Alexander McKim

Alexander McKim (January 10, 1748 – January 18, 1832) was a U.S. Representative from Maryland and a Democratic-Republican legislator who served three terms in the United States Congress during a formative period in the nation’s history. Born in Brandywine in the Delaware Colony, he pursued an academic course in his youth before relocating to Baltimore, Maryland. His move to Baltimore placed him in one of the principal commercial and political centers of the emerging republic, where he would become active in both military and civic affairs.

During the American Revolutionary War, McKim served in local patriot forces from Baltimore. He was a member of the Baltimore Independent Cadets and later of the First Baltimore Cavalry, units that contributed to the defense and military efforts of the revolutionary cause. He also fought under the Marquis de Lafayette in the Virginia campaign of 1781, participating in the southern theater of the war as the conflict moved toward its decisive conclusion. These experiences established his credentials as a Revolutionary War veteran and linked him to the generation of leaders who helped secure American independence.

McKim’s public career began in state politics soon after the Revolution. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1778, representing the interests of his community in the state’s lower legislative chamber at a time when Maryland was organizing its government under the new state constitution. After years of local and state involvement, he returned to higher office as a member of the Maryland Senate, serving from 1806 to 1810. In this capacity he participated in shaping state policy during the early national period, as Maryland adjusted to its role within the federal union.

Building on his state legislative experience, McKim was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Republican Party, then commonly known as the Democratic-Republican Party. He represented Maryland in the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Congresses, serving from March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1815. His tenure in Congress coincided with a significant period in American history, including the administration of President James Madison and the War of 1812. As a Democratic-Republican, McKim contributed to the legislative process over his three terms in office, participating in the democratic governance of the young republic and representing the interests of his Maryland constituents in national debates over war, commerce, and federal power.

After leaving Congress in 1815, McKim returned to private life and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Baltimore, reflecting the city’s growing importance as a commercial hub in the early nineteenth century. He remained active in public service at the local level, serving as a justice of the court of quarter sessions, a body that handled certain judicial and administrative matters. He later became presiding judge of the Baltimore County Orphans’ Court, overseeing issues related to estates, guardianships, and the welfare of minors, and he held this judicial position at the time of his death.

Alexander McKim died in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 18, 1832. He was interred in Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore, a burial place for many of the city’s prominent citizens. His life spanned from the colonial era through the early decades of the United States, and his career reflected continuous involvement in military service, state and national legislatures, and local judicial responsibilities during a transformative period in American history.