Blair McClenachan

Blair McClenachan (died May 8, 1812) was an American merchant and politician from Pennsylvania. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives from 1797 to 1799. Previously, he served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Blair McClenachan
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania
In office
March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797
Preceded byFrederick Muhlenberg
Succeeded byMichael Leib
Constituency2nd district
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1790–1795
Personal details
Born
Blair McClenachan

Ireland
Died(1812-05-08)May 8, 1812
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
ProfessionMerchant

Biography

McClenachan was born in Ireland. He immigrated to the United States at an early age and settled in Philadelphia. He was described by Thomas Jefferson as a trader, banker, and shipowner. During the American Revolutionary War he was one of the founders of and served with the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry. When the Continental Congress sought to raise money for the army in 1780, McClenachan and Robert Morris were the two highest subscribers to the effort.[1][2]

He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. From 1790 to 1795, he was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In 1796, he defeated Robert Waln to win election to the 5th United States Congress from Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district.[3] He served only one term.

After his service in Congress, his businesses failed and a fraudulent transfer of his assets to his children resulted in McClenachan losing much of his fortune and led to his imprisonment for debt. In 1802, he wrote to President Thomas Jefferson, seeking the position of Purveyor of Stores. Jefferson later appointed Tench Coxe to fill the position.[2]

Personal life

McClenachan had six children. In 1781, his daughter, Deborah, married Colonel Walter Stewart, later Inspector General of the Continental Army and then Major General of the Pennsylvania Militia.

He died May 8, 1812 in Philadelphia; interment was in a vault in St. Paul's Cemetery.[4]

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References
  1. Ruth L. Woodward; Wesley Frank Craven (2014-07-14). Princetonians, 1784-1790: A Biographical Dictionary. Princeton University Press.
  2. The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 36: 1 December 1801 to 3 March 1802. Princeton University Press. 2018-06-05.
  3. Michael J. Dubin (1998). United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997 (PDF). McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers.
  4. "Blair McClenachan". United States Congress. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Frederick A. C. Muhlenberg		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district
1797–1799		 Succeeded by
Michael Leib
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