Alexander Stuart | |
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3rd United States Secretary of the Interior | |
In office September 14, 1850 – March 7, 1853 | |
President | Millard Fillmore |
Preceded by | Thomas McKennan |
Succeeded by | Robert McClelland |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 17th district | |
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 | |
Preceded by | Robert Craig |
Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Augusta County | |
In office January 1, 1874 – December 5, 1877 | |
Preceded by | Charles S. Roler |
Succeeded by | John Echols |
In office December 5, 1836 – December 2, 1839 | |
Preceded by | Robert S. Brooke |
Succeeded by | Franklin McCue |
Member of the Virginia Senate from Augusta County | |
In office December 7, 1857 – December 2, 1861 | |
Preceded by | Clement R. Harris |
Succeeded by | Bolivar Christian |
Personal details | |
Born | Alexander Hugh Holmes Stuart April 2, 1807 Staunton, Virginia, U.S. |
Died | February 13, 1891 Staunton, Virginia, U.S. | (aged 83)
Political party | Whig |
Spouse | Frances Baldwin |
Children | 8 |
Education | |
Alexander Hugh Holmes Stuart (April 2, 1807 – February 13, 1891) was a Virginia lawyer and American political figure associated with several political parties.[1] Stuart served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly (1836–1838, 1857–1861 and 1874–1877), as a U.S. Congressman (1841–1843), and as the Secretary of the Interior (1850–1853). Despite opposing Virginia's secession and holding no office after finishing his term in the Virginia Senate during the American Civil War, after the war he was denied a seat in Congress. Stuart led the Committee of Nine, which attempted to reverse the changes brought by Reconstruction. He also served as rector of the University of Virginia.