Robert Martin, Sr. was born in Annandale, New Jersey in 1747 on the Hugh Martin plantation. He was a son of Hugh Martin and Jane Hunter. His father's death in 1761 left Robert with part of the family estate. In 1769 he moved with his family to Orange, Virginia where his brother Thomas was rector of a church and tutor to the children of the wealthy Madisons at the Montpelier plantation. After Thomas's death in 1770, his family then moved to his brother Alexander's home, the Danbury Plantation in Rockingham County, North Carolina. In 1778 he was living at the Danbury Plantation and active in the militia. Robert Martin, Sr. married Martha Denny and together they were parents of at least four children. He was Clerk of Salisbury District Court from 1782-1788. In 1790 he had lands in Rockingham County that adjoined the Danbury Plantation to the east. In 1807 his brother Governor Alexander Martin's Will left Robert additional lands. Robert passed away in Rockingham County, North Carolina in 1822, at the Danbury Plantation and was buried in the Martin family vault. The vault was later compromised by flooding and Robert Martin, Sr. was reburied in the Robert Martin Cemetery. The exact location is unknown (1).
Robert Martin, Sr. and Martha Denny had the following known children; Sarah Martin Napier, Robert Martin, Jr., John Martin and Rachel Martin Broach.

(1) In Robert's Will: "I desire my body to be discreetly interred in the family vault". This would have been the vault His brother Alexander had built for his burial in 1807 which was located on his Danbury Plantation in Rockingham County, North Carolina. It is reported that years later there was damage to the vault and it was relocated. Today it is unknown where it was relocated or whose bodies it contained. There is no grave location or marker for Robert's body.