Isaac McKim

Isaac McKim (July 21, 1775 – April 1, 1838) was a U.S. Representative from Maryland,[1] nephew of Alexander McKim. McKim's five terms as a Congressman saw him change parties three times (from Republican to Jackson Republican to Jacksonian).

Isaac McKim
Born	July 21, 1775 Baltimore, Province of Maryland, British America
Died	April 1, 1838 (aged 62) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, Merchant
Known for	U.S. Representative from Maryland; owner of the famous Baltimore clipper AnnMcKim
Spouse(s)	Ann McKim (??-Jan 16, 1875)
Children	None
Parent(s)	John McKim
Relatives	William Duncan (brother); John McKim Jr. (cousin); Alexander McKim (uncle);

Early life

Born in Baltimore in the Province of Maryland, McKim attended the public schools, and later engaged in mercantile pursuits. He served in the War of 1812 as aide-de-camp to General Samuel Smith.[2]

Political career

After the war, McKim served as a member of the Maryland Senate from December 4, 1821, until January 8, 1823, when he resigned.

McKim was elected as a Democrat to the Seventeenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Samuel Smith. On the same day, McKim was elected as a Jackson Republican to the Eighteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative-elect Smith and served from January 4, 1823, to March 3, 1825. After Congress, McKim served as one of the original director of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co.[3] from 1827 until 1831.

McKim returned to Congress, elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses and reelected as a Democrat to the Twenty-fifth Congress.[2] He served from March 4, 1833, until his death in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 1, 1838. He was interred in the burying ground of St. Paul's Church.

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)

Merchant

McKim was a "wealthy sea-dog and merchant"[4] and a leader in the commercial and industrial life of Baltimore. He owned a fleet of merchant ships.

Among other businesses he had a cooper warehouse on Gay street in Baltimore.[5] Isaac also operated a steam flour mill.[3]

Owner of the Ann McKim

In 1832, he contracted the prestigious Baltimore shipbuilding firm of Kennard & Williamson to build the ship of his dreams, the famous Baltimore clipper Ann McKim, that he named in honor of his wife. It then went on to become the model for many of the clipper ships built over the next 25 years.

Legacy

Isaac McKim finished the building of the first free school in the U.S., McKim Free School, started by his father John McKim.[6]

In 1837, Kennard & Williamson built the 163-ton brig Isaac McKim, that was named after McKim.[3]

There is a cenotaph in his memory at Congressional Cemetery.

References

1. "Journal of the House of Representatives". Journal by United States Congress: 5. 1837.
2. "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Retrieved April 16, 2019.
3. Tyler, David (January 1943). "Time and Waste Books of James Williamson, builder of the Ann McKim". The American Neptune. III: 26–31.
4. La Grange, Helen (1937). Clipper ships of America and Great Britain. 1833-1869. OCLC 906252584.
5. Matchett's Baltimore director (1837-1838). Baltimore: R.J. Matchett. 1819–1855. p. 224. OCLC 25779091 – via Internet Archive.
6. McKim, Marvin R., 1940- (2003). The inheritance of God's blessing : the heritage of Christian values. Victoria, B.C.: Trafford. ISBN 1412003814. OCLC 52410793.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

• United States Congress. "Isaac McKim (id: M000516)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.