Stevenson Archer (1827–1898) Explained

Stevenson Archer
Office:Treasurer of Maryland
Term Start:1886
Term End:1890
Governor:Henry Lloyd
Elihu Emory Jackson
Predecessor:John S. Gittings
Successor:Edwin Brown
Office2:Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 2nd district
Term Start2:March 4, 1867
Term End2:March 3, 1875
Predecessor2:John Lewis Thomas Jr.
Successor2:Charles Boyle Roberts
State Delegate3:Maryland
Term Start3:1854
Term End3:1854
Alongside3:William M. Elliott and George Stephenson
Birth Date:28 February 1827
Birth Place:Harford County, Maryland, U.S.
Death Place:Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting Place:Churchville Presbyterian Church
Churchville, Maryland, U.S.
Alma Mater:Princeton College
Father:Stevenson Archer
Children:5
Relatives:

    Stevenson Archer (February 28, 1827 – August 2, 1898) was an American politician. An U.S. Congressman from Maryland, he served in the second district for four terms from 1867 to 1875. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates and as Treasurer of Maryland. He was a slave owner.

    Early life

    Stevenson Archer was born at Medical Hall, Harford County, Maryland, near Churchville, on February 28, 1827, to Pamelia B. (née Hays) and Stevenson Archer.[1] [2] [3] Archer's father and grandfather, John Archer, were both Congressmen from Maryland.[3] His sister, Pamelia H. Archer, was the mother of George Earle Chamberlain, the 11th Governor of Oregon and a two term United States Senator.[4]

    Archer attended Bel Air Academy, later graduating from Princeton College in 1848. He studied law at the office of Otho Scott in Bel Air, and was admitted to the bar in 1850, commencing practice the same year.[1] [2]

    Career

    In 1851, Archer formed a partnership with Edwin Hanson Webster.[2] In 1853, he was elected as a Whig to the Maryland House of Delegates.[1] [2] [5]

    In 1866, he was elected as a Democrat to the Fortieth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1867, until March 3, 1875. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1874.[1] [2] In 1867, Archer was appointed as judge for a term on the Cecil County court.[2]

    Archer succeeded John S. Gittings as Treasurer of Maryland in 1886.[2] In 1890, he was accused of embezzling $132,000 in state funds. The investigation found he had kept railroad bonds for personal use. He pleaded guilty to malfeasance and was sentenced to five years in the Maryland Penitentiary.[3] [6] [7] [8] In May 1894, Governor Frank Brown pardoned him.[2] [8] Archer continued the practice of law in Bel Air until his death.[1]

    Personal life

    Archer married Blanche Franklin of Sumner County, Tennessee in 1855.[3] [9] She was also known as Jane Cage Franklin.[3] Together, they had five children.[3] [10]

    Archer's family lived at Hazell Dell near Bel Air.[3]

    Later life and death

    Archer suffered from kidney ailments since 1893. After leaving prison in May 1894, he was hospitalized.[2] Archer died from Bright's disease on August 2, 1898, at the City Hospital in Baltimore.[1] [10] He is interred in the Churchville Presbyterian Church cemetery.[1] [8]

    Footnotes

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    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: ARCHER, Stevenson . . 2021-09-13.
    2. News: Mr. Archer Dying . 1898-08-02 . 10 . . . 2021-08-13.
    3. Web site: STEVENSON ARCHER, 1828-1898 . Maryland State Archives . 2021-09-13.
    4. Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon: Containing Original Sketches of Many Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present. In two parts. Chicago, IL: Chapman Publishing Co., 1903; part 1, p. 37.
    5. Web site: Historical List, House of Delegates, Harford County (1790-1974) . Maryland Manual On-Line . . 1999-04-30 . 2023-03-19.
    6. https://www.nytimes.com
    7. Book: The Almanac of Political Corruption, Scandals, and Dirty Politics. 9780307481344. Long. Kim. 18 December 2008.
    8. News: A tale of three Archers: How a Harford family rose & fell . Erika Quesenbery Sturgill . 2014-10-11 . Cecil Daily . 2021-09-13.
    9. News: Blanche F. Archer Dead . 1919-02-18 . . 8 . . 2021-09-13.
    10. News: Stevenson Archer Dead . 1898-08-03 . . 10 . . 2021-09-13.