Martin Flint

Martin Flint (January 12, 1782 – February 27, 1855) was a Vermont political and military figure who served in the Vermont House of Representatives and as Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia.

Early life

Martin Flint was born in Hampton, Connecticut on January 12, 1782. He was three years old when is family moved to Vermont, and he completed only a limited education before the death of his father required him to take over operation of the family's Randolph farm.[1]

War of 1812

Flint helped to raise and equip a militia company for the War of 1812. Lebbeus Egerton was the commander, and Flint was second in command with the rank of First Lieutenant. Flint served in the Defense of Plattsburgh during the British invasion.[2][3]

Later career

In 1816 Flint lost the sight in his right eye as the result of a prolonged illness, but after his recovery he resumed management of his farm.[4]

He was originally active in Vermont's Masons, but in the 1830s he made a public renunciation of his Masonic membership and became a leader of the Anti-Masonic Party.[5][6] From 1831 to 1835 he served as an Anti-Mason in the Vermont House of Representatives,[7] and in 1836 he was a member of the Governor's Council.[8]

In 1836 Flint was also an unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives, losing the 3rd District election to Horace Everett, the Whig and Alden Partridge running as a Democrat.[9]

Flint maintained his membership in the militia, and advanced to the rank of Major.[10] In 1833 he succeeded Isaac Fletcher as adjutant general.[11][12] He was succeeded in 1837 by Frederic Williams Hopkins.[13][14]

In 1839 Flint was elected Sheriff of Orange County, but declined the office.[15]

From 1841 to 1844 he served as Orange County Assistant Judge.[16]

Death and burial

Flint continued to operate his farm into the 1850s. In his later years his health declined, and he sometimes suffered from dementia.[17] He died in Randolph on February 27, 1855, and was buried in Randolph Center Cemetery.[18][19]

Family

Martin Flint was married twice. His first wife was Chloe Burnett (1774-1811). After her death he married Asenath Morse (1784-1874). Asenath Morse was a niece of Dudley Chase and Philander Chase, and a cousin of Salmon P. Chase.[20]

Flint had seven children, three with Chloe and four with Asenath. They included:

Martin M. Flint (1816-1897), a Norwich University graduate who was an officer in the 40th and 60th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry regiments during the American Civil War, and later farmed in California and Kansas;[21] Martin Monroe Flint was married to Eliza Chase, a granddaughter of Philander Chase.[22]

John Morse Flint (1822-1895), a teacher and school superintendent who later relocated to Wisconsin and served in the Wisconsin State Assembly.[23]

References

1. Edwin Waldo Flint, The Flint Heritage: Wales to Iowa, 1984, page 52
2. E. P. Walton, Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont, 1880, page 216
3. National Genealogical Society, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Volumes 7-9, 1922, pages 6-7
4. Edwin Waldo Flint, The Flint Heritage, page 52
5. Abby Maria Hemenway, The Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Volume 2, 1871, page 1060
6. The Christian's Magazine, Solemn Declarations of Seceding Masons, September, 1810, page 24
7. Leonard Deming, Catalogue of the Principal Officers of Vermont, 1851, pages 55-56
8. E. P. Walton, Vermont Year Book, Formerly Walton's Register, 1836, page 99
9. Horace Greeley, Park Benjamin, editors, The New Yorker, September 17, 1836
10. Ethan Smith, An Abstract of the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Anti-Masonic State Convention, 1830, page 3
11. Peter Haraty, editor, Put the Vermonters Ahead: A History of the Vermont National Guard, 1764-1978, 1978, page 72
12. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the House OF Representatives of the State of Vermont, 1837, page 105
13. Vermont Adjutant General, Annual Report, 1955, page 2
14. Peter H. Haraty, editor, Put the Vermonters Ahead: A History of the Vermont National Guard, 1764-1978, 1978, page 72
15. Vermont General Assembly, Journal of the Vermont House of Reporesentatives, 1839, page 63
16. E. P. Walton, Records of the Governor and Council, page 216
17. Abby Maria Hemenway, The Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Volume 2, 1871, page 1062
18. John H. Stone, A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of Thomas Flint, 1860, page 103
19. Harriet M. Chase, Randolph Center Cemetery Transcriptions: Flint - French, accessed August 19, 2013
20. Vermont Historical Society, Morse Family Papers, 1796-1929, Introduction and Biographical Notes, 2011, page 1
21. William Arba Ellis, Norwich University, 1819-1911; Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor, Volume 2, 1911, page 112
22. William Arba Ellis, Norwich University: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor, Volume 1, 1898, page 148
23. Edwin Waldo Flint, The Flint Heritage, page 54

External resources

• Martin Flint at Find A Grave