Samuel Maclay

Samuel Maclay
United States Senator fromPennsylvania
In office March 4, 1803 – January 4, 1809
Preceded by	James Ross
Succeeded by	Michael Leib
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's6thdistrict
In office March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797
Preceded by	Andrew Gregg
Succeeded by	John A. Hanna
Member of thePennsylvania Senate
In office 1798–1802
Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives
In office 1797
Personal details
Born	(1741-06-17)June 17, 1741 Lurgan Township,Province of Pennsylvania,British America
Died	October 5, 1811(1811-10-05)(aged 70) Buffalo Township,Pennsylvania,U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican

Samuel Maclay(June 17, 1741 – October 5, 1811) was an American politician fromUnion County, Pennsylvania.He served in thestate legislatureand representedPennsylvaniain both theU.S. Houseand theUnited States Senate.

Biography

Maclay was born the younger brother of future Pennsylvania senatorWilliam Maclay.He was born inLurgan Townshipin theProvince of PennsylvaniaatMaclay's Milland served in theRevolutionary War.Maclay came to the Buffalo Valley in Union County in 1769, then in Cumberland and Berks Counties, to perform some of the first surveys, along with and under the supervision of brother William, in "the new purchase" of land made by the Penn Family pursuant to the Treaty at Fort Stanwix in 1768.

In 1790, Maclay performed work as a surveyor of the streams of northwestern Pennsylvania, equating to something of a "Lewis & Clark Expedition" of the dangerous interior wilds of Pennsylvania. He became an associate judge ofFranklin County, Pennsylvaniaand served between 1792 and 1795. Maclay was the father ofWilliam Plunkett Maclay.

Political life

Maclay was elected to theFourthCongress. He served as a member of thelower houseof the State legislature in 1797 and was a member of thePennsylvania State Senatefrom 1798 to 1802 and served as speaker from 1801 to 1802.

He waselectedto the United States Senate as a Democratic Republican by the Pennsylvania legislature and began service in 1803. Popular among Pennsylvanians, he was an infrequent Senate speaker, but was frequently mentioned as his party's possible candidate for governor, but was passed over in favor ofSimon Snyder.

Maclay opposed the nomination ofJames Madisonto the presidency by the Democratic Republicans. He doubted how committed Madison was to the party, considering him a late convert, and backedGeorge Clintoninstead. Furthermore, Maclay was an opponent of theEmbargo Actwhich had been passed duringPresident Jefferson'ssecond term. Despite the eventual repeal of the Embargo Act, Madison secured Pennsylvania's support and Maclay realized that he was out of step with his fellow party members and Pennsylvanians. Seeing no hope of reelection, he resigned from the Senate in 1809.

Maclay served in the Senate from March 4, 1803, until his resignation on January 4, 1809. He retired toBuffalo Township, Pennsylvania,where he died, aged 70. He was interred in the Driesbach Church Cemetery in Union County.

Bibliography

• American National Biography; Dictionary of American Biography; Aurand, A. Monroe, Jr.The Genealogy of Samuel Maclay, 1741–1811.Harrisburg, Pennsylvania:Aurand Press, 1938;
• Maclay, Samuel.Journal of Samuel Maclay.Williamsport, Pennsylvania:Gazette & Bulletin Printing House, 1887.

External links

• United States Congress."Samuel Maclay (id: M000029)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard
• Union County, Pennsylvania: A Celebration of History