James Abercrombie (congressman)

For other people with the same name, see James Abercromby (disambiguation).
James Abercrombie
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1855
Preceded byHenry Washington Hilliard
Succeeded byEli Sims Shorter
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
In office
1820-1822
In office
1824-1825
In office
1838-1839
Member of the Alabama Senate
In office
1825-1833
In office
1847-1850
Personal details
BornFebruary 18, 1792 (1792-02-18)
Hancock County, Georgia
DiedJuly 2, 1861(1861-07-02) (aged 69)
Pensacola, Florida
Citizenship United States
PartyWhig
Military service
Allegiance United States of America
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Rankcorporal
UnitSquadron of Georgia Cavalry
Battles/warsWar of 1812

James Abercrombie (February 18, 1792 – July 2, 1861) was an American politician, serving as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and the Alabama Senate.[1] He later represented Alabama's Second Congressional District in the United States Congress from 1851 to 1855.[1][2]

Early life

Abercrombie was born in Hancock County, Georgia on February 18, 1792, to Charles and Edwina Dicey Malinda Booth Abercrombie.[1] His father was an officer in the American Revolutionary War and later became an active politician in Georgia.[1] Abercrombie received a good education and fought in the War of 1812, serving as corporal in Major F. Freeman's Squadron of Georgia Cavalry.[1][3]

Following the war, Abercrombie moved to Monroe County (present-day Dallas County), Alabama and settled in Montgomery County, Alabama, in 1819.[1] He married Evelina Elizabeth Ross in 1816, and they had four sons and six daughters, including James, Sarah, Jane, and Clara.[3] While becoming interested in politics, Abercrombie owned and managed several large plantations and was a slave owner.[1][4]

Career

Abercrombie was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1822, 1824, and later in 1838.[2] He served as a captain in the Alabama Militia during this time, and was present when the Marquis de la Lafayette visited Fort Mitchell during his tour of the state.[1] Abercrombie became a member of the Whig Party and served in the Alabama Senate from 1847 to 1850.[2][1]

Abercrombie was a delegate to the first Nashville Convention in 1850 that was held to bring pro-slavery Southerners together to discuss the possibility of secession, considering himself a Unionist, despite supporting the institution of enslavement.[1] He was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Alabama's Second Congressional District, where he served from March 4, 1851, to March 3, 1855.[5]

Death

After retiring from politics in 1856, Abercrombie moved to Pensacola, Florida, where he worked as a brick contractor for the U.S. government.[2] He remained involved in Alabama politics, and although he did not serve, he helped in campaigns and political efforts.[1] Abercrombie died on July 2, 1861, and is interred at Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.[6][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Robinson, Matthew (November 15, 2017). "James Abercrombie". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  2. ^ a b c d "James Abercrombie". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Owen, Thomas McAdory (1921). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Vol. 3. Chicago, Illinois: Thomas J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 1–2.
  4. ^ Weil, Julia Zauzmer; Ramos, Adrián Blanco; Dominguez, Leo (January 10, 2022). "More than 1,800 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation". Washington Post. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  5. ^ "James Abercrombie". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  6. ^ "James Abercrombie". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  • Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-1989: Bicentennial Edition. United States: Government Printing Office, 1989. ISBN 0-16-006384-1
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