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This oil portrait shows Thomas Staples Martin (1847–1919), the longtime U.S. senator from Virginia (1895–1919), railroad attorney, and architect of the state Democratic Party machine that during his time was known as the Martin Organization. Under the leadership of Martin's mentor, John S. Barbour Jr., Democrats reestablished control of state politics. In 1893, in a huge and unexpected upset, Martin defeated former Confederate general and Virginia governor Fitzhugh Lee for election to Barbour's U.S. Senate seat, allowing him to take control of the party and, to a large extent, the state. At least in part as a result of his pragmatic forging of coalitions within the Democratic Party, Martin's political machine and its successor, the Byrd Organization, dominated Virginia politics until the 1960s. Martin died at his home in Charlottesville on November 12, 1919, and was buried at the University of Virginia Cemetery.
Medium: Painting
Courtesy of Library of Virginia
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