Joshua Lanier Martin Joshua Lanier Martin was born in 1799, in
Blount County, Tennessee. He moved to Alabama in 1819 to
complete his law studies. Martin was admitted to the bar and
began to practice law in Athens, Limestone County. His political
career began in 1822 when he was elected to the state
legislature. He served in this capacity, except for one year,
until 1828. Prior to his election to governor in 1845, Martin
served as solicitor of the fourth judicial circuit, as a circuit
court judge, as a two-term member of the US Congress and as
chancellor of the middle chancery division of the state. In
1845, he opposed the regular Democratic nominee and announced
himself as a candidate for governor. Throughout his campaign,
Martin maintained that the Democratic party consistently favored
the interest of the State bank. He was elected governor with a
plurality of six thousand votes. Soon after his inauguration, he
created a commission to dissolve the State bank. This was not
completed until 1858. During Martin'