Abraham McClellan (Tennessee politician)

Abraham McClellan (October 4, 1789 – May 3, 1866) was an American politician that represented Tennessee's 2nd district in the United States House of Representatives from 1837 to 1843. He also served several terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Tennessee Senate, commanded a militia company during the Seminole Wars (1836–1837). He was a slaveholder.[2]

This article is about the Tennessee politician. For the Missouri politician, see Abraham McClellan (Missouri politician).
Abraham McClellan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843
Preceded bySamuel Bunch
Succeeded byWilliam Tandy Senter
Member of the Tennessee Senate
In office
1829-1833
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
In office
1823-1825
1827-1829
Personal details
Born(1789-10-04)October 4, 1789
Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States
DiedMay 3, 1866(1866-05-03) (aged 76)
Sullivan County, Tennessee
Resting placeWeaver Cemetery
Bristol, Tennessee[1]
Political partyDemocratic Party
Alma materWashington College
ProfessionFarmer
Military service
Branch/serviceTennessee militia
Years of service1836–1837
RankCaptain
Commands2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Mounted Volunteers
Battles/warsSeminole Wars

Biography

Early life

McClellan was born at "White Top" in Sullivan County, Tennessee, on October 4, 1789. He attended the common schools, graduated from Washington College near Greeneville, Tennessee, and engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Career

He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1823 to 1825 and from 1827 to 1829. He served in the Tennessee Senate from 1829 to 1833. He was a member of the convention to revise the Tennessee State Constitution in 1834.[3] McClellan served as captain of the Second Regiment, Second Brigade, Tennessee Mounted Volunteer Militia during the Seminole Wars, from 1836 to 1837.[4]

In 1837, McClellan, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Samuel Bunch, 3,228 votes to 2,741, in the election for the 2nd district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[5] He was easily reelected in 1839, and brushed off a challenge from rising Whig politician William T. Senter in 1841.[5] McClellan served in the Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, and Twenty-seventh congresses, from March 4, 1837, to March 3, 1843.

In 1843, his home county, Sullivan, was redistricted to the 1st district. This was part of an effort initiated by rising politician Andrew Johnson, who planned to run for the 1st district seat, and wanted to ensure the new district's boundaries were favorable to Democrats. The state legislature also wanted to get rid of the 1st district's fiery incumbent, Thomas D. Arnold. Realizing he had little chance of winning the nomination over Johnson, McClellan chose not to seek a fourth term.[6]

After leaving Congress, he resumed agricultural pursuits and died at his home, "White Top," in Sullivan County on May 3, 1866.[3] He was interred in Weaver Cemetery near Bristol, Tennessee.[1]

References
  1. Abraham McClellan at Find a Grave
  2. Weil, Julie Zauzmer; Blanco, Adrian; Dominguez, Leo (20 January 2022). "More than 1,700 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation". Washington Post. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  4. Oliver Taylor, Historic Sullivan: A History of Sullivan County, Tennessee (King Printing Company, 1909), p. 207.
  5. Candidate Abraham McClellan, Our Campaigns. Retrieved: 25 February 2013.
  6. Oliver Perry Temple, Mary Boyce Temple (compiler), Notable Men of Tennessee (New York: The Cosmopolitan Press, 1912), pp. 216-217.
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