William Melville Alexander (Illinois politician)

Last updated

William Melville Alexander was an American politician, physician, and land speculator active in Illinois. [1]

In 1817, Alexander laid out a settlement on behalf of a Cincinnati-based land company. The settlement, America, Illinois, was envisioned as a major city and possibly even an inland capital for the United States. The ambitious goals of the project were never realized. [2] He was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1820 and reelected in 1822. [3] In his second term, he was elected Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives by his colleagues. [1]

In the 1824 United States presidential election, Alexander was an elector pledged to William H. Crawford. [4] That same year, he ran for an appointment from the Illinois General Assembly to the United States Senate to succeed Ninian Edwards. Alexander lost to John McLean. [5]

After a series of failed land ventures in Illinois, he moved to the Southern United States where he died. [1] He is the namesake of Alexander County, Illinois. [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander County, Illinois</span> County in Illinois, United States

Alexander County is the southernmost and southwesternmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,240. Its county seat is Cairo and its western boundary is formed by the Mississippi River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlyle, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Carlyle is a city in Clinton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,253 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Clinton County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bensenville, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Bensenville is a village located near O'Hare International Airport in DuPage County, Illinois, with a portion of the town in Cook County. As of the 2020 census, the village population was 18,813.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John McLean (Illinois politician)</span> Illinois politician (1791–1830)

John McLean was a United States representative and a Senator from Illinois. He was the brother of Finis McLean and uncle of James David Walker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Reynolds (Illinois politician)</span> American lawyer and politician (1788-1865)

John M. Reynolds was a United States lawyer and politician from the state of Illinois who served in all three governmental branches. One of the original four justices of the Illinois Supreme Court (1818–1825), he later won election several times to the Illinois House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives, and as 4th Illinois Governor (1830–1834). He also took the rank of major general of the Illinois militia during the Black Hawk War.

Francis White was a distinguished early American lawyer and politician in what was then the U.S. state of Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William S. Hamilton</span> American politician

William Stephen Hamilton, a son of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, was an American politician and miner who lived much of his life in the U.S. state of Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory. Hamilton was born in New York, where he attended the United States Military Academy before he resigned and moved to Illinois in 1817. In Illinois, he lived in Springfield and Peoria and eventually migrated to the lead-mining region of southern Wisconsin and established Hamilton's Diggings at present-day Wiota, Wisconsin. Hamilton served in various political offices and as a commander in two Midwest Indian Wars. In 1849, he moved to California during the California Gold Rush. He died in Sacramento, most likely of cholera, in October 1850.

Col. Isaac R. Moores was an American soldier and politician in Illinois and Oregon. A native of Kentucky, he would serve in the Seminole War and the Black Hawk War before immigrating to the Oregon Territory. In Oregon, Moores served in the Territorial Legislature and at the Oregon Constitutional Convention. His son, Isaac R. Moores, Jr. would become Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.

Rees Hill was a U.S. army colonel in the War of 1812 and a politician who served as a Republican and Democratic-Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for Greene County from 1810 to 1813 and from 1814 to 1820, including as Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1816 and 1819. He also served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 18th district from 1821 to 1822 and the 20th district from 1823 to 1824.

Van Orin is an unincorporated community in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. Van Orin is located along Illinois Route 92, east of Ohio and northwest of La Moille.

Ophiem is an unincorporated community in Lynn Township, Henry County, Illinois, United States.

Blackstone is an unincorporated village in section 7 of Sunbury Township, Livingston County, Illinois, United States. Blackstone is 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Streator and 13 miles (21 km) west of Dwight, Illinois. Blackstone has a post office with ZIP code 61313, a grainery complex, and a small rubber-products plant

Events from the year 1818 in the United States.

John Messinger was an American pioneer, politician, teacher, and surveyor who was the first Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Born in Massachusetts, Messinger was educated in Vermont and married the daughter of Matthew Lyon. He left with Lyon to Kentucky, but disagreed with his stance on slavery and came to the Indiana Territory in 1802. He served in the Indiana Territorial Legislature and advocated for the creation of the Illinois Territory. When the state of Illinois was created in 1818, he co-authored its constitution and served in its first General Assembly as Speaker of the House. Messinger was also a prominent surveyor, establishing what is now the state line between Illinois and Wisconsin on behalf of the U.S. government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1920 United States Senate election in Illinois</span>

The 1920 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 2, 1920.

William Robert Blair II was an American politician, lawyer, and businessman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Roe (politician)</span> American politician

Arthur Roe was an American politician and lawyer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Michael McKinley</span> American politician

William Michael McKinley was an American lawyer and politician who served as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives. He was the Speaker of the Illinois House from January 29, 1913, to January 8, 1915.

Thomas Mather (1795-1853) was an American politician in Illinois who served in the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate.

David Blackwell was an American politician who served as the 3rd Illinois Secretary of State and the first Democratic speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Redmond, Mary (1980). Mr. Speaker: Presiding Officers of the Illinois House of Representatives 1818-1980. Office of the Speaker of the House . Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  2. Callary, Edward (October 2010). Place Names of Illinois. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 9. ISBN   9780252090707 . Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  3. Emmerson, Louis L., ed. (1919). "Members of General Assembly 1818 to 1920 Inclusive". Illinois Blue Book 1919-1920. State of Illinois. p. 525. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  4. Lampi, Philip J., ed. (January 11, 2012). "Illinois 1824 Electoral College, District 3". A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787-1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  5. Meese, William A. "Nathaniel Pope". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 3 (4): 20. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  6. Callary, Edward (October 2010). Place Names of Illinois. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 4. ISBN   9780252090707 . Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  7. Curry Aiken, Charles; Kane, Joseph Nathan (21 December 2012). The American Counties: Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, Area, and Population Data, 1950-2010. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 5. ISBN   9780810887626 . Retrieved September 12, 2022.