Allan B. Magruder

Allan Bowie Magruder (c. 1775 – April 16, 1822) was an American poet, historian, lawyer, and politician, who served as a United States Senator from Louisiana from September 3, 1812, to March 3, 1813.

Early life Allan Bowie Magruder was born in either Virginia or Kentucky The Magruder surname has been spelled various ways. Allan pursued an academic course in the common schools of Kentucky, and then studied law. In 1791, Allan requested Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson’s help in obtaining a clerkship in the War Treasury Department. Allan was admitted to the bar in 1796 or 1797 in Lexington, Kentucky, where he practiced law.

Early literary career Magruder was one of Kentucky’s first poets, and his poetry was published in the Kentucky Gazette from 1802 to 1803. His poetry attracted attention in the Western United States. No more than three or four of his poems survive.

Magruder, also a historian, wrote an essay titled The Character of Thomas Jefferson in 1800, first appearing in the Kentucky Gazette. It was widely reprinted, and, in 1803, reappeared in a Kentucky periodical called The Medley. In his work, Magruder also expressed his belief that Cuba would one day be under the control of the United States. Magruder sent his work to Jefferson, as evidenced by a letter he wrote to him before February 7, 1804: Magruder and President Jefferson are known to have corresponded on this subject. Simultaneously, Magruder also considered writing, and collected material for, a history of Kentucky. Magruder was chosen as one of two agents to exhibit the constitution to President James Madison. They took office on September 3, 1812. Magruder served as a United States Senator from Louisiana from September 3, 1812, to March 3, 1813. As a result of his class assignment, Magruder served a six-month term in the United States Senate, set to expire on March 3, 1813. In total, Magruder missed 25 out of 89 roll call votes in the senate, which translates to him missing 28.1% of roll call votes. Magruder's roll call absence is considered to be much worse than the average lifetime percentage, 14.9%, of roll call votes missed by senators serving when Magruder left office. Magruder is one of 45 U.S. Senators not represented in the Senate Historical Office Photo Collection. Magruder left office as a United States Senator from Louisiana on March 3, 1813, after serving a six-month term. Magruder died in Opelousas, Louisiana, aged 47, on April 16, 1822. In Kentucky in American Letters, author John Wilson Townsend hails Magruder as “a man of high culture and of high promise.”