Isaac McKim

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

Early life McKim was born in Baltimore in the Province of Maryland. He 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.

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 directors of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co. and a leader in the commercial and industrial life of Baltimore. He owned a fleet of merchant ships.

Among other businesses he had a copper warehouse on Gay street in Baltimore, and operated a steam flour mill.

Owner of the Ann McKim In 1832, he contracted the Baltimore-based shipbuilding firm of Kennard & Williamson to build the ship of his dreams, the clipper ship Ann McKim, which he named in honor of his wife. It served to refine the design of many of clippers built over the next 25 years.

Personal life McKim died on April 1, 1838, in Baltimore. He was buried in Old Saint Paul's Cemetery. There is a cenotaph in his memory at Congressional Cemetery.

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

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