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James Abercrombie (congressman)

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James Abercrombie
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1855
Preceded byHenry Washington Hilliard
Succeeded byEli Sims Shorter
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
In office
1820-1822
In office
1824-1825
In office
1838-1839
Member of the Alabama Senate
In office
1825-1833
In office
1847-1850
Personal details
BornFebruary 18, 1792 (1792-02-18)
Hancock County, Georgia
DiedJuly 2, 1861(1861-07-02) (aged 69)
Pensacola, Florida
Citizenship United States
PartyWhig
Military service
AllegianceUnited States United States of America
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Rankcorporal
UnitSquadron of Georgia Cavalry
Battles/warsWar of 1812

James Abercrombie (February 18, 1792 – July 2, 1861) was an American politician, serving as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and the Alabama Senate.[1] He later represented Alabama's Second Congressional District in the United States Congress from 1851 to 1855.[1][2]

Early life

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Abercrombie was born in Hancock County, Georgia on February 18, 1792, to Charles and Edwina Dicey Malinda Booth Abercrombie.[1] His father was an officer in the American Revolutionary War and later became an active politician in Georgia.[1] Abercrombie received a good education and fought in the War of 1812, serving as corporal in Major F. Freeman's Squadron of Georgia Cavalry.[1][3]

Following the war, Abercrombie moved to Monroe County (present-day Dallas County), Alabama and settled in Montgomery County, Alabama, in 1819.[1] He married Evelina Elizabeth Ross in 1816, and they had four sons and six daughters, including James, Sarah, Jane, and Clara.[3] While becoming interested in politics, Abercrombie owned and managed several large plantations and was a slave owner.[1][4]

Career

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Abercrombie was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1822, 1824, and later in 1838.[2] He served as a captain in the Alabama Militia during this time, and was present when the Marquis de la Lafayette visited Fort Mitchell during his tour of the state.[1] Abercrombie became a member of the Whig Party and served in the Alabama Senate from 1847 to 1850.[2][1]

Abercrombie was a delegate to the first Nashville Convention in 1850 that was held to bring pro-slavery Southerners together to discuss the possibility of secession, considering himself a Unionist, despite supporting the institution of enslavement.[1] He was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Alabama's Second Congressional District, where he served from March 4, 1851, to March 3, 1855.[5]

Death

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After retiring from politics in 1856, Abercrombie moved to Pensacola, Florida, where he worked as a brick contractor for the U.S. government.[2] He remained involved in Alabama politics, and although he did not serve, he helped in campaigns and political efforts.[1] Abercrombie died on July 2, 1861, and is interred at Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.[6][3]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Robinson, Matthew (November 15, 2017). "James Abercrombie". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "James Abercrombie". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Owen, Thomas McAdory (1921). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Vol. 3. Chicago, Illinois: Thomas J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 1–2.
  4. ↑ Weil, Julia Zauzmer; Ramos, Adrián Blanco; Dominguez, Leo (January 10, 2022). "More than 1,800 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation". Washington Post. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  5. ↑ "James Abercrombie". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "James Abercrombie". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
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