay, Wisconsin,^[1] where he had lived and practiced law, and was buried there.^[5]

Martin has a school named after him in Green Bay, Morgan L. Martin Elementary School.^[6] His home, known asHazelwood, is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. AWestside neighborhood in Milwaukee is also named after him.

• United States Congress."Morgan Lewis Martin (id: M000196)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Morgan Lewis Martin atFind a Grave

• 1805 births
• 1887 deaths
• 19th-century Wisconsin state court judges
• Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin Territory
• Hamilton College (New York) alumni
• Lawyers from Detroit
• Members of the Michigan Territorial Legislature
• Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Members of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature
• People from Martinsburg, New York
• People of New York (state) in the American Civil War
• People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War
• Politicians from Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Wisconsin state court judges
• Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators
• Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
• 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature
• 19th-century United States representatives

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata