Lyne Shackelford Metcalfe

Lyne Shackelford Metcalfe (April 21, 1822 – January 31, 1906) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party who served one term in the United States House of Representatives from 1877 to 1879. His congressional service took place during the post–Civil War era, a significant period in American history marked by Reconstruction’s aftermath and the nation’s political and economic readjustment. Over the course of his career, he was active in municipal government in two states, served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and later represented a Missouri district in Congress.

Metcalfe was born in Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky, on April 21, 1822. He attended the common schools in his youth, receiving a basic formal education typical of the period. Seeking further instruction, he pursued higher education at Shurtleff College in Alton, Illinois, and at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois, institutions that were among the early centers of higher learning in the Midwest. This education prepared him for a career in business and public life at a time when the region was rapidly developing economically and politically.

By 1844 Metcalfe had settled in Alton, Madison County, Illinois, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. His business activities in Alton coincided with the city’s growth as a commercial center along the Mississippi River. As his standing in the community increased, he entered local politics. He served as a member of the board of aldermen of Alton, participating in the governance and oversight of municipal affairs. Building on this experience, Metcalfe was elected mayor of Alton, reflecting the confidence of local citizens in his leadership and administrative abilities.

During the American Civil War, Metcalfe supported the Union cause and entered military service. He served in the Union Army as an assistant quartermaster, initially holding the rank of captain. In this capacity he was responsible for the procurement and distribution of supplies, transportation, and logistical support, functions essential to the operation of Union forces. Over the course of his service he was promoted to the rank of colonel, underscoring the importance of his responsibilities and the trust placed in him by military authorities during the conflict.

In 1863, while the Civil War was still in progress, Metcalfe moved to St. Louis, Missouri, a major Union stronghold and commercial hub on the Mississippi River. There he engaged in manufacturing, contributing to the city’s expanding industrial base in the mid-nineteenth century. His involvement in public life continued after his relocation; he served in the city council of St. Louis, extending his record of municipal service from Illinois into Missouri. Through these roles he gained further experience in urban governance and the practical administration of a growing metropolitan area.

Metcalfe’s local and military experience helped pave the way for his election to national office. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected as a Republican to the Forty-fifth Congress and served as a Representative from Missouri from March 4, 1877, to March 3, 1879. During his single term in the House of Representatives, he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Missouri constituents at a time when Congress grappled with issues related to Reconstruction’s end, economic recovery following the Panic of 1873, and the adjustment of federal policies in the postwar era. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1878 to the Forty-sixth Congress, concluding his formal congressional service after one term.

Following his departure from Congress, Metcalfe returned to private life. He remained associated with the St. Louis area, where he had established his business and political career. He died in Kirkwood, St. Louis County, Missouri, on January 31, 1906. Metcalfe was interred in Alton Cemetery in Alton, Madison County, Illinois, returning in death to the community where he had first risen to prominence in business and public affairs.