William Melville Alexander (Illinois politician)
William Melville Alexanderwas an American politician, physician, and land speculator active inIllinois.[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 theIllinois House of Representativesin 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 the1824 United States presidential election,Alexander was anelectorpledged toWilliam H. Crawford.[4]That same year, he ran for an appointment from theIllinois General Assemblyto theUnited States Senateto succeedNinian Edwards.Alexander lost toJohn McLean.[5]
After a series of failed land ventures inIllinois,he moved to theSouthern United Stateswhere he died.[1]He is the namesake ofAlexander County, Illinois.[6][7]
References
[edit]- ^abcRedmond, Mary (1980).Mr. Speaker: Presiding Officers of the Illinois House of Representatives 1818-1980.Office of the Speaker of the House.RetrievedSeptember 8,2022.
- ^Callary, Edward (October 2010).Place Names of Illinois.Champaign, Illinois:University of Illinois Press.p. 9.ISBN9780252090707.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^Emmerson, Louis L., ed. (1919)."Members of General Assembly 1818 to 1920 Inclusive".Illinois Blue Book 1919-1920.State of Illinois. p. 525.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^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 fromthe originalon February 27, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 13,2022.
- ^Meese, William A."Nathaniel Pope".Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society.3(4): 20. Archived fromthe originalon September 13, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 13,2022.
- ^Callary, Edward (October 2010).Place Names of Illinois.Champaign, Illinois:University of Illinois Press.p. 4.ISBN9780252090707.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^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.ISBN9780810887626.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
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