Alexander Contee Hanson, Jr. (1786-1819)
MSA SC 3520-2206
Biography:
Born in Annapolis, Maryland, February 27, 1786. Son of Alexander Contee Hanson and Rebecca (Howard) Hanson (1758-1806). Grandson of John Hanson (1721-1783). Attended local private schools; graduated from St. John's College, Annapolis, 1802. Studied law. Admitted to the Maryland bar, c. 1803. Married Priscilla Dorsey on June 25, 1805. Died on his estate, ‘Belmont,’ near Elkridge, Howard County, Maryland, April 23, 1819. Buried in the family burial ground.
Hanson practiced law in Annapolis, Maryland and was a member of the Maryland House of delegates from 1811 to 1815. He founded and edited The Federal Republican newspaper, a Federalist newspaper. Four days after war was declared, on June 22, 1812, a mob destroyed his Baltimore office in Baltimore. He continued publishing the paper from another building until the mob attacked again the next week, seriously injuring him and killing James McCubbin Lingan. He finally moved the paper to Georgetown in Washington, D.C., where he was left alone. He moved to Rockville, Maryland and was elected as a Federalist to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served from March 4, 1813, until his resignation in 1816. He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1816 for election to the State house of delegates, but was elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Robert G. Harper. He served from December 20, 1816 until his death in 1819.
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