James Martin

He married three times: to Christiana Fox ( – 1852) on 28 March 1848, to Ann Lock ( – 1853) on 6 March 1853, and to Mrs. Charlotte Vickerstaff ( – 7 November 1894) on 2 August 1858. They lived at "Trevue", Gawler East. Among his children were:

John "Cap'n Jack" Martin (1850 – 18 May 1925) married Adelaide Isabel Annie Parr (1857–) on 27 December 1882, and inherited his father's farming properties. He was later Mayor of Brighton.

He adopted his nephew John Felix "Mr. J. F." Martin (14 August 1844 – 13 December 1916), who married Christina McNeil ( – 27 December 1931) in 1889. John was made a partner in his adoptive father's business, became General Manager, then Chairman of Directors. They had two sons and two daughters, one of whom, Emily Martin (1884–1962), married Henry Hampden Dutton (1879–1932) of Anlaby Station. The other three moved to Western Australia. In 1908 John followed his sons to Mount Barker, Western Australia, where he died eight years later.

James Martin was a member of the Gawler Council, and its mayor for eight years.

He was elected for the seat of Barossa in the House of Assembly in February 1865 with Walter Duffield as a colleague, and retired in 1868.

He was elected to the Legislative Council for the North-Eastern district in May 1885 and reelected in April 1894, dying in office. He was a member of the National Defence League.