Martin D. Hardin

Martin D. Hardin
United States Senator
from Kentucky
In office
November 13, 1816 – March 4, 1817
Preceded byWilliam T. Barry
Succeeded byJohn J. Crittenden
8th & 10th Secretary of State of Kentucky
In office
March 13, 1813 – September 4, 1816
GovernorIsaac Shelby
Preceded byChristopher Greenup
Succeeded byCharles Stewart Todd
In office
September 1, 1812 – December 15, 1812
GovernorIsaac Shelby
Preceded byFielding Whitlock
Succeeded byChristopher Greenup
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office
1805-1806
1812
1818-1820
Personal details
Born(1780-06-21)June 21, 1780
Monongahela River, Pennsylvania
DiedOctober 8, 1823(1823-10-08) (aged 43)
Frankfort, Kentucky
Resting placeFrankfort Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
SpouseElizabeth Logan
RelationsSon of John Hardin
Cousin of Benjamin Hardin
Cousin of Charles A. Wickliffe
ChildrenJohn J. Hardin
Alma materTransylvania Seminary
ProfessionLawyer
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceKentucky militia
RankMajor
UnitFirst Rifle Regiment, Kentucky Militia
Battles/warsWar of 1812

Martin D. Hardin (June 21, 1780 – October 8, 1823) was a politician and lawyer from Kentucky. Born in Pennsylvania, his family immigrated to Kentucky when he was still young. He studied law under George Nicholas and commenced practice at Richmond, Kentucky. His cousin, future U.S. Representative Benjamin Hardin, studied in his law office. He represented Madison County in the Kentucky House of Representatives for a single term.

Hardin later moved to Frankfort and was elected to the Kentucky House to represent Franklin County. Governor Isaac Shelby appointed him Secretary of State soon after his election. Concurrent with his service, he participated in the War of 1812, serving alongside future Kentucky Governor George Madison as majors in Colonel John Allen's militia unit. Following the expiration of his term as Secretary of State, Governor Gabriel Slaughter appointed Hardin to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by William T. Barry, who resigned. Hardin served the remainder of Barry's term – approximately one year – and did not seek re-election. In 1819, he was elected to the Kentucky House for a third time and was chosen Speaker of the House. He died October 8, 1823.

Hardin married the daughter of Kentucky pioneer Benjamin Logan, and their son, John J. Hardin, represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives before being killed at the Battle of Buena Vista. In his book Life of Lincoln, Ward Hill Lamon speculated that future President Abraham Lincoln may have been the illegitimate child of Hardin and Nancy Hanks, but the rumor was later debunked.