1918, so he became Minority leader. The following year, Martin's health worsened. While he continued with some Senate business and hoped to return to Washington by the fall, he was unable to help Wilson during the peace treaty process. Personal life In 1894, the long-time bachelor Martin married Lucy Chambliss Day (1875–1915), daughter of Col. C. Fenton Day (1846–1915), former mayor of Smithfield and an important businessman in the Isle of Wight area (owner of one of four peanut factories as well as part owner of the cement factory). The Day family was prominent before the war, her grandfather, William Henry Day (1802–1867), having served in the Virginia Senate immediately before the war). Lucy Day was a much admired belle of Southside Virginia, as well as at the various watering places where her family spent the summers. Possessing decided literary talent, as well as being an accomplished swimmer and equestrian, she had numerous published poems and prose articles, many admired for their beauty of thought and expression. Mrs. Martin and her sister, Grace Radcliffe Day (who married businessman Henry Gould Ralston in 1910) were society belles in Washington D.C. The Martins had a son, Thomas Martin Jr. and a daughter, Lucy Day Martin (1897–1927). Lucy Day Martin survived both parents, but like her mother, died of tuberculosis. Death and legacy The widower Martin did not remarry and died while in office, at his home in Charlottesville. He is buried with his wife and daughter (who died of tuberculosis unmarried) in the University of Virginia Cemetery at that location. Fellow Democrat Carter Glass succeeded to Martin's senate seat; Colorado Senator Charles Spalding Thomas would become the last Confederate veteran in the U.S. Senate. Martin's home, Faulkner House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. See also List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49) References External links Thomas S. Martin, late a representative from Virginia, Memorial addresses delivered in the House of Representatives and Senate frontispiece 1922 |- |- |- |- |- |- 1847 births 1919 deaths 19th-century American politicians Burials at the University of Virginia Cemetery Democratic Party United States senators from Virginia People from Scottsville, Virginia Politicians from Charlottesville, Virginia Virginia Democrats Virginia lawyers 19th-century American lawyers