Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Governor Noah Martin 1852, 1853. Martin (1801-1863) was born at Epsom (NH). He studied at Pembroke Academy, then studied medicine with doctors at Pembroke (NH) and Deerfield (NH). Martin graduated from Dartmouth College medical school (1824), and practiced at Pembroke (1824-1825), Great Falls (1825-1834) and Dover (1834-1863). Martin was a member and then President of the New Hampshire Medical Society, and founder and first president of the Dover (NH) Medical Association.

Martin, a Democrat, was elected a State Representative (1830, 1832, 1837), and a State Senator (1835, 1836). He was elected Governor in 1852, and reelected in 1853. As Governor, Martin supported the National Fugitive Slave Law-a view upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1857 Dred Scott decision. He felt that agriculture should be the responsibility of state educational institutions. Martin supported private, rather than public, ownership of public utilities and natural resources, and he urged the legislature not to charter more railroads than the economy could support. Martin also felt railroads should be liable for injury or loss of life caused by railroad personnel's carelessness.

After his terms in office, Martin returned to practice medicine at Dover (NH).

Location: State House, Second Floor, Corridor, West Face, Beginning at Room 208
Portrait copied by A. Tenney from original by N.B. Onthank; Presented by his widow (1873)