Armstead M. Alexander

Armstead Milton Alexander^[a] (May 26, 1834 – November 7, 1892) was an American attorney and politician from Missouri who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1883 to 1885.

A native of Winchester, Kentucky, Alexander's family moved to Paris, Missouri when he was seven years old. His father died in 1844, and Alexander was apprenticed as a blacksmith. After spending time in California during the gold rush, he attended the University of Virginia, studied law, and attained admission to the bar. He practiced in Paris, and as a slaveowner, he was initially sympathetic to the Confederacy at the start of the American Civil War, but he took the oath of loyalty to the Union in 1862.

Active in politics as a Democrat, Alexander attended numerous local, state, and national conventions as a delegate. A sought-after orator, he was frequently called upon to give convention nomination speeches and keynote addresses, as well as speaking at campaign events and holiday gatherings. He served as prosecuting attorney of Monroe County from 1872 to 1876. In 1882, he was a successful nominee for the United States House of Representatives, and he served from March 4, 1883, to March 3, 1885.

After leaving Congress, Alexander resumed practicing law in Paris. He died in Paris on November 7, 1892, and was buried at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Paris.
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